Let's talk DIY lights

Q-series I think, and maybe the h-influx. I’m not 100% sure if the h-influx is lm301b or the chip they use in the horti strip.

I noticed digikey has the L2 strips in stock, if you’re looking for most efficient available.

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What are the ppf and or ppfd with say 600 watts of them or 2 separate 300 watt halves to make 1 600 watt light with 2 drivers a little over powered to turn down because u were right as right about the qbs getting hot when cranked I went something to be running alot cooler at roughly same or more out put

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Depends on current of strip really. They aren’t as efficient run at max current as they are at lower current.

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So more strips turned down will make a good veg light plus insee there really high in CT 5150k? Am I seeing things and 4900k or something like that? Would it be better to build a 700 watt light basically 2 350 watt lights on w drivers all on one 2 foot by 8 foot like a skinnier longer gavita 1700 look… I could probally mount the strips on an 8 foot aluminum ladder lol!and would be perfect for the space… but instead of running both 350 watt drivers cranked run em at say 275 ish for a nice spread out 550 watts to keep mothers pumping out shoots I have a space I’m dedicating to 10 mothers and I want them to produce alot of clones

this space is 3x9 and should hold 10 good size mother comfortably those seem like the best color temp for what in trying to do what do you suggest my target number to achieve for the 27 sq foot area like to be turned down and ran efficiently how many strips will I need and to run at what current on what drivers…and last thing is do they require a substantial heat sink per strip could I build it out of u channel or do I need a plate for them…probally not because I’m not gonna be running it high so probally 2 400ish watt drivers to make an 800 wattish light and run it at 500ish watts and get great efficency… I see there 51.2watts ever 560mm strip …is that at the ssd’s t current and would that be the current you suggest to run it at to be efficient or tun lower then test current …test current on a polarity nob is that the 50 % click? Or is that relative to the driver your dimming with the knob

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So what drivers would I need to power 16 strips with 2 drivers is 8 compatible with a certain driver? That’s wod be 808 watts at test current if i turn it down below test current I’ll still have high light saturation for the space no?..
Because right now a hlg 600 rspec … the completely wrong light for the job is doing great so if I could evenly distribute more targeted wave length I’ll be golden …also I’m gonna need to build another 4x4 half that power but I can use you answers to reconfigure a different strip layout

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The new Samsung strips run about 3 umol/joule at 700ma, that’s 30 watts per strip. To run 16 of them with 2 drivers you would have to go with constant voltage driver. Hlg-600 with r-spec boards is listed at 2.5 umol/joule in comparison.

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Is there a 8 strip compatible le driver whata the magic number here how many strips on what cc driver I’m gonna need more then 8 is 8 only runs 30 watts that’s. Big light running at 500 watts at 3 umols that seems pretty close to suffient light for vegg. You thing the 5000k would be better suited then a full spectrum? Since I probally will never use it for flower if anything will expand and need a bigger veg space not a smaller one… and heat sink do I need a plate with fins or can I make it from a frame

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I also noticed the higher the color temp the higher the luminous output is that jus coincidental with the q series or is that typical? Higher color number more light?less energy

No. The voltage of 8 in series exceeds voltage limitations of connectors on strips.

5000k is full spectrum. The spd of the strips is what research led to Samsung release as their first horticulture specific led module. I would think they are probably pretty good.

When I said full spectrum I ment like 3000 to 3500 and the 5000 is gonna be blue dominant apposed to it arching more on red then others I have yet to find a nm graph for the different temps in the qs …basically what is the highest strips on what driver …or am I gonna need 3 drivers for 16 strips?will that work

Idk, to me lights are either full spectrum or they’re not. 3000k, 3500k, 5000k, doesn’t really change that. Did you look at the spectral distribution for them? It sounds like you are commenting on what you believe you know vs what is actually there. They don’t appear to be blue dominat to me at all. I would say blue to red ratio is about 1:1.

I feel like you are too concerned about watts. Samsung gives you the ppf, figure out how many strips you need to hit recommended light density. If you need help finding drivers from there let me know.

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U wouldn’t recommend a color temperature for a specific function of the light being veg only ? U think 300 3500 4000 5000 all will veg the same? I just mentioned I haven’t been able to find the nm graph for the q series for 300 3500 4000 and 5000

I’m saying that limiting your choice to a listed cct is a bad idea. Cct is not an end all be all with the actual spectral distribution.

Find data sheet for lm301b, the spd will be there.

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Not limiting to that but I know blue is more benefit in veg… every graph of any light 3000 to 5000k the blue is about half that of the 5000k plus the 5000k seem to be more efficient hhaving more lumens per wat at test current… I want a veg only light and everything I see points to atleast 4000k 4000k has alot more reds then 5000k but about the same amount of blue but from 5 to 3k it’s a bug difference any graph for any light I see … the lumens per watt are higher on the 5000 then any other I dont understand what your trying to point me toward…I want to build the best veg only light it will never be used to flower I wanna maximize my veg light cuz I got good flower lights i know my veg light will he more efficiency and i expect them to be because i want more light in flower so the effiencey will go down naturally but if its directed for a sole purpose of veg what would u go with

Two things here. The amount of lumens per watt and the amount of ppf per watt aren’t always linear. They are measured differently and mean different things. The other when you say more efficient can mean different things. 3000k and 5000k leds with same part number probably have about the same electrical efficiency. That would be heat watts vs light watts. But the phosphor on cooler cct is better at converting power to light in most cases. And then you have the point at which lumens are measured again.

This is what happens when people use words like “every” and “always”

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I’m building a 4x8 tent, how many of those L2 strips would I need.? I’m thinking 2 lights.
Driver?
Part number for L2 m

isn’t this it?
How does the price compare to doing QB288s?
I already building with 288v1 . Thanks for all you do here for us.

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They are quite a bit more expensive.

I know Rob @dbrn32 is the expert here, but I’ll tell you from personal experience…I’ve seen almost no difference between using this 3000k light to veg


and this 4000k built specifically for veg

The bottom line is to get a light that will serve you the most purpose for any stage of growth because you may be growing autos and they do better once they start budding with 3000k spectrum. All that “full spectrum” stuff don’t mean anything if it can’t grow decent weed. That’s what Rob taught me more than anything else.

Pepe

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Check this out…


11 days ago…

Today…phenomenal compared to soil on my previous grows. I think I’ve finally got to the place I need to be. I’m sure you remember some of the rigged up stuff I used. I haven’t had time to look into the royal blue pucks that are out right now. What have you seen on them?

Pepe

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For additional blues? I dunno so what do you think is the best veg light I can build man cuz I’m limited on the led words advancements and I feel like I’m supposed to know everything about everything orni dont get taken seriously I’m try to ack legitimate question because I dont want to have to spend extram money on a light that dosent exactly git my needs …2x8 wanna veg 3 foot by 9 foot with …what are my best options before I start spending more then I did on the hlg 600s please I’m serious I need to build this light soon the hlg 600 I have in its place is going to be needed in the flower room in the next few weeks I’m a stoner informer what series does this the generation does that this is 1 inch this dosent require heatsink I need help and I’m gonna build another light with same power in a 4x4 structure same amount of strips same amount drivers

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