Bridgelux EB Strips GEN 2

Serva

Well-Known Member
Yeah! I also like the small diods! I told myself, I have to learn soldering within the next year, and make my own pcb boards for the best coverage. There are interesting ways to make small pcb‘s in a pan. I want to try that!
 

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
Comparision with EBgen2 and F-series strips at nom. current.
Unfortunately I have only the 3000°k #‘s ...(*)

EB Series Gen2 3000K@700mA(87,5mA per diode)
QER=4.84 µmol/J
LER=331.66 lm/W
= 2.55 µmol/J
13,65w * 2,55μMol/J / 7,40$ = 4,70μMol/$

F-Series Gen3 3000K@1120mA(124mA per diode)
QER=4.86 µmol/J
LER=321.60 lm/W
= 2.54 µmol/J
25.8W * 2.54 µmol/J / 14.48$ = 4.53 µmol/$

Not a big difference. F-series costs twice as much but delivers twice as much light. Only a minor benefit for the EB's...
 

Randomblame

Well-Known Member

Have a closer look to the LM561c. The bridgelux diodes needs 20mA to reach 190lm/w in 3000°k, the LM561c can do 197lm/w at 60mA and 202lm/w at 50mA. They benefit much less from lower current. Run an EB strip at half current and effiency increase from 175lm/w to maybe 185lm/w.

But a F-strip with half current will get lets say ~525mA or ~11,8w(58,34mA per diode) and will reach theoretically 200lm/w before driver and wall loss. System effiency should be ~180-190lm/w depending on the distance, but I'm pretty sure a plant can grow directly into the light without any damage.

I think this is optimal if you do not have much space upwards and with the upfront costs, I can get away. My last COB based lights with mono's were significantly more expensive. With EB gen2 strips I would never reach that point of effiency also when driven ultra low(175 instead of 700mA), maybe with 100mA.
 

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Serva

Well-Known Member
Have a closer look to the LM561c. The bridgelux diodes needs 20mA to reach 190lm/w in 3000°k, the LM561c can do 197lm/w at 60mA and 202lm/w at 50mA. They benefit much less from lower current. Run an EB strip at half current and effiency increase from 175lm/w to maybe 185lm/w.

But a F-strip with half current will get lets say ~525mA or ~11,8w(58,34mA per diode) and will reach theoretically 200lm/w before driver and wall loss. System effiency should be ~180-190lm/w depending on the distance, but I'm pretty sure a plant can grow directly into the light without any damage.

I think this is optimal if you do not have much space upwards and with the upfront costs, I can get away. My last COB based lights with mono's were significantly more expensive. With EB gen2 strips I would never reach that point of effiency also when driven ultra low(175 instead of 700mA), maybe with 100mA.
What I like is, that the diods are less powerful, so I can get way more, no?

3x smd 2835 vs 1x lm561c

By the way, do you know if the eb strips gen are using these smd2835?
 

Serva

Well-Known Member
Comparision with EBgen2 and F-series strips at nom. current.
Unfortunately I have only the 3000°k #‘s ...(*)

EB Series Gen2 3000K@700mA(87,5mA per diode)
QER=4.84 µmol/J
LER=331.66 lm/W
= 2.55 µmol/J
13,65w * 2,55μMol/J / 7,40$ = 4,70μMol/$

F-Series Gen3 3000K@1120mA(124mA per diode)
QER=4.86 µmol/J
LER=321.60 lm/W
= 2.54 µmol/J
25.8W * 2.54 µmol/J / 14.48$ = 4.53 µmol/$

Not a big difference. F-series costs twice as much but delivers twice as much light. Only a minor benefit for the EB's...
Same here. 1 f strip is putting out twice as much light, as 1 eb strip. So for me, it‘s better getting 2 eb strips, than 1 f strip, because I can spread them! And I needed 1ft strips, which were not avaible as f strips (atleast 1 year ago, did it changed?)

We already had the discussion here in the forum. You remeber? When you told me that in the future I have to look out for oled displays? I like to have my growspace coveres in diods, that‘s why I prefer eb strips.
 

ANC

Well-Known Member
I know they are great at low currents, but those are at levels lower than I can justify the density it would take compared to other options.
If I wasn't kinda in a hurry to get them and be done with it, I'd order a few rolls of diodes and get to work making my own.

It will be soul breaking work placing that many diodes by hand, but I have done worse.

Did you see that video with the guy with the multilevel grow. He had like this ocean of LEDs a few inches above his sea of greens, all stacked on top of each other, sipping power.

If I was in a legal place I would maybe pay more to get the best of the best, but if you get bust here, they take all your grow equipment.
 

Serva

Well-Known Member
I know they are great at low currents, but those are at levels lower than I can justify the density it would take compared to other options.
If I wasn't kinda in a hurry to get them and be done with it, I'd order a few rolls of diodes and get to work making my own.

It will be soul breaking work placing that many diodes by hand, but I have done worse.
I would love to do it my own!!! But I just don‘t have the skills! I thought about letting some chinese manufacture do it, but in the end I decided, that I am not rich, and that I don‘t want to gamble. And EB strips give me the most diods, which I can spread out nicely, because they are not that powerful than the lm561c. I was also looking into other strips, but I didn‘t found any other. The all had <150lm/w
 

ANC

Well-Known Member
Doesn't take much skill. Then again I have been soldering since I was maybe 12 or so.
Use the right tools, for this job you would have masked PCBs made with only the copper pads exposed. You can also have a screen made that only as openings on the solder pads.

You wipe liquid solder over the screen, so it only ends up on the pads.
Next place your parts and heat that mofo up. some people modify small grilling ovens. I just use a hot air gun, This is Africa!
 

Serva

Well-Known Member
Doesn't take much skill. Then again I have been soldering since I was maybe 12 or so.
Like I said, I want to learn it this year. But I have a big garden with alot of vegetable, and I needed a new light from january - may. When all plants go outside, I will try to learn to solder / make my own pcb.


I will make my dream of an illuminated cab come true, but up to this point, I will be fine with it, being called crazy, because I want more and more diods :bigjoint:
 

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
What I like is, that the diods are less powerful, so I can get way more, no?

3x smd 2835 vs 1x lm561c

By the way, do you know if the eb strips gen are using these smd2835?

One would have to know if top flux and voltage bins are available? If yes one can do 200lm/w much more easily as with EB strips. Top voltage bin needs only 2,6-2,7v@60mA and top flux bin reach 32-34lm... so if one can get it..?
 

ANC

Well-Known Member
I'd get it from Digikey, you actually have a better choice of what is available when you can order in reels. And it is guaranteed the real thing. Might have a 4 to 6 weeks lead time.

Our disastrous clone run bought me some time, I'm growing out a 3rd of the plants to cut them all up and start new clones again. A miscommunication led to plants that were rooted too long, never hardened off and then planted out during a heatwave. What a fuckup yeah, lost over 60 rooted and planted clones. This year can only go better. The survivors are doing great though, I'm growing without interference of the partners so far this round, so no one messes up the weed with their chemical fertilizers and funky watering regimes. I take a look at them a few times a day, and they tell me what they need.
 
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Serva

Well-Known Member
The are not avaible, only being sold as bulk, with all bins mixed I think


But as I said, I don‘t know anything about this subject. I am just a dreamer :hump:
 

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
Like I said, I want to learn it this year. But I have a big garden with alot of vegetable, and I needed a new light from january - may. When all plants go outside, I will try to learn to solder / make my own pcb.


I will make my dream of an illuminated cab come true, but up to this point, I will be fine with it, being called crazy, because I want more and more diods :bigjoint:

There are small hotplates to solder smd's or you can also use a stovetop if you have a good thermometer with probe. Heat it up to 260°C, place the PBC on the plate with solder paste(230°C melting point) and LED's in place and measure the temperature.
The PCB should reach 250°C within 2-3 minutes, then let it slowly cool in the oven. I've not tried it with bigger PCB's only with small ones(12 diodes) but it should work the same way.
 

Serva

Well-Known Member
There are small hotplates to solder smd's or you can also use a stovetop if you have a good thermometer with probe. Heat it up to 260°C, place the PBC on the plate with solder paste(230°C melting point) and LED's in place and measure the temperature.
The PCB should reach 250°C within 2-3 minutes, then let it slowly cool in the oven. I've not tried it with bigger PCB's only with small ones(12 diodes) but it should work the same way.
Yeah, thats what I was reading about. But I haven‘t found these hotplates, because I am missing the terminology. Do you have a link? (German/europe vendor?) Even small ones like 5“x5“ would be fine, because I could glue them on a bigger alu sheet, or c-channels. I don‘t have a thermometer, but this should be easy to get, I think.

Edit: I don‘t have an oven, but I think I read that it‘s also possible in a pan?! May you pm me? I think it‘s easier to talk in german about it, atleast I could understand better, what I need to do :D
 

ANC

Well-Known Member
My method is easier, point hot air gun at boards until the grey liquid solder goes shiny, remove heat. I've done double-sided PCBs like this.
 

DankBudzzz

Well-Known Member
Why is the DigiKey website so difficult to navigate... does anyone have a link to the 3000 and 5000 k strips on DigiKey Canada. Do they come in 2 feet strips? Can anyone suggest an exact driver model to run 10 strips at around 200 watts total? Thanks
 

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
Why is the DigiKey website so difficult to navigate... does anyone have a link to the 3000 and 5000 k strips on DigiKey Canada. Do they come in 2 feet strips? Can anyone suggest an exact driver model to run 10 strips at around 200 watts total? Thanks
Hey DankBudzzz!

I always recommend to search by correct part numbers no matter if on digikey or arrow or anywhere else.
These is the part-number and canadian link for EBgen2 in 3500°k: BXEB-L0560Z-35E2000-C-B3
https://www.digikey.ca/products/en?keywords=BXEB-L0560Z-35E2000-C-B3

and here the one for 5000°k: BXEB-L0560Z-50E2000-C-B3
https://www.digikey.ca/products/en?keywords=BXEB-L0560Z-50E2000-C-B3


And a siutable 200w driver would be a HLG-185H-20A(all strips in parallel, ~200-210w) or a HLG-240H-C1050A or B(for series wiring, 220-230w).
B version means dimmable between 10 and 100%, A versions are dimmable via internal poti but only between 50 and 100%
The HLG-240 has room for up-to eleven 2ft. strips, maybe even 12, and each strip would get 1050mA, max. 1100mA with internal poti fully turned open. If you take the HLG-185H-20A each strips gets max. 1000mA(10 strips, but you can add more for better effiency).
Price difference should be less than 10$ and in general, the HLG-240 has the best price-performance ratio.
Because these drivers are anyway dimmable I would recommend to use the bigger one.
 
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