Bridgelux Vesta strips tuning?

Has anyone tuned their 27K - 5K Bridgelux strips &
how do you tune your Vesta strips?

I want to use BXEB-TL-2750G-3000-A-13 strips, but I want to be able to tune
the strip to 4000K for a clone veg light. The only way I can find
to do this is use the Bridgelux BXCS-1224B-N2A-01-A Bluetooth
Control Module & App. This way I can also use it for flower if needed.
I can not find it for sale @ any of the Bridgelux distributors USA. or
International.


What is the recommended Vesta strip spacing distance between strips?

What about hang height for best light spread coverage,
for mothers and 10 x 20 clone tray with dome?
Thanks for looking.

BXEB-TL-2750G-3000-A-13 is Bridgelux Vesta Series, not EB series.

Running both channels on a Vesta strips gives 3700k. To vary the color temperature you can use two dimmable drivers, one for each channel.
I'd just use a normal driver and a couple switches for 2700k, 3700k or 5000k.
https://www.rollitup.org/t/led-strip-lords-i-need-your-guidance.1013661/post-15616611

That bluetooth controller is for two channel drivers.

Thanks I edited the post.

Thanks for the link to @rocketsoul post. quote below:

'Vesta has (with one driver only) 3 possible spectrum due to its 2 channels: 5000k 90cri(stretch inhibiting), 2700k 90cri (balls to the floor flower, increase node spacing in veg and just generally grows really fast) and 3700k 90cri: both channels half and half: full cycle with good vegg about 10% more light than only one channel spectrum. This makes for a versatile veg light that can help you manage your grow process if you get strains that don't like your veg light spectrum'

Are you saying I can add switches to the driver to select channel spectrum?
Where does he say to use switches to select channel spectrum?
Sorry for the stupid questions.

The Vesta Strips have two strings of diodes, 2700k and 5000k. With a switch on each channel you could turn on the 2700k, 5000k or both for 3700k.

1212ham said:

The Vesta Strips have two strings of diodes, 2700k and 5000k. With a switch on each channel you could turn on the 2700k, 5000k or both for 3700k.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the driver links. The 50W Dual Driver BXDR-50LT-U214R-01-A has: Dimming Control Input Dual 0-10V inputs (CCT & intensity)
A search for the Bridgelux 50W dual driver came up with nothing for sale.

link to Vesta test ratings.

Rocket Soul said:

Using and Testing Vesta Strips

They're something similar to the Growgreen boards I've got. 2 channels, 3000k and 5000k boards, 3500k and 5000k boards. Only one channel with 90 Cri tho. They work great.

www.rollitup.org

link to Vesta test ratings.

Click to expand...

Nice thread you linked to.

Id go for all channels on, 3700k 90cri spectrum for vegg. It should do nice, theres enough blue to inhibit stretch if you give decent intensity. How much? Would vary according to strain, youd have to work it out with the plant at hand.

If your hell bent on 4000k you could use a CC driver and place a couple of blue / violet monos in the end of each channel (warm whitw and cold white) in order to increase the CCT, as you would have a bit extra blue in each channel.

I rec just standard warm and cold white channel grouping, ill be setting up switches for the dc side on the light im working on today or tomorrow. This way you can switch without messing with wagos and wires.

And yet another way to tweak your channels: say you use 10 strips you want something slightly less extreme than 5000k / 2700k. Well you can make one channel be 8 x 5000 and 2x2700 and vice versa for the other channel for something like 4600k and 3100k (back off my hand calculations).

Rocket Soul said:

Id go for all channels on, 3700k 90cri spectrum for vegg. It should do nice, theres enough blue to inhibit stretch if you give decent intensity. How much? Would vary according to strain, youd have to work it out with the plant at hand.

If your hell bent on 4000k you could use a CC driver and place a couple of blue / violet monos in the end of each channel (warm whitw and cold white) in order to increase the CCT, as you would have a bit extra blue in each channel.

I rec just standard warm and cold white channel grouping, ill be setting up switches for the dc side on the light im working on today or tomorrow. This way you can switch without messing with wagos and wires.

And yet another way to tweak your channels: say you use 10 strips you want something slightly less extreme than 5000k / 2700k. Well you can make one channel be 8 x 5000 and 2x2700 and vice versa for the other channel for something like 4600k and 3100k (back off my hand calculations).

Click to expand...

What I would give to be able to learn what each strip does and how to use it best in a grow....just has never been my cup of tea.

Rocket Soul said:

Id go for all channels on, 3700k 90cri spectrum for vegg. It should do nice, theres enough blue to inhibit stretch if you give decent intensity. How much? Would vary according to strain, youd have to work it out with the plant at hand.

If your hell bent on 4000k you could use a CC driver and place a couple of blue / violet monos in the end of each channel (warm whitw and cold white) in order to increase the CCT, as you would have a bit extra blue in each channel.

I rec just standard warm and cold white channel grouping, ill be setting up switches for the dc side on the light im working on today or tomorrow. This way you can switch without messing with wagos and wires.

And yet another way to tweak your channels: say you use 10 strips you want something slightly less extreme than 5000k / 2700k. Well you can make one channel be 8 x 5000 and 2x2700 and vice versa for the other channel for something like 4600k and 3100k (back off my hand calculations).

Click to expand...

@rocketsoul Thank you for the very detailed & informative post &
I really appreciate ALL of your posts @RIU!

The 4K was from a post that @Airwalker16 recommended for veg light spec.
It looks like your suggestion "all channels on, 3700k 90cri spectrum for vegg."
would be the best, 37K is very close to 4K.

And use your method to wire: "the way to connect is to do separate series for each channel, then have a wago where you can connect or disconnect each channel so to get separate effects. Id say both channels is the go to for vegg".

Should I use a Meanwell XLG-150 driver? They are cheap.

How many Vesta strips will fit in a 2' x 4' space?
How far apart should they be spaced for best light spread?

OSBuds said:

@rocketsoul Thank you for the very detailed & informative post &
I really appreciate ALL of your posts @RIU!

The 4K was from a post that @Airwalker16 recommended for veg light spec.
It looks like your suggestion "all channels on, 3700k 90cri spectrum for vegg."
would be the best, 37K is very close to 4K.

And use your method to wire: "the way to connect is to do separate series for each channel, then have a wago where you can connect or disconnect each channel so to get separate effects. Id say both channels is the go to for vegg".

Should I use a Meanwell XLG-150 driver? They are cheap.

How many Vesta strips will fit in a 2' x 4' space?
How far apart should they be spaced for best light spread?

Click to expand...

12 vestas on a 240 driver rocks a 4x2 for flower. Xlg M version is easy to match voltage for 2 runs of 6 eaxh in series.
Or hlg240-c1750 for 2x7 in series. But then your using high voltage: if youre not very sire of yourself you should go with lower voltage, CV driver

Alternatively use a hlg240-48A and turn up voltage a bit. This would be good for 6x2 series
This solution will squeeze out a few extra watts aswell.

Rocket Soul said:

12 vestas on a 240 driver rocks a 4x2 for flower. Xlg M version is easy to match voltage for 2 runs of 6 eaxh in series.
Or hlg240-c1750 for 2x7 in series. But then your using high voltage: if youre not very sire of yourself you should go with lower voltage, CV driver

Alternatively use a hlg240-48A and turn up voltage a bit. This would be good for 6x2 series
This solution will squeeze out a few extra watts aswell.

Click to expand...

On spacing: depends on how you are going to lay your strips, length wise or across. We did this with a 12 strips, 6x2 setup so each alu channel had 2 strips in series over an approx 2 foot span, that way input and output comes out the same side. Made a frame a slight bit over a meter, around 3.5' and then just spread the sinks by sliding them until we had even spread. Use a bit less spacing in the sodes than in the centre to compensate for cross lighting, worked out about 8" average between sinks with hanging height all the way down to 6" in flower, getting there little by little.

Re switches: i havent tried this yet myself, about to today. Basicly if you divide the dc current in 2, one for ww and one for cw channel and setup a switch on each of the runs you can decide which channel(s) are on at each time. It would be prudent to be careful when switching turning the driver off before switching.

TheSadBadGrower said:

What I would give to be able to learn what each strip does and how to use it best in a grow....just has never been my cup of tea.

Click to expand...

Tbh most differences are small. More blue more red: less stretch and better veg, more yield in flower...
Here at riu we go on about some really small differences, some times this info can be overwhelming, dont let this stop you from building though. Too many get stuck in the design stage for too long, missing out on the real challenge: to grow the plant and see what it needs in the moment of growing, not in an abstract planning stage.
the Vestas are nice cause they give you a bit of options for a nice price and i really feel the 90cri is worth it, even with the cost pf some efficiency.
but everybody be aware that theress another vesta model out soon, the vesta thrive which have a really nice blue spectrum, but it could take 6months before its available thru normal outlets.

Hello All, the new Vesta's will be coming in 1 & 2 rows, 80 & 90 Cri,
and 4 footer's, snd some different K. set ups.

Rocket Soul said:

12 vestas on a 240 driver rocks a 4x2 for flower. Xlg M version is easy to match voltage for 2 runs of 6 eaxh in series.
Or hlg240-c1750 for 2x7 in series. But then your using high voltage: if youre not very sire of yourself you should go with lower voltage, CV driver

Alternatively use a hlg240-48A and turn up voltage a bit. This would be good for 6x2 series
This solution will squeeze out a few extra watts aswell.

Click to expand...

@RocketSoul Thanks for the driver recommendations!

Which Mean Well driver would be best for a grow room with CO2?

That Mean Well HLG-240HA driver has fantastic specs w/ MTBF 729.2K hrs and a 7 year warranty! They will be in stock @ Mouser 7/27/20. They use to ship back order parts for free, that would be great!

They do have the hlg240-c1750 in stock same warranty 7 year, I may get a couple of them & make 2x7 in series fixture and see how it performs. This may be a future project or the next one.

In one of my applications, I may mount the driver remote / separate from the fixture using an DIY custom waterproof extension cable setup. There was nothing noted on the spec sheet on remote driver max distance, unlike some other LED Driver suppliers, since some are used in / with LED advertising displays etc. where space is very limited sometimes.

Can you recommend a max length remote run of wire from fixture to power supply and then to a wall outlet?

Looking forward to when you finish wiring up the switches for custom Kelvin Spectrum Selection (Tuning) please post it!

Rocket Soul said:

On spacing: depends on how you are going to lay your strips, length wise or across. We did this with a 12 strips, 6x2 setup so each alu channel had 2 strips in series over an approx 2 foot span, that way input and output comes out the same side. Made a frame a slight bit over a meter, around 3.5' and then just spread the sinks by sliding them until we had even spread. Use a bit less spacing in the sodes than in the centre to compensate for cross lighting, worked out about 8" average between sinks with hanging height all the way down to 6" in flower, getting there little by little.

Click to expand...

@RocketSoul Thanks for the details on your strips spacing setup!

So for spacing you used 2 strips mounted edge to edge or side by side. Inside a 3" / 76.2 mm I.D. Aluminum channel. And spaced them for even spread, around 8" apart from each heat sink? Got any pics? Do you have a fixture or how are you mounting the strip channel assembly?

Wow!! hang height 6" in flower, do you have a veg distance by chance?
What lux meter / light measure tool do you recommend?

Rocket Soul said:

lay your strips, length wise or across

Click to expand...

I forgot to ask how did you mount your lights length wise or across, I could not tell from your notes?

OSBuds said:

I forgot to ask how did you mount your lights length wise or across, I could not tell from your notes?

Click to expand...

I mounted them acrosss the 2 feet side, 2 vestas in series on a fairly wide alu u-channel. That way you have +and - connections all on the same side. Get some multi wagos for this, make sure you can fitt all.of them in one, 8way or so.

sorry for the delay