What I found out with my last project, which is currently a project, is that it may be cheaper to order the parts to create an equivalent light fixture when compared to a manufactured light, such as RW-150, meaning watt to watt, but without calculating the time it takes one to build such a luminaire, the overall calculation is ultimately skewed.
In other words, it may cost someone ~$300 to build their own light, which provides ~150W (say ~40% efficient), where as it costs $420 (really A51? not $425 or $415 but $420? lol) for similar wattage and efficiency. The difference is the latter product is finished, meaning all the user/buyer has to do is plug and play, while the former is required to spend ~5-20 hours, in labor, just to assemble their desired light fixture.
Keep in mind the hours it takes just to research the proper parts that work together and all the planning. How much is your time worth and how do you spend your time?
Ultimately, I enjoy planning and building, as I'm sure others do as well. It's not so much saving money as it is building my own fixtures to my liking.
I'd like to hear what others have to say on this subject and what they value most.
Once ,Eraserhead ( Area 51 LED lights ) told me that ,at least for my designs,they take a lot of time and effort to make ,even for a company.I can totally understand that .Then the price would have been so high ,that the final product would not have been good/ideal for large scale market.
Decent companies like Area 51 ,have to keep lots in mind .Pay taxes ,the workers ,make a profit and sell high quality products.
From the other hand ,not everybody has the time or will to acquire some weird skills needed ,in order to make his own light ..
I was lucky enough ,to have an "instructor" and at the same time the "inspiration" from ..
Guod.
I owe much to this member of this forum .
Well,he has a weird sense of humor -sometimes-,he ain't the "talkative" type of guy ,
but his few words and advices were pure gold and diamonds for me.
He has showed me the way ..
The path ,I should follow..
From then ,I studied electronics ,teached myself to program Arduinos ,learned how to reflow tiny Oslons at my kitchen ,learned to etch my own FR4 pcbs and even my own MCPCBs ,metal-working and more ...
I took his original "modular " design light and based on that fixture I evolved my own designs ...
Quality LED grow light building ,for me started here ,at this very forum and the fuel to the initial spark ,was given by this single forum member,mainly.
I hope ,that like him ,it's my turn to inspire some DIYers,myself also.
Still,-thank God for that ,are people around like Eraserhead ,that own LED grow light firms ,
that actually are not stealing ,those who are not willing to go deep into the DIY world ...
My one cent .
Cheers.