90W homemade LED grow

JMD

Well-Known Member
This is my grow using a 90W homemade LED lamp. Comments and suggestions are welcome!


3 weeks and 4 days:

2013-06-03 13.15.09.jpg

4 weeks and 6 days:
2013-06-12 19.03.39.jpg2013-06-12 19.03.58.jpg

7 weeks and 1 day:
2013-06-28 13.05.51.jpg

7 weeks and 4 days:
2013-07-01 13.36.59.jpg2013-07-01 13.37.09.jpg


9 weeks and 0 days:
2013-07-11 15.00.08.jpg

9 weeks and 4 days (3 weeks and 1 day into flowering):
2013-07-14 14.58.46.jpg2013-07-14 14.58.53.jpg
 

JMD

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't risk using it as my only light,but those will make great supplementary lighting
As you see they actually work just fine :) And that's what I wanted to test - now I'm going to test 10W and 100W LEDs, and see if they are any good.
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
Nice looking plants, though a tad droopy. Adding some 500-600 should solve that

ASAP get some Cree WW 9.5w globes from HD/Lowes

B/R grows plants but it misses the 500-600nm range. It is proven that you want them too

See captainmorgan's thread- those are all he is using
 

619ster

Member
Looking nice for 90w. Is the actual power draw 90w? I'm sure it's a bit more due to drivers and fans if any.
 

JMD

Well-Known Member
Nice looking plants, though a tad droopy. Adding some 500-600 should solve that

ASAP get some Cree WW 9.5w globes from HD/Lowes

B/R grows plants but it misses the 500-600nm range. It is proven that you want them too

See captainmorgan's thread- those are all he is using
Do you have a link for that thread? I'm still new to this forum :)

But what is the theory behind the 500-600nm range? The Chlorophyll utilization of those wave lengths seems to be more or less non-existent.
I'm very open to any help I can get, I just like to hear the theory/science behind it.



Looking nice for 90w. Is the actual power draw 90w? I'm sure it's a bit more due to drivers and fans if any.
My setup is as follows: 230V to 24VAC transformer -> Diode bridge -> A total of 8100 uF (5x 680 uF and 1x 4700 uF) -> Three MeanWell LDD-1000H constant current drivers.
Actual power draw of the LEDs are 24W (23.980V @ 1000 mA), which means the actual power to the LED lamp is only 72W. The entire setup, with fans and everything, draws 101W, which I find very reasonably considering the grow.



how about a pic of the light?
Sure thing mate. Bear in mind that this is my first attempt at testing whether LED was suitable for growing, so it is purely made to work, not to look pretty!

2013-06-03 15.44.07.jpg

My next LED lamp will be a total of 12x 10W (8x red, 4x blue) and a 100W red. Here's the heatsink with the 8 red and 4 blue (not yet screwed into place):
2013-07-16 17.35.56.jpg

Total cost is roughly 65 USD, for 220W. This includes boost converters to supply the LEDs. All that is needed, is to connect the converters to 12V (or up to 28V).
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
You can find links throughout the various led threads here, but all you need do is look at the most current offerings from led companies with a mmj background. So far USA and Europe have been leading the way. China is just a cheap mimicker, though they could be a real threat, apparently there's sufficient money in knockoffs
 

JMD

Well-Known Member
You can find links throughout the various led threads here, but all you need do is look at the most current offerings from led companies with a mmj background. So far USA and Europe have been leading the way. China is just a cheap mimicker, though they could be a real threat, apparently there's sufficient money in knockoffs
What is mmj short for?

Do you have any link that discusses the 500-600nm light? It seems a bit weird to me that the plants want the green spectrum - they are green because they absorb everything but the green light.
It just seems counter-intuitive to me, so any links or info is greatly appreciated :)

Do you have a specific model number for the cree bulbs? I will have to find a European shop - import tax from the US is insane, sadly.
 

Slipon

Well-Known Member
a few white`s in the mix will fix that, and all other wavelengths you might be missing, I would consider to swap them blue out with 6500K
 

Slipon

Well-Known Member
yea any good quality LED in WW or CW will do just fine, what ever you find to fit your specs, Cree, Epistar osram, Bridgelux just get some Whites in there to cover the full spectrum, even tho MJ or any plants Im sure, require a high amount of Red (600-700nM) and some Blue (420-480nM) to do good and grow hugh fruits/Bud`s it seem`s like the plant also need some other spectrums to do good/thrive, even yellow and some also report that the green have some effect, so IMO you sure need a hugh amount and a majority of Red mixed with some blue in the right spectrums (430/470 and 630/660nM) to grow dank weed, but the plant need more the red/blue to thrive and get to the lever where it grow them Bud`s we all love (damn I write to much when Im stoned, witch is always)
 

PurpleBuz

Well-Known Member
Do you have any link that discusses the 500-600nm light? It seems a bit weird to me that the plants want the green spectrum - they are green because they absorb everything but the green light.
Green light penetrates the canopy (since the green leaves reflect) better than red\blue so if your going for maximum photosynthesis through the whole canopy then incorporating green is helpfull. Green has been shown to drive photosynthesis in studies that track O2 production with light of different wavelengths.

It might be easier to throw some fluoro tubes into the mix for broad spectrum lighting instead of putting in a bunch of white led chips. Fluoros will give a better spread through the canopy.
 

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
Green light penetrates the canopy (since the green leaves reflect) better than red\blue so if your going for maximum photosynthesis through the whole canopy then incorporating green is helpfull. Green has been shown to drive photosynthesis in studies that track O2 production with light of different wavelengths.

It might be easier to throw some fluoro tubes into the mix for broad spectrum lighting instead of putting in a bunch of white led chips. Fluoros will give a better spread through the canopy.
Fluoros? We don't need no stink fluoros!

Actually I have an 8 bulb x 4ft HOT5, but will be retrofitting to accommodate led tubes as soon as they are available in 30w+.

The pic is of 4 x 4ft led tubes which were installed 2 weeks after flip to 12/12, not quite a month (6/ 19-20) + a few led globes w/wo globe



IMG_1660.jpgIMG_1659.jpg
 

PurpleBuz

Well-Known Member
Fluoros? We don't need no stink fluoros!

Actually I have an 8 bulb x 4ft HOT5, but will be retrofitting to accommodate led tubes as soon as they are available in 30w+.

The pic is of 4 x 4ft led tubes which were installed 2 weeks after flip to 12/12, not quite a month (6/ 19-20) + a few led globes w/wo globe
so I should get rid of my 54w T5s for some overpriced under wattage 22w led T8 tubes that are designed for residential lighting in the same space ?
I understand your going for minimal wattage growing, but really cannabis is a sun worshipper.
 

JMD

Well-Known Member
10 weeks and 1 day (3 weeks and 5 days flower):

2013-07-19 15.56.20.jpg2013-07-19 15.56.36.jpg2013-07-19 15.56.44.jpg

Some hairs have now turned light brown. How long would you guys say till I can harvest?
 
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