So I'm Trying to Make a LED Panel

AllDayToker

AllDayToker

Well-Known Member
What's up LED people,

After looking into LED panels I eventually want to convert my HPS and T5HOs for flowering and vegging with LEDs. Since I can't exactly afford that yet, I'm looking to increase the light along side my HPS with an LED panel.

The panels I looked at are super expensive, and I was gladly talked out of buying a cheapo Chinese manufactured panel. I was going to look into going with Cree bulbs but did not want to mess with all of the position of lights. I needed a high quality panel, and at a low cost. So making one is my only choice.

At the moment, my 600w HPS is in a closest, and covers 4' x 2'. This is what I am currently using to flower 2 large plants in 5g pots. It can cover a full 4' x 4' area but with a skinny closest I only have 28" of depth. I got more space length wise, which is where the LED panel comes in. I'm trying to extend my coverage of light another 2', allowing 50% more growing area.

I was told 25w of LED per sq ft would be good, so that would mean 100w would give me my 2' of extended light but I need to match the quality my HPS gives me, allowing me to grow 3ft plants with no fluffy buds at the bottom. I was thinking more along the lines of a 300w panel.

So I am still pretty new to LEDs, trying to get my list together of materials, let me know how this sounds.

2x 150w LED Drivers
25ft 18 awg wire
2x 43cfm heatsink 3.5w CPU fans
20x 3w 620-630nm Red
30x 3w 455-460nm Blue
50x 3w 660nm Red

I have metal for the panel, soder and sodering gun, thermal glue, and the other small stuff. I also already understand I need power cord. Don't know exactly what kind of DC transformer to get.

Alright, let's get started. Let the learning begin. :)

Time to go take some puffs to get my mind cleared. :mrgreen:
 
AllDayToker said:
I've heard a little about them but haven't looked into them as in depth as the little 3W guys. Yeah it'll be 100 of those little things total.
Click to expand...

Look into some of the COB threads, it may save you some time and money and may lead to better results.

Ultimately, a mixture of COBs and 3W might be the ideal layout in your situation.

Here's a thread of mine showcasing COB work => https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-led-frankensteins-crown.848100/https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-led-frankensteins-crown.848100/

If you have any questions, I'll be watching from a distance.

:joint:
 
AquariusPanta said:
Look into some of the COB threads, it may save you some time and money and may lead to better results.

Ultimately, a mixture of COBs and 3W might be the ideal layout in your situation.

Here's a thread of mine showcasing COB work => https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-led-frankensteins-crown.848100/https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-led-frankensteins-crown.848100/

If you have any questions, I'll be watching from a distance.

:joint:
Click to expand...

Alright I'll go check out the thread and do a little Google research on COBs as well.

I'll let you know if I have questions. I would say 99.99% chance I will have some haha.
 
AquariusPanta said:
Look into some of the COB threads, it may save you some time and money and may lead to better results.

Ultimately, a mixture of COBs and 3W might be the ideal layout in your situation.

Here's a thread of mine showcasing COB work => https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-led-frankensteins-crown.848100/https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-led-frankensteins-crown.848100/

If you have any questions, I'll be watching from a distance.

:joint:
Click to expand...


Starting to find some LED chips on amazon now. I'll post some links up.

Should I aim for lower or higher wattage?
 
Last edited:
AllDayToker said:
Starting to find some LED chips on amazon now. I'll post some links up.

Should I aim for lower or higher wattage?
Click to expand...

I would say higher rather than lower, with a wide range of current potential. It really depends on your setup and goals. The math constantly changes throughout given examples, so my answer isn't universal.

If you can, bookmark the Chips or Stars or COBs that you like and then post em' all at once to give us, the viewers, a better idea of what your working on. Basically, be as informative as you possibly can.
 
Alright!

So I have to try to purchase the bulk of the items from Amazon due to the way of payment. So if you do decide to post a link to possibly a better option, if you could stay on Amazon it would help. I know they are limited.

The plan is to put this light next to my 600w HPS. I currently have two 2 to 2 1/2' tall and 2' x 2' wide plants in 5 gallon pots under the 600w HPS. The goal is to add another 2' tall and 2' x 2' wide plant in a 5g pot under an LED panel next to those two.

I figured a 300w LED panel would get the results I am looking for?

Here is the link to the 3w LED stars I was looking at...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MNAYCBI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATIK003I1430U

And here is a link to the 100w LED chips I just found after talking about the COBs...
http://www.amazon.com/LOHAS-White-P...=UTF8&qid=1415126694&sr=8-4&keywords=led+chip
 
AllDayToker said:
Starting to find some LED chips on amazon now. I'll post some links up.

Should I aim for lower or higher wattage?
Click to expand...
Look into cobs...vero 29 and cxa3070.
2 of them will add the extended coverage your looking for and will be easy as 1,2,3 to build and get into your situation. One cob pulling ~50w each on each side of the hps...then just add more as you eventually phase out the hps as funds become available.
Veros are cheaper and solid efficiency....the cxa is very efficient but cost a couple extra $(about10$ more). Worth it imo.

AquariusPanta said:
Have you looked into COBs? I see a bunch of 3W stars in your list.
I'm using 2x of these => http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/BXRC-40E4000-F-03/976-1155-ND/3913134
Each is putting out 30W, with a combined output of 30W of actual radiancy (50% COB efficiency)
Click to expand...
How did you come to the vero18 being 50% efficient? at ~30w/chip, they are ~33.5% efficient.
 
Greengenes707 said:
How did you come to the vero18 being 50% efficient? at ~30w/chip, they are ~33.5% efficient.
Click to expand...

I chose 50% because I'm optimistic about my COBs. Churchy gave me, without the clearest understanding, an average similar to the one you just offered.

I'm still learning some of the basics GG; please satisfy my curiosity of learning more by explaining why you chose 33.5% as an average efficiency, whether through the use of experience or some sort of reliable source of research.

:joint:
 
The number I gave (38%) was for vero 18 3500k driven at 700mA (which is about 20W of electric power dissipation).

I got 38% by looking at supra's chart for vero 18 3000k at 700mA and added a fudge factor term to make it slightly higher since 3500k is slightly more efficient than 3000k.

Supras chart said the 3000k vero 18 was about 36% efficient at 700mA, and I'm optimistic so i think 38% is a good number. :)
 
Amazon tends to have them at a much higher price, in my opinion prohibitively high and much less selection.

for drivers, I like to use the mouser.com search functionality, but then when I find the driver I want, I put the part number into octopart and usually jameco has the cheapest meanwell drivers. Digikey usually has the cheapest cobs.
 
Well the reason for looking for them from Amazon, I think I said something earlier, but it's because of the way I can pay. If I go through Amazon I can purchase the materials right away and get these running asap.

If I have to go to different sites for all of the materials, it'll take some time to get the funds.
 
churchhaze said:
You can find similar for about 8-9 dollars. It's just a generic chinese array. At 30 dollars, you could get a vero 29.
Click to expand...

Alright, so lets say I get the Vero 29s from Digikey. Those are 50w each correct? And one of those on each end of my 600w HPS will allow me to put a third 2ft wide plant in there?

Is it alright if I buy the drivers and wiring and fans and such from Amazon?
 
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