Samsung 2ft F Strip for side lighting build.

Take one HLG550 V1

Disconnect the wires, remove the driver. Drill out all the rivets and take off the Quantum Boards.
Store boards safely to reattach later.


So you are now left with the bare Heatsink
Draw two lines across the Heatsink as shown below.

Get a hacksaw and cut along the two black lines and now you have three heatsinks.

Here is the central strip. 26" x 5"
As I'm using it for side lighting I drilled two holes in top corners for ratchet hangers. You could drill another two holes in the bottom corners if you wanted to use it as an overhead light.

Clean the aluminium with alcohol and attach the double sided thermal tape.

Peel off the blue backing and attach the F strips.

Stick a cheapo Chinese driver on the back. Other drivers are available......
55v - 100v 550 - 600mA. Wire the 2 x strips in series.

Double check everything then plug it in.

Kilowatt meter reads ~ 58 watts.

The Apogee PAR meter says 633 umoleos at 8" away in the centre.
Plenty of room between the two F stips to slot in a 660nm red strip or what ever colour you fancy.

The other two heatsinks and driver can still be used as an HLG550 by connecting them together with alu angle or hang them independently for better light spread.
Job done!

My lazy ass would’ve just cut it with the boards attached

I promise I'm not trying to be an ASS. Legit question, just trying to understand.

I am currently re-working a DIY strip light, Bridgelux EB Gen 2's. I was running at 700 ma so I didn't need heatsinks, but will be upping the current to 1400 ma's and will need heatsinks. That is why your thread caught my eye.
I was unfamiliar with the light you disassembled and needed to look it up. First site I saw it on, it runs $721.65.

I went back and read your thread again and I just can't wrap my head around it.
I would appear that you chose to cut apart a $700.00 plus light for a heatsink.

I've been looking a lot at heatsinks lately, you can have this one for less than $55.00.


Please re-read the first line, and help me understand.
Cheers,
WillieP

WillieP said:

I promise I'm not trying to be an ASS. Legit question, just trying to understand.

I am currently re-working a DIY strip light, Bridgelux EB Gen 2's. I was running at 700 ma so I didn't need heatsinks, but will be upping the current to 1400 ma's and will need heatsinks. That is why your thread caught my eye.
I was unfamiliar with the light you disassembled and needed to look it up. First site I saw it on, it runs $721.65.

I went back and read your thread again and I just can't wrap my head around it.
I would appear that you chose to cut apart a $700.00 plus light for a heatsink.

I've been looking a lot at heatsinks lately, you can have this one for less than $55.00.

4.900" Wide Extruded Aluminum Heatsink

We provide businesses and individuals with high-quality aluminum heatsinks extruded and shipped in the USA. Visit HeatsinkUSA and shop our heatsinks today.

www.heatsinkusa.com

Please re-read the first line, and help me understand.
Cheers,
WillieP

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reference. I picked a few up to build some side lighting for my 5x5. and thanks @Moflow for the idea.

WillieP said:

I promise I'm not trying to be an ASS. Legit question, just trying to understand.

I am currently re-working a DIY strip light, Bridgelux EB Gen 2's. I was running at 700 ma so I didn't need heatsinks, but will be upping the current to 1400 ma's and will need heatsinks. That is why your thread caught my eye.
I was unfamiliar with the light you disassembled and needed to look it up. First site I saw it on, it runs $721.65.

I went back and read your thread again and I just can't wrap my head around it.
I would appear that you chose to cut apart a $700.00 plus light for a heatsink.

I've been looking a lot at heatsinks lately, you can have this one for less than $55.00.

4.900" Wide Extruded Aluminum Heatsink

We provide businesses and individuals with high-quality aluminum heatsinks extruded and shipped in the USA. Visit HeatsinkUSA and shop our heatsinks today.

www.heatsinkusa.com

Please re-read the first line, and help me understand.
Cheers,
WillieP

Click to expand...

I haven't ruined the light. The 26" x 5" section i took out was basically the part of the Heatsink that held the driver.
The fixture will Still work as an HLG550 with the 4 QB's with better coverage for 4ft x 4ft area so it won't cost that much to put together again.
HLG550 is 20" x 26" and with some alu angle I could make a frame of say 30" x 26" for example or use the 2 sets of 2 Qb's independently in different areas or even place the strips in the centre with the QB's closer to the sides in a 4 x 4 tent.
Lots of options.
Three lights are better than one fixture that concentrates all the light in the centre with the edges not getting much light.
I wish I had access to cheaper heatsinks or leds like you USA guys n girls but postage and customs taxes would be prohibitive.
I've had the 550 light for a couple years now and thought it needed improving lol.

I'm trying to find a driver with the specs you mentioned. I want to be able to dim the lights, and I'd also be adding a strip of deep/far red in between the two strips. What specs would you suggest? Was looking at meanwell. I have no idea what I'm doing to be honest lol. Got a shitload of strips tho from the recent arrow sales and trying to dive in head first... I ordered 4 of those heatsinks listed above. Figured this would be a good entry level project haha

How would these work for this?


Would that be enough for running 2 strips of white and a red strip in the middle? I don't have red strips yet, I have to look into them next.

Thinking about these for red strips...

vitalsine said:

How would these work for this?

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/hlg-60h-c700b/mean-well-enterprises

Would that be enough for running 2 strips of white and a red strip in the middle? I don't have red strips yet, I have to look into them next.

Click to expand...

Yea, that would work. 48v on the strips 2 x 48v = 96v Driver range 50v - 100v so 2 strips fit.
You could also use the HLG 60h 48A or B driver and wire in them in parallel. It is 1.3A so you could run 1 strip on it full throttle if you've a good heatsink or 2 strips at 650mA each or 3 strips at 430mA each.

Moflow said:

Yea, that would work. 48v on the strips 2 x 48v = 96v Driver range 50v - 100v so 2 strips fit.
You could also use the HLG 60h 48A or B driver and wire in them in parallel. It is 1.3A so you could run 1 strip on it full throttle if you've a good heatsink or 2 strips at 650mA each or 3 strips at 430mA each.

Click to expand...

No doubt, I'll have to read into the difference between parallel or series. What I'm seeing in my head is 4 side lights with 2x 22" Samsung strips with this 16" strip right in the middle. So I'd have to power all three strips off one driver. I'll be using the heatsinks @WillieP listed above, already ordered them. I have never built a light, obviously interested and I just hopped on those Arrow deals when they were up, I figured why not, kick start the journey. lol. I truly appreciate your help brother.

WillieP said:

I promise I'm not trying to be an ASS. Legit question, just trying to understand.

I am currently re-working a DIY strip light, Bridgelux EB Gen 2's. I was running at 700 ma so I didn't need heatsinks, but will be upping the current to 1400 ma's and will need heatsinks. That is why your thread caught my eye.
I was unfamiliar with the light you disassembled and needed to look it up. First site I saw it on, it runs $721.65.

I went back and read your thread again and I just can't wrap my head around it.
I would appear that you chose to cut apart a $700.00 plus light for a heatsink.

I've been looking a lot at heatsinks lately, you can have this one for less than $55.00.

4.900" Wide Extruded Aluminum Heatsink

We provide businesses and individuals with high-quality aluminum heatsinks extruded and shipped in the USA. Visit HeatsinkUSA and shop our heatsinks today.

www.heatsinkusa.com

Please re-read the first line, and help me understand.
Cheers,
WillieP

Click to expand...

People run the Gen 2's at 1050ma without sinks. You might look at adding more strips, consider the cost of sinks vs more strips.

vitalsine said:

Thinking about these for red strips...

Bud Booster Emerson Effect Sun Board 48 LED Strip 660nm 730nm IR Quantum Grow | eBay

HAS 36 OF THE 660nm Deep Red and 12 OF THE 730nm Far Red(IR) LEDs per strip. They actually work best with a constant current driver. If you don't know how to wire them, just ask. If you look around, you can even find ways to set them up on regular old full size cookie sheets.

www.ebay.com

Click to expand...

They'd cost me ~ $36 per strip ffs! Lol you get them for $22.
I can't see what diodes they use so they might not be the latest and greatest efficiency wise.

1212ham said:

People run the Gen 2's at 1050ma without sinks. You might look at adding more strips, consider the cost of sinks vs more strips.

Click to expand...

The heatsinks are only 26" x 5", so I wouldn't be able to fit more than 3 per, they all measure around 1.2" to 1.5". I have some single strip Samsungs and I have some doubles, so I could do 4 single strips, or 2 doubles, and then the red strip, but that would be it. Kind of just throwing money at this right now to get a handle on the process. Figured it'd be better to start with something like this before I do a big boy build.

**EDIT
Sorry I thought you were replying to me haha.

Moflow said:

They'd cost me ~ $36 per strip ffs! Lol you get them for $22.
I can't see what diodes they use so they might not be the latest and greatest efficiency wise.

Click to expand...

I was thinking the same but I am having trouble finding any other strips out there to compare to. Arrow has nothing of the sort, that I could find anyway.

Maybe check Cutter out
They might have something. And they can custom build to your spec.

Moflow said:

Maybe check Cutter out

Grow Specific Led Colours - Cutter Electronics

www.cutter.com.au

They might have something. And they can custom build to your spec.

50cm Osram SSL Horticulture Hyper Red Plug & Grow Stripe - Horticulture Grow Module with Osram SSL 120 Hyper Red

www.led-tech.de

Click to expand...

I took a look at Cutter as well, it just seems like they have way less diodes and they're roughly the same price, but with $30 shipping.

Was looking at the SSK-1560-730_660, it's 5 660nm and 5 730nm

Again, I appreciate your help man. I would have no idea what I am doing otherwise, hoping you can steer me right!

Moflow said:

I haven't ruined the light. The 26" x 5" section i took out was basically the part of the Heatsink that held the driver.
The fixture will Still work as an HLG550 with the 4 QB's with better coverage for 4ft x 4ft area so it won't cost that much to put together again.
HLG550 is 20" x 26" and with some alu angle I could make a frame of say 30" x 26" for example or use the 2 sets of 2 Qb's independently in different areas or even place the strips in the centre with the QB's closer to the sides in a 4 x 4 tent.
Lots of options.
Three lights are better than one fixture that concentrates all the light in the centre with the edges not getting much light.
I wish I had access to cheaper heatsinks or leds like you USA guys n girls but postage and customs taxes would be prohibitive.
I've had the 550 light for a couple years now and thought it needed improving lol.

Click to expand...

I got you Moflow,
That all makes sence. Glad you were not trashing the factory built light.
That HeatsinkUSA website seem to have a great selection of sinks and will custom cut to length. I have not used there products before, but have read good things. Sorry I didn't even think of you being outside the States, totally my bad.
Good looking side light you have there, hope it does well for you!
WillieP

WillieP said:

I got you Moflow,
That all makes sence. Glad you were not trashing the factory built light.
That HeatsinkUSA website seem to have a great selection of sinks and will custom cut to length. I have not used there products before, but have read good things. Sorry I didn't even think of you being outside the States, totally my bad.
Good looking side light you have there, hope it does well for you!
WillieP

Click to expand...

My boy put me on to 8020.net today. They seem to have some nice stuff, he did his 4x4 frame using all their stuff. They don't sell light kits tho, you gotta size it all up yourself. Good thing I can just copy his hahaha.

1212ham said:

People run the Gen 2's at 1050ma without sinks. You might look at adding more strips, consider the cost of sinks vs more strips.

Click to expand...

That's good to know, thanks for the tip.
I'm actually going a little different route with the heatsink thing. I have access to some 3/16" (4.76 mm) plate aluminum and will be using it.
24" by 24" with holes drilled for ventilation. No clue if this will work well or not, but the aluminum was free so I couldn't beat the price.
The driver I bought is adjustable so if need be I can crank it down, although if you can run them bear at 1050 ma, I would hope this should work OK. (fingers crossed)
Just starting on it:

Cheers,
WillieP