Can 700 watts of LED strips grow trees???

[InTheValley]

side note, if you have netflix, watch "disjointed", awesome show (pot based comedy)

 

[Big Green Thumb]

Looks great BGT, is it what you expect?

Hard to tell in the pic, is the light bright? See alot of darkness underneither.

I think they are doing well. It is bright in the box, believe me. Currently I have the light throttled back to about 600 watts between all the strips. The plants aren't growing as fast as I would like, but do they ever? Lol. Right now the girls are 9-10" tall and about 18" in diameter. the stems are between 1/2" and 5/8" in diameter. All plants have at least 8, and up to 12, colas. I tend to the plants so much I feel like I am trying to scrog them without a screen. That's okay though because it is my meditation/therapy to sit with the plants.

I just started adding molasses to the water to see how it does. I've never used it before. They have been getting thirstier in the last week. I will probably veg them another week or so then flip the switch. Or not.

 

[nfhiggs]

You know that table was rigged, right?

Like I said, young and stupid. I figured betting red or black, I could spend most of the evening there drinking free beer at the very least.... Nah. I was outa there in an hour.

 

[InTheValley]

I think they are doing well. It is bright in the box, believe me. Currently I have the light throttled back to about 600 watts between all the strips. The plants aren't growing as fast as I would like, but do they ever? Lol. Right now the girls are 9-10" tall and about 18" in diameter. the stems are between 1/2" and 5/8" in diameter. All plants have at least 8, and up to 12, colas. I tend to the plants so much I feel like I am trying to scrog them without a screen. That's okay though because it is my meditation/therapy to sit with the plants.

I just started adding molasses to the water to see how it does. I've never used it before. They have been getting thirstier in the last week. I will probably veg them another week or so then flip the switch. Or not.

Thanks for the info man. First run or 2 is a guessing game as to what the plant will do, like driving a new car, huh..

Im just tryin to keep the brain occupied till my lights come in, smh, even tho i cant use them till this current run is done, lol, still feel i need to rush and get it done to JUST SIT THERE, lol..

I have a bean pop of some great tree, bagseed, that I love, better then bluedream, no idea what it is. SO that is going to be my next run, and want to squeeze the most out of it as i can in 1 run.

I think, just by looking at it, I might be around 2GPW with this light.

I think we will see when those buds start stretching up to the light, which THEN lets the surround lighting do its work.

Or, even taller strains, defoliate, and just grow mad sticks of meds, lol.. I currently have a nice 4 sticker growin, and now wish i had 20 of them, they are packin it on.

You think of tryin Recharge? It has molasses and does awesome in soil. Im in coco, so interested to see how the roots look when she is done.

Have a great Saturday bro

 

[InTheValley]

OK BGT, so, I think im going to do this small SIY 1W 3000k diode build. Im using 30 diodes.

I have this power supply,

the diodes im using are needs: DC Forward Voltage:3.2V~3.6V Forward Current: 350mA

Do i run these diodes in series or parallel?

Im doing this to test the strength of 1W diodes with 60degree lenses. I found that the lenses almost make the light 5times more intense. SO, its interesting to see what these do. slow Saturday, lol..

 

[Rolla J]

OK BGT, so, I think im going to do this small SIY 1W 3000k diode build. Im using 30 diodes.

I have this power supply,

the diodes im using are needs: DC Forward Voltage:3.2V~3.6V Forward Current: 350mA

Do i run these diodes in series or parallel?

Im doing this to test the strength of 1W diodes with 60degree lenses. I found that the lenses almost make the light 5times more intense. SO, its interesting to see what these do. slow Saturday, lol..

Could run 4 in series, then the group of 4 parallel. That could possibly work

 

[InTheValley]

Hey BGT, Got the strips, hooked up 2, OMG,

These things will ruin your vision if you look at them, they are BRIGHT aF,

I used a PC supply i posted, works great. Going to get switches to turn them off independently.

I have like 5 weeks left in flower of curent run, going to use this light to finish them up, forget the BS mars Im using now, although, i cant complain for 125 watts, its doing awesome, be a wonderful veg light.

cant believe how bright they are , im floored. they are 5730 diodes, not 5630s, like listed, but i guess these are better, and they are rated at 100lmn each,
144,000 lumens in a 2x2, LOL.. 300watts.

480lm P/watt, GROSS...

 

[nfhiggs]

Hey BGT, Got the strips, hooked up 2, OMG,

These things will ruin your vision if you look at them, they are BRIGHT aF,

I used a PC supply i posted, works great. Going to get switches to turn them off independently.

I have like 5 weeks left in flower of curent run, going to use this light to finish them up, forget the BS mars Im using now, although, i cant complain for 125 watts, its doing awesome, be a wonderful veg light.

cant believe how bright they are , im floored. they are 5730 diodes, not 5630s, like listed, but i guess these are better, and they are rated at 100lmn each,
144,000 lumens in a 2x2, LOL.. 300watts.

480lm P/watt, GROSS...

Watch you don't light stress her. Harden her off to it over several days. I light stressed my first plants about 5 weeks in and they never really recovered.

 

[Chip Green]

I completely whited out a large percentage of the upper leaves on my first "bush", under the EB Series panels. I didn't have my LUX meter yet, since I have one now, I know where the threshold lies.

 

[InTheValley]

Take note for sure fellas,

Thats why i wanted to be able to easily switch them off independently. and instead of switches, i think im going to go with male/female post plugs. just less wires and makes everything a bit easier for installing and taking out of tent.

I probably on need like 5 strips in a 2x2, and i like my light about 24-30 inches above canopy. I do have meters and want to be around 35,000 lux. Thats about where they are now.

 

[Big Green Thumb]

Ok, sorry been busy working.... So, you are driving the strips with a 12v computer power supply, yes? I assume each strip in parallel so they will get 12v each. Do you have a multimeter that reads amps dc? That is important since we don't know for sure how hard you are driving them. If you keep using that computer power supply, invest in this little device which will allow you to control voltage and current. It is what I use to run cobs or strips off of a pc power supply.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MG4211N/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"480lm P/watt, GROSS..." Not sure what that means, but there is no way in hell you are getting 480 lumens per watt.

I would personally rather dim than shut down strips, since by dimming to say 500 mA from 1000 mA, your strips become more efficient. i.e., They produce more light at 500 mA than half of your strips at 1000 mA. More lumens per watt at lower amperage. But honestly, either way will work fine.

 

[Big Green Thumb]

Oh, and congrats and getting the build started. Woot!

 

[InTheValley]

Hey BGT, thanks man, your help is valuable brother.

I could still hook up the switches with the Dc/Dc right? Im going to order all that sht today, so tryin to get things planned out. Not just throwing this together, its going to be nice, tidy, and clean looking as i can.

Still need to order the aluminum track too, about to do that soon actually.

Going to hook up 1 strip, and see what the Kill-a-watt says, then hook up 2, and see what it says, also want to take a heat measurement with the inf-red tempgun

This is going to be a badass light im thinking, lol..

prob 2 weeks before its complete.

here is the layout im going to use. 24"x24" Total space it will take.

 

[Big Green Thumb]

Once you get the power supply, you will have to try connecting some strips and see how much power it draws and then disconnect half of the strips and check power draw again. My thinking is that the power supply may draw close to the same amount of power, but force it into the remaining connecting strips. I honestly am not sure that will be the case or not.

 

[InTheValley]

ok, here is what i did. I hooked up 1, then 5.

P/s plugged into power strip= 7 watts, -- .135amps

1 strip = 23.8 watts---0.378 amps
5 strip = 89 watts---1.31 amps

16.4 watts each strip

.24 amps 1 strip
.23 amps 5 strips

Going to hook up 10 and see what it says, id imagine 2.43 amps,

also got a lux reading of 20,000 at 12inches, and 500 par at 12 inches, thats open air, laying on a table. Did notice great dropoff by the inch added in distance.

 

[InTheValley]

ok, so, i hooked up 18, because 20 wont fit on the PS.

18pc- 298 watts--3.8amps-- 700 par at 20inch, 30,000 lux

15pc- 253 watts--3.37amps-- 550 par 20inch, 24,000 lux

Mind u, i didnt really do this in a tent, I need to get more foil to complete it around for this testing.

Ill tell you this tho, my mars300 has 700 par at 26 inches and 30,000 lux

her she is today, 80 days from seed, 50 day flip, Not bad for 125 watts, but i dont really know what to expect. Plus, im having nute problems. There is also a pic of my new sprout, i named "Silence" because, it blocks everything out for me, and is truly amazing to my problem, lol. And, im going back to KindSoil and FFOF, maybe coco mix. Im just not down with this nute sht. I started with Kind, and after DWC and this coco sht, Ive had it. Kindsoil and FFOF, i didnt have not one single deficiancy, then entire grow. This has been a headache, on top ive asked and never got answers to my problems with the plant, *shruggs.

So, i might finsish up this light and finish these off with it. Id like to get the most of this run that i can,

and this current plants, they were Defoliated at day 15 AND 30 after flip, so its thinned out a bit..

 

[InTheValley]

soooo, here is my problem. My current light, the Mars300 with my mods ( 4000k diodes and fullspect diodes) with lenses, is crushing this rig. Im callin it now. I dont think im going to even invest anymore into this plan.

at 20inchs, my mars hits 1700 par, and 70,000 lux, Thats 3 times more powerfull then this setup thus far.
at 24 inchs, 900 par, 35,000 lux,
at 54 inches, 300 par, 12,000 lux,

you see what im saying? I have another Mars300 that I gave to a friend, but its just still sitting where i put it in his house, so im going to probably take it back, and duplicate my current mars300. THEN, get solexx greenhouse panel, and Convex over the top of the canopy. Because its going to be extreamly powerfull.

Humm, Need a dimmer now, lol..

Im going to run 1 more test, getting more foil to complete the mock tent, then Ill call it right then and there today.

EDIT: got foil made a mock tent. No heatsink, so very little warm up time on these measurements,.
at 12 inches, 800 par, 43,000 lux
at 24 inches, 500 par edges, 600 par center, 32,000 lux
at 36 inches, 400 par, 20,000 lux , very little change from edges.
6ft, 100 par, 2,000 lux ( tent only simulated to 36 inches )

Probably still going to do this plan, lol.. curious,.

 

[nfhiggs]

soooo, here is my problem. My current light, the Mars300 with my mods ( 4000k diodes and fullspect diodes) with lenses, is crushing this rig. Im callin it now. I dont think im going to even invest anymore into this plan.

at 20inchs, my mars hits 1700 par, and 70,000 lux, Thats 3 times more powerfull then this setup thus far.
at 24 inchs, 900 par, 35,000 lux,
at 54 inches, 300 par, 12,000 lux,

you see what im saying? I have another Mars300 that I gave to a friend, but its just still sitting where i put it in his house, so im going to probably take it back, and duplicate my current mars300. THEN, get solexx greenhouse panel, and Convex over the top of the canopy. Because its going to be extreamly powerfull.

Humm, Need a dimmer now, lol..

Im going to run 1 more test, getting more foil to complete the mock tent, then Ill call it right then and there today.

EDIT: got foil made a mock tent. No heatsink, so very little warm up time on these measurements,.
at 12 inches, 800 par, 43,000 lux
at 24 inches, 500 par edges, 600 par center, 32,000 lux
at 36 inches, 400 par, 20,000 lux , very little change from edges.
6ft, 100 par, 2,000 lux ( tent only simulated to 36 inches )

Probably still going to do this plan, lol.. curious,.

If you spread them out a bit in the center, and space the outer ones a bit closer, you'l even up that 500/600 edge to center difference. The big advantage of the strips over the Mars fixture is more even coverage out to the edges. Sure it may read 70k lux in the center, but the corners and edges?

 

[InTheValley]

Humm, that makes sense. Very right about the coverage, thats moreless the reason im pushing forward with this project.

600 par across the spread isnt to bad, plus, the 3000k with prob help more for flower. I would like to also get some fullspectrum 380-840nm in there somehow. and adding Growmau's nighttime puke,

BGT, that regulator is rated for 15amp MAX input, but my PS is 30Amps output. Wouldnt that be a problem?

anyways, Im going to get a new PS that is 400W. But still doing these in parallel, but still need the adjustments to dim, so can i still use that regulator you posted for me?

OR, should i get 12amp (150w) PS, THEN add the step-up converter to get to the 400w or whatever is needed to run 20 strips? The one you posted also says output power is 100Watts? No im confused, lol.

 

[nfhiggs]

Humm, that makes sense. Very right about the coverage, thats moreless the reason im pushing forward with this project.

600 par across the spread isnt to bad, plus, the 3000k with prob help more for flower. I would like to also get some fullspectrum 380-840nm in there somehow. and adding Growmau's nighttime puke,

BGT, that regulator is rated for 15amp MAX input, but my PS is 30Amps output. Wouldnt that be a problem?

anyways, Im going to get a new PS that is 400W. But still doing these in parallel, but still need the adjustments to dim, so can i still use that regulator you posted for me?

OR, should i get 12amp (150w) PS, THEN add the step-up converter to get to the 400w or whatever is needed to run 20 strips? The one you posted also says output power is 100Watts? No im confused, lol.

A step up converter won't give you more power (watts) just higher voltage. Power in equals power out. I just use a cheap no-name 24 V, 350W regulated supply (not constant current) and run the strips in parallel. I adjust the voltage for about 500 mA per strip. The power supply has a voltage adjustment that will take it from about 18 V up to 31 V. Right now its sitting at about 24.8. Once its set, its rock stable. Thermal runaway is simply not an issue with voltage regulation.