Small Light for Cloning.

Flatrate

Well-Known Member
Glad to have you on board Bob. I want to set up a small cloning station. I like the idea of the strips and low wattage its just I never looked into it before an am confused as fuck.
 

Boatguy

Well-Known Member

Observe & Report

Well-Known Member
Last time I checked, the Bridgelux Gen 2 EB's were the best bang for the buck. They now have Gen 3 that are somewhat more efficient and lower voltage but much more expensive. Samsung makes a bit better diodes than BL for a bunch more money. There are other strips available.

Just get a few strips, wire them in parallel, and pick a constant currant driver with a voltage range that covers the strip (19.5V for EB2). You'll need wire and probably a plug for the mains side of the driver. Tons of info and builds in the LED section.
 

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
Last time I checked, the Bridgelux Gen 2 EB's were the best bang for the buck. They now have Gen 3 that are somewhat more efficient and lower voltage but much more expensive. Samsung makes a bit better diodes than BL for a bunch more money. There are other strips available.

Just get a few strips, wire them in parallel, and pick a constant currant driver with a voltage range that covers the strip (19.5V for EB2). You'll need wire and probably a plug for the mains side of the driver. Tons of info and builds in the LED section.
Confucius say, "Please take care to plug fruity driver into suitable socket."
 

bigmikey86

Well-Known Member
@bigmikey86 Looks awesome man, thanks for sharing that! I think I am sold on the strip idea, curious of what driver you used?
Funny enough I kinda fucked up on it but it still worked lol. I went with an XLG-100-L-ab, the strips are 2 foot vesta strips. I don’t plan to run my jam in there but if I did I woulda went with a 150 I think.
 

DCcan

Well-Known Member
I have had good luck with these $23 yescom panels, these are 7700k so plenty of blue spectrum like CFL for clones, but they still look white
These are only 22 watts, clones and seedling just seem to love them. They fit right on top of an aquarium, so you can convert an aquarium to a clone chamber.
No dimmer but I just put them a bit higher for clones, the dome acts as a diffuser.
yescom.jpg Wavelenght.jpg 61M7PQFbprL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
 

Flatrate

Well-Known Member
Okay after looking into things I think the plan is to do 3 or 4 strips that I listed earlier per fixture. I'am going to have one for the clones and one for seedlings. For drivers I decided to use HLG 40 watters. There are 4 listed on DK's website that are dimmable.

HLG-40H-12B
HLG-40H-48B
HLG-40H-42B
HLG-40H-36B

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/power-supplies-external-internal-off-board/led-drivers/137?k=&pkeyword=&sv=0&v=1866&s=69593&sf=0&FV=-8|137&quantity=&ColumnSort=0&page=1&pageSize=25

And don't know for sure which suits my needs.
 

bigmikey86

Well-Known Member
Okay after looking into things I think the plan is to do 3 or 4 strips that I listed earlier per fixture. I'am going to have one for the clones and one for seedlings. For drivers I decided to use HLG 40 watters. There are 4 listed on DK's website that are dimmable.

HLG-40H-12B
HLG-40H-48B
HLG-40H-42B
HLG-40H-36B

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/power-supplies-external-internal-off-board/led-drivers/137?k=&pkeyword=&sv=0&v=1866&s=69593&sf=0&FV=-8|137&quantity=&ColumnSort=0&page=1&pageSize=25

And don't know for sure which suits my needs.
I’ve only begun to dabble into the lighting building with my last couple of fixtures but how do you plan to wire them?
 

DCcan

Well-Known Member
Those are 20Vdc strips, you should run not higher than 0.7a without heatsinks.
So figure 20v x 0.7a max = 14 watt per strip max. Id go with 20v x 0.5a = 10 watts per strip, use 4.


So a 20v 2amp 40watt dimming power supply for parallel wiring at 0.5a

:joint:https://www.digikey.com/mean-well-usa-inc/HLG-40H-20B/

The strip you posted is 3500k, which is not the best for cloning, you may want to look at the 5000k ones.
I actually was going to build one, but these cheesy panels work so well its shocking.
They can actually veg a full square foot, clone twice that area each.
IMG_20200403_164151.jpg IMG_20200403_165414.jpg 20190602_151752.jpg
 
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DCcan

Well-Known Member
CFL great for clones I use 2x24w bulbs over 7 clones have no problems
And cfl keeps the dome temp just right, if that is needed.
I still have the cfl fixture with the LED panel in that first shot, for seedlings and heat if needed.
 
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Humple

Well-Known Member
Timely topic. I've been propagating under 6500k CFL for years, because I needed the extra heat when growing in the basement, but I've been slowly relocating everything upstairs, and just ordered a new tent for seedlings/cuttings. Figure it's about time I switched up the last part of the garden that isn't under LED, and Bridgelux EB Gen 2 strips are precisely what I've been looking at myself. Been peeping an HLG-40-20A and four 4000k 1-footers. Personally, I don't think I'd go for a higher temp than 4000k, as having sufficient red in the spectrum should aid rooting.
 

Flatrate

Well-Known Member
Timely topic. I've been propagating under 6500k CFL for years, because I needed the extra heat when growing in the basement, but I've been slowly relocating everything upstairs, and just ordered a new tent for seedlings/cuttings. Figure it's about time I switched up the last part of the garden that isn't under LED, and Bridgelux EB Gen 2 strips are precisely what I've been looking at myself. Been peeping an HLG-40-20A and four 4000k 1-footers. Personally, I don't think I'd go for a higher temp than 4000k, as having sufficient red in the spectrum should aid rooting.
So your talking something like these paired with the driver you listed?
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/bridgelux/BXEB-L0340U-40E0750-C-C3/976-BXEB-L0340U-40E0750-C-C3-ND/10279854
 
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