Calling all DIY LED Gurus: New Challenge(?)

if this is me you asking , no reikox
my leds are cool to the touch , even on the tc points i can keep my fingertips on them for 15secs+

my room is hotter now than with the hps, but im not running that ac 12 hrs straight either, it comes on maybe 3 minutes at a time 2-4 times an hr

my humdity is higher because of that , which i want actually
this ac actually never needs to be drained, it uses the condensation to help cool the evaporator coils(how clever is that, inorite?)

I was actually asking Medicine Man, but thanks for the reply. I like what you did with the strips.

Hey Fellas

I'm actually not sure, but I don't believe so, as far as I remember. No IR thermometer, but I'll give you a guesstimation by hand next time I can.

That flower light is generally run with the potentiometer about 60-75% of the possible 480w / 3.5a, and is just warm to the touch at the diodes. Not uncomfortable at all, from what i recall, but again, I'll pay more attention next time.

ReikoX said:

Do you notice those top LEDs getting significantly hotter than the lower ones? I was advised against mounting vertically like that from one of the strip vendors I'm dealing with.

Click to expand...

I just tested mine and the top with out a fan running are 50% hotter at the top then the bottom with out a fan. But with a fan running back and forth they are fine. Mine are also running straight up and down not side to side.

Ichabod Crane said:

I just tested mine and the top with out a fan running are 50% hotter at the top then the bottom with out a fan. But with a fan running back and forth they are fine. Mine are also running straight up and down not side to side.

Click to expand...

The fan is a great solution. Thanks

Wow, I'm very impressed with this thread, and it's extremely timely that I happened upon it today!


This is a new username, but I've been around, off and on for 10 years. I'm a vertical guy from early on...kind of double doughnut tubes in a C-24, using 4-150 W HPS lights...so this vertical LED tube would be perfect!


I will have a bunch of questions...but first thing's first: Medicine Man, have you got any figures as to how your patients grows have been going? Success (moderate of great)??? Yes, I'm talking weight.


Also, are there any adjustments/modifications you would implement now, given your experience gained this last 6-8 months? What was the cost of your items from Alibaba (a shopping list would be great)? Would you care to make a post that is more in-depth as to the construction of your light?


I know this may be quite a lot, but anything you can give us would be great (This goes out to ALL the LED guys in this thread...lots of knowledge here, guys...thanks!).


Again, great

What's up fellas?

Touch test suggests the top diodes aren't any noticeably warmer than bottoms, for what it's worth lol

Hey IP, thanks for checking out the thread, and sorry for the extremely untimely reply! I'll try to answer as best I can now, and try to check in more often, with better answers.

Talking success by weight, if I gave you numbers, I don't know that you'd be very impressed. Not many folks are impressed with an O or 2, unless there's lots of plants...which there aren't here lol

In short, this system isn't quite yet dialed in, and the patient has been going through more than their fair share of new grower challenges. It is coming along though, and I think it'll get there, as it gets completed and dialed in.

That being said, there are definitely some changes I would make the next build. Nothing huge, just little details that could probably be done different in one way or another. Things that end up working out slightly differently in practice than prediction, y'know?

As far as cost, I'm trying to keep a tally going, but don't have dollars and cents down quite yet. Some of the equipment was donated, and some will be added as the patient's budget allows.
I can give you ideas for the lights, minus some of the mounting hardware, which was donated:

50 x Samsung SIB8U11156HUS spec LED strips (22") ~$243
1 x Mold cost for strip ~$75
1 x HLG-120H-C700B ~$43
1 x HLG-240H-C2100B ~$54
1 x HLG-480H-C3500B ~$115

Shipping ~$98
Alibaba TTL: ~$627

All strips were mounted with double sided ~1/16-1/8" thickness tape to aluminum or whatever plumbers strap is made of...probably steel. That roll of tape was ~$20. The plumbers strap was donated, but I don't think it's more than $5 or $10 a roll, which is way more than you'd need for this project. I decided on the tape after screws and washers were causing shorts somewhere. Screws would've been cheaper, but the tape seems better for insulation, and holds fine...just be sure to have a clean surface when applying.

**I'll try to get closer pics of the lights' construction sooner than later, in case the following descriptions just confuse anyone...

The flower light is made from 30, 22" LED strips taped around a 10" duct coupling at the top, and just plumbers strap around the bottom.
Every 6 strips are wired together in series, those 5 groups of 6 are wired to the driver in parallel.

Inside, there are 4 pieces of standard, drop ceiling type aluminum angle iron (appx 1/8"x1"), running vertically, every 90 degrees, and 4 crossing horizontally for structure. The 480w driver is mounted across the top of the light, to tabs of aluminum angle, and uses plumbers strap and a large eye hook, which is connected to a rope ratchet pulley. The dimmer is mounted to the plumbers strap, above the power supply, but below the eye hook.

And speaking of dimmers! That's something I'd definitely do differently next time, at least with the knobs- Those fuckers were like $4 each! I think the potentiometers were $4 or $5 each as well.
...So, add another $27 or so for dimmers for 3 lights, unless you're smrtr lol

The vertical veg light is made of 12 LED strips, wired 4 strips in series, 3 sets parallel and a 240w driver.
The strips are taped around a 2ft piece of 4" aluminum dryer vent.
The power supply is down in the middle of the vent tube, and connected, I believe, to plumbers strap again. Same with the dimmer, as on the flower light.

The horizontal veg light for starter plants consists of 6 strips, wired series, to the 120w driver.
The aluminum reflector was scavenged from an old 4 bulb, 2ft T5 fixture, and the strips were taped to it- 4 where the original T5s would've been, and 1 on each outer edge.
The power supply is again mounted to plumbers strap. Strap is also used for mounting the dimmer and hanging hardware.
If you don't have any old reflectors, you could use a cookie sheet, like a lot of folks have. Lots of options for a small frame.

Like I say, I'll try to get a hold of better pics sooner than later, and hopefully be able to answer more questions, if you have them.