I have built some crazy leds

[BudgetGrower]

I truly believe if you bought a couple of 3d printers, and you started to make encasements for some of your arrays, you would have some folks willing to try your gear homie, I know you are very budget minded though, so you can throw a tomato at me anytime. You really do have good ideas man.

Thanks Captspaulding,
I just finished my next design, can't wait to build them in the next 2-3 weeks.
These light will all be about controlling the airflow, to keep the leds cool and give each plant(I like growing large plants) a good amount of airflow, they should be up and running in 2-3 weeks.

 

[Captspaulding]

Thanks Captspaulding,
I just finished my next design, can't wait to build them in the next 2-3 weeks.
These light will all be about controlling the airflow, to keep the leds cool and give each plant(I like growing large plants) a good amount of airflow, they should be up and running in 2-3 weeks.

Badass, this fly is on the wall.

 

[BudgetGrower]

Ok so are you talking grow LEDs or for general light? Why not just buy lower wattage LEDs? Or.....why would you want lower wattage for growing? Isn't twice as many at half the wattage the same thing?

I have been reading about leds online, one comment said a 3w chip would give you 100 lums per watt or reducing down to 1w would give 140 lums
then I tried the hack and it seams to be true, if the bulbs pull less power, they become more effective.

 

[Harpua88]

Ok......you guys might just as well went "Bloobity bloo lux, blabbity bla lums, pip pop a-shupple-tip top 6749054%#÷"

If I have this right, you're playing with light bulbs and stuff. ;)

 

[Harpua88]

I have been reading about leds online, one comment said a 3w chip would give you 100 lums per watt or reducing down to 1w would give 140 lums
then I tried the hack and it seams to be true, if the bulbs pull less power, they become more effective.

So whatever you're doing, why don't the manufacturers already do it? My guess would be because they want to sell more lights.....

And I thought I was a genius for tilting my 2 lights on a slight angle to point them a little towards the center.. :(

 

[BudgetGrower]

So whatever you're doing, why don't the manufacturers already do it? My guess would be because they want to sell more lights.....

Spot on, they want you to buy light bulbs every 2 years.
TBH most grow light need to last 2-3 years, if they run too efficient, they will last 10 years

Quick example off google
A grow light lasting 160,000 hours would be a big problem if I wanted to sell x amount per year

 

[Captspaulding]

Spot on, they want you to buy light bulbs every 2 years.
TBH most grow light need to last 2-3 years, if they run too efficient, they will last 10 years
View attachment 1996486
Quick example off google
A grow light lasting 160,000 hours would be a big problem if I wanted to sell x amount per year

Meaning they could but they won’t? BASTARDS, the whole lot of em…..

 

[BudgetGrower]

Meaning they could but they won’t? BASTARDS, the whole lot of em…..

That's the word we live in, everyone wants to make money.

 

[BudgetGrower]

How temps effects led life span

 

[Captspaulding]

That's the word we live in, everyone wants to make money.

I hear that loud and clear homie.

 

[Harpua88]

Spot on, they want you to buy light bulbs every 2 years.
TBH most grow light need to last 2-3 years, if they run too efficient, they will last 10 years
View attachment 1996486
Quick example off google
A grow light lasting 160,000 hours would be a big problem if I wanted to sell x amount per year

Thank you. I'm mailing you 2,000.....they're technically not bulbs, I know you know this......they're chips? Printed circuits?

I suppose you could sell your lights as "they last twice as long as all other lights on the market, so they cost 50% more.". I don't know if that would translate into lots of sales......

So Am I probably extending the life of my lights.......and getting better long term value for my money by using a more powerful light and then choosing a lower setting?

 

[BudgetGrower]

Your are correct "they're chips? Printed circuits?"

If I made grow lights and they lasted 20 years, I would never sell you any more grow lights, if they last 3 years, I could sell you 6 lights in 18 years.

You could buy 2 grow lights and dim them 50% and they would last a very long time.
Touch the led after it has been on for 1 hour is it hot or really hot.
The cooler it is the longer it will last.

The Telos grow light look a very high quality led, built to last, just under £500(300w).
I would need 3 of these so I can dim them down to 70%(630w) for a 2,4 m x 1.2m room
Just too much money IMO,

 

[BudgetGrower]

If anyone is thinking about building a grow lights, don't buy any of the "grow light bulbs" on amazon, your looking for the 13.5w bulbs that give you 1521lm

 

[BudgetGrower]

This is crazy
I cut the diffuser, so it's 18mm high and used some foil tape, overlaping the top and bottom, and the results, well you need to see them

 

[Captspaulding]

Holy shit man, wow. Can I have 10 of those for all of my lights hahahaa

 

[Captspaulding]

Holy shit man, wow. Can I have 10 of those for all of my lights hahahaa

Talk about a savings possibility, again, keep up the good work.

 

[BudgetGrower]

Holy shit man, wow. Can I have 10 of those for all of my lights hahahaa

Thanks Captspaulding,
Makes you wonder how much of the light is reaching the canopy, some leds have a lens to direct the light(but this does absorb some of the light), but a reflector only reflects the light that was not going to reach the canopy.

 

[Captspaulding]

Thanks Captspaulding,
Makes you wonder how much of the light is reaching the canopy, some leds have a lens to direct the light(but this does absorb some of the light), but a reflector only reflects the light that was not going to reach the canopy.

It’s impressive that you figured out how to refocus lost light back into the equation. Beauty in simplicity imho. The tinkering you do is great. Was this just a theory of yours? Or is it based on already existing way too expensive gear out there?

 

[BudgetGrower]

It’s impressive that you figured out how to refocus lost light back into the equation. Beauty in simplicity imho. The tinkering you do is great. Was this just a theory of yours? Or is it based on already existing way too expensive gear out there?

I was just wondering what to do with the diffuses, so why not turn them into reflectors.
Haven't seen any reflectors for bulbs on ebay etc

 

[Captspaulding]

I was just wondering what to do with the diffuses, so why not turn them into reflectors.
Haven't seen any reflectors for bulbs on ebay etc

I guess it’s just controlling any extra heat brought on by the reflector? Or is it pretty much mitigated as is?