LED Without LEDs -My First T5 Grow

hyroot

hyroot

Well-Known Member
Undercover Cop said:
Welcome back Hyroot!

PF, that was an exact quote from Kevin at wavepoint. I'm sure they prob have some that theyre running a few more months to make sure they'll last their full rated lifespan. Ive not had the problem myself with RedSuns (mine just pooped out within a week) but Ive heard that they like to fade to a more orangeish color long before their rated life is up (if they don't fail outright, that is)

Id still love to see the SPD (or planned spd) for the new 660. Just to see how wide the spike is. RedSuns cover something like 622-640 or so, Itd be nice to have a really wide peak for the 660s. uA peak from 625-670 would be Tits AND Ass. That bulb would replace RedSuns all together IMO.
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That sounds great. I have not seen any spd chart for a new deep redsun. That will be so sweet when it comes out.

Also my original redsuns are still going strong even the one I thought was going to burn out. They have not faded at all. I think I got them last sep or oct.
 
48martin

48martin

Well-Known Member
kpmarine said:
What kind reflector and ballast choices were you thinking? What quality improvements? The judicious use of 2 pc fans would make a bad boy run as cold as it could, or so it would seem. That's the only improvement I can think of.
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Their are high end T5HO fixtures that already have built in fans on the top that exhaust the heat. I dont think it would be that much $ to incorporate that into a fixture and the draw would be minimal. I like Alternations next step that hooks up to an exhaust hose. I think it would be great to have a unit with built in fans and an adapter that hooks easily to a 4" hose or something.
-48
 
C

cjd

Active Member
I have a couple of ideas and the simplest seems to be the most economical. I am focusing on the ballasts in the idea of a cool tube. I am also keeping the idea of my first post on this site. I believe using the PAR concept and incorporating the idea of adjusting the amount of available light at different times of the day and time of the plants life will maximize the yield and or quality. The fundamental work has already been done by the aquarium people primarily the reef guys. It just needs to be tweaked. Most life on this planet is effected by the changing of the seasons. What are we really attempting to do with indoor lighting? Copy nature but just more intensely and with less loss. I might be wrong but I worked with salt and fresh water plants and fish and anytime I went against the way nature does it I wasn't satisfied with the results. The concept of this can and has been used for many different things for a very long time.
 
48martin

48martin

Well-Known Member
cjd said:
I have a couple of ideas and the simplest seems to be the most economical. I am focusing on the ballasts in the idea of a cool tube. I am also keeping the idea of my first post on this site. I believe using the PAR concept and incorporating the idea of adjusting the amount of available light at different times of the day and time of the plants life will maximize the yield and or quality. The fundamental work has already been done by the aquarium people primarily the reef guys. It just needs to be tweaked. Most life on this planet is effected by the changing of the seasons. What are we really attempting to do with indoor lighting? Copy nature but just more intensely and with less loss. I might be wrong but I worked with salt and fresh water plants and fish and anytime I went against the way nature does it I wasn't satisfied with the results. The concept of this can and has been used for many different things for a very long time.
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nice. I think that will be the way of the future for LED for sure. Hook up an LED to a computer and run a program that controls which light. You could program dawn, dusk, early summer, cloudy days, ect...

Your right about the reef guys. Some of those high end T5 units have programmable features but the cost is still too high. IMO
-48
 
AltarNation

AltarNation

Well-Known Member
cjd said:
I have a couple of ideas and the simplest seems to be the most economical. I am focusing on the ballasts in the idea of a cool tube. I am also keeping the idea of my first post on this site. I believe using the PAR concept and incorporating the idea of adjusting the amount of available light at different times of the day and time of the plants life will maximize the yield and or quality. The fundamental work has already been done by the aquarium people primarily the reef guys. It just needs to be tweaked. Most life on this planet is effected by the changing of the seasons. What are we really attempting to do with indoor lighting? Copy nature but just more intensely and with less loss. I might be wrong but I worked with salt and fresh water plants and fish and anytime I went against the way nature does it I wasn't satisfied with the results. The concept of this can and has been used for many different things for a very long time.
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Pr0f was talking early in the thread about remoting ballasts... why not just make a T5 design with premium ballasts that can handle long leads and remote them so they can be put outside the grow room? I would have done something along those lines but I'm fairly sure the ballasts in my unit are the cheap kind that can't handle the long leads...
 
C

cjd

Active Member
48 & AN
Already crossed that path and the fix has already been produced. It would be a re purposed reef timer and light controller. It not much different than the current light controllers you could but from CAP etc, just more advanced. In the end it would run about the same as a quality light timer that you can buy at a grow shop. It can even email you with updates on conditions and alerts, power loss ph issues etc. It would just be a question of how far do you want to go.
 
Undercover Cop

Undercover Cop

Active Member
48martin said:
nice. I think that will be the way of the future for LED for sure. Hook up an LED to a computer and run a program that controls which light. You could program dawn, dusk, early summer, cloudy days, ect...

Your right about the reef guys. Some of those high end T5 units have programmable features but the cost is still too high. IMO
-48
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Growzebo on ebay, 8bulb 4ft panels WITH built in timer controls and Actinic tubes for only about $160ish (w/o timers are $150) Not exactly a computer program, but I believe the timers allow control of 4 pair of bulbs individually so you can start with IR/Red then bring in the Blues during mid-day etc...
 
48martin

48martin

Well-Known Member
cjd- Thanks for the link to that site. Just popped it up and it looks interesting. Will have too check it out.

UnderCover- Nice find. any idea on the quality? It would be ideal if they could a just put a (dimmer) rheostat for each light.
This way you could still keep supplying light to the plants but just not as much. This is where i think the flexibility and cost of LED tech will be cheaper but maybe not better. IMHO
 
Undercover Cop

Undercover Cop

Active Member
48martin said:
cjd- Thanks for the link to that site. Just popped it up and it looks interesting. Will have too check it out.

UnderCover- Nice find. any idea on the quality? It would be ideal if they could a just put a (dimmer) rheostat for each light.
This way you could still keep supplying light to the plants but just not as much. This is where i think the flexibility and cost of LED tech will be cheaper but maybe not better. IMHO
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I have 4 of their fixtures now (not with timers tho) Their 4bulb fixtures are unbeatable for the price ($100, or $70 for a 2ft panel), Their 6 and 8 bulb fixtures hold 2 bulbs per reflector so there is loss due to restrike off adjacent bulbs and less efficient reflectors VS a Hydrofarm or more costly fixture with individual reflectors. But they're very compact (17"w for an 8bulb) vs 2ft wide for other models, so they have their functionality if you wanna cram a shitload of tubes in a small area or a vert grow. Ive had no problems with mine, as long as they run the tubes I stick in em, and have reflectors to put it where I need it...
then Im happy :joint:
 
C

cjd

Active Member
48,
Hans is helpful if you or anyone has questions email him. He is very busy but will get back to you. FYI read every one of his grows, every one has invaluable info for all. You are right is is easier to build a LED panel with micro controllers and such to vary, adjust and time your lighting. Right now it's not cheaper and not all LED's are the same. You can have 2 of the same LED's that will not produce the exact same light, there are from different "Bin's". A higher bin just means that it's the best of the best of that run of LED's. It's why you will find 2 prices for the same LED on some of the DIY reef light sites or electronics company's. It's why I say to also look at them for ideas. They are very analytical in what they do.
 
PetFlora

PetFlora

Well-Known Member
I know pr0f was working on a fixture prototype. He seems to be MIA. I will PM him and see if I get a response. Quantum BB has vent slots in the reflectors.

I am in S FL, my room does not have ac, and don't have any extreme heat issues that a strong floor fan can't solve, but I am not growing in a close quarter tent. The space above my diy frame is open + high ceiling. Banquet tents (with pyramid ceiling) are available under $200. Lowes sells 4 x 8 @ 2" insulated panels: one side is reflector material. Super easy to make a 3-4 sided 4 X 4 X 8 tent (or double wide) with open ceiling to vent hot air.
 
AltarNation

AltarNation

Well-Known Member
PetFlora said:
I know pr0f was working on a fixture prototype. He seems to be MIA. I will PM him and see if I get a response. Quantum BB has vent slots in the reflectors.

I am in S FL, my room does not have ac, and don't have any extreme heat issues that a strong floor fan can't solve, but I am not growing in a close quarter tent. The space above my diy frame is open + high ceiling. Banquet tents (with pyramid ceiling) are available under $200. Lowes sells 4 x 8 @ 2" insulated panels: one side is reflector material. Super easy to make a 3-4 sided 4 X 4 X 8 tent (or double wide) with open ceiling to vent hot air.
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Wow, that's actually a great idea. I could always throw a panel over the top temporarily if I have company. Kudos PF... perhaps my next enclosure will be a DIY frame with no roof :)

"You must spread reputation around before giving it to PetFlora again!"
 
C

cjd

Active Member
Wow in my doing 10 different things at once made me forget something huge. I have access to Wavepoint, Coralife, Zoomed and Purely Enterprises bulbs and just about everything pet related. I can buy from the same distributors that everyone else buys from. Let me know what you are looking for and I might be able to save everyone some money. I am also talking to an induction and Flouro light company so I will be able to sell either at a discount. But with the lights the more I can order the cheaper they would be for everyone.
 
C

cjd

Active Member
This site is a great source of scientific reports and studies. If you can think it up most likely has been a study. There are hours of reading fun on it.
 
AltarNation

AltarNation

Well-Known Member
cjd said:
Wow in my doing 10 different things at once made me forget something huge. I have access to Wavepoint, Coralife, Zoomed and Purely Enterprises bulbs and just about everything pet related. I can buy from the same distributors that everyone else buys from. Let me know what you are looking for and I might be able to save everyone some money. I am also talking to an induction and Flouro light company so I will be able to sell either at a discount. But with the lights the more I can order the cheaper they would be for everyone.
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Dude, if you get a hookup for a deal on good induction lighting I might be interested there. Or if you can get a deal on UVL Red Suns that are actually in stock. :)
 
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