PLEASE JOIN ME! Open source growlight project

I have been working on a modern cheap efficient growlight system that anyone can build or hack.
Please if anyone can add to this get in contact. I have a good base design but need some help with PIC microcontroller that will run the PWM to the power supply, temperature control, timers, colour spectrum etc.
Also looking for collaborators for boxing it up to an IPx standard. Just want to throw some ideas back and forth at the moment with other geek/electronics/metalwork/diy hobbiests like myself.
if we can get a basic design fully working we could go for some crowdfunding to get it really tight.

You want it to be open source, then in the same breath are looking to set up a Kickstarter campaign?

heckler73 said:

You want it to be open source, then in the same breath are looking to set up a Kickstarter campaign?

Click to expand...

Yeah why not? Open source needs funding too. You think Linux was all built for free?
Concept of open source is that the design is free to copy as long as credit is where credit due. It can be sold but you pay for the work not the idea.
Example: I build a team and get grow light 1.4 ready and we sell them. We also publish how to build them. You come along late and see the plans and decide to build and sell them too. That's ok as long as you give credits to the team who designed it. You improve a feature and submit it to the team and we add it to the spec. You are now part of the team and take credit for your part. Like being allowed to hum 'like a virgin' down the street without paying maddona. But if I stop you to ask what tune you must say its maddona, not a tune you made up. Getityet?
If I sell a light or 2 that claws back some of the hundreds I have already invested. Capitalist would say to hide the design and copyright and patent then sue people who copy. But I am not a capitalist I am a socioanarchist who supports the views of peter Kropotkin and believe only to make great cheap effective grow lights for the huddled masses to grow good herb at home. Commercial led prices for grow lights are way over the odds and quality is shit usually.
So please join me and help out with your own skill set added to mine we are stronger. I will add some stuff about the mechanical build later then the electric side will get published last after safety is ensured. Still need a pic programmer to get on board or anyone who can program. No arduino because of cost.

Arduino is too expensive? Everything makes sense but that...

Are they easy to program without a lot of special gear? I'm way behind the times. There's an arduino nano on my laser cutter. Are they cheaper than raspi or olinuxino? Could then just write a Linux script. And have WiFi. And after this weeks catastrophe caused by a pebble bit stuck in a pump rotor (all dead) the software needs to control pump and verify the tray has filled and send alarm email if not. Electronics are easy. I will post some hardware photos when I have cheered up a bit. I wrote a flowchart to carry out all the main functions. A big down with the design I have been developing is the driver and PSU. The drivers are 25 dollar for ten at 100w each boost from 12v but they suck. I am experimenting by adding a varister to reduce voltage at high temperature and better squeeze the best out of cheap LEDs. Also avoids more expensive constant current drivers. As there will be an MCU maybe that could also run the power supply and driver using a pwm output. A few people would like dawn and dusk. I don't rate it but if its all software that's fine. Email new code to the lighting system. Bounce me some ideas.

Here's a flowchart that selects your timing and spectrums and also flood pump and check if table flooded. I'm having problems compiling to pic so far. im old.
the hardware is much better developed. there are internal heatsinks and ducts you cant see. more photos to come. these are just stages of prototype. there is now a better contour on the section ends to mate with the fans.

im thinking 50v distrubution lines to keep copper down. 50 is pretty safe but still easy coping with a few hundred watts. maybe 80v?