Changes at Timber Grow Lights

KonopCh

Well-Known Member
Talking about excellent spread with double row strips is little... little optimistic.
Single row strips gives you better spread.
 

wietefras

Well-Known Member
Talking about excellent spread with double row strips is little... little optimistic.
Single row strips gives you better spread.
Incorrect. Double the number of single row strips compared to double row strips simply means you can half the height of the fixture. You will then have the same spread in both cases.

The only difference is that with lower height you have less light lost on the walls. That could be a benefit yes, but at some point it's not practical to go any lower and I feel double row strips already reach that point. Yet cheaper and/or with higher efficacy and less work than with single row strips.

First of all, it depends on the number of strips you use. If you pay over say 20 cents per kWh and you want good efficacy and still a reasonable strip count then it's probably better to use double strips.

For instance I made a price vs current chart with for my build and electricity cost:
LT-F564B Price vs Current.png

That's the price per m2 of the fixture plus 3 years of 12/12 running costs in electricity. I went with the lower end of the current range (500-650ma) where the curve is low which allows for only 300W per m2 (at 1.12A I'd need 30W/10% more).

This means to use 8 or 9 strips over 100cmx65cm area. Which allows for a height of as low as 5cm to 6cm (2" to 2.5"). To be honest I can't even keep the lights that close. I don't really see how going even lower is going to work. There are always some height differences in the plants.

Getting the same efficacy from single row strips means you'd need to mount 16 to 18 of those strips. Which means higher cost and much more work. Just so you could drop the height even further to 1" when 2" is already impractical. I really don't see the point.

Single row strips are more expensive for what you get. The strips themselves cost more (relative per number of leds), but you also need more material for the frame. This means you will be spending more money on overhead and single strip fixtures will therefore suffer relatively in efficacy per $ or € (etc) because of it.

Even having 4 or 5 double row strips over 100cm (3'+) at around 50W per strip (ie Samsung's tested current of 1.12A) would work fine too. Then the hanging distance is 12,5cm or 5". That works just fine really.

Only perhaps in a 60x60 (2'x2') tent there could be some benefit for a single row strips fixture, because in such a small tent wall losses are such a major issue. If you could really make sure that the whole grow is at exactly the same height and you don't have the money/need for a higher efficacy double row fixture of four strips, then four single strips could be an option over 2 double row strips to drop the height from 6" to 3".

To each their own, but besides a specific micro grow example as above, I see no reason to go with single row strips.
 

RainDan

Well-Known Member
There is, its called diyleduk..;)
Good Morning,

I do not take issue with anything posted in this thread, although I would prefer it if @diyled and @pirg420 would post about about their companies products in their own threads, given that it is pretty poor form and also the fact that neither of you are Rollitup Advertisers.

Thank you in advance.

Now, to put this thread back on a more positive footing, please enjoy the following musical selection:


Have a great day :)

Take care,
Dan
 
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