Anyone ever DIY a LED panel ?

[bdomina]

Has anyone ever wired up their own LED panels? Is it more trouble than it is worth? with the new energy increase right around the corner LED may be the way to go for some people. I think I could do it with a little direction, but i am not really what goes into one of the "new improved" LED lighting systems..very curious. look forward to hearing from you all.

thanks!
~BD~

 

[bdomina]

after doing a little research (for those that don't know) you apparently need what is called a LED Driver among other things such as resistors, to power the string of LEDs. In a Horticultural LED light are there multiple drivers to power the bulbs or 1 large one. also are there diffreent specs for the actual LED bulbs? I think that with the right tools and if you have experience soldering you could make one of these for pretty cheap.

 

[geopolitical]

Yes, you don't need an LED driver, if you're good enough to solder the LED's, you're good enough to roll your own driver.

Not "cheap" the LED's that are actually in the spectra you want to use (430-455nm and 650-670nm) aren't cheap at least those that have reasonable outputs aren't.

However, if you roll your own, you'll not only be guaranteed that you're using LED's with a correct spectral output, but you'll also know that the wattage you're supplying isn't being eaten mostly by resistors instead of being outputted.

Here are a few high output high efficiency LED's in the red. .

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Refine.aspx?Keyword=661nm

and I believe the luxeon "royal blue" is 440nm but I don't have a spec sheet handy.

Most higher output/higher efficiency (many of the newer higher wattage led's are double or more the efficiency of some earlier designs) leds will need to be heatsinked and/or fan cooled to maintain lifespan and peak efficiency.


here's a decent beginners wizard on designing parallel arrays.

http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz

 

[LolaGal]

Check out the thread LED Lab.

Weezard, a member, is the bomb on this stuff!

 

[makedadproud]

You got a link to this thread?

 

[mrred]

biggest led i found was 15watts can anyone get more powerful ones?

 

[geopolitical]

40w is the top, but they're not available in the right specs yet mrred. 15w is the top for a red LED in the 660 range, 5w for a blue in the right peaks afaik.

 

[Longhair]

You Seem Up On This?

You Seem Up On This?

Hello,
I've Been Reading This Thread & It Sounds Like You Know More Than Others.
Would These Actually Work Enough To Buy Them?

900 LED Grow light 4 Red + Blue Hydroponic Lamp Panels

4 fixtures of 225 LED Each = 900 LEDs
DESCRIPTION:Quality built dual color blended LED Grow Light Panel

FEATURES: Solid state, Cooler running, High efficiency, Wide angle, Dual Color Blended full spectrum plant lighting.

BENIFITS: This panel has no ballasts to burn out like other plant lights. It does not run hot, just warm. You will not experience unsightly brown burned leaves when they accidentally touch the LEDs. This is common with most other lights that get very hot. This more controlled running temperature reduces the need to water so often and keeps rooms with plants from getting uncomfortably hot in the summer months requiring additional air conditioning. Extreme energy efficiency permits this new LED panel to pay for itself many times over each year in electricity savings. It saves 50% to 90% in energy consumptioncompared to incandescent bulbs or fluorescent tubes. Wide angle projection insures uniform leaf coverage.
Scientifically calculated even blending of red and blue LEDs eliminates the time consuming task of repositioning separate colored lights back and forth trying to achieve uniform exposure. 14 to 16 hours per day is all that is necessary for maximum plant health with this wave blended lighting system. This allows distances 6" and less between the LEDs and the plants accelerating photosynthesis. Red and blue wavelengths are for growing and flowering of plants.The typical white plant lights that are very hot is unnecessary and just consume excessive electricity. The purity of the LED generated light lengthens flowering periods. These LEDs turn on instantly and can be turned on by hand each day or work well with all standard lamp timers.

The design of this new all in one Full Spectrum plant lighting panel allows maximum level photosynthesis food production, growth and flowering all in one. It is the new Full Spectrum system providing maximum plant health, beauty and productivity.

These LED light panels are perfect as an all year plant light for permanent plant benches and especially productive for spring vegetable and flower seedling development.

Specifications: Per Panel X4
Body material: Thermoplastic
Circuitry board material: Diecast Chrome

60 Blue light LEDs: 465nm (nanometer) wave length
165 Red light LEDs: 650nm (nanometer) wave length
165 + 60 = Total 225 LEDs
Color: Red + Blue = Purple looking to the eyes
Power: 13.8 Watts
Dimensions: 12 ¼ inches (30.5cm) square
Thickness: Low profile 1.25"
Power cord length: 48 inches

Recommended coverage: one panel per 18 inches square
LED life: Approx. 15 years used all year long.(60 years for spring starting of seedlings)

 

[geopolitical]

Going to have to say probably not.

 

[knna]

LED lab

DIY LED lamp tutorial

 

[Longhair]

Going to have to say probably not.

Thanks I've Heard From Both Sides & I Agree With You
Thank You

 

[cashmunny]

This is a cross post from micro grow.

I like the idea of using LEDs as a light source. But I went to a electronics catalog and looked at prices. Here's one at random. Digikey sells an OSRAM, blue 470 nm, 3.5V 1.4 Amp (!) 75 lumen LED for $8.29.

That seems like a high cost per lumen, $829 for a 7500 lumens of LED light. Not to mention 140 DC amps is nothing to sneeze at, even though it's only 3.5 volts, still it's 490 Watts.

What am I missing here? Are there better sources for cheap LEDs that are more efficient in terms of lumens per watt.

Someone set me straight.

 

[geopolitical]

Lumens are a measure of light that the human EYE is senstive to cash, not plants. It's very heavily weighted to the yellow bits of light. So a blue/green/etc light is going to have a comparatively poor lumen rating for a given wattage.

Lumens are a great way of comparing light output of lights of the same type. So comparing two HPS bulbs, or two MH bulbs, or two fluorescent bulbs. But not always, because lumens is a human weighted measurement.

For LED's especially with their very narrow spectral outputs, lumens are an extremely poor method of rating.