Or_Gro
Well-Known Member
Getting intensity set, w lux or par meter will take you a long way...you can get by without your own spectrum if light company has it.
UV Suppliment Lighting
- Thread starter DrGreenT420
- Start date
.RootDown
Well-Known Member
Yeah I don't know what the L models are, I have the C. It shows a graphical representation of the spectal output of a light source.
Sorry for the mobile link, and US at that but you get the idea.
http://m.sekonic.com/united-states/products/colormeters/c-700r-u.aspx
There's also the Asensetek Lighting Passport which you can view and save the graph on a smartphone. That's what Shane from Migro uses on his YouTube videos when he tests lights. Wish I'd gotten that one instead, there's an eBay listing live now selling a used one for $650.
.RootDown
Well-Known Member
Like a lot of the suggestions on this forum, you can grow great Cannabis without any of them. Certainly this is seriously overkill for my 2x2.5 tent, but if you want to really want to know what the output of your lamp is and tune the spectrum you're going to need to be able to measure. I'm interested in spectrum tuning and I like toys.
Or_Gro
Well-Known Member
I think @Randomblame has some spectrometer diy ideas....
Or_Gro
Well-Known Member
I’ve used my meters for real benefit, that would never been possible without them.
The greatest single variable we have control over is light, gotta be able to measure it if you want to control it...most growers do this by sight or watts, plants do it by intensity and spectrum....pick your poison..
mr. childs
Well-Known Member
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
And at least one of them still is.
mr. childs
Well-Known Member
rip illumi, would have been great to have his input now...
oldbeancounter
Well-Known Member
thanks will check into what shane is using seems enough for me.
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Yeah, still have a few cheap solutions in petto.
There are several diy spectrometers available with pretty good accuracy. But its a little more complicated to evaluate the spectrum shots. Often you need to upload the pictures you have made to a website to calculate PAR numbers aso. and to get an SPD chart. Some use a smartphone cam others are made with a raspi web cam. Pretty sure if you find a siutable sensor you could also create one able to measure UV light too.
What we really need for gardening is an AIO spectrometer with 250-800nm measuring range, measuring spectrum, calculating accurate PAR numbers and showing μW/cm² of each UVA/B wavelengths at least in 10nm steps. Even a UVB meter tells you only how much light you have in the 280-320nm range. But some older reptile bulbs start with 305nm UVB and those would have only little effect even if you measure 100μW/cm².
ChiefRunningPhist
Well-Known Member
100μw = 100w × 10^(-6) = 0.0001w
100cm × 100cm = 10,000cm2 = 1m2
(0.0001w/cm2) × (10,000cm2/m2)
=
1w/m2
1w/m2 of 305nm - 320nm radiation seems a bit toasty?
10.6 UV index could have 0.55w/m2 of 295nm - 325nm.
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Yeah, well explained, buddy! Your vulcan logic deserves to be mentioned...!
But do not forget we try to mimic the UVB strengths in 2000m height. The usually found intensities at sea level has not the same effect. Only near the equator or in heights above lets say 1000m minimum the UVB intensity is high enough to force the plant to produce more thc.
Mexico city is a good example or think on locations like nepal, the hindukush or the moroccan rif mountains..
All these areas have usually a higher UV index in summer(+10) and the intensity can reach up to 450μW/cm². The Kilimanjaro is near the equator "and" is pretty high and at 2000m you can measure +500μW/m² on a clear day and they still grow weed in this area(pretty good weed btw.).
Thing is even at 3000m height there is no light with 285nm, all below 295nm is still filtered out by the atmosphere.
With 285nm directly we would need probably much less intensity to make it work.
We need much more research in this area and specialized diodes that create a wider UVB/A spectrum but have a UVC filter to remove wavelengths below 285nm. 285nm + 365nm and a 1:3 - 1:5 ratio should work and maybe a glass cover that removes only the UVC part created by the 285nm diodes.
But the SPD should not have only two small spikes rather than two wider overlapping hills. Maybe a UVA/B light producing wideband phosphor using 285nm base diodes? I don't know if its possible to use the Solacure phosphor mix to create an LED phosphor with a wider UV range when combined with a 285nm UVB diode? I imagine something that work like a white diode. It's for sure not that easy but I could imagine something in this direction is possible somehow. 10-20% of the light created could still be 285nm but the rest gets converted into wideband UVA. Efficiency is not so important when you only need a few watts but to get the UVA/B light out of a single diode would make things so much easier.
Since more an more countries legalize MJ(not only in the US) there is a higher demand in UV lights and it is also interesting for the food industry and for medical needs.
I'm pretty sure it don't takes long until the industry presents the first AIO LED solutions.
But do not forget we try to mimic the UVB strengths in 2000m height. The usually found intensities at sea level has not the same effect. Only near the equator or in heights above lets say 1000m minimum the UVB intensity is high enough to force the plant to produce more thc.
Mexico city is a good example or think on locations like nepal, the hindukush or the moroccan rif mountains..
All these areas have usually a higher UV index in summer(+10) and the intensity can reach up to 450μW/cm². The Kilimanjaro is near the equator "and" is pretty high and at 2000m you can measure +500μW/m² on a clear day and they still grow weed in this area(pretty good weed btw.).
Thing is even at 3000m height there is no light with 285nm, all below 295nm is still filtered out by the atmosphere.
With 285nm directly we would need probably much less intensity to make it work.
We need much more research in this area and specialized diodes that create a wider UVB/A spectrum but have a UVC filter to remove wavelengths below 285nm. 285nm + 365nm and a 1:3 - 1:5 ratio should work and maybe a glass cover that removes only the UVC part created by the 285nm diodes.
But the SPD should not have only two small spikes rather than two wider overlapping hills. Maybe a UVA/B light producing wideband phosphor using 285nm base diodes? I don't know if its possible to use the Solacure phosphor mix to create an LED phosphor with a wider UV range when combined with a 285nm UVB diode? I imagine something that work like a white diode. It's for sure not that easy but I could imagine something in this direction is possible somehow. 10-20% of the light created could still be 285nm but the rest gets converted into wideband UVA. Efficiency is not so important when you only need a few watts but to get the UVA/B light out of a single diode would make things so much easier.
Since more an more countries legalize MJ(not only in the US) there is a higher demand in UV lights and it is also interesting for the food industry and for medical needs.
I'm pretty sure it don't takes long until the industry presents the first AIO LED solutions.
oldbeancounter
Well-Known Member
Randomblame
@Pricey type of technology
Wish I could afford this, I could sure use it.
But not in budget yet anyways lol
https://alliedscientificpro.com/shop/product/spectral-light-meter-sri2000-uv-illuminance-spectrometer-21012
do you have a link to what it is you use by any chance?
Any idea of best entry level product I can set up just my main lights with as UV will need to wait as combining the two sends price threw the roof lol
RM3
Well-Known Member
yeppers RIP Max !
I have switched to LED and have led for UVA and now using Solarcures for UVB
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Nice device! Looks somehow like my 1st smartphone, lol! 3 grand, shit! Is there no chinese copy cat??
I'm a poor boy and still use my good old lux meter. Spectrometers measuring UV light too are even more pricey and far above my limits. I'm also using 12/30% Arcadia reptile bulbs which have ~58% visible light and I've test results of exactly this bulb in lux and μW/cm² with different kinds of reflectors and different hanging height so when I know one I can calculate the other easliy.
Lets use an example, lets say I've 100μW/cm² at 16" and measure 2200lx with this distance. When I increase the distance to 24" and get 1100lx I can estimate to still have 50μW/cm². That's far from being exact but it gives me a good idea of whats going on and the rest I decide intuitively.
Or_Gro
Well-Known Member
When you move to 14%uvb,30%uvb arcadias, i can make the measurements for you (albeit with some hours on the tubes vs new tubes, and diff reflectors)....
oldbeancounter
Well-Known Member
@RM3
I was wondering what type of diode-make-output-watts output per sq foot etc. you havebeen using for both the solocure(which I have in 4 foot T-
and HLG's UVA which is coming. Certainly would shorten my learning curve and likely save me money.
I have HLG's UV light coming and am looking into strips with semiLED with UV, just not sure how many watts of output for both at 45 sq foot both veg and flower. I had planned to go from about 380nm to 430nm as I need blue as well.
I wondered if this has been a positive thing as you seem to still endorse by using this nm?
Any thing anyone has to share about feel free to reply to this post as
there is a lot to learn about this topic.
thanks
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Thanks, bro! I still have a few new 12% bulbs but would be nice to have a few numbers when I need new ones sometime. They last around two runs when used up to 10h the day so it don't takes long.
RM3
Well-Known Member
I run 2 of these in a 25 sq ft garden@RM3
I was wondering what type of diode-make-output-watts output per sq foot etc. you havebeen using for both the solocure(which I have in 4 foot T-
Certainly would shorten my learning curve and likely save me money.
I have HLG's UV light coming and am looking into strips with semiLED with UV, just not sure how many watts of output for both at 45 sq foot both veg and flower. I had planned to go from about 380nm to 430nm as I need blue as well.
I wondered if this has been a positive thing as you seem to still endorse by using this nm?
Any thing anyone has to share about feel free to reply to this post as
there is a lot to learn about this topic.
thanks
https://www.amazon.com/LED-Black-Light-Bar-Ultraviolet/dp/B06XHFQKM5/ref=sr_1_25?keywords=uv+led+bars&qid=1559406161&s=gateway&sr=8-25
and 2, 4 foot solacures
If you run 2/3 blue to 1/3 red along with UVA & B you will grow more trics (da frost)
oldbeancounter
Well-Known Member
@Randomblame
Great idea!
That I can actually get my head around.
Oh there will be chinese knockoffs I am looking now for something bit each day you are not the only poor boy lol.
Gotta order drivers(which I know what to order after yours and others RUI members help again thank you!)
So what about HLG reds , the QB18 Quantum Board by Horticulture Lighting Group.
What area would one strip cover in veg and in lower approx any idea?
I have will four in a 5 by 9 foot tent plus 700 watts of 3000k Samsung so red there too in the QB288 V-2 without the added reds.
Was anything ever posted on the strips?
I couldn't find anything, the four HLG QB18 are going on dimmable meanwell HLG240H-C2100B with dimmer pot on heatsinks.
What wattage would I run full out from wall?
I do have a multimeter but not had a chance to use it yet and also want a wall watt meter to plug into seems the list never ends LOL