Couple questions about using 9W LED bulbs in a DIY light rig.

nfhiggs

nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
OldMedUser said:
These 3 bulb units would work great in my planned fixture. Could have 33 bulbs going with enough spread to give a footprint at least twice the size of the actual fixture. 33 x 800 lumens = 26,400 which is about half what a 400W MH puts out but using 33x9W= 297W. Suddenly doesn't seem like the best way to go.

I just want my unit to veg little guys enough to put them under a 400 without wasting light not hitting greenery. I see guys sprouting 4 little seeds in solo cups under 600s and think what a waste when a couple CFLs would do a great job for the first couple of weeks. If light is hitting the floor it's wasted.

If I'm just doing a few clones I can screw in a few bulbs instead of running all 11 so I can just use as much as I need for the job.

Thanks again for the input!
Click to expand...
You really can't compare the lumen values of two very different light sources. The spectrums vary way to much to be able to equate them. You would have to convert each to μΜol/s/m² then compare. Another thing to consider is that the 800 lumen rating of the bulbs is WITH the diffuser in place. Once the diffuser is removed you have no losses from it, and all the light is now directed downward in a 120-150 degree spread, instead of a 360 degree spread.

I'd be willing to bet if you put a lux meter underneath both lights you'd find much more even illumination with better depth penetration under the LED bulbs than the 400W MH bulb.
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
nfhiggs said:
I'd be willing to bet if you put a lux meter underneath both lights you'd find much more even illumination with better depth penetration under the LED bulbs than the 400W MH bulb.
Click to expand...
I got 50 says that ain't right. :) My 400s are Eye Hortilux bulbs and they rock. I got those in 1000W too.

I fully expect to get more lumens with the globes off and have a little light meter tho it just shows the intensity without any real usable data. I stick it 12" below my T-12s and it reads 200. A foot under the 1000W and it goes off the scale that ends at 2000. I figure it will be useful to decide how high I keep the LEDs above the plants for even coverage. Too close and I'll have hot spots with darker areas in between, to far up and the light won't be strong enough. There'll be a sweet spot in there somewhere. By the time the plants have a few nodes and are maybe 6" tall they'll be under a 400 anyway.

Any idea what those two little spikes are in the middle? A buddy told me he got zapped good from that so dabbed some liquid electrical tape on them and they seem to work ok.

:peace:
 
CobKits

CobKits

Well-Known Member
OldMedUser said:
Any idea what those two little spikes are in the middle? A buddy told me he got zapped good from that so dabbed some liquid electrical tape on them and they seem to work ok.
Click to expand...
dc voltage from the $0.50 board in there that has no protection if you short it. they make connection by spearing right thru holes on your board. you can clip em with dikes to shorten and cover them with liquid electrical tape or silicone
 
Black Thumb

Black Thumb

Well-Known Member
I did this same thing built 4 of these 3x3 fixture each fixture had 36 bulbs 9-watt bulbs from lowes.
around 320 watts per fixture tested it out on a flowering table the plants got i think about 4 oz but they where really fluffy.
They seemed okay for vegging but in the end they where just to lunky and it wasnt worth the money i invested.
I also just took a pair of over sized plyers and squeezed the bulb right in the center and it popped them right off.

Gonna see if i can get the pics off my broke phone if so ill come back and post them.
 
nfhiggs

nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
OldMedUser said:
I got 50 says that ain't right. :) My 400s are Eye Hortilux bulbs and they rock. I got those in 1000W too.

I fully expect to get more lumens with the globes off and have a little light meter tho it just shows the intensity without any real usable data. I stick it 12" below my T-12s and it reads 200. A foot under the 1000W and it goes off the scale that ends at 2000. I figure it will be useful to decide how high I keep the LEDs above the plants for even coverage. Too close and I'll have hot spots with darker areas in between, to far up and the light won't be strong enough. There'll be a sweet spot in there somewhere. By the time the plants have a few nodes and are maybe 6" tall they'll be under a 400 anyway.

Any idea what those two little spikes are in the middle? A buddy told me he got zapped good from that so dabbed some liquid electrical tape on them and they seem to work ok.

:peace:
Click to expand...
Try it and see how they compare at various distances and across a 3x3 area. You might be surprised by what a distributed light source does...
 
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