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Diary PCBuds mini-grow
- Thread starter PCBuds
- Start date
PCBuds
Well-known member
hah, I should watch that
It's pretty funny. You'll laugh.
SuperBadGrower
Active member
Look again at the picture I drew. This is exactly what I drew.
Do you see less or more hotspot?
Edit: I'll just hand it to ya- if 2x 350 is the same light output as 700, it will be virtually the same. You're not really spreading anything out to a significant degree by putting it next to each other
Last edited:
PCBuds
Well-known member
OK, thanks.
So I feel I'm better off with twice as many strips at test current to avoid trying to cool off half as many strips at full power and all the complications of potential failures.
I figure my strips will last longer at the test current too.
I've still got 20 strips I can install but I'm lazy and don't want to make a bunch of shields either.
I don't really know what my light intensity is.
I'm using my phone app which is crap and I'm just comparing it to the SILs that I used to use.
So I feel I'm better off with twice as many strips at test current to avoid trying to cool off half as many strips at full power and all the complications of potential failures.
I figure my strips will last longer at the test current too.
I've still got 20 strips I can install but I'm lazy and don't want to make a bunch of shields either.
I don't really know what my light intensity is.
I'm using my phone app which is crap and I'm just comparing it to the SILs that I used to use.
SuperBadGrower
Active member
Yeah, I think the Blux datasheets even specify outright that they can be used without heatsink at test current. That was a big "selling point". It can be cheaper to simply buy more strips than to buy the materials for heatsinks. The only deviation you want to make is below the test current because that will increase efficacy. No reason to go higher than 350/700 (1ft/2ft)
PCBuds
Well-known member
I never saw the full data on the Bridgelux Gen 2 strips.
DigiKey just listed the specs at the test current but didn't give any data at the max current.
I don't know what the lumens/watt is at full current.
I've still got a bunch of strips I can install but I don't know how many I can install in my little hotbox.
Plus I'm lazy. Lol
I could install all those strips and just keep the total current the same. Not necessarily even at the test current?
DigiKey just listed the specs at the test current but didn't give any data at the max current.
I don't know what the lumens/watt is at full current.
I've still got a bunch of strips I can install but I don't know how many I can install in my little hotbox.
Plus I'm lazy. Lol
I could install all those strips and just keep the total current the same. Not necessarily even at the test current?
SuperBadGrower
Active member
They link the datasheet, https://www.bridgelux.com/sites/def... EB Series Gen2 Data Sheet 20171020 Rev A.pdf
SuperBadGrower
Active member
At first glance there are barely any losses (current vs flux graph)
The rest of the story is told at flux vs temperature, volt vs temperature. Moreover, what happens when you run those diodes at 80 C for a year? That's a bigger argument than efficacy because you when you invest in this kind of light source ideally it should last 4 years or more.
The rest of the story is told at flux vs temperature, volt vs temperature. Moreover, what happens when you run those diodes at 80 C for a year? That's a bigger argument than efficacy because you when you invest in this kind of light source ideally it should last 4 years or more.
PCBuds
Well-known member
I will have to read through that in the morning when I'm sober.
As far as I figure it, it would only be better to install my other strips.
My side/wall lighting is all warm white strips and my overhead lights are all cool white. (I don't remember the third choice?)
I could relatively easily Daisy Chain my cool white strips to my installed warm white strips, without any extra feed wires, just jumper wires.
That should give me a better spectrum and more efficacy with a better spread?
We'll see how effective I feel in the morning.
I've got enough light right now to sunburn my plant, so I might not bother. Lol
PCBuds
Well-known member
hah, I should watch that
You should watch that movie.
It's funny as hell.
Here's a clip...
https://youtu.be/7qqN21WfQOI
PCBuds
Well-known member
I checked out that datasheet then checked out DigiKey and realized that there were a few more color choices.
I bought 25 neutral white strips at 3,500 K, then bought 25 cool white strips at 5,000 K.
That was kinda stupid.
I should have bought a mix of 3,000 K, 3,500 K, 4,000 K, 5,000 K, and 5,700K.
That would have given me a nice blend of colors.
Oh well, I've still got some pretty good strips that should last me a good long time.
They are working fine for me and maybe if I end up going on another spending spree, I'll get some strips of different colors.
If I order $100 worth of stuff I get free shipping. That's about 26 strips.
PCBuds
Well-known member
The remainder of my plant has been hanging for 11 days now so I trimmed it and jarred it.
I ended up with 58.6 grams, for a total of the plant at 186.4 grams, or 6.58 ounces from one plant.
I'm really happy with that.
My strips were running at about 220 Watts so that's roughly 0.85 grams per Watt.
That's not too bad but I don't really care much about that.
It's my total weight at the end that I care about.
I only grow one plant at a time and my electricity bill doesn't add up to too much.
I ended up with 58.6 grams, for a total of the plant at 186.4 grams, or 6.58 ounces from one plant.
I'm really happy with that.
My strips were running at about 220 Watts so that's roughly 0.85 grams per Watt.
That's not too bad but I don't really care much about that.
It's my total weight at the end that I care about.
I only grow one plant at a time and my electricity bill doesn't add up to too much.
SuperBadGrower
Active member
Nice!Nah its better to buy more of the same CCT because of bulk discounts. Spectrum is almost irrelevant.
PCBuds
Well-known member
Okay, thanks. That's good to know.
I'll definitely get more Bridgelux Gen 2's if I buy more strips, because of their odd 19.5 voltage rating.
That way I can just add them in with the same power supplies I'm using.
My seed is coming along and it will be 5 days tomorrow.
It's being a little slow. My first two seeds cracked in two days and one was planted in 3 days and the other in 5 days, with a 1/4" taproot.
I may have another mutant growing. Lol
Oh well, my last plant was pretty small and mixed up but it turned out great.
If this one ends up small or slow, that will be okay. I'm only growing the one plant and I can raise my overhead light to follow it. It won't be in the way of any other plant.
I'll definitely get more Bridgelux Gen 2's if I buy more strips, because of their odd 19.5 voltage rating.
That way I can just add them in with the same power supplies I'm using.
My seed is coming along and it will be 5 days tomorrow.
It's being a little slow. My first two seeds cracked in two days and one was planted in 3 days and the other in 5 days, with a 1/4" taproot.
I may have another mutant growing. Lol
Oh well, my last plant was pretty small and mixed up but it turned out great.
If this one ends up small or slow, that will be okay. I'm only growing the one plant and I can raise my overhead light to follow it. It won't be in the way of any other plant.
SuperBadGrower
Active member
Yeah, it's really a shame that they made 20 V strips. If they just made them 24 V they would be more compatible.
Maybe here is some good stuff: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=374745
Maybe here is some good stuff: https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=374745
PCBuds
Well-known member
My seed is 5 days old today and looking OK but it doesn't have much of a tail yet.
I think it's still quite viable but I guess it's not a very vigorous seed?
It may end up being smaller and slower-growing but that's fine.
I think I might plant it tomorrow.
The other seed didn't germinate after 11 days, so I tossed it out.
I also noticed that I forgot to trim a small branch. It was still hanging in my grow room.
It was another 4.5 grams.
I think it's still quite viable but I guess it's not a very vigorous seed?
It may end up being smaller and slower-growing but that's fine.
I think I might plant it tomorrow.
The other seed didn't germinate after 11 days, so I tossed it out.
I also noticed that I forgot to trim a small branch. It was still hanging in my grow room.
It was another 4.5 grams.
PCBuds
Well-known member
I was lucky when I bought my first power supply. It had an adjustable voltage but it wasn't until after I ordered it, that I realized most power supplies are only adjustable by 10% and that wouldn't allow me to turn it down far enough to reach 19.5 V.
Luckily, it would adjust down far enough for me.
The next two power supplies were fully adjustable from 0 to over 24 V.
