Pictures of your DIY lights - Post your pics!!!

[DCcan]

Learn something new every day. Thanks Randomblame !

That was way too much learning for the morning, that just burned 2 cups of coffee and 2 bong hits out of my brain.
The brain particles are rearranging now. Need more caffeine after that overload.

Randomblame sure does have a big vocabulary, lots of new 3 syllable words.

 

[T-Time]

That was way too much learning for the morning, that just burned 2 cups of coffee and 2 bong hits out of my brain.
The brain particles are rearranging now. Need more caffeine after that overload.

Randomblame sure does have a big vocabulary, lots of new 3 syllable words.

Hahaha, yeah
Randomblame is definitelly an advanced classes teacher. A wizard
Keep digging and You'll catch up

 

[sethimus]

@randydj
You can also try to shorten the far-red end of day treatment from 15 to 10mins untill the stretch is gone. You need between 2000 and 4000μMol(not per second) to switch phytochrome far-red. The more you use the more stretch you'll see. A far-red trigger with 5w at the wall and 44% efficiency needs only to run for 5 minutes to throw out 4000μMol.
(5w x 0,44% = 2,2PAR/w x 6μMol/J(QER for far-red) = 13,2μMol/s/m² x 300sec(or 5mins) = 3960μMol within 5 minutes)
I don't know how powerful your far-red trigger is but 15 minutes could be more than needed...
Yes, the flower cycle shortening effect is stronger the more far-red you use but that is only true up to a certain range. Above 4000μMol the shortening effect get's more and more negligible but the effect on stretch is still there up to the point you see SAS symtomes(shadeavoidingsyndrome).
Personally I begin the flower session always with only 2500μMol and increase to 4000-5000 when the stretch is done.
If I use too much far-red from the beginning my tops later fall all over the place 'cause the skinny stems can not hold the weight. I need to use plant jojos or bambus rods then to avoid this.
If you know the used diodes and the driver of your far-red light we could figure out how much time it actual needs to switch your plants into night mode.

where did you get that 4000µmol number?

 

[DCcan]

Look at what I got for free today, they sent these instead if 560mm boards and said to keep 'em.
3500K EB2 x12pcs. Guess I can put them on my oscillating tower fan if I was truly ambitious.
I'll have to smoke some more and come up with a better, more ingenious idea.

The main light will be a 2x4 3500k EB2 2 ft strip reference build, everything but the replacement strips will be in today.
I want to get a 4x8 tent at a later date, so I'll probably have these on a plant rack, lower shelf for flowering clones or junior plants for sexing.
I can put the plant rack in the veg tent and run autos under them nicely too, or move it to a window in the spring and light up the area underneath.
Next stop is the scrapyard, need to find some cheap aluminum. Like 10 dollar cheap

 

[DCcan]

Okay, this is getting silly.
They sent 12 more of the same wrong part overnight express.
Can't reorder till 2 credits go thru now, too much of a good thing.
And they told me don't reorder from them for a while, lol.
And they have 166 more 280mm sticks just like it.
I already ordered a 120-20 driver for the first batch, too late to get another 240-20 driver and make a 2x4 light.
Guess I'm going into the micro grow boutique business, not the lumber trade. Fate sucks some days, I still dont have my 560 sticks.

 

[zypheruk]

Details on lights etc in my diary in sig below.

 

[T-Time]

Looking good mate. Youngsters on the left are a bit hungry tho.

 

[zypheruk]

@T-Time that they are, poor buggers have been badly neglected this week. They will bounce back quick I hope.
Thanks for popping in.

 

[Randomblame]

where did you get that 4000µmol number?

From far-red thread. This technique is also used in horticulture since a long time to extend the stems of tulips, roses and other flowers. I suppose that's where the numbers come from but in fact, I can not remember where I got them from.

@wietefras
Do you remember where the 2000-4000μMol for far red EoD treatment come from?

 

[DCcan]

Details on lights etc in my diary in sig below.

zypheruk, your grow room looks like the set of a cool SciFi movie or Nixon's wildest nightmare.
The venting is great, and wiring on lights turned out real tidy.
Is the heatsink hollow c-channel? I was thinking of using that or similar sliding window channel

 

[Randomblame]

4 - 3 watt 730 nm SemiLeds in 24 SQ FT Meanwell LDD-700H. I think I did all of the calculations back when I built the light but I have slept since then. The Citizen 1212 3500K cri 90 is a little weak on blue and I wanted to add some anyhow. I think it will be fun to see what happens. If it ends up being too much blue? I can just put a white cob on one of them easy peasy.

Okay, that's ~6w net, I think 6-12mins should be enough time to get 2000-4000μMol. I would try it with 6-8mins untill stretch is done and see what happens. Later I would increase to 10-12mins...
I don't think you'll see negative effects from more blue light but it's realy not needed.
In fact 3500°k has more than enough blue for compact growth and good branching. It needs only around 10PAR/w pure blue per squaremeter to keep the plants short and bushy and 3500°k has ~15% blue... also in CRI90. With only 150w you already have enough blue and the plants would stay short also when you add 150w red and deepred. Would be a 300w light 50% 3500°k/CRI90 + 150w red/deep-red.
Have a look to SanLight LED's; it's a top eu manufacturer who deal with Osram, current generation lights reach up to 2,9μMol/J. They use a white-red-deep red-mix of Osram Oslon top bin diodes and the light still looks white with a reddish tint and there is no unnatural stretch when using such lights.
I'm pretty sure it's because of too much far-red in the early flowering stage.

 

[zypheruk]

zypheruk, your grow room looks like the set of a cool SciFi movie or Nixon's wildest nightmare.
The venting is great, and wiring on lights turned out real tidy.
Is the heatsink hollow c-channel? I was thinking of using that or similar sliding window channel

Yeah the heatsinks are just standard c-channel, no problems in the heat department. The quantum boards up top will be replaced with the same strips and build that's on the bottom. The strips are just better suited to my cab.

 

[randydj]

Okay, that's ~6w net, I think 6-12mins should be enough time to get 2000-4000μMol. I would try it with 6-8mins untill stretch is done and see what happens. Later I would increase to 10-12mins...
I don't think you'll see negative effects from more blue light but it's realy not needed.
In fact 3500°k has more than enough blue for compact growth and good branching. It needs only around 10PAR/w pure blue per squaremeter to keep the plants short and bushy and 3500°k has ~15% blue... also in CRI90. With only 150w you already have enough blue and the plants would stay short also when you add 150w red and deepred. Would be a 300w light 50% 3500°k/CRI90 + 150w red/deep-red.
Have a look to SanLight LED's; it's a top eu manufacturer who deal with Osram, current generation lights reach up to 2,9μMol/J. They use a white-red-deep red-mix of Osram Oslon top bin diodes and the light still looks white with a reddish tint and there is no unnatural stretch when using such lights.
I'm pretty sure it's because of too much far-red in the early flowering stage.

I am pretty sure when I did the calculations back when I built the light that it was 13 or 14 minutes to get the red needed so our calculations are close. The blue is just for fun to see what will happen. I am growing autos next ant want to see if I can amp up the veg cycle? here is my current grow. Zambeza Blueberry, Wild Thailand and Dinamed CBD photoperiod plants:



Yep you see ladybugs and whiteflies. My cat jumped into the grow space early in the grow after laying in her catnip in the garden. I have been controlling them with ladybugs and sticky traps until it is all harvested and then I will fumigate to get rid of them.

 

[wietefras]

From far-red thread. This technique is also used in horticulture since a long time to extend the stems of tulips, roses and other flowers. I suppose that's where the numbers come from but in fact, I can not remember where I got them from.

@wietefras
Do you remember where the 2000-4000μMol for far red EoD treatment come from?

Probably from: Applications of Far‐Red LEDs in Plant Production under Controlled Environments (Univ.-of-Arizona-Greensys-FR-EOD-presentation-2011.pdf (or some similar title)

Although that is a test using tomatoes and other vegetable type plants, but that's the one that specifically uses those 2000 and 4000umol/m2/day doses.

 

[astonehead]

An update on my fixture, I received a 1750k Vero from diyleduk to put in the middle of my crees, let’s see if it makes any difference

 

[DET—PDX]

How much does it typically cost to build a light similar to the timber grow lights vero redwood? It is a 600w light with 6 VeroV7 cobs, not sure about the drivers. It is also dimmable. Thanks guys!

 

[Zackk]

Here's a look at my 4x4 grow light I just installed. 4x 288.2 QBs and a SK140 in the middle.
Just got my lux meter so I can start working on an even spread

 

[Randomblame]

How much does it typically cost to build a light similar to the timber grow lights vero redwood? It is a 600w light with 6 VeroV7 cobs, not sure about the drivers. It is also dimmable. Thanks guys!

6 Vero29 incl. VAT is maybe ~220$ and two HLG-320H-42B costs probably another 180. Such massive heatsinks are also expensive, incl. VAT and shipping maybe 25-30$ each. So including misc parts like wires, dimmer knob and poti, hangers, frame and such things at least 600-650 bucks.

 

[DET—PDX]

6 Vero29 incl. VAT is maybe ~220$ and two HLG-320H-42B costs probably another 180. Such massive heatsinks are also expensive, incl. VAT and shipping maybe 25-30$ each. So including misc parts like wires, dimmer knob and poti, hangers, frame and such things at least 600-650 bucks.

For that price, I’m glad I let Them build it AND ship it to me for $850.

 

[Randomblame]

For that price, I’m glad I let Them build it AND ship it to me for $850.

Yeah, good decision, bro!
Timber is one of the best sources for LED growlights currently. He(Dan) is very helpful and Timbers customer service is known to be one of the best. Pretty sure you'll be impressed by build quality and performance.
Results with up to +1,5g/w are possible with this type of lights and 1,2-1,3g is more or less the rule.

Do not forget to post us a few pics when the beast is hanging in your garden..