90W homemade LED grow

[PetFlora]

Whether NW or WW, if I was adding more red it would be 630-640-650. How much of each depends on whether using NW or WW. WW has ample 630 so go heavier 640-650. That's where the highest PR is

then Im thinking you might want to mix it up a bit, or copy Area 51 and go for Nw (5000K) and 630 and run the 630 separate so you can turn em on after the first 2-3 week`s of flowering

maybe I should build a small one for veg to start with and see how it turns out

do you have any links to any EU based shop`s ? don't like to get stuff shipped over sea and maybe pay tax and postal fee, rater pay a bit extra and get it faster as well and it would of course be great if you can get it all from one shop

p.s.

what to you use to fit the wires to the LED chips ?

 

[JMD]

then Im thinking you might want to mix it up a bit, or copy Area 51 and go for Nw (5000K) and 630 and run the 630 separate so you can turn em on after the first 2-3 week`s of flowering

maybe I should build a small one for veg to start with and see how it turns out

do you have any links to any EU based shop`s ? don't like to get stuff shipped over sea and maybe pay tax and postal fee, rater pay a bit extra and get it faster as well and it would of course be great if you can get it all from one shop

p.s.

what to you use to fit the wires to the LED chips ?

I'm trying to see if a lamp with only warm white will work (might add more red though).

I don't have link for any EU based shop, sorry.

Whether NW or WW, if I was adding more red it would be 630-640-650. How much of each depends on whether using NW or WW. WW has ample 630 so go heavier 640-650. That's where the highest PR is

I'm going for warm white, and then maybe add a bit of red. Haven't decided fully on that yet.

 

[lax123]

very nice, but will u also go for the same wattage, so that there would be something to compare?

 

[PetFlora]

Be mindful that WW covers a wide K range. My tubes are 3000K, I wanted to add 2700K (could not get them in time for this grow) and even 2400K (so far only available in A19 bulbs

I'm trying to see if a lamp with only warm white will work (might add more red though).

I don't have link for any EU based shop, sorry.

I'm going for warm white, and then maybe add a bit of red. Haven't decided fully on that yet.

 

[JMD]

very nice, but will u also go for the same wattage, so that there would be something to compare?

I will go with higher wattage.

Be mindful that WW covers a wide K range. My tubes are 3000K, I wanted to add 2700K (could not get them in time for this grow) and even 2400K (so far only available in A19 bulbs

Yep. I've asked the seller for the BIN #.

 

[Chronikool]

It will be good to see someone use all warm white LEDs for a grow...there has been a lot of talk about doing it...but to my knowledge nobody has done it or at least documented it.

I know that Eraserhead from Area-51 was considering an all warm white Cree panel.....but i havent heard much about that lately...

And for what it is worth...i think it will work beautifully...

 

[Chronikool]

Be mindful that WW covers a wide K range. My tubes are 3000K, I wanted to add 2700K (could not get them in time for this grow) and even 2400K (so far only available in A19 bulbs

Cree XPG / XPE LED's (even if they are crap BIN #) VS generic Chinese 5050 diodes (in the tubes)

Is that a comparison?

 

[PetFlora]

Not sure what the point you are trying to make is. Whether Crees or crap Samsung 5050s, 3000K = 3000K and so on.

Cree XPG / XPE LED's (even if they are crap BIN #) VS generic Chinese 5050 diodes (in the tubes)

Is that a comparison?

 

[PetFlora]

Currently using 2 Cree NW + 1 Cree WW + one Philips 12w RP WW. but not as warm as the Cree next to it. Plants are growing at a pace I am not used to, but a good portion of that is my amped up watering system

I tried to send an email to A51 but it was rejected. I left a VM on Friday, no return call.

It will be good to see someone use all warm white LEDs for a grow...there has been a lot of talk about doing it...but to my knowledge nobody has done it or at least documented it.

I know that Eraserhead from Area-51 was considering an all warm white Cree panel.....but i havent heard much about that lately...

And for what it is worth...i think it will work beautifully...

 

[Chronikool]

Not sure what the point you are trying to make is. Whether Crees or crap Samsung 5050s, 3000K = 3000K and so on.

Sorry the point is that the type of grow that JMD is wanting to do will not lend itself to 5050's....

Currently using 2 Cree NW + 1 Cree WW + one Philips 12w RP WW. but not as warm as the Cree next to it.

This is a redundant point on the topic of warm white grows....

 

[JMD]

Sorry the point is that the type of grow that JMD is wanting to do will not lend itself to 5050's....

I agree Having worked with both 5050's and Cree LEDs, it's evident that the quality of the LEDs is much higher for the Cree ones.


It's going to be a lot of drivers...

 

[Chronikool]

View attachment 2801023

Lookz like a scene from 'Storage Wars'....

 

[PetFlora]

Have you considered external drivers?

 

[JMD]

Have you considered external drivers?

Yep, but I'd like to make a lamp that's as close to what a commercial lamp would be like. I like that you just plug in the power cable, and you're up and running.

It will of course mean a bit more heat in the cabinet, but I think it's manageable.

 

[PetFlora]

I wasn't thinking about heat, or even weight, but should/when a driver goes, changing one out externally would be a lot easier than needing to remove the entire panel from the grow

Also I imagine that manifold type drives are available to accommodate multiple rails

 

[JMD]

I wasn't thinking about heat, or even weight, but should/when a driver goes, changing one out externally would be a lot easier than needing to remove the entire panel from the grow

Also I imagine that manifold type drives are available to accommodate multiple rails

Ahh you meant that way. Yep, you're right - it would be much easier to swap a driver if it's outside the lamp.
But I'm hoping that I won't have dead drivers every 2nd day.


There are drivers capable of driving multiple strings, or strings at a much higher voltage. But problem with them all, is price per watt. I'm aiming for the cheapest possible build, for which a high quality MeanWell driver is too expensive.

 

[lax123]

http://www.ebay.de/itm/121076647727?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 like cheapest possible like 30cents per W, 75V output, downside: 650mA

 

[JMD]

http://www.ebay.de/itm/121076647727?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 like cheapest possible like 30cents per W, 75V output, downside: 650mA

I need 1500mA. I've already found drivers 24-36V @ 1500mA (50W max) at just $5.70. 15 cent per watt.. hard to beat that price.

 

[Chronikool]

For what it is worth. I havent had a 'cheap' driver fail on me yet. I started with my current set up in November. Been running the XPG's for about 3 months.

 

[JMD]

I just got the BIN# from the seller, they use: XPGWHT-L1-0000-00BE7. It's a warm white in the 2600-3700k range with an output of 313 lm @ 1500mA. The best one in that group is 67 lm better.


Anyone know of a 660nm LED that can be driven at 1500mA? Thinking of swapping a WW with one of those in each module.

What about good optics? Anything you can recommend? The seller is able to do custom boards, so I'm thinking of getting some boards made with room for optics.