eBay LED

[positivity]

Actually first bad experience.
My 90w pro source still rocks in veg and glh spectra 180 did a good job in flower.
Hortilux 600 was awesome..
Just these last panels from the same company sucks.
Have a friend with a lumigro 650 that's loving it and promoting it. Same with the advanced xml...
The market is just evolving too much for me right now to invest a grand into something that will be outdated in a year.
Gonna try the sunsystem 315...if it produces the quality I'm looking for I'll stick with it if not ill probably get a advanced, Area 51, or apache. They seem to be the best route for getting the best led has to offer..

 

[Firebrand]

Here's another question, can the individual lights be swapped out for those that correct for the application, and if so, what are the specs for optimal overall flowering?

I guess what I'm asking is if these light have viability?

 

[relief]

Here's another question, can the individual lights be swapped out for those that correct for the application, and if so, what are the specs for optimal overall flowering?

I guess what I'm asking is if these light have viability?

Yes, it could. Some lights have both.

The lumigrow has a dual band light system. One for vegging, one for flowering or a mixture of both. Theres a dial on it to where you can choose between blue and red spectrum.

If I do buy another LED it will be a Lumigrow, but like someone else said. $1000 for one LED Light is just as bad idea while the tech is changing so much.

 

[Oregonism]

Here's another question, can the individual lights be swapped out for those that correct for the application, and if so, what are the specs for optimal overall flowering?

Yes and no, there are now, new ways [screwing down and solderless star-sinks] to attach with easier removal [not necessarily easy]. That might be easier than gluing them with epoxy and then taking a small chisel if you goof. You are trying to transfer lots of heat, quickly and efficiently, its to your benefit if they are attached snug.

I guess what I'm asking is if these light have viability?

Are you asking about LED's in general or just Ebay generated lights? Most of the Ebay lights are using diode's that all the DIY guys starting messing around with upwards of 5 years ago. So, they aren't a great indicator of what is evolving, it already happened for them. Better drivers and no lenses are probably an upgrade.

Look at these, Neekz dropped them in the micro forum: 30w Cree's. DIy builds are becoming cheaper and cheaper and more efficient. A few of these, a heatsink and drivers, you could make 2 or 3 separate panels for each function and cover a wider area too.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trk...ee+grow&_nkw=30w+cree+grow&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Also if you hold on to a fixture that produces what you want, it will last for a damn long time under normal circumstances. No changing bulbs, less fan, less dehumid, etc. Even if Moore's law is progressing with LEDS, having an older fixture that produces for 5-10 years solid w/out maintenance is very underrated.

 

[Neekz]

Rough guide to go by here Firebrand, you can see the trend's with types of unit's and their GPW's. Try and look for a retailer/distributor with as much technical specifications as possible for each specific unit. Even the big distributor's can get a batch with lower current driver's, bunk phosphor coat's, lower spec'd fan's etc... I find it best to shoot some e-mail's and pester them for as much specific's as possible. If they are hush, then their probably shite, and don't let them tell you "Trade Secret" spectrum's and bull-ish... If your iffy on any purchases Firebrand, just shoot up a thread on here for us to help you mull over it.

 

[Oregonism]

I'll tell you what, you fellas got it going on in here. I love the Skunk forum, got some great friends over there, but there is no comparison when searching for info. I good friend at Skunk sent me here and am I glad, one stop shop for unlimited info, you folks should be very proud of what you have here, great job putting all of this together, many thanks.

Welcome to IC....I have the same feeling from another place.

 

[Firebrand]

Like I said, many thanks, my learning curve has improved already, and there's plenty more to see here. I hope you guys stop by this sub forum often, it's great speaking with you.

Right now I got myself into an on line poker game for a bit, but I'll be back a little later and tomorrow for sure.

 

[hempfield]

Actually it would be LED's, driver and then heatsink you should take into account first, then lense's as one of the last things.

You don't have to have lense's [180 degrees], but remember 60 degrees lense is focusing 3x the light [penetration] while only losing 10-12% overall from the lense material itself.

Steep angles for penetration and shallow angles for coverage [Scrog, etc.]

I think better results can be achieved with reflectors instead of lenses. In this case the loss is virtually zero , because the reflector interacts only with that part of the light beam which is spread on the 'wrong' direction.

Anyway, when using reflectors/lenses, the pros surpass the cons and the gain is allways greater than the loss, as long as they are kept clean and dust free.

 

[Firebrand]

With regards towards the EBay LED's from China...

After reading roughly a 100 pages here (3 different threads) on LED's and DIY LED's I have come to the conclusion that the EBay units will best work in a veg chamber supplemented with T5's.

Those who wish to flower under LED's (like me) should build their own DIY style, unless of course they can afford the professional quality set ups.

I also feel that this sub forum contains more than enough information to make any DIY/LED mission a success, my humble opinion.

The only other workaround that I would consider trying is perhaps an attempt at swapping out several lamps inside the EBay units, the plan would entail replacing stock lamps with a mix of WW, CW, NW until a desired balance is achieved, and of course this is user specific dependent the type of grow, i.e. SOG or Scrog or variable height canopy or whatever.

 

[Firebrand]

I have made a decision that I am going to modify the EBay LED as I described in my previous post as a workaround, first question, is this considered to be feasible?

Second question, am I correct in understanding that as long as I use 3w LED's, different colors/spectrum as replacements there should be no need for a driver upgrade as long as I keep the same total count?

These are the pieces I'm looking at as replacements, are there better options?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-Pcs-3W-C...015?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d4e1b82f
http://www.ebay.com/itm/50-Pcs-3W-W...d=100005&prg=1088&rk=2&rkt=4&sd=141010516015&

I would love to find a cost effective solution for making these lights work better throughout the entire grow cycle, this would not only be helpful for me but it would benefit others who have purchased these lights, any help in this endeavor would be greatly appreciated.

(Note: those LED's that I linked to have 140 degree viewing angle, I searched for the same type of LED with a tighter angle without finding any, I also questioned the seller about tighter angles.)

I could really use a source if you guys have any, I respect your knowledge in these areas and hope that you can help me out with this.

I could also use suggestions as to the proper soldering tool for this task, I realize that it must be specialized, I suppose that specialized solder and flux must be required too?

 

[positivity]

I've been throwing that idea around also, using old lights or even new lights that underperform for parts. The panels are cheap enough that you get a nice housing and mounting points for a low enough price..rather than sourcing out all the parts individually.

 

[Trewalker]

I I could also use suggestions as to the proper soldering tool for this task, I realize that it must be specialized, I suppose that specialized solder and flux must be required too?

Solder wise you'll need a rosin core solder, here is an example from Radio Shack that is used for electronics have made a decision that I am going to modify the EBay LED as I described in my previous post as a workaround, first question, is this considered to be feasible?

 

[Trewalker]

Sorry screwed up the copy-paste, here is the link http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...gclid=CMCiqo_m8LgCFQadKgodiQEAAA&gclsrc=ds.ds

 

[Firebrand]

I've been throwing that idea around also, using old lights or even new lights that underperform for parts. The panels are cheap enough that you get a nice housing and mounting points for a low enough price..rather than sourcing out all the parts individually.

I tend to agree with you, the EBay lights are very well built structurally, it appears their lacking is in their diodes, and as you said the price is right for the infrastructure. I might order new diodes from the EBay links above just as an experiment, my concern is the wide angle, if I could get them in say 80 or even 90 degree angles I would probably already have ordered them, the price on them is fair in my opinion.

I am really hoping that I get some expert feed back on this, I.E. the correct choice for staggered canopy.

This is what I'm looking to cover, 28" wide x 48" long, I'm thinking that 600 watts (400 watts if driven at 2/3's) of quality LED would kick ass in this small area.

 

[Firebrand]

Alright, I spent 15$ on parts and tools yesterday, here's what I have coming...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281142075141?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/22121643257...eName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I am new to LED's in that I have no idea which beads are best per manufacturer, The beads I ordered are Epistar 200lm pure white(3w).

This is my plan, I plan to remove the IR(2) and the green(6) chips and replace them with the new whites, that will be 8 of the 20 I ordered, with the other 12 whites I plan to replace some of the reds.

When the parts arrive and I begin my experiments I will photo document in this thread.

Any input/feedback is welcome, hopefully all of the parts will be here in the two weeks.

 

[Firebrand]

I just did a physical count by color and found that there are 73 red diodes, considering that there 100 diodes total it would seem to me that there is to much red (73%). I have drawn a map/grid of the configuration for reference, this will be my base as I move forward.

 

[Oregonism]

Alright, I spent 15$ on parts and tools yesterday, here's what I have coming...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281142075141?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/22121643257...eName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I am new to LED's in that I have no idea which beads are best per manufacturer, The beads I ordered are Epistar 200lm pure white(3w).

This is my plan, I plan to remove the IR(2) and the green(6) chips and replace them with the new whites, that will be 8 of the 20 I ordered, with the other 12 whites I plan to replace some of the reds.

When the parts arrive and I begin my experiments I will photo document in this thread.

Any input/feedback is welcome, hopefully all of the parts will be here in the two weeks.

My $.02 on the pencil tip. Drop it. They are great for soldering your cheap fan leads together in a pinch, but without temperature control, the pencil tips are pain in the ass unless you have YEARS of experience soldering.

I would go with a pistol grip with a temp control, little more, but this is one of the most important tools putting together your light fixture, this isn't an area to skimp.

Pencil types usually don't heat the middle of the core properly [if at all], basically they just get the outside. I have one, I use it for soldering fan leads together and not much else.

[+]
You might also want to look for a grounding strap [wearable] and a grounding mat, so you can work on your lights safely without discharging static. Seems to be well worth it.

 

[Trewalker]

You may also need some solder wick to aid in removing the diodes.

 

[Firebrand]

My $.02 on the pencil tip. Drop it. They are great for soldering your cheap fan leads together in a pinch, but without temperature control, the pencil tips are pain in the ass unless you have YEARS of experience soldering.

I would go with a pistol grip with a temp control, little more, but this is one of the most important tools putting together your light fixture, this isn't an area to skimp.

Pencil types usually don't heat the middle of the core properly [if at all], basically they just get the outside. I have one, I use it for soldering fan leads together and not much else.

[+]
You might also want to look for a grounding strap [wearable] and a grounding mat, so you can work on your lights safely without discharging static. Seems to be well worth it.

Your advice is heeded, I will look into both of your suggestions, thank you for the input. Also, I just took one of the units apart so we could have a look under the hood, photos and questions to come.

 

[trem0lo]

You may also need some solder wick to aid in removing the diodes.

Solder wick yes, or a solder sucker, which was helpful to me when I melted too much solder on the joint.

Good luck in replacing the LEDs. My hope is that they'll give you better results than what was on there before. Im not familiar with Epistars but I hesitate to think that they're on the same level as a brand like Cree. I'd also find out what current the existing driver is putting out.

Just keep in mind that heat dissipation is very important and the Chinese lights' heatsinks are usually enclosed flat aluminum panels, waaay inadequate IMO. If there's any way you can improve in the thermal management, like the addition of fans, and/or removing the enclosure, I'd recommend it.