Cut off the top of the bulb diffuser and expose the bare LEDs. You’ll get more out of them. Those unfortunately are soft white though so probably around 5000K
Cut a solo cup or something round of similar diameter to mark the apex of the bulb. Drill a large hole in the top of the diffuser. Use tin snips or some heavy duty scissors and cut using the hole as a starting point. You can cut chinks out until you can get a good angle on the mark you made. This is the quickest and least messy method ive found. Saws make quite the mess.
inefficient..get quantum board or strips
Oh, I have strips!
It is a good deal. I veg under a 10 bulb setup, built before the hlg65 was out. Pretty nice light for $60. Couldve been built cheaper too. Its very easy to recommend the best. Not that theres anything wrong with it, just that economy on the back end dosnt always get it in the door to be efficient in the first place. I would need 2 hlg65s to veg my area. $200 vs. $60. I would gain photon out put, dont need it though. Draw at the wall would be the same. Roi would be a very long time.
They are samsung strips from damaged "Acuity" light fixtures, purchased off ebay. I have around 100 or so 21" strips and 45 48" strips (not all are Samsung) in my garage to use if I decide I need more light! I run them off 24 or 36 volt power supplies from amazon. Cheap as hell. I'm debating on getting better Meanwell power supplies but it's hard to justify the cost. The 360 watt power supplies I am using are only $20, but only around 85% efficiency. As I mentioned above, I have many jigawatts of lighting available!Which strips are you running here?
Nice cola's you've got there
If you want something a little better than those $20 power supplies, look into Meanwell LRS series power supplies. A little more money, but won't break the bank like the HLG series.
But then you cant make reflectors out of them!
foil tape atm, in search of (minimal to no effort) a flat white paint that can take a little heat and will stick to the plastic.
But why make reflectors? Do you think they're really needed?
Where on eBay did you get those strips? I’m so fucking jealous you’ve just got hella extras just lying around...
They are all sold out - some asshole bought them all. I could really make you jealous and tell you I paid $105 shipped for the 45 - 48" strips! Lol
Needed? No. Beneficial? Yes. Focus them photons! You gain intensity removing the diffusers. The reflectors only help that. The only difference between those bulbs and a typical COB setup is output. Theres a reason most people running cobs install reflectors or some sort of diffuser/lense.
Damn dude for all ofmth m huh? I don’t know how you got so lucky.
Most of the COB builds I see here don't use reflectors or lenses, so that's why I ask.
Reflectors mostly seem unnecessary with these bulbs Imo. The light is already highly directional and I like what overlap happens throughout the grow area. In fact I'd argue it's one of the main benefits of multiple light sources. There is a lot less shade in the lower half of the garden with the increased angles of the light cone.
