12v grow lights?

I’m undertaking a project to create a small grow box (60x60x100cm) which I wish to be able to power with a small 12v solar setup. I have no problem find 12v fans but need to find a 12v grow light (LED) with an absolute maximum power draw of 100w (ideally between 50-80w). Can anyone point me in the right direction for appropriate lights? If I can’t find appropriate grow lights I’ll likely just use 12v LED floodlights.

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You might have to search around the site…but I’ve used automotive daytime running lights for my planted aquarium with great success!!

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all led lights are dc and most use between 3 and 5 v. the reason they plug into ac voltage is the ballasts or drivers or whatever they’re called. they convert the ac to dc. you can rewire them and use regular lights as dc lights and run off of a 12 v system. you need to figure the math and hook them up right though. i’m positive someone could help you with that here.

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Paging @OhNo555

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Send pics, details, and manual to me by DM. I will look :eyes: at them this week coming up.

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i don’t have any of those, i just know what an led light is and have many of those. i repaired a night light that stopped working last week by resoldering the led in place. it had a cold solder joint from the company that failed. you can power them down to 1.5v if i recall correctly, some of them change color with different voltages. the different colored ones have a different voltage drop you need to be aware of due to differing materials used. no, that’s not me any more, but it will be soon. when i get some info i will post it here. i love doing diy stuff.

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Really interested too as I run 100 watter leds.Could be possible to wire them to a solar panel?
I get a lot of sun exposure in my balcony

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Do you have a hobby shop or an electronics store near you?

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there is a radio shack left open about 15 miles away. but for electronics, everyone has the internet and delivery.

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Yes Amazon has kits to do that as well as most electronics stores and some of the larger big box hardware stores. I have to look :eyes: and see if I can find you a book :open_book: at my house for DIY in small solar set up to run a few lights off of.

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Here is a very good book and a link :link:

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This is a good place to start

Very hard to explain all the finer details typing :speech_balloon: as many questions will pop up that will need to be answered.

Here is my business email address:

aaabldgmantservinc@outlook.com

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the best thing about using solar to power them and making them yourself is not having to convert any of the dc to ac. you can skip the converters and just go straight from battery or solar to the lights, after putting it through a (forgot what the term is called, rectifier maybe).

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That would be correct a rectifier changes AC power to DC power. The line side gets the AC (120v) and the load side is your DC power 12v, 24v, and 30v Just like the small transformer that operates a door bell :bell:! :+1:

Theory is very easy make or break just like a switch, it’s either on or off.

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I hate those things and disconnect them in my house.

That’s why we own Rottweilers, they are vey reliable no fail door :door: bells :bell:! :joy::joy::joy::+1:

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we had a chihauahau for the doorbell and the pit bull who never barked was his backup. they were just the early warning system for me.

Personally, I’d make my own LED arrays using a 3-series configuration (~9V) and design a DC-DC buck driver to run them. You can also buy modular DC-DC converters designed for this purpose but generally they are relatively low-power (<50W)

I really like the idea of using automotive lights for this purpose - designed for 12V, likely waterproof already.

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Water proof is a wise choice.

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Maybe we need to have a zoom class for LED lighting.

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