[Keep goin]

I'm thinking about DIY...but I have to admit I feel like an idiot when I look at the various threads about DIY LEDs on here.
I know some of you have vast experience with electrical work (I do not) I therefore think what seems easy to you, does not to me.

I have been looking at RapidLed.com and looking at some options.

Now for the stupid questions:

Can I buy one of their "retrofit" solderless kit, a heat sink with fan and hangers, and put it all together?
It seems to be missing something...like the actual "board" that my Lumigrow has the chips adhered to!?? And where do the drivers and "guts" end up?? Between the heat sink and chips I would imagine.

When I see what some of you guys are doing...impressive work, but WAY over my head.. rives, love your VOLKSled idea...but that's kinda what I'm talking about, seems easy enough to you with your experience..but TOO much for me. Plus I am not concerned with housings and looks. Function, function, function.!!

I don't have a drill press, soldering iron (or experience using one), etc.
Can I attempt a project? Or should I accept my limitations and buy the best unit I can find for my needs??

Thanks, look forward to hearing...

[vukman]

If you are willing to learn, anything is doable man....All you need to do is have the patience and the most important thing, at least I think, is having manual dexterity. What I mean by that is if you have the capacity for handiman stuff. Some people, try as much as they can, will never be able to hold a screwdriver or hammer a nail.. It's just one of those things that I believe you're born with. Same as map reading or anything involving 'spacial' thinking. You either have it or you don't. If you do, then anything is possible and I say go for it.

That rapidled stuff is great. All modular and just snap it together and you're off to the races........or at least well on your way....:-)

NIKE baby.............JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!

[rives]

As Vuk pointed out, it comes down to how 'handy" you are. An hour or two of practice and you should easily be soldering, if not like a pro, at least well enough for this type of project. The other issue is your level of "stick-to-itivness" - any project that is based on unfamiliar skills and technology is going to be difficult until you try it. Then, it's surprising how easy it becomes.

Tooling would be a major issue for me, but I've been tooling up now for roughly 45 years. I would think that there are enough options available for you to pretty well duck the issue if you make careful selections, and if you live in a metropolitan area, you can probably find whatever type of assistance you would need. Simply putting together a functional light is surprisingly easy once you do your research and nail down the parameters, the components, and what you want.

When I bought my first house, I figured that I could pretty much do something three times for what it would cost me to have someone else do it. That may be a bit of an overreach here, but the same notion applies.

[analogue]

Originally Posted by Keep goin

I'm thinking about DIY...but I have to admit I feel like an idiot when I look at the various threads about DIY LEDs on here.

I felt like an idiot at first too. Well my wife says....I still am one .

Originally Posted by Keep goin

I know some of you have vast experience with electrical work (I do not) I therefore think what seems easy to you, does not to me.

Almost nil here...

Originally Posted by Keep goin

I have been looking at RapidLed.com and looking at some options.

Now for the stupid questions:

Can I buy one of their "retrofit" solderless kit, a heat sink with fan and hangers, and put it all together?

You could. But does it have what you want or need... what are your needs?

Originally Posted by Keep goin

It seems to be missing something...like the actual "board" that my Lumigrow has the chips adhered to!?? And where do the drivers and "guts" end up?? Between the heat sink and chips I would imagine.

Some kits you have to buy a heatsink. Options can be and are confusing. Draw diagrams, ask questions. Determine your needs and what you want your light to accomplish.

Drivers should be remote but not too remote. Its like not wanting to put your HPS ballast in your tent. You could, yes, do that (or not).

Read as much as you can. Watch some videos. Rapid LED has a you tube channel.

[Keep goin]

Thanks guys for the quick responses!

Yeah, I have manual dexterity...and am pretty "handy"..otherwise I don't think I would even contemplate such an undertaking.
My real concerns after looking at both your thread vukman, and rives thread on DIY LED is the equipment you both have. I just wonder if I can do it without any of that?? For instance a drill press!? Do I NEED one? Or is that just something you are using because you have one?
rives...I was thinking solder less in order to NOT have to "build up" my skills at soldering...as well as not having to invest in a soldering iron. I remember reading tenthirty say in his thread you need a fairly robust one..ie: $50...not that I'm afraid to invest, but if I can just do it with epoxy (or the adhesive they provide) and it will work as well I would choose to go that route.

analogue...my "needs" are basically filling in the edges of my canopy. I have a Lumigrow ES330 and I need the surrounding area lit up! I was looking at the 6x9" heat sink and the solder less 24 light 2 driver kit rapidled offers, or the 12 light kit. That would essentially be one side of the Lumigrow panel that I could move out into the corners. I would want to make 2 such panels for now...and if it goes well...I would do a similar build for my veg spot..with different ratios of color obviously.

So, my question really is. I buy the heatsink, fan, hanger (option they offer) and the "retrofit" kit with the 12 or 24 light option (solder less). What else would I need?? Anything? Or is it just gonna go together according to the directions they would provide??

If that's the case...I'm pretty much ready to try it!!?

Thanks again guys...always appreciate the help!

[hempfield]

May I have a suggestion ?

I also want some light improvement on the edges so I thought that I must build 2 additional DIY LED bars, having 5x10W leds each.

It must be simple, because I do not have time for them , so here are the components :

- 6x 10W warm white LEDs (https://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-10W-LE...item4d04d908f8)
- 4x 10W cool white LEDs (https://www.ebay.com/itm/10pcs-10W-LE...item416ae6644c) - or if it's not a scam, this listing could be the best LED deal on ebay : https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=121014294540
- 10x10W LED drivers (https://www.ebay.com/itm/10PCS-AC-DC-...item2ec15f9536)
- 2x 100x800x3mm Aluminium sheet (as heatsinks) ;
- 3mm bolts, washers and nuts ;
- some epoxy to glue the LEDs and the drivers ;

In the following days I will build those LED bars and I will post pictures.

[PetFlora]

Keep goin: I am in a similar position as you- lack of skills/confidence so I improvised. If I can think this up, and assemble it, so can you

No ballasts/drivers, heatsinks, soldering...

Note light bar on the left is from a bathroom vanity (now have plans for multiple small 2-3 bulb vanity fixtures that I can hang from different angles and heights.

Some leds are from Lowes, but many from www.chinabuyes.com (@$4-7). Since taking these pics, bud development has been exploding. Using ~ 89 led watts + 26w Repti-Glo + 50w Basking Light


The buds on the same strain under 432w HOT5 are quite a bit bigger at this moment, but the led tent is coming along, it just may take longer to fill out and finish

ATTACH]191182[/ATTACH]ATTACH]191183[/ATTACH]

[Keep goin]

Thanks for the info Hempfield and petflora...

I went off my hidden browser before and went onto RapidLed to look at their youtube section. (can't do it "undercover")

Wow, looks SUPER easy!!?

I just need to do a pre-drilled heat sink and a solder less kit...it looks like it all goes together with simple logic...line it up and run an electrical series. Not hard at all.

I can choose any size/ dimension heat sink I want. From bar, to square/ rectangle...varying sizes any where from 6 LED's to 48 per kit.

I'm gonna give it a go when I get some extra cash together. I see veg bars and some bloom panels in my not too distant future.

Thanks again for the input.

Look forward to seeing your bars in action hempfield

[tenthirty]

That is exactly what I thought!

Now that you've made it this far, It would be to your advantage to read through the following thread.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=245530

Easy as pie.

[Keep goin]

Oh yeah, tenthirty...thanks man...I had already subbed your thread..!!

How are you liking that color blend..??

That was gonna be my next question of ideas of color blends?? I know the basics...but in terms of specific ratios. I just did a "mock" shopping for both a veg set up where I basically did what you did but with Neutral White and Royal Blue, in terms of ratios.

And a similar Neutral White (10), Deep Red (10), Red (6), Blue (4), Royal Blue (6)...for a 6x20" 36 chip Bloom panel.

I may choose to go with 6x9" 24 chip panels and do two of them...but the question I have is what do you guys think about those ratios?? I would keep them similar to do the smaller panels, just change the numbers accordingly.

Thanks again. Can't wait to get it going...!! I came up with about $200 bucks for the veg light, and about $350 for the "big" bloom panel. I can definitely "fill" my canopy with multiple panels at that rate. (not yet, but soon.)

DIY all the way...!!