First time grower experimenting with cheap LEDs

Panelata said:

Well you can get the strips off ebay , its very easy to connect them up, depending on how many lights you are going to need you need to get a 12v DC power supply ,if you have an old computer PSU you can modify it to use on the strips (you can find tutorials on youtube for this), but if you are going to use less than 500 leds, just get a cheap 12v adapter with a 5 amp rating.
You can then cut the strip every 3 leds, find some panel with a flat surface lay them out and just connect it up in series you can get connectors for them ,but if you can use a soldering iron just solder some wire to the + and - terminals and connect accordingly to each other strip and the adaptor/Power supply . Connect a pc fan to deal with the heat and you're in business .

The strips are SMD5050 and they come in rolls of 5metres or 300 leds.

If you tell me what size panel you are looking at ,I can tell you how many rolls you will need and how to cut them up and what amperage adapter you will need.

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thanks! i havnt actually decided how and what size i want (need to get my measuring tape haha!) the main reason i want more is because i dont think the panel i have is saturating the whole table i have populated equally (more light in the middle then the sides) so i thought of adding two mini panels on both sides of my blackstar. (my space is 2x3, in there i have 4 rows with 7 plants in each row and i think the first and seventh plant on each row could use more light.)

another idea your diy gave me was to install one green strip in my tent as a safe-light for those times i need to go in there when the girls are sleeping (for foliar feeding for example) should give plenty of good working light!

Scooby(Doobie) said:

thanks! i havnt actually decided how and what size i want (need to get my measuring tape haha!) the main reason i want more is because i dont think the panel i have is saturating the whole table i have populated equally (more light in the middle then the sides) so i thought of adding two mini panels on both sides of my blackstar. (my space is 2x3, in there i have 4 rows with 7 plants in each row and i think the first and seventh plant on each row could use more light.)

another idea your diy gave me was to install one green strip in my tent as a safe-light for those times i need to go in there when the girls are sleeping (for foliar feeding for example) should give plenty of good working light!

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What I like abput these smds is that you can lay them out to cover any area evenly tjey also emit light at a 120 degree which means less waste,so I thimk you can cover pretty much any spaces that your main light does not cover effectively.The strips are 1cm wide and each cuttable chunk of 3 leds is 5cm so once you have measured the area you need covered, just do the math

I also thought of the green leds, but am not certain that these cheap Chinese made smds will guarantee the correct wavelenght of green to ensure the plants do not get disturbed in their dark cycle. I would like to find out though. Possibly another experiment to add to my ever expanding hobby lol.

thanks for sharing your experiment - I love seeing people think outside the box and test to see what works. Are you concerned about heat dissipation and life of the LEDs? how many 5M rolls did you use to make your mk2 panel?

caretak3r said:

thanks for sharing your experiment - I love seeing people think outside the box and test to see what works. Are you concerned about heat dissipation and life of the LEDs? how many 5M rolls did you use to make your mk2 panel?

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Hi Caretaker, you are welcome. I used 6 rolls as for heat, its not a problem atm, its fairly cold where I am and the little heat that comes off mainly the resistors can be easily managed with a single pc fan blowing directly onto the panel. Later on as things gets warmer I migh have to get a better fan or add more pc fans.As for life of leds they are rated to last 10000 hrs, being cheap Chinese immitations of the real thing and costing a fraction of the price, I will be happy if they last a third of that time. They should see me through a couple of grows I imagine.

Edit: just checked specs they are actually supposed to last 50000+hours

Ha! By that time you'll have sold enough bud to make the mk4 or 5.

+1 for shear MacGyverness.

Bumping Spheda said:

Ha! By that time you'll have sold enough bud to make the mk4 or 5.

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Ah but I tend to smoke it all and not have any to sell ,but the money I save from not having to buy bad weed will eventually get me my mk4's and 5's

mamakush said:

+1 for shear MacGyverness.

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Lol thanks, figured what the hell, a light is a light and the concept behind it ain't exactly rocket science, having said that I hope I don't end up with mud on my face, so far so good though

Ok seems I been making this thread all about the lights and in the process been neglecting the real deal here, so today I took the children for a photo shoot and thought I might as well pollute the thread with their pics.At this point ,any feedback and opinions from experienced growers is most certainly welcome , personally I think some plants are a little small for their age, but what do I know.

Here are the 2 Sleestack x Skunk#1 they seem to be growing much more vigorously than the rest even though they are only 1 day older amd in smaller containers than the others , here they are at day 22:


Next are the 2 THC Bombs at 21 days old the one that got topped has started growing again :


And last but not least my 3 auto-flowering Pineapple Express the one in the small pot seems to be a little behind, pretty sure it has to do with the pot but being an auto I am leaving it there.They are 21 days old :


And thats it folks I have them on a 20/4 light schedule and so far have fed them twice with a mild dose of Grow from BioBizz , the autos also got a mild dose of Bloom also BioBizz and they are getting watered once every 4-5 days .Any input is welcome positive or negative.

the first one looks good not stretched 1 bit love the uniform look of it and the head less 1 is my favourite thinkk she will just branch out and form two main stems not likke a topped plant wer there quite flimsey but nice strong arms maybe its the lights they grow abit slower but the bud sites will be amazing good luck mate

Panelata said:

The 2 Sleestacks are about 7 inches tall and about 8 wide, the others are slightly smaller the smallest not counting the one that lost its head is about 4 inches tall,5 wide. I am watering about once every 5-6 days, and am using a very mild dose (about 2ml to a litre of normal tap water left overnight in an open dish) of BioBizz grow,today was the second time I used it,I also used a bit of superthrive after the transplant. On the next watering I will use the Biobizz Grow , and Bloom on the PE (autoflowers ).

The sleestacks look to stretch more than the others but I think this is not too stretched is it?
View attachment 2493626

The others have no stretch at all , new leaves are even getting overlapped by leaves from previous node

And this sorry looking plant, is the smallest and worst performer of the lot , am sure its quite obvious why ,hope it makes it, I still have to sex the 4 photo plants they are regular seeds, so hoping to get at least 2 females, don't want to lose any plants before they show sex.

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Panelata said:

Bro if you did indeed pay 1400 dollars for a 250 ish watt light, then I got 3 words for you

YOU GOT FLEECED
And I sure much rather try my luck and fail with a 100 dollar light than to come onto a forum and admit to such an attrocity. All the best to you and sincerely hope you grow enough to cover the cost of that magic light.

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maybe canna can show us cheap skates how loads of money can get good weed ?? just a thought and pan we got love for are girls they taste better when you have give them so much time and your learning a few people on here good on ye man keep up the good work stay green and stay safe

firsttimegrow1 said:

maybe canna can show us cheap skates how loads of money can get good weed ?? just a thought and pan we got love for are girls they taste better when you have give them so much time and your learning a few people on here good on ye man keep up the good work stay green and stay safe

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Yeah thanks mate , my intention for documenting this grow here, is to get all the help and suggestions I can get but only from those that truly do want to help a fellow grower succeed , but I really am not fond of bulls***s, especially those who target new growers and attempt to discourage them with misinformation and writing up absolute poop,I mean who in the hell would pay 1400 dollars for a 250 watt led light. Funny thing is on one of his other posts he is promoting some dodgy never heard of before LED light, even has a broken link to it.So I think he's just not happy that I might be onto something and has issues with me sharing it. Hence my sarcastic reply.

I am also beginning to think that the topped plant will do well (just hoping its a female), I dont know if its the new light or just the time of vegetation and the nutes starting to have an effect but I have noticed a lot faster growth over the last 2 days they are really starting to take off and I am having to water every 3-4 days now as opposed to every 6-7 days.Cant wait till they show preflowers so I can take out the males , I really need to make space, getting very crowded in there.

I like your style....hail to the 'unbranded LED'

Chronikool said:

I like your style....hail to the 'unbranded LED'

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Thanks Chron , you are the true hero and pioneer though lol

Bahahaha.....i almost spilt my morning tea! Pioneer! hahaha....nah i just read that the 5050 smd's would not work on some post (by an 'old wise' hand) .... and that discouraged a new grower...so that 'planted seeds' in me...(that sounded dodgy!)

I wish i could find that post....

Chronikool said:

Bahahaha.....i almost spilt my morning tea! Pioneer! hahaha....nah i just read that the 5050 smd's would not work on some post (by an 'old wise' hand) .... and that discouraged a new grower...so that 'planted seeds' in me...(that sounded dodgy!)

I wish i could find that post....

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Sure that wasn't a certain canna connoisseur lol, funny how people are quick to jump to negativity simply because its not mainstream and doesn't cost a shit load of money. Well the fact that you went and did it anyway after the so called 'old wise' hand suggested otherwise is for me the makings of a true pioneer in the upcoming smd boom

You planted seeds in you , hmm is that some kind of new germinating technique It works with birds I guess so...

Nothing like a seeded 'turd in a party cup'...to get the grow boomin'!

Chronikool said:

Nothing like a seeded 'turd in a party cup'...to get the grow boomin'!

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I imagine it would make for some very effective odor masking too, absolute genius , although not a seed I want to plant in me .

On a good note ,all my 3 autos put on a strip show for me today and showed me their goodies (at day 23)


Not sure if I should give them 12 hrs dark or let them stay on the 20/4 with the others, anyone have experience with autos , what would be best as far as light cycle goes once they show pistils?

Panelata said:

I imagine it would make for some very effective odor masking too, absolute genius , although not a seed I want to plant in me .

On a good note ,all my 3 autos put on a strip show for me today and showed me their goodies (at day 23)
View attachment 2498583View attachment 2498584

Not sure if I should give them 12 hrs dark or let them stay on the 20/4 with the others, anyone have experience with autos , what would be best as far as light cycle goes once they show pistils?

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keep them on the 20/4 ...from what ive read you get less yield on the autos by going 12/12...some say 18/6 is pretty good too ! your grow is looking good..question...how many strips do you have all together now? ..how many diodes and watt total? ...and how much did you spend total on the strips? ....keep on keepin on bro !!

Registered just for this build and to check out your progress. Great work, and something I can see myself replicating in the very near future!

NugHunter said:

keep them on the 20/4 ...from what ive read you get less yield on the autos by going 12/12...some say 18/6 is pretty good too ! your grow is looking good..question...how many strips do you have all together now? ..how many diodes and watt total? ...and how much did you spend total on the strips? ....keep on keepin on bro !!

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Thanks Nug, I think I will stick with the halfway point and go with 18/6 , and as time progresses and my photoperiod plants start preflowering I will decrease that by 15 minutes a day until I eventually get to 12/12,by which time the autos should be done.
I used 6 strips on this last one 36 rows of 48 diodes =1728 diodes. I measured 204 watts drawn at the socket without any fans attached. I got a deal from the guy selling these strips, for buying 10 strips in one go paid GBP 100 so for the 6 strips you are looking at about GBP 60 or a little over US$100, I still have the old panel and the remaining rolls which I need to figure out how to add to what I got, making a total over 400 watts at the socket.Will probably line the sides with them. Ratio is 2 reds to 1 blue, but might disconnect some blues a little later in flowering to increase the R:B ratio.

TooLoud said:

Registered just for this build and to check out your progress. Great work, and something I can see myself replicating in the very near future!

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Welcome bro , and this is why I am happy to document this grow here, so that if it works it can be of use to someone else.