Hi to you all..

[Rusty74]

Hi all, hope your all well out there!!
So my question is on lighting (probably the first person to ever bring this up) 😂
I currently have a 70cm x 70cm tent with a homemade light which I've just built, I've yet to try it out, I'm willing to buy a dedicated light shortly (sf range) and was wondering if I should bite the bullet and go for it or try the one I've built, I'm not new to growing but haven't done it for a while. My homemade light seems to be reasonable on the ppfd chart (near to sf1000) but I understand the diodes are not as efficient, so basically :
Am I going to benefit upgrading to the sf1000?
Would the sf2000 be a good choice with only 25mm clearance on the ends?
P.s my current homemade lamp wattage is just over 100watt at the wall, lamps 1521lm various colours concentrating on veg...
Thanks and all the best for 2023 🤗

 

[GreenGalaxyFarm]

@Rusty74 welcome my brother ✌️ giving me flashback here to my own diy lighting

 

[Rusty74]

@Rusty74 welcome my brother ✌️ giving me flashback here to my own diy lighting

Please can I ask if you we're successful, I know lighting and efficiency has much improved over the years I just don't want to waste 4 months with my fingers crossed lol and walk away with a wks worth 😂 when I should have gone down a different route. I know 25/30 watt is bare minimum per sq/ft but I'd be happy with 2 to 3 off one plant 😉 and if what I have will succeed in that then happy days.

 

[GrilledCheeze]

Welcome to the show and happy new year to you! Your light seems plenty powerful for your space if you're not going to supplement with CO2. How did you determine the spectrum when building the light? I have an se7000 in a 4x4 and it's super tight but hasn't caused any issues yet. Very even light distribution.

 

[Rusty74]

Welcome to the show and happy new year to you! Your light seems plenty powerful for your space if you're not going to supplement with CO2. How did you determine the spectrum when building the light? I have an se7000 in a 4x4 and it's super tight but hasn't caused any issues yet. Very even light distribution.

Hi there, so I know that plants in the veg state require daylight/4000k ish and the red spectrum helps with keeping nodes tighter so I thought I'd concentrate on the 4000k/daylight and add a little red/2700k to assist. I see many lights on the market that are full spectrum all round veg/flower lamps but wanted to be as near perfect for each stage of growth, I know I ain't got the power but hopefully with my 60cm fitting which covers a good foot print I can adjust the height to suit the ppfd the Plant requires and heat won't be an issue.

 

[GrilledCheeze]

That's all pretty interesting. I think it would be a shame to not test your light before you go spending money on something else. You've clearly put time, effort and money into building what you have which looks like it should work, at least on paper.

 

[Rusty74]

That's all pretty interesting. I think it would be a shame to not test your light before you go spending money on something else. You've clearly put time, effort and money into building what you have which looks like it should work, at least on paper.

I appreciate your positive comments, I'm going to pop an auto in next week to try it out, I believe with the daylight set at 18/6 throughout, a lower powered lamp may be adequate during flower as its getting slightly more hours than a photo. I have grown in the past but with hps and mh and I've only just convinced my wife to allow me to grow again "honestly these led's don't cost nothing to run" that what sold it to her, now if I said I want to go out and spend money on a fitting she wouldn't be a happy bunny, especially as I'm semi-retired and she brings in the money lol.. But hey retired at 48 ain't nothing to complain about 😂

 

[RootsRuler]

Your light project should do fine but if I were to do it myself I would use bar lights so that I can get a more even PPFD throughout the canopy.

 

[Rusty74]

Your light project should do fine but if I were to do it myself I would use bar lights so that I can get a more even PPFD throughout the canopy.

I'm fully with you on that but I pretty much had everything to hand in the garage apart from the odd item, if I had strips then I would 100% have gone down that route, what I don't want to do is look back on a build and think I've spent more building this bloody light than it would have cost to purchase a commercial light lol. I'm gonna pop an auto in next week like I previously mentioned and if I'm happy with the results then hey.. I'm not a massive toker so if I get a couple of Oz's that should last me a couple of days 😂..p.s I could add a couple of extra lamps towards the edge of the fitting 🤔 or even ever so slightly tilt the outside lamps? I think that could make for a more uniform pattern.

 

[RootsRuler]

I'm fully with you on that but I pretty much had everything to hand in the garage apart from the odd item, if I had strips then I would 100% have gone down that route, what I don't want to do is look back on a build and think I've spent more building this bloody light than it would have cost to purchase a commercial light lol. I'm gonna pop an auto in next week like I previously mentioned and if I'm happy with the results then hey.. I'm not a massive toker so if I get a couple of Oz's that should last me a couple of days 😂..p.s I could add a couple of extra lamps towards the edge of the fitting 🤔 or even ever so slightly tilt the outside lamps? I think that could make for a more uniform pattern.

I would leave it as is. Like you said, no need to be spending more than you would just buying already built. Your current light beats an SF1000. Your PPFD chart is evidence of that. What did it cost you for parts and assembly of your light compared to what you would buy a comparable light ready made?

You can do an analysis to see if building your own is the way you want to go or, overall after figuring in labor and time, it's really better to just buy assembled.

 

[Rusty74]

I would leave it as is. Like you said, no need to be spending more than you would just buying already built. Your current light beats an SF1000. Your PPFD chart is evidence of that. What did it cost you for parts and assembly of your light compared to what you would buy a comparable light ready made?

You can do an analysis to see if building your own is the way you want to go or, overall after figuring in labor and time, it's really better to just buy assembled.

Labour and time atm is pleasurable, as long as its my own time, which I have a lot of 😉.. We've recently emigrated from the UK looking for greener pastures and I have all the time in the world lol... And being an electrical engineer used to being busy I'm more than happy to tinker lol...dint you just love this hobby..

 

[RootsRuler]

Labour and time atm is pleasurable, as long as its my own time, which I have a lot of 😉.. We've recently emigrated from the UK looking for greener pastures and I have all the time in the world lol... And being an electrical engineer used to being busy I'm more than happy to tinker lol...dint you just love this hobby..

OH MY BROTHER!! You need to hook up with Moe.Red and Aquaman. They're developing an environmental control unit for weed growers that is going to have all kinds of sensor inputs! Check it out. Maybe you can give them some valuable insights from your side of the electron!!!😋

 

[Rusty74]

OH MY BROTHER!! You need to hook up with Moe.Red and Aquaman. They're developing an environmental control unit for weed growers that is going to have all kinds of sensor inputs! Check it out. Maybe you can give them some valuable insights from your side of the electron!!!😋

Don't even get me started there lol🤗 it's not really that hard, a simple PLC (programmable logic control) device and the software to write the code and you can control all kinds of shit 😉... If the temp is high switch the fan/cooling, if the humity is low/high switch the aircon/heater.. Orbital lighting etc etc jeez where does it end....

 

[Rusty74]

Don't even get me started there lol🤗 it's not really that hard, a simple PLC (programmable logic control) device and the software to write the code and you can control all kinds of shit 😉... If the temp is high switch the fan/cooling, if the humity is low/high switch the aircon/heater.. Orbital lighting etc etc jeez where does it end....

I'm used to the mining field but everything can be controlled with the right software 😊

 

[ninjadip]

Don't even get me started there lol🤗 it's not really that hard, a simple PLC (programmable logic control) device and the software to write the code and you can control all kinds of shit 😉... If the temp is high switch the fan/cooling, if the humity is low/high switch the aircon/heater.. Orbital lighting etc etc jeez where does it end....

yeah a PLC could do it. reminds me when i was learning the basics of that, and "ladder logic". I like to write code myself, and it was cool seeing the more mechanical side of programming. I was applying for a PLC position where i work, we have 100s if not 1000s of PLCs here at at the factory.

what are the benefits/cost using a PLC vs a Pi or Arduino?

oh and welcome to the Farm!
i think we all respect the hobbyist more than someone who just grabs it all off the shelf, so kudos to you on your light

 

[GrilledCheeze]

I'm really looking forward to the developments moe.red and aquaman are working on but I'll always be a hands on gardener. I love me some of the freedoms controllers bring but I want to be working in the garden doing my thing and trying new techniques.

 

[Rusty74]

yeah a PLC could do it. reminds me when i was learning the basics of that, and "ladder logic". I like to write code myself, and it was cool seeing the more mechanical side of programming. I was applying for a PLC position where i work, we have 100s if not 1000s of PLCs here at at the factory.

what are the benefits/cost using a PLC vs a Pi or Arduino?

oh and welcome to the Farm!
i think we all respect the hobbyist more than someone who just grabs it all off the shelf, so kudos to you on your light

I have to be honest I only ever worked with plc's, mainly Siemens and as you know with ladder it's pretty much a schematic layout, a layout of contacts/inputs/timers that will give you an output) all on rungs. Plc's can all pretty much be programmed from a laptop with compatible software which the developer will offer free of charge... I was trained originally on relays etc which in effect is a plc or processor, you just need to arrange them into an order to provide what you want. But hey you already know that and I'm now starting to babble lol

 

[Rusty74]

I'm really looking forward to the developments moe.red and aquaman are working on but I'll always be a hands on gardener. I love me some of the freedoms controllers bring but I want to be working in the garden doing my thing and trying new techniques.

Even with controllers things can go wrong, your relying on sensors etc, I would hate to think I can take a vacation for a wk cus everything is under control to come home and find there's been a power cut for 5 seconds and all has gone to POT pardon my pun, so nothing better than the naked eye to check thing out.

 

[RootsRuler]

Even with controllers things can go wrong, your relying on sensors etc, I would hate to think I can take a vacation for a wk cus everything is under control to come home and find there's been a power cut for 5 seconds and all has gone to POT pardon my pun, so nothing better than the naked eye to check thing out.

I left my tent unattended for 6 weeks with a home built auto irrigation system. No issues thankfully!

 

[RootsRuler]

Don't even get me started there lol🤗 it's not really that hard, a simple PLC (programmable logic control) device and the software to write the code and you can control all kinds of shit 😉... If the temp is high switch the fan/cooling, if the humity is low/high switch the aircon/heater.. Orbital lighting etc etc jeez where does it end....

If you haven't heard of them check out AC Infinity controls. They're already heading down that path of automation in a really thoughtful way.

Even though they say they are more an HVAC company I wish they would split off their HVAC division and setup a cannabis division developing specific products for cannabis automation only. They do a great job as it is but I'd like to see them dedicate specifically to weed!