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LED boards: lower power for closer canopy? Help needed

W

Wild Seed

Active member
The advice on LED QB-style boards/strips is to keep them high (~45cm) above the canopy and initially run them at reduced capacity. Yet there are lots of growers getting good results running boards up close.

So is dimming the answer to height issues?

Aiming to upgrade old bloom setup (SILs) ready for some tropical Sativa (top/lst).
Space is 2’ x 3’ x 3.5’. One panel (~150w) is recommended for this area.

Will the spread of 1 panel be wide enough with the canopy so close?
Or intense enough for the whole space if it has to be dimmed?

Or is it best for coverage to buy a larger panel to fill the ceiling with light (200-250w) and run it at about 50%?

The idea being to allow for any taller tops to get closer without burning by evening out equivalent wattage over a wider surface, while making sure there’s no fan leaves or fall off shading the edges.
Any advice?
 
Dion

Dion

Active member
Spread is the answer
But pre-made lights don't do spread as shipping is expensive

Larger panel

Closer to plants

10cm is plenty of headroom really

Hate to shill but I am a well known mber here and am currently prototyping some solutions to this gap in the market

Would be more than happy to sort U out
 
Fixer

Fixer

Active member
Strip lights and lots of them. I running Forever Green Indoors Uniformity Pro. 640 watts of LED strip fixture about 30 cm above the canopy. I haven't dimmed them. It doesn't seem necessary. The fixture measures about 1.2 meters square. Lots of spread.
 
Dion

Dion

Active member
Fixer said:
Strip lights and lots of them. I running Forever Green Indoors Uniformity Pro. 640 watts of LED strip fixture about 30 cm above the canopy. I haven't dimmed them. It doesn't seem necessary. The fixture measures about 1.2 meters square. Lots of spread.
Click to expand...

Sounds cool

U got a link to this light?
 
R

roybart

Member
I am running Daylight Pure white with 6000K color Temperature LED 15 K Lumens using 110 watts each measured at the driver.
200 LED cost $44.00
2/3 driver cost $44.00 (300 watt driver)
2 heat sinks (cookie tray) $15.00
Misc hardware $5Sure maybe I can find something cheaper however.. My needs are

12 volt DC <- going to solar soon my sun number is 93/100

Ability to upgrade:Once I find some Far red strips I can add them

Modular: Lose an LED or two easy to replace. 1 tray takes 100 Modules(3LED)

Extensible : Just happens than my new grow bins are the same size as the trays.



[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]
This girl needs a trim but you can see the tray overhead..


Her sister / cousin after a trim





I am running 12 x 12 with DWC and a bubbler.. Leaf temp is 77 and the top of the tray is 84

My idea is about less watts and closer canopy management.
I think LED companies need to think a bit more out of the box. Like can the LED be on a different angle, maybe 90 degree instead of 120 degree.

Can every other LED be moved 15 degrees off the heat sink

| \ | / | this is 45 degrees but imagine its 15. | would be flat on the heatsink

.. Will this create diffusion without light loss??
 
W

Wild Seed

Active member
Thanks everyone.
So don’t worry much about dimming or recommended heights, and the more spread the better.

Cheers Dion. I might take you up on that offer.
I’ve basically been trying to decide between yours and the 3+ series R-spec from budgetgrowlights, which looks on point, for a price. No PM yet, but let me know your price to add some distributed reds (630, 660, 780) and I’ll get in contact.

Still considering DIY strips, but haven’t the time (or tools) to do a top job, for now. Might attempt something similar with a aluminium baking tray for some side lighting. Definitely like the modular design to repair/upgrade easily.
Diode/Lens angle has always been an issue. Will draw up some design ideas soon.
 
S

stinkydinky

Member
pretty much any height recommendation without a ppfd sensor is bull unless you buy the exact same model and run at exact same settings by whoever is providing the suggestion and has measured it themselves with the sensor.
 
W

Wild Seed

Active member
Anyone know the authenticity of the Samsung sunboard strips from eBay/growdaddy?

They're a good price with a good spectral range available. Saw what looks to be the same thing on AliBaba.

@ stinkydinky That's a very good point, and exactly what concerned me about the typical recommended heights
 
Dion

Dion

Active member
Wild Seed said:
Anyone know the authenticity of the Samsung sunboard strips from eBay/growdaddy?

They're a good price with a good spectral range available. Saw what looks to be the same thing on AliBaba.

@ stinkydinky That's a very good point, and exactly what concerned me about the typical recommended heights
Click to expand...

Hi mate sorry I missed this

Best pm me for a custom order, on average for adding in spectrum on a seperate dimming driver it's about a buck per watt with me


The sunboards are questionable

I've seen them too

So the Reds and far reds and blue are epistar chips

And the "Samsung" diodes are from China, even though some of the diodes he uses arnt available in china


They are ordered in from Alibaba like the rest of eBay lights it seems


Cheers
 
Switcher56

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
stinkydinky said:
pretty much any height recommendation without a ppfd sensor is bull unless you buy the exact same model and run at exact same settings by whoever is providing the suggestion and has measured it themselves with the sensor.
Click to expand...
IMHO, it is akin to a doctor without a stethoscope. You can't diagnose shit. Once again IMHO, it is as important as the other tool we use. Takes all the guess work out of it :)
 
Switcher56

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
Wild Seed said:
Anyone know the authenticity of the Samsung sunboard strips from eBay/growdaddy?

They're a good price with a good spectral range available. Saw what looks to be the same thing on AliBaba.

@ stinkydinky That's a very good point, and exactly what concerned me about the typical recommended heights
Click to expand...
That wouldn't surprise me in the least.
 
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