Continuation and Discussion on the Vivosun VS4300 LED Fixture.
Discussion
How does the supplied specification measure up to the results we are seeing?
Number of LEDs
Specified : not specified
Measured : 1484
Comments: Mixture of blue / yellow / far-red phosphors.
Power Consumption @ 120VAC Full Power
Specified : 430 Watts
Measured : 461 Watts
Comments : 7% over specified rating. Not significant or unheard of but be aware.
Power Factor
Specified : >95
Measured : 100
Comments : Perfect.
Temperature
Specified : not specified
Measured : 121.2°F (49.6°C), Heat Sink Fins@120.7°F (49.3°C), Ambient@71.7°F (21.9°C)
Comments : Temperatures are safe to the touch (ASTM C1055 <140oF) with low fire risk potential.
Spectrum
Specified :
[1]
Measured :
Comments : We measure less red as compared to the Vivosun literataure. Although, the far red LEDs are relatively sparse producing greater variation in red energy across the area of interest. The amount of captured red is likely sensitive relative to the location of the far-red LEDs and the spectrometer particularly when measured at 6 inches. In essence, horseshoes and hand grenades. Close enough for comfort.
You can find some comparative spectra for other fixtures and lamps that we’ve measured in the past, here:
Lighting Spectral Data
Radiant Energy
Specified : 1200 umols/m2/s
Measured : 1280.9 umols/m2/s open air (400-700nm) at 6 inches centerspot.
Measured : In Progress umols/m2/s open air (400-700nm) at 6 inches averaged.
Comments:The are differing definitions of flux where it is either defined as total flux or flux density, as such it is not always clear what is being referred to when stating PPF. Vivosun does not specify measurement conditions or provide values under actual real-world conditions but has provided a fixture document:
The center spot measurement at 6 inch height exceeds the specification slightly and, as such, we make an assumption that the literature specification is also for 6 inch hanging height. If true, this fixture is one of the few that actually meet or exceed the specified claims although the manufacturer does not explicitly detail the operating environment.
PPE
Specified : 2.8 umol/J @ 430 Watts
Measured : 2.78 umol/J @ 461 Watts
Comments : Using center spot measurement, excellent.
PAR Mapping
Specified : average PPFD of xxx umols/m2/s per marketing materials
Measured 6 Inch Height : In ProgressMeasured 12 Inch Height : In Progress
Comments : In Progress
Chromaticity
Specified : not specified
Measured : 3319K
Comments : This unit has a high CRI for a horticultural fixture.
Things we didn’t specifically measure but could use your help with filling in some of the details:
Ingress Protection (click to expand)
We didn’t measure against the IP66 rating. There are three primary engineered features that address the IP-66 ingress protection
- Conformal Coating
- Watertight electrical interconnects
- IP-66 rated power supply
I’m not really familiar with this type of conformal coating but here I’ll note a couple of potential advantages and disadvantages:
- Advantage : Moisture / humidity and dust protection.
- Advantage : Some protection from accidental contact with live (DC>19V) voltages.
- Advantage : Mild impact protection.
- Advantage: Relatively easy to clean.
- Advantage : Diffuses / spreads the light energy to some extent.
- Disadvantage : May absorb a small amount of the light energy. Unclear if it absorbs UV.
- Disadvantage: Difficult to DIY rework / repair.
- Possible disadvantage: Depending on the chemistry of the coating, there could be long term yellowing / hazing of the clear coating. It is also unclear if, overtime, heat will allow foreign material to bond to the coating.
- Disadvantage: While being easy to clean, it is at the same time also more difficult to clean. The surface is “grippy” and tends to hold onto particles. For this particular unit, despite having wiped it several times, dirt particles tend hang around. The particles are not bonded in place, it’s just a grippy surface.
For UV, this paper tends to indicate that most silicone resin conformal coatings are resistant to UV aging,
https://smtnet.com/library/files/upload/conformal-coating.pdf
Length and Weight (click to expand)
Specified Length : 50.13 inches (127.3 cm)
Specified Width : 27.6 inches (70.1 cm)
Measured Length : 47.75 inches (121.3 cm)
Measured Width : 27.75 inches (70.5 cm)
Comments : We lost ~2.5 inches in length somewhere.
Warranty (click to expand)
Five year warranty stated in advertisement but details on the warranty terms could not be determined. Elsewhere, Vivosun notes warranties for up to 12 months.
https://vivosun.com/pages/vivosun-warranty
https://vivosun.com/products/vivosun-patented-design-vs4300-led-grow-light
Summary
Well then, this took a bit longer than expected as several of my test instruments decided to go borked just in time for the springtime festivities. As a result, there were some items of interest that we could not collect data on this go-around. But, we were able to collect some good data despite the unruly kids within the test collection.
The efficacy numbers as calculated using the centerspot method for this unit are excellent at 2.78@461W. We did not measure the power supply conversion loss as we would have to modify the supplied cabling. Since this unit is to be provided to an OG patron, we opt’ed to be non destructive. Based on this wall plug result, we would expect the PPE of the actual LED assembly to be even higher. But that measurement is not really useful for real-world use unless a more efficient power supply is utilized. For the published numbers, this is perhaps the first time we’ve actually calculated an efficacy number that actually matches the advertised rating for a centerspot measurement. Kudos Vivosun.
One of the unique features of the VS4300 fixture is that the light energy is spread out over a large area. Other units that have smaller overall footprint but similar centerspot performance numbers will fall short for uniform intensity over the grow space. We can expect a significantly more uniform intensity for such such fixtures over the specified footprint of the fixture. While Vivosun is marketing this for a 4x4 foot area, the overall metrics tend to suggest that this is ideally suited for around a 4 x 2 foot area for plants or slightly larger. This ensures a relatively strong and consistent light intensity across the canopy. If you have a larger tent, say something around 5x5 or greater, two of these fixtures could be an excellent solution.
This photosynthetic flux is sufficient from veg to flower.
We’ve extrapolated the 4 foot x 4 foot captured data to extend the PAR map into a larger 8 ft by 8 ft area. The values within the 4 x 4 foot area are the measured values. Values that fall outside of the measurement area utilize multiquadratic estimation to extrapolate values. This particular method employed is not for accuracy but more for an intuitive visualization of how the light spreads as the hanging heights are varied. The following are some plots at the three hanging heights:
Six, Twelve, and Eighteen Inch Heights (click on these for a better view):
We did not utilize surrounding reflective walls for our measurements with some of the produced light energy lost into the surroundings. The calculated PPFD for this open air scenario at various heights are indicated in the plots illustrated above. As such, we do not calculate the efficacy taking into account the intensity variations across the measurement area but it is expected to be less (relative to the centerspot measurement). To provide an example of how reflective walls contribute to flux within the measurement area, the following is a plot where we added a single reflective wall along one side of the measurement box (wall along bottom):
The power supply provided by Vivosun is large … and heavy weighing in at approximately 12 lbs US. Taking a hint from Fluence, the supply electronics are entirely enclosed with moisture resistant seals employed throughout. As there are no ventilation holes, the electronics are wrapped in a heavy aluminum housing that also serves as a heatsink. The input AC and the output DC connectors are keyed to prevent accidental miss-wiring. The primary connectors chosen by Vivosun are push to connect locking connectors. This is the first time I’ve seen such locking connectors employed on such horticultural fixtures (other than what we’ve built here an OG). These are very easy to use, secure, and a nice feature.
The external dimming is an excellent feature useful to those who utilize external controllers or automation. Daisy chain capability allows the user to control multiple fixtures from a single controller. Unlike the quick-connect locking connectors utilized elsewhere, the external dimmer connectors are the typical RJ-11 style modular plugs.
The RJ-11 connectors do feel a bit out-of-place when compared to the quick-connect connectors and overall robust design of the power supply. I’m guessing that a design choice was made to enable the utilization of current controllers on the market that also utilize a similar style of interconnect. Hopefully we’ll see that connector style upgraded within the industry sometime in the future.
The default configuration for the fixture is such that the power supply is intended to mount on top of the LED frame with a short DC cord interconnect. Also included with the fixture contents are power supply hanging cables such that the supply can be mounted elsewhere. The included DC extension cable is approximately 3 feet with the DC pigtail on the fixture itself approximately another couple of feet. It is not clear if additional extensions with the quick lock connectors are available to extend the reach further. Under test, the outer case temperature of the supply measured at approximately 121.2°F (49.6°C) with ambient temperatures at around 72°F (22°C). This would feel hot to the the touch but safe per ASTM guidelines (<140°F). Likewise, the heat sink fins measured 120.7°F (49.3°C) after operating for 8+ hours. Users should assume that the temperatures will increase slightly as the ambient temperatures increase. While the heat generated is modest when comparing to HID, as usual, it’s probably a good idea to consider placing the power supply somewhere external to the grow area to limit the additional heat load.
The supply is an universal auto-ranging supply which means that these units can be utilized around the world between 120 - 277VAC with the appropriate line cord. This supply is not rated for 480V that is sometimes required by commercial folk.
As a side bar, small details can say a lot. The included power and DC extension cables are UL marked and have a marked rating of 105°C. This would be considered a premium component as the OEM could have squeezed a couple of pennies and opt’ed for the more common (and cheaper) 90°C rated cables. There are a number of details not mentioned here that simply increase confidence in this fixture. There’s always room for improvement for any product but there’s not much to complain about here particularly at this price point.
The warranty is a bit of a mystery. Vivosun’s marketing material notes 5 years but we were unable to determine specifics on the coverage.
The industry players have really been stepping up their game. Vivosun’s VS4300 is no exception. We’ve seen significant design improvements from a number of the well known players ranging from form&fit, quality, light intensities, efficacy, safety, spectrum, and features. The gap between the lower-end and the higher-end seems to be shrinking and, in some cases, the primary determinate has become cost and warranty. This should lead to a healthy dose of competition and it signals this is a good time to keep an eye out for LEDs fixtures for your next OP.
If Vivosun’s warranty provides strong coverage, this unit should be a running contender for those looking for a fixture to cover a four by two foot footprint with very good metrics. The reduced footprint also makes for greater flexibility than the larger four by four foot fixtures. However you’re planning to set-up your grow OP, keep in mind to verify the available space based on the overhead dimensions of this fixture since the width is slightly larger than 2 ft.
With the quality output metrics, this fixture seems to hit a sweet spot for use within a non-CO2 enriched environment.
Cheers…