The klx Way!
- Thread starter klx
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klx
Well-Known Member
I was going to try it but when I went to the garden centre and touched the coco matting with my fingers lots of little fibres were all coming off everywhere and I didnt like the idea of that floating around my tray, into my res and into my pumps.
So I decided against it.
If I come across something inorganic that I could use I may try it.
BuddyColas
Well-Known Member
Why yes I did! The girls got some big buds!
It's the way the roots grow out into that mat (with no media) that really floats my boat. I will try that one day.
So have you tried the batting as a mat?
Keesje
Well-Known Member
Did not use it myself, but read on some forums that people do use it.
Tbh I don't see a huge benefit from it.
Only ones I can think of are that the roots have something more to hold on too. Other one is that the roots will not stick to the bottom of the tray, so perhaps easier cleaning.
And if you have a pump failure that there might be some water in the batting left.
Reading back these look not as huge benefits, but maybe important enough
Tbh I don't see a huge benefit from it.
Only ones I can think of are that the roots have something more to hold on too. Other one is that the roots will not stick to the bottom of the tray, so perhaps easier cleaning.
And if you have a pump failure that there might be some water in the batting left.
Reading back these look not as huge benefits, but maybe important enough
klx
Well-Known Member
Hey mate, so I did this over the weekend and was surprised to see that the 8 Veros only pull 390 watts at the wall when being run at 0.7A.
If I wanted to add one of these strips to each driver to utilize some of the remaining headroom, would I just add it to one of the strings? According to Bridgelux 300k 90CRI Vero29 Cs ran at 0.855A use 66.2V so when run at 0.7, lets assume 66V which leaves me with 47V spare. The strips are 48V so I think we can squeeze it in you think?
https://www.cutter.com.au/product/cutter-3030-20k560-2/
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Depends on the driver. The open circuit voltage is a bit higher like the load voltage but the drivers are all a little different a few percent, which means some have a higher load voltage like others. So if it works with 1,2v more or not is a bit of a gamble. But I don't think the strips need 48v at 700mA. I'm not 100% sure but is there no table showing lumen output, wattage, voltage at different drive currents on their website?
If its really 48v you could also add 2 Bridgelux EBgen2 2footers in series(2x 19,5v at 700mA). Would add only 39v to the circuit. You could also add a Vero29d to the circuit(36-38v) without reaching the voltage limit.
If its really 48v you could also add 2 Bridgelux EBgen2 2footers in series(2x 19,5v at 700mA). Would add only 39v to the circuit. You could also add a Vero29d to the circuit(36-38v) without reaching the voltage limit.
klx
Well-Known Member
Yeah cool thanks. I wanna spread the light out a bit so will get strips. I actually have some EB strips and like them so thats a good option as well. One on each string on each driver would work good!
klx
Well-Known Member
Sorry one more electrical noob question. If I have 2 series strings wired in parallel to 1 driver, do I need to keep the voltages on each string the same? Would it cause any problems if one string is 120V and the other is 170V?
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
No probs, mate! Feel free to ask what you want. Are the EB's gen2? Gen1 and gen2 have different voltages.
When you have 2 parallel strings at 700mA you could add 2 EBgen2 strips to each string. And to your other question, yea, you need equal voltage on both parallel strings. Different voltages leads to uneven brightness and in the worst case to thermal runaways and burned out diodes.
So either you add one strip to each string(~20v more) or tow strips connected in seires to each string(~40v more). The best driver usage you would have with 2x your 66v COB and 2x EB's in series on each string.
You would have ~172v on each string and at 1,4A that's a minimum of 240,8w net but it's probably more like 1,5amps cuz all Meanwell driver have up to 8% more current so I would rather calculate with 250-260w net and up to 275w total at the wall.
I have had the same driver used for one of my older builds and have measured up to 1530mA drive current instead of 1400mA. That's 9,35% more like in the datasheet.
But they all are a little bit different in terms of load voltage and drive current but when you add 4 strips(2 on each string) 260w at the wall is probably the minimum you can calculate with.
But it's also possible that you get up to 280w at the wall!
BTW,
you want the better quality coco mats you can get in reptile shops. You can also find them on e3ay and they are often used on the back wall of terariums. They are made from pretty long and thick coco fibers and no fibers are comming off of these mats. You can also take a few 6" rockwool cubes and a sharp meat knife to cut off 5-10mm thick 6x 6" slices. Put a 40mm germination cube in the plant holes before otherwise you can only use half of the cube.
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klx
Well-Known Member
Thanks a lot that all makes sense. I have been looking at cutter and he has lots of options for strips so I might add some deep red as thats what all the cool kids seem to be doing these day
klx
Well-Known Member
@Randomblame do you think if I have ~400W of 3000k cobs if I add ~40W of 660nm reds its too much red?
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Yeah, only make sure the voltage fits your needs and is no more like 45v at 700mA.
And the really cool kids use a combo of deep- and far-red(3:1) to make use of the Emerson effect.
A bit far-red with lights on evens out the excitation states of photosyntesis systems I and II which means the systems work more efficient. It has also a shortening effect which means you can harvest a few days earlier without losing yield. It's the same effect known from CRI90 which has more deep red and twice as much far-red like CRI80. And when you add lets say 10% deep-red to CRI80 white you get automaticly CRI90 and when you add a few far-reds too you mimic almost the CRI90 spectrum known from Vero, Luminus or Cree COB's.
I've a mix of 20pcs CRI80 F-strips and 8pcs CRI93 Vero18 COB's running at ~460mA (323w) and I've added 12w purple 430nm, 20w deep-red(660nm) and 10w far-red(730nm) to the mix. Far-red on its own driver to use them for both; over the day for Emerson effects and for end of day treatments to put the girls faster into "sleep mode" which also have a shortening effect. All in all you can save up to a week with the right amounts of far-red.
And the really cool kids use a combo of deep- and far-red(3:1) to make use of the Emerson effect.
A bit far-red with lights on evens out the excitation states of photosyntesis systems I and II which means the systems work more efficient. It has also a shortening effect which means you can harvest a few days earlier without losing yield. It's the same effect known from CRI90 which has more deep red and twice as much far-red like CRI80. And when you add lets say 10% deep-red to CRI80 white you get automaticly CRI90 and when you add a few far-reds too you mimic almost the CRI90 spectrum known from Vero, Luminus or Cree COB's.
I've a mix of 20pcs CRI80 F-strips and 8pcs CRI93 Vero18 COB's running at ~460mA (323w) and I've added 12w purple 430nm, 20w deep-red(660nm) and 10w far-red(730nm) to the mix. Far-red on its own driver to use them for both; over the day for Emerson effects and for end of day treatments to put the girls faster into "sleep mode" which also have a shortening effect. All in all you can save up to a week with the right amounts of far-red.
klx
Well-Known Member
I ended up ordering 2 mixed wavelength red strips 10:2 deep red:far red and 2 x 3500k strips from cutter to add to this light. Gonna be a beast over a 3x3, thanks for your help!
Hey Buddy which silica do you use and do you foliar feed with it?
I have found some water soluble potassium silicate and am going to implement a weekly IPM.
Mix 1.5g of dry potassium silicate into 25ml of neem oil to saponify the oil, then mix this saponified oil into 4L of water. Use this as foliar IPM spray. I am thinking it will kill 2 birds with 1 stone - pest and pathogen prevention and stronger stems, branches etc. What you think?
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Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Sound like it could work well. But only time will tell if it really does..
I'm using Growth Technology Liquid Silicone but its already diluted. Use it like PH-plus cuz it increases the PH. 2mls/gal..
Because I'm using UVA/B I've no issues with insects or PM anymore. In the past I've added neem cake to the soil mix but I've finally switched to coco dtw. Even a few hours per day is enough cuz insects can see this wavelength and they avoid them cuz it would damage their dna and kill them. And spores are killed by UV light two. Works extremely well till now and I'm using it since 1,5 years now and have done several runs. Also no bud rot and in summer I've always to fight with a too high humidity, +70% at night usually..
BuddyColas
Well-Known Member
klx
Well-Known Member
Cheers boys. I am making a few changes to the op. In addition to reworking my lights and adding some red, I am going to be a little more pro active with IPM as mentioned above. I am also changing my schedule to run both trays at the same time instead of perpetual.
This is so I can run a single res, can clean down and disinfect between runs and also have the option to veg if I feel like the clones were not quite big enough.
This is so I can run a single res, can clean down and disinfect between runs and also have the option to veg if I feel like the clones were not quite big enough.
