diy version of low profile led propagation fixture for small area?

bri77 · Aug 24, 2016

Hi guys,

How would I build a light with the properties of one of the modern commercial low profile propagation leds. Main thing I need is a low profile light and ability to have plants close to light. To achieve this I need low temps and even spread. I'd also like something efficient, competitive with the best commercial fixtures.

You know the ones I'm thinking of, like this..
https://fluence.science/technology/razr/
or this
http://www.lighting.philips.com/main/products/horticulture/propagation.html
(apparently you need a letter from the Pope to buy a Phillips led)

The 3x1 version of this would be perfect for my area...
http://bioslighting.com/icarus/#icarusVI
but it hasn't been released yet.

I want to cover two 3'x1' areas, one 3' high , the other 2' ( I'll be using hand watered 4" rockwall cubes ). I assume cobs are a bad choice and I need to go to more difficult route of 5w diodes ( Im a total noob who barely knows what these words mean, be gentle)

I really like this specrum the 3500k 90 cri shown here
https://cobkits.com/product/citizen-clu058-1825-90cri/

It has peaks and valleys in same position as fluence's PhysioSpec, seen here..
https://fluence.science/technology/physiospec-broad-spectrum-led-lights/

Any suggestions on how to diy this?

Evil-Mobo · Aug 24, 2016

Something like this?

bri77 · Aug 24, 2016

Evil-Mobo said:
Something like this?

You mean just using ml2 (?) could I have the plant 6" from those, maybe 1 per square foot?

JorgeGonzales · Aug 25, 2016

This is actually an easy one. That Physiospec spectrum looks 80 CRI 3500-4000K, just grab some Samsung strips from Digikey or some of these bad boys: http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut3021

You get the idea. And some heatsinks from heatsinkusa.com. The 2.079" profile should be good.

Samsungs, they make a lot of different choices, but three of these per 3ft bar might work: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/samsung-semiconductor-inc/SI-B8T114280WW/1510-1334-ND/5958893

Either way, figuring out how much light you are shooting for how many watts you need is a good start.

Airwalker16 · Aug 25, 2016

For propagation and clones, stick to t-5's or CFL.

JorgeGonzales · Aug 25, 2016

Or alternatively, ignore that command and build something cool and mercury-free.

Airwalker16 · Aug 25, 2016

Or spend coin on an LED that's probably too much light anyways for clones/seedlings that will be used for a very short time. 1-2 weeks tops.

bri77 · Aug 25, 2016

Airwalker, be nice! Im new ffs.

Im looking for a reasonable amount of light for vegging thats all. I dont really like t5's, they give off a shit load of heat in a small space, they're awkward and fragile. I just dont like them.

Thoose strips from cutter look great, definitely trying them. What sort of effiecies can I hope to get from those strips ? Is there a way to estimate that ?

Airwalker16 · Aug 25, 2016

bri77 said:
Airwalker, be nice! Im new ffs.

Im looking for a reasonable amount of light for vegging thats all. I dont really like t5's, they give off a shit load of heat in a small space, they're awkward and fragile. I just dont like them.

Thoose strips from cutter look great, definitely trying them. What sort of effiecies can I hope to get from those strips ? Is there a way to estimate that ?

Hey man just stating a fact Is all. If you plan to veg your plants to flowering stage with this light, by all means, build one.

Growmau5 · Aug 25, 2016

Airwalker16 said:
Hey man just stating a fact Is all. If you plan to veg your plants to flowering stage with this light, by all means, build one.

AIRWALKER, I love you man. You are a passionate hobbiest & a supportive member, but sometimes your fingers hit that keyboard & diarrhea comes out.
Fuck t5 or CFL for any purpose. (Unless you have to grow in your van down by the river).

You can do way better with Cree xml2, xpg2 xpg3 or xpl.

Check out my Instagram @bri77 there some pics of my clone/veg nursery using xml2 at 700-1400ma.
20w of xml2 will crush a 54w t5 all day long for rooting and vegging clones.

Growmau5 · Aug 25, 2016

@bri77 it doesn't even have to be that elegant or pretty to be effective. Glue some stars to a piece of 1" square aluminum : low profile, low dissipation, highly effective.

sixstring2112 · Aug 25, 2016

Randomblame · Aug 25, 2016

Thoose strips from cutter look great, definitely trying them. What sort of effiecies can I hope to get from those strips ? Is there a way to estimate that ?

You can estimate 48% for the XP-E photored stripes(...901 bin) @350mA (45% @700mA)
and 56%(60%) eff. for XP-G3/4.000k/S4 bin @1050mA(700mA).
Thats the same LED's like in Cree's 1000w HPS replacement design.
Use them in a 3: 1 ratio or add some other colors if you want.
The lower you drive them the lower is the minimal distance.
I've 6 CXA2540, V4 running at 350mA(12w) and get no bleaching at 10cm / 4inch. 72w, 51% eff., for a small 2sft box.
+3°C above ambient temperature!

JorgeGonzales · Aug 25, 2016

Sorry @bri77, I accidentally pasted that cutter link twice. I edited my original post.

Here is what I was talking about with Samsung:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/samsung-semiconductor-inc/SI-B8T114280WW/1510-1334-ND/5958893

That would be a more spread out solution, and solder-free. Should equal the Fluence in efficiency according to Samsung and some educated guessing. Keep them cool, run them on a 350ma driver around 8W each, 24W per bar, easy peasy.

weed-whacker · Aug 25, 2016

i would advise you go to fasttech.com and pick up any of the super cheap 5 packs of crees they have in like 4000-7000k
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1609/10001905/4963102-cree-xp-g2-r5-1a-586lm-6500k-led-emitter-5-pack

if u wanna get fancy u can do some of these
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1609/10007033/2119704-cree-xp-e-460-470nm-blue-led-emitter-on-20mm-base

then i would mount those on a cheap aluminium u profile(as a heatsink) or if u wanna spend on heatsinks you can but ive used monos on aluminium channel fine

and you can attacth it with the stickie things they have

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1506/10004569/1350301

you wont use optics or anything like that

you could run these off a cheap driver like

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1612/10008212/1734701

or get some APC mean well drivers also cheaply

basically what @Growmau5 is suggesting

Airwalker16 · Aug 25, 2016

weed-whacker said:
i would advise you go to fasttech.com and pick up any of the super cheap 5 packs of crees they have in like 4000-7000k
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1609/10001905/4963102-cree-xp-g2-r5-1a-586lm-6500k-led-emitter-5-pack

if u wanna get fancy u can do some of these
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1609/10007033/2119704-cree-xp-e-460-470nm-blue-led-emitter-on-20mm-base

then i would mount those on a cheap aluminium u profile(as a heatsink) or if u wanna spend on heatsinks you can but ive used monos on aluminium channel fine

and you can attacth it with the stickie things they have

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1506/10004569/1350301

you wont use optics or anything like that

you could run these off a cheap driver like

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1612/10008212/1734701

or get some APC mean well drivers also cheaply

basically what @Growmau5 is suggesting

Those 5 packs are cheap but what would be the point of using the bigger stars to be "fancy"?

Airwalker16 · Aug 25, 2016

weed-whacker said:
i would advise you go to fasttech.com and pick up any of the super cheap 5 packs of crees they have in like 4000-7000k
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1609/10001905/4963102-cree-xp-g2-r5-1a-586lm-6500k-led-emitter-5-pack

if u wanna get fancy u can do some of these
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1609/10007033/2119704-cree-xp-e-460-470nm-blue-led-emitter-on-20mm-base

then i would mount those on a cheap aluminium u profile(as a heatsink) or if u wanna spend on heatsinks you can but ive used monos on aluminium channel fine

and you can attacth it with the stickie things they have

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1506/10004569/1350301

you wont use optics or anything like that

you could run these off a cheap driver like

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1612/10008212/1734701

or get some APC mean well drivers also cheaply

basically what @Growmau5 is suggesting

BUT the ones he suggested have the highest lumen output so def go with those.

bri77 · Aug 25, 2016

Wow this is a great forum,, thanks for all the help guys. I'll read up on all your suggestions. Pretty exited about it now

Rahz · Aug 25, 2016

bri77 said:
Hi guys,

How would I build a light with the properties of one of the modern commercial low profile propagation leds. Main thing I need is a low profile light and ability to have plants close to light. To achieve this I need low temps and even spread. I'd also like something efficient, competitive with the best commercial fixtures.

You know the ones I'm thinking of, like this..
https://fluence.science/technology/razr/
or this
http://www.lighting.philips.com/main/products/horticulture/propagation.html
(apparently you need a letter from the Pope to buy a Phillips led)

The 3x1 version of this would be perfect for my area...
http://bioslighting.com/icarus/#icarusVI
but it hasn't been released yet.

I want to cover two 3'x1' areas, one 3' high , the other 2' ( I'll be using hand watered 4" rockwall cubes ). I assume cobs are a bad choice and I need to go to more difficult route of 5w diodes ( Im a total noob who barely knows what these words mean, be gentle)

I really like this specrum the 3500k 90 cri shown here
https://cobkits.com/product/citizen-clu058-1825-90cri/

It has peaks and valleys in same position as fluence's PhysioSpec, seen here..
https://fluence.science/technology/physiospec-broad-spectrum-led-lights/

Any suggestions on how to diy this?

You can get these sinks for about $13, cheaper if you buy more, Ebay "50w aluminum heatsink round" and do something like this. The lamp is 1 inch thick. Those sinks will accommodate Vero 18 and 29 and some of the smaller Citizen chips. With the efficiency increase from Bridgelux the new Vero 18 should run very cool on them at 30 watts. Some of the sinks required lapping FYI.

JorgeGonzales · Aug 25, 2016

I still think with only 2ft of height you want 72 light sources instead of 5 or 10.

Rahz said:
You can get these sinks for about $13, cheaper if you buy more, Ebay "50w aluminum heatsink round" and do something like this. The lamp is 1 inch thick. Those sinks will accommodate Vero 18 and 29 and some of the smaller Citizen chips. With the efficiency increase from Bridgelux the new Vero 18 should run very cool on them at 30 watts. Some of the sinks required lapping FYI.

Jesus I am going to have nightmares about building that. I am such a poser.

diy version of low profile led propagation fixture for small area?

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Attachments

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Attachments

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Well-Known Member

Attachments

Well-Known Member