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DIY leds Discussion Thread for all your how tos and doubts and anything related

Is DIY led worth it.

  • No idea never tried and it seems complicated.

    Votes: 3 8.3%

  • No, i tried it and it was just shit/i burnt down my house/im just a negative nelly about it

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, its too expensive nowadays, can find cheaper than diy growlights

    Votes: 3 8.3%

  • No, it takes up too much time and work for the results it gives

    Votes: 3 8.3%

  • Yes! The time and effort it takes is what actually makes it enjoyable

    Votes: 3 8.3%

  • Yes, with my prices considerations and needs its actually cheaper than bought lights

    Votes: 2 5.6%

  • Yes, its actually safer with me doing the work since i know what im doing and can choose parts

    Votes: 2 5.6%

  • Yes, it means i can repair it myself if it breaks

    Votes: 6 16.7%

  • Yes, it means i can get a light that is perfect for my unique space and needs

    Votes: 8 22.2%

  • Yes, cause i cant get the results i want which i cannot find in any light on the market

    Votes: 1 2.8%

  • All of the above yes answers

    Votes: 9 25.0%

  • I dont know but im leaning yes

    Votes: 6 16.7%

  • I dont know but im leaning no

    Votes: 2 5.6%
  • Total voters
    36
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-known member
Veteran
Ttystikk said:
Are there lenses for these? I'm a big believer in lenses...
Click to expand...
Funny thing.. While your looking into trying to help focus the strips with special lenses, I'm actually looking to diffuse the light from the EB gen 3 slims for one of my builds ( the microgreen non canna related grow rack I was telling you about), and help spread it out a little more with less intensity. We're both probably looking at using them for vertical farming applications too, just different styles. Mine being vertical\horizontal stack farming..

I'll probably just carefully rip some kind of semi translucent pex/poly pipe right down the middle into 2 long half pipes with the table saw, and cover the slim modules with my own DIY diffusers, instead of buying something like this:

1742354287138.jpeg
1742354412000.jpeg
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-known member
Veteran
Oh one last thing about the supplemental heat/light bulbs.. My carts loaded with low voltage components to make up the circuit, and I want to "drive" the incandescent & halogens ( I found adapters that will let me use any kind of bulbs) with DC voltage, just like LEDs or RV/automotive systems.
My question.. Should I splurge a little more on a nicer dimmable meanwell LED driver, like an HLG or XLG? I need exactly 200w for full blast, and changed the plan to have 2 rows with 10x 20w bulbs instead. I think If i go with a regular switching supply like an LRS, I'll end up spending more on a dimmer circuit anyway..whereas the LED driver versions like the HLGs are already specially equipped for that, right?.
 
J

jonesfam7715

Well-known member
Drop That Sound said:
Oh one last thing about the supplemental heat/light bulbs.. My carts loaded with low voltage components to make up the circuit, and I want to "drive" the incandescent & halogens ( I found adapters that will let me use any kind of bulbs) with DC voltage, just like LEDs or RV/automotive systems.
My question.. Should I splurge a little more on a nicer dimmable meanwell LED driver, like an HLG or XLG? I need exactly 200w for full blast, and changed the plan to have 2 rows with 10x 20w bulbs instead. I think If i go with a regular switching supply like an LRS, I'll end up spending more on a dimmer circuit anyway..whereas the LED driver versions like the HLGs are already specially equipped for that, right?.
Click to expand...
After using Lrs power supplies for so long I have come to prefer them, all my builds are so underpowered it's no worries on burnouts. and with the active cooling they stay cooler than drivers as well, can't beat the price.
 
Ca++

Ca++

Well-known member
It is a bit hurtful paying 50 for a 240w power supply. It's only because it's specialised. These days a 600w HID driver is half that price, for twice the power, and basically the same tech. Some LED panels even use a HID driver. If I were 12v I would be using an atx psu and current limiting board, without a doubt.

It's not often we see lenses on LEDs that are packaged with a lens anyway. Even the 120 degree one's are actually quite 'beamy' as it's not an even output over that 120. That 120 is more the maximum. It's worth looking at the drawings, to see if it's worth loosing 10% to additional optics. The 660 choices I had last year, were all actually too tight. 30 degrees and such. Putting most of the light into 15 degrees. Sharing a panel with whites, at 120. TBH 15 is useless for any sort of coverage. I like a 120, that puts most down over about 80. As they do.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-known member
Veteran






I have a dozen ATX PC PSUs laying around, anywhere from 300-600w. Some old school ones too, with 20a single rails...

Kinda bulky for a light fixture, but I could remote mount it instead, and also power other devices including fans, etc.

The LRS-200 is convection cooled, and very affordable. Will look good mounted to my fixture, in a space that doesn't have a hot bulb directly underneath.
 
Last edited:
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-known member
Veteran
Well, I know its kind of ridiculous, but my poor mans LED fixture is officially getting upgraded with a brand new 400 "peak" watt ATX PC psu (even have another spare new in the box). I can run my 200w worth of dimmable incandescent bulbs @ 3-24v DC with a converter (the less efficient the better, for even more heat!), and still have more head room left for built in fans, or even more LEDs on the other 12, 5, and 3.3v rails. Might as well add a small motherboard with a cpu and ram, lol. Transform it into to an ATX form factored smart light, with lots of advance digital circuitries built in.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-known member
Veteran
www.bridgelux.com/bridgelux-unveils-drivelux-groundbreaking-light-engine-series-integrating-cob-and-driver-technology[/URL]

Fremont, CA – March 09, 2025 – Bridgelux, a global leader in LED innovation, proudly expands its renowned Chip-on-Board (COB) product line with the launch of DriveLux™ - a revolutionary series of Light Engine products. By seamlessly integrating COB technology with an advanced driver, DriveLux™ redefines lighting solutions with its compact, replaceable design, exceptional CRI90 efficacy, and versatile mounting options for large, selectable optical lenses in various sizes and beam angles.
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-known member
✅
D
Ttystikk said:
The lenses on my COB LEDs really just ensure that the light doesn't just spread out all over the place. I've had really good results with them. That's why I was asking about lenses for strips because I'm unsure if they behave the same way.
Click to expand...
This is whats cool with your growstyle, vertical with enough distance between lights and plants to work with the plants. It completely changes the whole design considerations when you have to achieve much more concentration. Most lights today are about achieving minimum hanging distance in order to be able to cope with low ceilings or even several levels of plants stacked ontop of eachother.
Apart from cobs and lensed diodes; i could also conceive of a solution using custom pcbs with highpower whites mixed with monos, small enough to fit behind a cob lense. Kind of like a small hlg qb96.
But doing this would be a super big project, with risk involved if using china manufacturing, and likely not cost effective.
 
Aristoned

Aristoned

Active member
Rocket Soul said:
This is whats cool with your growstyle, vertical with enough distance between lights and plants to work with the plants. It completely changes the whole design considerations when you have to achieve much more concentration. Most lights today are about achieving minimum hanging distance in order to be able to cope with low ceilings or even several levels of plants stacked ontop of eachother.
Apart from cobs and lensed diodes; i could also conceive of a solution using custom pcbs with highpower whites mixed with monos, small enough to fit behind a cob lense. Kind of like a small hlg qb96.
But doing this would be a super big project, with risk involved if using china manufacturing, and likely not cost effective.
Click to expand...

You can make your own LED panel.

It really isn’t that difficult.
 
Ttystikk

Ttystikk

Well-known member
Veteran
Drop That Sound said:
Well, I know its kind of ridiculous, but my poor mans LED fixture is officially getting upgraded with a brand new 400 "peak" watt ATX PC psu (even have another spare new in the box). I can run my 200w worth of dimmable incandescent bulbs @ 3-24v DC with a converter (the less efficient the better, for even more heat!), and still have more head room left for built in fans, or even more LEDs on the other 12, 5, and 3.3v rails. Might as well add a small motherboard with a cpu and ram, lol. Transform it into to an ATX form factored smart light, with lots of advance digital circuitries built in.
Click to expand...
Yes but will it play reggae for your plants to help them grow?

Yes, I actually once saw a study that purported to prove that playing music for your plants encourages growth and reggae worked best.
 
Ttystikk

Ttystikk

Well-known member
Veteran
Rocket Soul said:
This is whats cool with your growstyle, vertical with enough distance between lights and plants to work with the plants. It completely changes the whole design considerations when you have to achieve much more concentration. Most lights today are about achieving minimum hanging distance in order to be able to cope with low ceilings or even several levels of plants stacked ontop of eachother.
Apart from cobs and lensed diodes; i could also conceive of a solution using custom pcbs with highpower whites mixed with monos, small enough to fit behind a cob lense. Kind of like a small hlg qb96.
But doing this would be a super big project, with risk involved if using china manufacturing, and likely not cost effective.
Click to expand...
The keys are not just about performance but also durability and water resistance; they can't be susceptible to getting dirty or shorted out if someone sprays them with water or some kind of horticultural solution.
 
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