What's new

Should I pack more Cree bulbs in here?

sub

Member
Hey guys,
Building a small perpetual scrog box for personal medical use.

Flower chamber currently has an Area 51 RW-75 LED light and the veg chamber has 8x 9w Cree bulbs (should have taken a photo of my light fixture I made with the 8 bulbs)

The box size is 2' x 1.5' x 6'

Here it is, almost complete:
7ytA398.jpg

(left photo shows the inner door panels that block light)

I had planned on adding at least 2-4x 9.5w Cree's to the flower chamber at canopy level and was gonna try to fit 2 more 9w Cree's in the veg chamber if I can (or possibly 2 larger bulbs,) but I've also been debating on fitting 2 or more of those big Cree floodlights in the flower chamber.

I've heard after about 25-30w per sq foot you get diminishing returns, but the way I see it is more light is more light, better yield, right?

So what do you guys think? I'm not about to make my own LEDs yet, so for now I'm sticking to LED bulbs and/or online purchases of LED lights.

I can't fit much more in the way of actual LED grow lights, but definitely can manage some more Cree bulbs. Just not sure if it will be wasted energy, or which bulbs to get (flood bulbs or more 9.5 watters)

I'm hitting about 25w per sq foot as of now.

Thoughts?
Thanks guys :)
 

devilgoob

Active member
Veteran
Looks super cool and clean!

I know the ones you speak of, the 9.5w with the Cree.

Yes, do add light, even if it means diminishing returns. You should get a little bit more, but the quality will be there. The quality will matter so much more, and can you hang those bulbs down by the plant?

You could be dangling those bulbs right by the plants budsites I think!
 

az2000

Member
I use Cree 9.5w and the 18w PAR38 flood and spot. I also have an RW-75. I don't think you need more light for your space. But, if you're going to do something it would be better to do the 9.5w in the corners. The 18w PAR38s are too large for you. And, I think it's better to have more diffuse coverage from more bulbs than stronger light from one. (Especially when you're delivering strong light already from the RW-75).

In your case, I would use BR30 floodlights instead of A19 omni. One in each corner would make good sidelight. (But, still think it will be more light than you need.). You could use a gooseneck flexible extender to position each light where it goes. McMaster-Carr and mylampparts.com sells them with 1/8" NPT pipe thread on each end. Phenolic light sockets have 1/8" NPT female threads on the end. Mount the other end of the gooseneck to the floor of the cabinet (in each corner) and wire the electricity on the underside, in your veg chamber.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#flexible-goosenecks/=ts73u4
http://www.mylampparts.com/Departments/FLEXIBLE-ARMS.aspx

BTW: I would only use the 19w PAR38 flood or spot as top lighting. Say, 2-3 of them on top, and then two 9.5w A19 bulbs in each corner as side light.
 

bombadil.360

Andinismo Hierbatero
Veteran
hey sub, very nice indeed!

my only question would be why did you go for the rw-75 instead of the rw-150 when you are wanting more watts per square foot? the bigger unit would still fit inside your 1.5' x 2'... as it is 12'' x 18''.

peace
 

PetFlora

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
It's not just watts, the number we are interested in is umoles/m^/sec

Cree now makes LED spots, which unlike their standard bulbs, are directional
 
Top