My Lighting Project - Will a Custom LED Panel Work?

**Cuttings2Colas** · 05-01-2009, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by Treeth

YAY for LED DIY
I like the idea of exactly matching the generic plant par curve... very good optimization idea, but as you noted, not practical.

Thank you much... just to clarify, I think the resultant LED panel is very practical. Purchasing the super-deep red LEDs costs about 15 times the other LEDs, so I left the 680nm out of the equation.

First: step up to a much more powerful one watt led or 5 watt led package, something from a reputable player like cree or phillips lumileds.

You know, I did quite a bit of research on those, and I definitely need to do more. I had difficulty finding them in the colors I wanted. According to the math, this setup has more than enough strength to grow some very healthy plants. Perhaps my next test will be with the High-Powered LEDs... they're far beyond my budget right now.

If you insist, for ease, on sticking with a breadboard, you will still have to get a real heatsink on there... you know how many watts you're going to be pushing, Its going to make heat.

You hit the nail on the head with "ease." I'm no professional with a soldering iron. I can make it work, but it's not pretty. I'll definitely consider the heat-sink. I already plan to have fans blowing across the lights, so I'll have to see how hot my test panel gets. Any notable heat, and they'll get the heat-sink.

... so to answere your question MORE RED, and cfls for blue veg and filling in for the absent spectrums.

Considering what I've read about how red is more important during flower and blue during veg growth, and our goal is short plants (less growth) with fat buds (more flower)... I agree 85%. I want the test run to be as close to the spectrum as is financially feasible, then do experiments from there.

you really should rethink what your light source is,

...figure out whats current in the industry.

All in good time... these 3mm LEDs are impressing me already.

**Treeth** · 05-02-2009, 08:28 PM

Now that,

repvip,

is spamming.

Not intellectual property protection.

Alkemi, you coward, what is your source for these "models"?

**alkemi** · 05-09-2009, 05:07 PM

Treeth

if i answer that its like the cops askin me where my grow room is lol

but i will tell u specs on them to see if ur intrested in owning a few

**alkemi** · 05-09-2009, 05:33 PM

Power Output: 50W
Input Current: 0.46A/0.23A
Input Voltage/Frequency: 110V-220V, 50/60Hz
Lumens: 2000
Power factor: >95%
Total Harmonic Distortion: <15%
Dimensions:
- Diameter: 175mm
- Height: 60mm
- Power cord length: 1700mm
Expected Lifespan: 20,000 hours

**Treeth** · 05-09-2009, 08:56 PM

What do I need THD for ??? hahaha...

I aint listening to the lights! <15% is terrible! Is it something from, idk, blose!?

**Cuttings2Colas** · 05-14-2009, 02:31 AM

Originally Posted by alkemi

Power Output: 50W
Input Current: 0.46A/0.23A
Input Voltage/Frequency: 110V-220V, 50/60Hz
Lumens: 2000
Power factor: >95%
Total Harmonic Distortion: <15%
Dimensions:
- Diameter: 175mm
- Height: 60mm
- Power cord length: 1700mm
Expected Lifespan: 20,000 hours

I'd avoid those "Made in China" lights... they tend to be made with around 200-250 5mm LEDs. The 3mm LEDs I'm using have about 80% the output of their 5mm counterparts, and I'll be using over 1600 of them. That equates to about 6 times the amount of usable light from the unit I'm designing.

At the same time, there is only one light I've seen out there that's trying to do it right... http://www.hidhut.com/catalog/led-su...um-p-1759.html

Eventually, I'd like to design a perfect light for veg and a perfect light for flower... that's probably a couple years out at this point. I'm really excited to get started. I think I'll be able to afford everything in June; at least enough to get my medical card and start some clones on a T5 or two.

The LED light tests will come soon after.

**Cuttings2Colas** · 05-14-2009, 03:19 AM

Also, here's an updated version of the chart I posted earlier... I got a more accurate representation of the Human eye curve. I also added a nice little signature-type thing to it.

**Shrike** · 05-15-2009, 11:08 AM

This is an interesting thread as many believe LED's will be the way to grow in the future...

What do you think of the LED's from this company?

http://www.prosourceworldwide.com/

Originally Posted by Cuttings2Colas

At the same time, there is only one light I've seen out there that's trying to do it right... http://www.hidhut.com/catalog/led-su...um-p-1759.html

Eventually, I'd like to design a perfect light for veg and a perfect light for flower... that's probably a couple years out at this point. I'm really excited to get started. I think I'll be able to afford everything in June; at least enough to get my medical card and start some clones on a T5 or two.

The LED light tests will come soon after.

**Cuttings2Colas** · 05-15-2009, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Shrike

This is an interesting thread as many believe LED's will be the way to grow in the future...

Thank you very much... without a grow card & place to grow yet (or money to get either), I'm just sittin' here researching everything. The cool part is that I'll go into my first grow with an incredible wealth of knowledge, plus the ability to find any info I might need in the future. This place is great!

As far as LEDs being the way of the future, I definitely agree it's the next step. Then we'll have something better after that, and something better after that until someday... we blow ourselves up.

Originally Posted by Shrike

What do you think of the LED's from this company?

http://www.prosourceworldwide.com/

They look like a decent product, comparable to most other LEDs on the market. I'm sure they'll work, and you can get some good yield, as long as you keep the lights close - one of the major benefits of LEDs (see pic 1).

All of the Red/Blue lights should work fine, and the fact that yours adds orange to the spectrum is a big bonus. Plants use all light... it may be possible to grow some sweet plants in just 2 or 3 colors. When you fill out the whole spectrum with at least some light, the plants do better. This is why it's recommended to have a CFL or two in LED grows, as it fills out the rest of the spectrum (also helps with cross-lighting).

My project is beginning with the whole plant sensitivity curve, then I'll eventually do side-by-side experiments that are stronger in one color or another. Actually, one of the first experiments I'd like to do (after a successful grow) is to create a rainbow light... purple one one end, moving through the spectrum to red on the other. I'll watch the plants during different stages of growth to see what lights they're gravitating toward, and how the plants that are directly under the different colors of light compare in size and yield.

I've also attached my layout design (just finished it last night), which shows the exact layout of all 1654 LEDs on the breadboards (see pic 2). It's a beautiful sight.

**Shrike** · 05-16-2009, 10:59 AM

Excellent design you have there for the LED's and looks like a heck of a lot of work...but hopefully well worth it. I'm kind of in the same boat as far as no money right now among other reasons to have to wait to start the grows. But having people like you and StinkBud, SoG, Earl and others on this board gives us all a tremendous amount of knowledge and experimentation that serves everyone well in the end. Like you, when I start, I'll be ready as hell.

Originally Posted by Cuttings2Colas

Thank you very much... without a grow card & place to grow yet (or money to get either), I'm just sittin' here researching everything. The cool part is that I'll go into my first grow with an incredible wealth of knowledge, plus the ability to find any info I might need in the future. This place is great!

As far as LEDs being the way of the future, I definitely agree it's the next step. Then we'll have something better after that, and something better after that until someday... we blow ourselves up.

They look like a decent product, comparable to most other LEDs on the market. I'm sure they'll work, and you can get some good yield, as long as you keep the lights close - one of the major benefits of LEDs (see pic 1).

All of the Red/Blue lights should work fine, and the fact that yours adds orange to the spectrum is a big bonus. Plants use all light... it may be possible to grow some sweet plants in just 2 or 3 colors. When you fill out the whole spectrum with at least some light, the plants do better. This is why it's recommended to have a CFL or two in LED grows, as it fills out the rest of the spectrum (also helps with cross-lighting).

My project is beginning with the whole plant sensitivity curve, then I'll eventually do side-by-side experiments that are stronger in one color or another. Actually, one of the first experiments I'd like to do (after a successful grow) is to create a rainbow light... purple one one end, moving through the spectrum to red on the other. I'll watch the plants during different stages of growth to see what lights they're gravitating toward, and how the plants that are directly under the different colors of light compare in size and yield.

I've also attached my layout design (just finished it last night), which shows the exact layout of all 1654 LEDs on the breadboards (see pic 2). It's a beautiful sight.