Led Flowering Spectrum.

[Toaster79]

This is the reason I asked what LEDs those are because as far as I know commercial LEDs of reputable manufactures have beam angle from 90*-140* and even COBs have 110*-115* and they don't have primary optics.

 

[Wee Zard]

You're only right!
I just went and looked at the new offerings.
Been out of that loop for 6 years.
Used to be all 180°, we had to buy lenses and glue them on.

Those are 40s, a bit too tight for seedlings, but excellent for flowering tall ones.
Wow! I'm looking at the latest emitters at Mouser. DIY has gotten EZ!
Might be time to build a new light. :)

Aloha,
Weeze

 

[Toaster79]

I'm screeming DIY if you plan to grow with LEDs but nobody listens. Found out that a combination of Cree's 5000K and 2700K makes almost perfect combo. 5000's for veg and od flip fire those 2700's along and off you go.

Way cheaper and waaaaaaay more efficient than those Chinese units on the market.

 

[Barnybud]

Id love do my own DIY LED tuned to perfection but I'm not that clued up to do my own. Thanks for the info wee zard & Toaster79, quality stuff , I will check out the sites and do some reading. Il be investing in a incandescent black lite got to be worth a bash. Could I just pick either of your brains, do you think I should switch my blue leds off the last few weeks off flowering or leave both on till the end . Thanks guys. Bb

 

[Barnybud]

What temperature do you think I should have my grow room to get maximum benefit using my led. Bb

 

[Wee Zard]

What temperature do you think I should have my grow room to get maximum benefit using my led. Bb

~76.37° F.

<grin>

I would not turn the blue off. I see no advantage.

 

[Barnybud]

Thanks. Could you please pop me a link up so I know exactly what type of black light bulb will be ok for 720nm. P.s It must be awesome growing under a tropical sun. Bb

 

[Toaster79]

Pay a visit to your nearest pet shop and ask for an IR lamp for reptiles. But keep in mind those lamps give away tons of heat.

 

[Barnybud]

I need to beef up my temps anyway so may be ideal . Il look into it , Thanks

 

[Wee Zard]

I need to beef up my temps anyway so may be ideal . Il look into it , Thanks

That's an entirely different source.
Don't know if it has any far red (720nm.) and we really don't want Infra red. Although the blacklight bulb does emit plenty of I.R., it ALSO emits F.R and that's what you are after here.
See if you can get a spectral graph of that reptile lamp's output.
Here's a picture of the blacklight bulb.

 

[dogznova]

Below is a black Incandescent light bulb spectral chart that will match the bulb from the pic that wee zard posted above.. Shows exactly what you are looking for. I think.

Now remember folks A Black CFL (spiral type) of bulb does not emit 730nm whatsoever and they are of no use to us as farmers.

Now the many uses of a Black Incandescent light bulb, well that's another thread altogether. lol I'll cut to the chase.. It's for SPEED.


75 watt black incandescent bulb spectrum chart.

 

[Barnybud]

Thanks, there is some good reading on the pragmatic use of leds on IC as wee zard said previously, some goes right over my head lol but lots of useful stuff. Cheers Bb.

 

[dogznova]

I guess my next question is.. Are you looking for 730nm during the day (lights on) or during the night ( lights out) ?

If it's during the day (lights on) then a clear incandescent bulb works much better. I'll post a spectral chart for a Halogen GE clear inc bulb. This is the bulb I use for a daytime (lights on) far red source.

The problem with either one of these bulbs is HEAT. Love the spectrum I just hate the HEAT associated with them.

So below is a GE reveal bulb spectral chart, not sure of the wattage used though.

The chart compares a soft white incandescent bulb to a CLEAR ge reveal halogen incandescent bulb. The GE reveal bulb is the white line.

Take note of how much red and far red spectrum is coming from the GE reveal bulb, 70% or so is red and far red. This CLEAR incandescent bulb works better then a BLACK incandescent bulb for a daytime (lights on) far red 730nm source.

 

[dogznova]

This chart might also be of some help.

 

[Barnybud]

Hi, ye its for lights on during flowering, I put a clear incandescent bulb in my grow room this morning, so sorted lol The heat is increase isn't a problem for me its actually a bonus , I needed to raise my temps to 25C , its at 23c now so may go get another. I hope this is what my led was missing ,it will save me a lot of hassle and head scratching. During veg should I just use my blues or both red and blue . TY Bb

 

[dogznova]

Both red and blue in veg and flowering.. Just in flowering the spectrum tends to lean more towards red and veg tends to lean a bit more blue. Clear INC's add all kind of red and just a little blue.

As an example: In veg you might just need 2. In flowering you might need 4.

If you can adjust you red blue output on your led unit..

Yes a more blue spectrum and clear INC's work best in veg..

And a slightly less blue spectrum and clear INC's work good in flowering.

You're gonna have to test and see what works best for you.. Hell you might not even like clear inc's in there at all.. Test, Test and Test some more..

Just remember. Clear INC's basically add speed not much bulk or growth. So you will need all the LED spectrum you can get. If that makes sense. lol

It's all about havin fun...

 

[Barnybud]

Thanks, ye was thinking the same , going to get a black bulb aswell and see what suits. Cheers Bb

 

[Barnybud]

Does the wattage of each led affect the distance it needs to be from plant. I have a 200w 5w led light and correct me if im wrong but the higher the individual led ie; 5w the more penetration into the canopy , that's my understanding of it. So if I have 5w leds do I need the light further away from the plant than I would if I had a 3w led light ? to avoid scorching of leaves ? What would you consider correct distance from light to plant be ?

 

[dogznova]

Unfortunately it has to be tested in your grow space.. Some people get bleaching and some don't. All about testing.