The Lurker
Member
Hey Mike...what does that mean? Will he be cutting the price to you in exchange for running a journal here? How much is the discount?
Well...you may still be crazy sf,
but your plan might indeed work out fairly well. One caveat:Did they send you the spec sheets for the 2700k whites? If so, can you post 'em? Thx!
The spectrum on an all-2700k white panel is actually a bit better than your standard HPS
(and has a bit more blue vs HPS, too); the only problem may be efficiency.
(An all ~3000-3500k generally has slightly better efficiency, and some more usable blue (+Y/G), too, vs. the 2700k's.)
The cool whites that Psy posted earlier only show 84.9 lumens/watt @700mA...and that's before derating due to junction temperature (Tj).
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I don't have the Epi warm white datasheets at my fingertips, but if they're anything like the HPLighting-packaged SemiLEDs (which also run @3.8V @700mA), then you're only talking about ~50-55 lumens/watt, if that.
Note that their VF is also pretty poor, to be honest. If you had a decent high-bin CREE WW, for example, you could expect nearly double the lumens at operating current. That's due to both a more efficient blue, and more efficient phosphors, as well as lower voltages at operating current.
Being able to run half the watts for the same amount of light...sounds like a deal to me - even if they cost a bit more.
(I'll also note that the packaging/final assembler...makes a difference. For examply, the HPL-H44 whites run @3.8V @ 700mA, while the SibDI P20 whites only use 3.5V. Both are subsidiaries of SemiLED, supposedly using the same chips.)
And this...
...is why I wouldn't be interested in the knockoff EVOs, unless they could guarantee you'll be using actual CREEs in them. The fixture design may be useful, but if the emitters aren't up to snuff, not much you can do about it.
(Note that at least one of e.shine's aquarium lights is supposed to be using 'CREEs' - so they may, in fact, be available - for a price)
Sure, there's a low-, mid-, and high- range with any product line, but using Epi's in them...wouldn't be my first choice. If you can at least get SEMIs instead, you'll improve your efficiency a bit, for not much price difference, I believe.
He uses a 3rd-party translation intermediary for English-Mandarin and back? Interesting.
This makes sense, given the high voltage requirements of the series, if they're sticking to ~45V max drivers per module. 3.8V x 12 = ~45.6V per string.
I like the look of the E-Shine CREE Classic (link), with their two-channel dimmer controls. A couple of those would fit over a small (4-6 plant) Rubbermaid tote hydroponic (DWC) ScrOG grow pretty well, for instance.
Only question is whether they use actual CREEs, or knock-offs. Change out the Blue for Red, maybe get 6500K whites (or not, if you want a higher blue peak), and you've got an adjustable grow light that could run several types of strains pretty well.
Figure ~40w max per light (whites up to 700mA (@3.4V), reds up to 600mA (slightly under 2.3V) - though that's perhaps stretching it a bit), and you're in business.
So it's 3w per fan, then. Thanks!
Hey Psy, can you talk a bit about why you're planning to break up the reds by specific chromaticity like that (so, they can be that exact in their binning, too? Good to know.), rather than just use 630 and/or 660, and a few neutral whites perhaps? A couple of NW will allow you to ditch the orange and 10nm-step-difference Reds completely. Curious as to your methodology.
Yes, burning out the modules sooner would mean higher return rates/cost for the manufacturer, so at least they're looking out for you, too.
Did he say exactly how they would be reducing the VF? In other words - does he have access to lower-VF bins, and he will substitute those, yet run it at the same mA? Or, will he simply lower the constant current to the whole string, so the emitters will naturally draw fewer volts? Wasn't clear on what you mean.
Either way, good to know you feel they are responding to your questions, and promptly.
Cheers,
-TL
