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FranJan

FranJan

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boogie4200 said:
What is more important? Where the L.E.D is actually made or where the driver is made? im asking this question because im looking at a led light and the company says that the LED is made in the usa....but all the other components ( drivers, heat sinks etc...) are made in china!... and assembled in the USA!
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Here's an American company, (Tampa, FL), that gets most, if not all of it's parts, from Malaysia and Singapore but sooner or later you're gonna bump into Chinese parts:
http://www.hatchlighting.com/products/led-drivers.html

And here's an American based company that probably makes some of the most efficient drivers on the planet and will make you any driver you want if your pockets are deep enough but is pure Chinese parts, (see their contact info),:
http://www.eptronics.com/products

Bottom line IMO, LED drivers, or AC/DC converters, are basically old technology and when it comes to older tech, manufacturing and design errors are all worked out over time. I've cooked many cheap Chinese panels and maybe one time it was a driver error. The Chinese make fine parts when they want to and smart experienced LED driver companies know who's who in the Chinese electronics manufacturing industry. My last COB rig ran fine on 6 85% efficient Chinese mystery drivers so don't get too hung up on drivers. Leave that to the geek boyz and their pocket calculators :).

And for the record, the driver in my veg cab, a MW-185H C1050A, is made in Taiwan.
 
bmdiyh

bmdiyh

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Hi, I have a question. In a 85 sq.f. I wanna use LEDs I wanna cover it only for vegetation or only for flowering, not both. what kind of spectrum should I use for each and how much watts will I need to place about 30 plants there? How much would it cost if I want good gear? Again, I want to know what is the scenario if I use it only for vegetation and what is if I use it only for flowering?

thanks in advance
 
JimmyIndica

JimmyIndica

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18in x18in vero29 diy panels each 1 covering 4 sqft divided buy 85 sq =21 fixtures! powered at 2.1 amps! Hey just opinion on how I would do it!
 
bmdiyh

bmdiyh

Well-Known Member
Thanks Jimmy, but I think this vero29 stuff is more complicated than I would like it to be. I was wondering about some ready made fixtures or something more easy to assemble. What do you guy think about these two type I found on aliexpress
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Grow-Led-Aluminum-Ce-Rohs-Real-2014-Led-Grow-Light-Box-30pcs-lot-High-Customized-50w/32275191873.html
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-lot-e40-led-grow-light-led-grow-light-250w-Garden-grow-bulb-full-spectrum-led/32291270910.html

I looks like they could work, but does anybody know if they do? And if not suggestions please!
 
fluxgro

fluxgro

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bmdiyh said:
Thanks Jimmy, but I think this vero29 stuff is more complicated than I would like it to be. I was wondering about some ready made fixtures or something more easy to assemble. What do you guy think about these two type I found on aliexpress
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Grow-Led-Aluminum-Ce-Rohs-Real-2014-Led-Grow-Light-Box-30pcs-lot-High-Customized-50w/32275191873.html
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/10pcs-lot-e40-led-grow-light-led-grow-light-250w-Garden-grow-bulb-full-spectrum-led/32291270910.html

I looks like they could work, but does anybody know if they do? And if not suggestions please!
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BMD,

Caveat emptor.

Just one of many LED lighting solutions that purport everything under the sun. In my opinion, Thomas Edison's intention was never for the medium-based socket to outlive the incandescent lamp. Unfortunately, our lighting industry will take a very opportunity to exploit the 'uninformed'. By integrating a revolutionary technology in LED into a technology that is 100+ years old and couldn't be UL Listed if it were invented today because of the inherent dangers is simply a HUGE step in the wrong direction.

I reviewed the link you provided and between the subjectivity of the 'Features', the unsubstantiated claims underlining the 'Specifications', and the abysmal attempt to quantify has left me with an excruciating pain above my eyeball.

For your purposes......."use LEDs I wanna cover it only for vegetation or only for flowering, not both", there are several qualified manufacturers who provide LED luminaires with specific wavelengths designed to elicit different plant response.

I have experience with the following: BML, Ilumitex, LUXdynamics. Others on this forum might be aware of other manufacturers who provide products with similar performance characteristics.

Good luck!
 
bmdiyh

bmdiyh

Well-Known Member
fluxgro said:
===============================================================================================

BMD,

Caveat emptor.

Just one of many LED lighting solutions that purport everything under the sun. In my opinion, Thomas Edison's intention was never for the medium-based socket to outlive the incandescent lamp. Unfortunately, our lighting industry will take a very opportunity to exploit the 'uninformed'. By integrating a revolutionary technology in LED into a technology that is 100+ years old and couldn't be UL Listed if it were invented today because of the inherent dangers is simply a HUGE step in the wrong direction.

I reviewed the link you provided and between the subjectivity of the 'Features', the unsubstantiated claims underlining the 'Specifications', and the abysmal attempt to quantify has left me with an excruciating pain above my eyeball.

For your purposes......."use LEDs I wanna cover it only for vegetation or only for flowering, not both", there are several qualified manufacturers who provide LED luminaires with specific wavelengths designed to elicit different plant response.

I have experience with the following: BML, Ilumitex, LUXdynamics. Others on this forum might be aware of other manufacturers who provide products with similar performance characteristics.

Good luck!
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Thank you very much for the extended answer, Fluxgro. My intentions with the question were to find out if would be able to find lights from manufacturers that would provide adequate characteristics for a lower price. Anyway, I really want to make the best of my plants so I think I'll probably go with BML. The thing is that they are in my opinion really expensive.
 
bmdiyh

bmdiyh

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I have been concentrating on watts per plant, watts per square foot, watts for veg, watts for flower. All I've been reading is about watts, watts, watts.... and I though okay I know what kind of lights I want, I know how many watts I need, it's all good. But then I decided to look into DIY COB LED and I started checking out prices for the chips and types and what not. For example http://www.mouser.es/ProductDetail/Seoul-Semiconductor/SDW83F1C-G2-H1-HA/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMu4Prknbu83y9MZozhLMHdQHq2vwdpx/8WQqvZjntVmqA== is one of the products I was reading about. On the page and in the data sheet there are a lot of stuff that I don't understand, (I was looking for the WATTS) the word watt is not in any of the mentioned readings. Now I am very confused about everything with these chips......... :-? Can someone please explain to me simply so I (apparently the idiot who has no idea of electronics) can understand the concept behind these lights. Or point me to somewhere where basics are explained. I read a lot about wiring and a lot of different stuff... I thought I was done and I could start looking for what to buy.... now I really lost faith. Is it really that complicated. Please, help me! :( I really want to build DIY lighting for myself.
 
Positivity

Positivity

Well-Known Member
bmdiyh said:
I have been concentrating on watts per plant, watts per square foot, watts for veg, watts for flower. All I've been reading is about watts, watts, watts.... and I though okay I know what kind of lights I want, I know how many watts I need, it's all good. But then I decided to look into DIY COB LED and I started checking out prices for the chips and types and what not. For example http://www.mouser.es/ProductDetail/Seoul-Semiconductor/SDW83F1C-G2-H1-HA/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMu4Prknbu83y9MZozhLMHdQHq2vwdpx/8WQqvZjntVmqA== is one of the products I was reading about. On the page and in the data sheet there are a lot of stuff that I don't understand, (I was looking for the WATTS) the word watt is not in any of the mentioned readings. Now I am very confused about everything with these chips......... :-? Can someone please explain to me simply so I (apparently the idiot who has no idea of electronics) can understand the concept behind these lights. Or point me to somewhere where basics are explained. I read a lot about wiring and a lot of different stuff... I thought I was done and I could start looking for what to buy.... now I really lost faith. Is it really that complicated. Please, help me! :( I really want to build DIY lighting for myself.
Click to expand...

it's not complicated...just need to find the right how to articles..

It doesn't have watts because it depends on how hard you run them. there is normally a typical watt rating in the data sheet

37v...500ma...listed on link page. suggested running power by manufacturer. Efficiency (lumens per watt) goes up as you run them softer (350ma) and lower as you run them harder (1.4a). The data sheets for each led typically reflect that and give you examples. Bridgelux vero in the data sheet, Cree CXB in the PCT tool in support section of website

37v x .500ma = 18.5w

Would need a driver with at least 37v and set at .500ma constant current

I would suggest to look into cree or bridgelux for cobs. Seoul might be good too...haven't checked efficiency.

2050 lumens divided by 18.5w.....110 lumens per watt...not so hot....try for 140 ++++
 
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bmdiyh

bmdiyh

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Oh... Okay, makes sense, I get it a bit more now. Thanks, I'll try to find the right "How to... ". I'll keep reading. Hope something lights up ;) in my head.
 
Positivity

Positivity

Well-Known Member
bmdiyh said:
Oh... Okay, makes sense, I get it a bit more now. Thanks, I'll try to find the right "How to... ". I'll keep reading. Hope something lights up ;) in my head.
Click to expand...

good luck.... google reef led diy also...theres much more reef info than mj info. Or ask questions here, quite a few helpful people.

once you understand the volts of led vs current relationship....you will know commercial leds biggest secret (all you need is a right sized driver and cob). Its all gravy after that..pc fans..heatsink..
 
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