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LED FAQ) Building and DIY

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cannaisok

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Originally Posted by Dion
par watts is the electrical watts x eff % and then also i take away 10% for reflector losses
so
(229 x .6401) x 0.9= 131.92461 par watts(so thats 13 par watts per sq ft)

par watts(131.92461)/ (60cmx90cm/10000)= par watts per m2

par watts per m2 x 4.65(the conversion for par watts to ppf for the 3500k cree)= ppfd=852.01
---------------------------------------------------------

in my case 303x0.64=174,5
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif](80cmx120cm/10000)=0.96 [/FONT]
174,5/0,96= 181

181,5*4,65=844ppfd:biggrin:

thanks

[/FONT]
 

bpwilly

New member
Panacanna
Thanks for the information. Just when I was narrowing the list down, now I got more choices! kidding of course. I have never looked at that manufacturer much so I guess I would be smart to look a them as well.

Anyway, Dion let me know I was on the right track. My biggest issue (at this time) is just feeling comfortable with the numbers so that I can make a somewhat logical decision. I have made one other LED light base of information I got from another forum. Everything worked fine, but I still feel as if I am flying blind. Definitely getting smarter, but knowing I got a lot more schooling before I can feel comfortable in my own logic on this subject.
 

bpwilly

New member
ok ok i got my spread sheet in front of me lets see if i can work this out

2 of those drivers 6 cobs each? yes (you can run 7 cxb3590s on those though)

so i only have the numbers for the gen 2 veros(the gen 7s are supposed to be better than cxb3590 though)

12 x 3500k vero29 gen 2 in ur space at that current will pull 452w from the wall and give you a ppfd of 788(taking into account 10% loss for walls/optics)

so in summation: ur plan will kick ass

good luck and post some led porn when u build please
Dion,

Thanks again for the support.
Now to help me make sure I am actually doing some of the numbers right, here is what I figured for the drivers, using the 3500K Vero29 Gen7 at 1.05A as a example. At that current each Cob should be using 35.5 volts well as drawing 37.2 Watts each.

So if the MW HLG-185H-C1040 outputs a max of 190V or 200 W, then I should be able to drive 5 Cobs each. When you mention I could run 6 Cobs on each, I am starting to think my understanding of how to do the calculation might be all wet. Can you let me know if I messed up this process of how to size a Driver. Might just be that I missed a calculation someplace, so please be patient with me if this is a real dumb question.

My plan is to actually just drive 4 Cobs each so that each row (3x4) has a separate driver.

As for your request of posting pictures when I get it done, you got it. I am really looking forward to this. The first light I make was based on the Mammoth build that was posted on a other forum. I did use a different driver as the original specified one what no longer avail, but everything works and I even managed to solder on a 100K pot to be able to dim it if needed.

I will keep saying it - "Thanks a heck of a lot for the help and education"
 

wildgrow

, The Ghost of
Veteran
All that's left to do is decide exactly where to poke holes in the project box so I can finish the wiring.

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Happy someone could explain that number game. Trying to ease into getting my geek on, or else Ill be lost down the rabbit hole.
 

Orchid grower

New member
Surfing the web about making a nice LED grow light I run into this treat which is a great help for me I have to say! Thanks

Anyone knows which is the best COB for me to buy if I want high CRI and usable for both veg and flower?:thank you:
 

wildgrow

, The Ghost of
Veteran
How much space are you lighting?
I take it that youre going to use it for orchids. I know they can be finicky. What kind of light do they need (intense/diffuse)?
How humid is the space? Not so much for COB selection - more for determining what degree of waterproofness the unit will have to be.
 

Orchid grower

New member
Thanks! Yes it's for Orchids indeed, my space is 60x80cm and 1 meter high, (2x2.5 and 3.5 high I guess.) I will place the light on top of my box with glass between so they are outside the grow space. The plants who need intense light I will place high and the plants who need low light I will place on the bottom of the box.

My first plan whas to use Luxeon lumiled 90cri or citizen 90cri 3500k or 4000k but after reading this treat I discovered 80cri LEDs have more "usable" light, so now I am confused... High CRI is interesting for me because I want to enjoy the colour s of my flowers but getting the most efficient light is more important because I want them to grow nice as possible.

My new plan is to use the CXB3590 80 cri and now I was wondering if I should get the 3500k or 4000k? which one is best for both veg and flower? Because some of my plants are flowering while others are just growing.

Greetings from Holland!
 
C

cannaisok

hello, orchid grower.
I am not specialist but as far i know most orchidee species come from east asia and grow on trees? half shadow/ shadow in a subtropic area...
about 500ppfd is what i would start with MAX. that would be 1-4 cxbs depending on current.
i would suggest you 2 cxbs @700mA(50W)(900PPFD)(9500LM) that way you can place them in a row having a stronger and weaker penetration zones. now u can see wich orchids grow best and what ammount of light they get.
if u dont bother about effeciency too much u can go with 1 cxb@1400-1750mA and drive it 50w or higher. will be enough light.

coll.temps?
with my cxa3070 i went 4x 3000k and 2x4000K ant its good.
for 3590 i would def go with 3500K. 190LM/W @ 700mA :)


good luck and report your progress
 

Dion

Active member
Thanks! Yes it's for Orchids indeed, my space is 60x80cm and 1 meter high, (2x2.5 and 3.5 high I guess.) I will place the light on top of my box with glass between so they are outside the grow space. The plants who need intense light I will place high and the plants who need low light I will place on the bottom of the box.

My first plan whas to use Luxeon lumiled 90cri or citizen 90cri 3500k or 4000k but after reading this treat I discovered 80cri LEDs have more "usable" light, so now I am confused... High CRI is interesting for me because I want to enjoy the colour s of my flowers but getting the most efficient light is more important because I want them to grow nice as possible.

My new plan is to use the CXB3590 80 cri and now I was wondering if I should get the 3500k or 4000k? which one is best for both veg and flower? Because some of my plants are flowering while others are just growing.

Greetings from Holland!



stick with your original high CRI plan, you will not regret loosing 10% light for seeing true colour mate

id get the coldest you can find in high CRI, i think 3000k is the max.

how much light you need....mmmm

well i dunno how much light those plants need really, but most plants like tomatoes or chilli will need around 400ppfd to fruit.

i guess you need the same for flowers?

you can use 100w for this size project, so probably dont need the cxb3590, instead try smth cheaper and more of them(for even spread)

cutter has some high CRI 2530s and 3070s to look into

maybe look at the ELG-C150 driver?

you wont need glass for heat though.
 
C

cannaisok

dont go colored led route anymore. they produce less photons per watt. and cost too many dollars.
maybe get very cool 5000k cxb and supplement with far red 660-730nM

but thats so much work...
 

wildgrow

, The Ghost of
Veteran
dont go colored led route anymore. they produce less photons per watt. and cost too many dollars.
maybe get very cool 5000k cxb and supplement with far red 660-730nM

but thats so much work...


Going with a higher K COB might be the way to go. I don't think it would be worth the effort to DIY a 'blurple' panel when they can be bought cheap off Ebay.


Though I haven't done it myself, I don't think adding supplemental diodes is any more work than making a multi-COB rig.
 

Orchid grower

New member
Ok here is my new plan: 3*CLU048 3500k 90cri and 3*CLU048 4000k 97cri. They not so expensive and they give plenty of lumens, probably too much so I will make it dimmable.
For cooling I was thinking of 6* Artic Alpine 11 GT rev2, they are cheap and only use 1,5w each on full power( I will put a dimmer on the cooling also) here in Holland it's very hard to find and buy a not to expensive passive heatsink that's why i choose active.
I hope this plan will work out nice!

Everyone feel free to give feedback!

Cheers!
 
C

cannaisok

Though I haven't done it myself, I don't think adding supplemental diodes is any more work than making a multi-COB rig.


its much more work...
additional drivers, additional leds, additional wiring, additional thinking abouot where to place and how to space out evenly, maybe dimmable, maybe programmable timesettings for dusk and dawn simulation,....:biggrin:
 

jikko77

Active member
at first i weren't so sure on the uses of mono with cob.
but with some research, some reading, i've changed my mind a little.
honestly, for now, is something i didn't have tested myself, so i can't say how much effective is.

some of those ideas were discussed here some time ago.

adding monos into a cob build, and not only monos imho, is more work indeed but, if done correctly, it may be usefull with a benefical effect for the indoor growing.
the more we lern about "light" the more we are able to get close at a particular spectrum that can improve the cannabis quality/development process.

imho, right now, we've cob leds in a nice sweet spot, but they are still far away to be "perfect".
let's see what the future bring to us :D
 

Arf

Member
dont go colored led route anymore. they produce less photons per watt. and cost too many dollars.
maybe get very cool 5000k cxb and supplement with far red 660-730nM

but thats so much work...

Good growers can get over 1.8gm/Watt using just CXB3950s 3500K 80cri, when you can achieve that consistently, then you might look at other modifications like mono LEDs to squeeze a little more.
 

Dion

Active member
Ok here is my new plan: 3*CLU048 3500k 90cri and 3*CLU048 4000k 97cri. They not so expensive and they give plenty of lumens, probably too much so I will make it dimmable.
For cooling I was thinking of 6* Artic Alpine 11 GT rev2, they are cheap and only use 1,5w each on full power( I will put a dimmer on the cooling also) here in Holland it's very hard to find and buy a not to expensive passive heatsink that's why i choose active.
I hope this plan will work out nice!

Everyone feel free to give feedback!

Cheers!

which cobs? 048 1212?


anyways the cheapest place to get those is here

https://cobkits.com/product/citizen-clu048-1212-90cri-choice-of-color-temps/

id suggest u just get all 90CRI

and also for cooling- you wont need fans on pc coolers, they r good for about 35w passive

use the fans for circulation in the grow space =D


and the driver?
 
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