So I'm runnin out of room for lights....

SSGrower

Well-Known Member
So I am finding that in this process of DIY I am building more lights than I have room for above the garden. My area is a cabinet 40in x 23in x 50in tall. I have on the left side 2ft 8 (24w) T5 lamp mix of 6500 and 2900 and on the right side 2 diy CXA3070 (5000 and 3000) in parallel (designed so adding a 3rd led would be plug and play) @42v 1.5amp (no reflectors) and a bastardized import light with 2 cxb3070 3500 in parallel off one of the 4 power supplies (36v 1.2a) in the unit. I am in the midst of building another diy (2 or 3 led) like above and will have a choice of 2700, 3000 or 3500 (crs*), 4000, and 5000. So with ~200w of T5 and ~150w led above the garden I have no more room nor desire to add more.

My objective is to run cool with minimal active cooling by lightly driving the leds and because I appreciate the even distribution and variety the T5 lamps provide, so my thought is to go vertical and directional with the LEDs. My canopy tops out at about 3 ft and if you have read to this point thankyou.

If sunrise and sunset are sources for the isolation of spectra red, far red, and even IR, and the blues and uv too does it make sense to place these sources vertically in the garden (i.e. in and amongst the canopy)? mimicking the angle at which they would be naturally. Also then along the same lines rather than a blast of instant light when the power comes on the trick ass version I am seeing has an arduino or other microcontroller on it to do a timed sunrise and sunset for the girls.

Obstacles as i see them now (aside from knowing nothing of microcontrollers) are I don't have a dimmable driver and would like investigate bastardizing one of the 3 extra power supplies to provide a low current to the leds (350-400ma). Also, heat dissipation. What happens to the led when you hang it vertically? I feel like the bottom would heat the top creating uneven resistance across the array and thus more heat until the eventual catastrophic failure?

I've been getting blurry eyed looking at the options but it seems that I'll have to move away from the COB format to obtain the desired spectra, meaning (to me and my limited knowledge) leds that can't handle the higher Vf and current (unless in series but even then the current limit was still below the 1.2a). Anyone with experience building a current "shunt"? or is there such a thing?

And finally please don't kill me for asking but, do the Blurple leds that came out of the import light have any value here? (I'll tell you the brand if you reply, or you can look at some of my other posts to find out)


*crs - Can't Remember Shit
 

SSGrower

Well-Known Member
Thanks, definitely some bargains to be had, I thought this one was nice bc dust and humidity resistant and plugs at both ends. Really not looking to buy any more drivers but just chekin your post out briefly gave me a few more ideas (like I need them fuck).
 
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