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[Boatguy]

Looking for some advice on my build. I have an old wine fridge im converting and height is going to be an issue. I have recessed the heatsink through the top of the fridge so i have all 28 inches of height to work with. The main light currently has a mix of blue,red and white 3.5 watt cree leds, 44 total. I have 4 12" phillips lumiled light strips mounted vertically in the corners. Total actual power is around 80 watts for everything. The width/depth of the fridge is 1.5'x1.5'.
My question is, would i benefit from a few larger leds in the main panel or will the proximity of the lights to the plant become a problem with the higher powered leds?

 

[nomofatum]

Looking for some advice on my build. I have an old wine fridge im converting and height is going to be an issue. I have recessed the heatsink through the top of the fridge so i have all 28 inches of height to work with. The main light currently has a mix of blue,red and white 3.5 watt cree leds, 44 total. I have 4 12" phillips lumiled light strips mounted vertically in the corners. Total actual power is around 80 watts for everything. The width/depth of the fridge is 1.5'x1.5'.
My question is, would i benefit from a few larger leds in the main panel or will the proximity of the lights to the plant become a problem with the higher powered leds?

You are better off looking at small LEDs in that tight a space. Small LEDs spaced apart will pre-distribute the light making it so you have more vertical space before getting too close to the LED and bleaching the plant. If the whole ceiling is lined you will be able to get within 1-3" of it, if you had 1 single high power chip you would want more like 6+"

 

[Beezcheeze]

This makes me want to do something like that. But put lights on all sides ever seen anything done like that nomofatum? Would be really cool t have a complety contained and hidden small grow for my bedroom closet. So you use the fridge workings to keep it cool?

 

[Boatguy]

Thanks for the reply. That was what i was thought, but what exactly would be considered too big to keep that close. I was considering the 9volt cxa running at 1000 ma. Would that be too big to have that close?

 

[Boatguy]

This makes me want to do something like that. But put lights on all sides ever seen anything done like that nomofatum? Would be really cool t have a complety contained and hidden small grow for my bedroom closet. So you use the fridge workings to keep it cool?

No active cooling. The fridge crapped out but it does already have a temperature controlled fan and exhaust

 

[nomofatum]

This makes me want to do something like that. But put lights on all sides ever seen anything done like that nomofatum? Would be really cool t have a complety contained and hidden small grow for my bedroom closet. So you use the fridge workings to keep it cool?

Yep, that is the design for a Vert system. Florescent/T5HO usually though. I haven't looked into the light quality emitted by the LED tape/strip lights yet, but with .5w or less per LED the plant should be able to touch the LED like they can touch a florescent bulb.

 

[Beezcheeze]

Yep, that is the design for a Vert system. Florescent/T5HO usually though. I haven't looked into the light quality emitted by the LED tape/strip lights yet, but with .5w or less per LED the plant should be able to touch the LED like they can touch a florescent bulb.

Man I want to build one bad that sounds perfect. Do you have any links for those type bulbs and the other equiptment needed to build that type of lighing in a small fridge or even make a box out of the thick foam board from lowes. I need some type of General instructions how to wire them up too:/ never done something like it before but I'm pretty handy. Wanna help me design one ? : p

 

[nomofatum]

Man I want to build one bad that sounds perfect. Do you have any links for those type bulbs and the other equiptment needed to build that type of lighing in a small fridge or even make a box out of the thick foam board from lowes. I need some type of General instructions how to wire them up too:/ never done something like it before but I'm pretty handy. Wanna help me design one ? : p

T5HO? For a fridge T5HO is too big IMHO. A led light strip would be my choice, but I have no idea what one will have the best LEDs for growing.

http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?catId=0&SearchText=led+grow+strip
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/LED-Strip-3528-SMD-300leds-5M-Cool-Warm-White-Flexible-Ribbon-Tape-with-12V-2A-Power/2042214199.html

Please do your research before buying, I have no idea if they will work well, just like the form factor for the concept.

 

[nomofatum]

Here's a similar grow cab to yours. Mine is 6x 55w T5HO with the 2G11 base, in case anyone wanted to look them up.

I posted this trash can in an ebb and flow setup a couple of years ago under a different username, you might recognize the trash can...

Now here it is with soil in it!

I'm subbed to your grow!

Here's the little one getting acclimated to the light.

Here's the view from directly above before I put in the stones and soil. Mixed spectrum obviously...

Good luck and I'll be checking in every so often!

Example of a T5HO mini-vert build.

Fixture-less T5HO could work in the fridge I guess.

 

[Beezcheeze]

Example of a T5HO mini-vert build.

Ok thanks! Gonn start reading up.

 

[Boatguy]

Man I want to build one bad that sounds perfect. Do you have any links for those type bulbs and the other equiptment needed to build that type of lighing in a small fridge or even make a box out of the thick foam board from lowes. I need some type of General instructions how to wire them up too:/ never done something like it before but I'm pretty handy. Wanna help me design one ? : p

This is the pdf for the strips i got a mouser.com. The wiring schematics are in there. I got the corner heatsinks from http://www.ecolocityled.com/ They have a good selection but alitte pricey.
Can't comment on how effective these strips are as i havent used them yet.

 

[Beezcheeze]

This is the pdf for the strips i got a mouser.com. The wiring schematics are in there. I got the corner heatsinks from http://www.ecolocityled.com/ They have a good selection but alitte pricey.
Can't comment on how effective these strips are as i havent used them yet.

Thanks. Man I could just picture making a 2x3 box out of the foam board with the silver backing from lowes and use one rw150 and rock the shit out of it for when I don't feel like running the big upstsirs grow or for summer of it gets too hot upstsirs. Keep this little box in my closet. I'd like to build my own lighting but I feel like I'd spend as much as I would for an a51 light cause I'd prolly get wrong parts etc.

 

[Boatguy]

Thanks. Man I could just picture making a 2x3 box out of the foam board with the silver backing from lowes and use one rw150 and rock the shit out of it for when I don't feel like running the big upstsirs grow or for summer of it gets too hot upstsirs. Keep this little box in my closet. I'd like to build my own lighting but I feel like I'd spend as much as I would for an a51 light cause I'd prolly get wrong parts etc.

I've definately spent more than an a51 light. The small collection of wrong parts ive ordered hasn't helped matters. I went diy for the fun of the project, not a cost savings.

 

[a senile fungus]

Example of a T5HO mini-vert build.

Fixture-less T5HO could work in the fridge I guess.

Ok thanks! Gonn start reading up.

I just measured my bulbs, they're about 21.5" long with the base included.

These 6 bulbs are air cooled by their own cool tubes, with two vents being for the plant's airflow.





Being that the bulbs are cooled this way, temps aren't an issue.

Shadows aren't an issue either

But it certainly isn't stealth.



What are the dimensions of this fridge? 1.5'x1.5'x?

 

[Boatguy]

I just measured my bulbs, they're about 21" long.

These 6 bulbs are air cooled by their own cool tubes, with two vents being for the plant's airflow.

View attachment 3325002

View attachment 3325003

Being that the bulbs are cooled this way, temps aren't an issue.

Shadows aren't an issue either





What are the dimensions of this fridge? 1.5'x1.5'x?

Roughly, by 28" high. 7" x 12" heatsink with 44 leds, flushmounted in the top, and 4 12" light strips mounted vertically in the corners. My original question was, if i was to add a few higher powered led's to the main light, what would be the max wattage i would want to run with how close they will be to the plants?

 

[a senile fungus]

Roughly, by 28" high. 7" x 12" heatsink with 44 leds, flushmounted in the top, and 4 12" light strips mounted vertically in the corners. My original question was, if i was to add a few higher powered led's to the main light, what would be the max wattage i would want to run with how close they will be to the plants?

Well shoot I dunno anything about all that bub. I know squat about LED

My fluoros don't belong here!


But while I'm here...


What's the light spread on a LED light strip?

Do you think it would be feasible to outfit a trashcan with LED in a vertical fashion? How many watts would that be? Sorry if my train of thought is skewed I'm high and like I said, don't know squat 'bout LED.

 

[Boatguy]

According to the data sheet its +/- 90 degrees but the majority of the light is at +/-30 degrees. It drops off considerably outside of 30 but a diffusing lens may help with that.
Cant help with your question as ive never grown in a trashcan or anywhere other than an outdoor garden.

 

[nomofatum]

Well shoot I dunno anything about all that bub. I know squat about LED

My fluoros don't belong here!


But while I'm here...


What's the light spread on a LED light strip?

Do you think it would be feasible to outfit a trashcan with LED in a vertical fashion? How many watts would that be? Sorry if my train of thought is skewed I'm high and like I said, don't know squat 'bout LED.

Most are 120 degree beam angle. And they are tiny so you would run quite a few strips. Distribution should be no problem. The watts would depend on the particular chip, 100lm/w would be pretty close to a 1:1 replacement for florescent, they have strips running up to 140lm/w from what I can see. Do the math based on that for whatever LEDs are on the strip selected.

 

[a senile fungus]

Most are 120 degree beam angle. And they are tiny so you would run quite a few strips. Distribution should be no problem. The watts would depend on the particular chip, 100lm/w would be pretty close to a 1:1 replacement for florescent, they have strips running up to 140lm/w from what I can see. Do the math based on that for whatever LEDs are on the strip selected.

That beam angle is perfect for vertical placement in a tubular structure like the trash can!

I don't understand how this works. You say 100lm/w is comparable to fluoro. Each strip comes with a certain number of LED diodes on it. Each diode puts out a certain spectrum/temp of light, a certain number of lumens, and pulls x amount of watts.

Am I correct so far?

I'm assuming I wouldn't want 55w per strip like I have now, how many watts approximately would you estimate is comparable to what i have now?

Once again sorry if my questioning doesn't make sense, give me a couple more posts to sound coherent.

Or we could take it to PM if you wish...

 

[nomofatum]

That beam angle is perfect for vertical placement in a tubular structure like the trash can!

I don't understand how this works. You say 100lm/w is comparable to fluoro. Each strip comes with a certain number of LED diodes on it. Each diode puts out a certain spectrum of light, a certain number of lumens, and pulls x amount of watts.

Am I correct so far?

I'm assuming I wouldn't want 55w per strip like I have now, how many watts approximately would you estimate is comparable to what i have now?

Once again sorry if my questioning doesn't make sense, give me a couple more posts to sound coherent.

Or we could take it to PM if you wish...

Florescent is about 95-105lm/w depending on the bulb. So a LED putting out the same color and lumens is a match. Your 330w of T5 = 330w of 100lm/w of LEDs. Or 235w of 140lm/w LEDs. They are available in different color temps just like floro. The strips can usually be cut to length and individual segments can be connected back together with wires. So you could buy a 5m strip and cut it into as many individual strips as needed and discard the rest, jumper your cut pieces together and plug her in.

The main concern is making sure the LEDs selected are of the proper color and decent efficiency. (watch out there are 40lm/w strips out there too.)