Cheap LED Strips : A Viable Alternative

Nice job on the frame! :sunglasses: :+1:

I’m sure you won’t have a problem but if you want to be sure, check the temperature of the backs of the PCBs after running for a while. Should not be higher than 50C (120).

Cheers
G

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Super clean build! Nice work.
Looking forward to ignition.

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Nothing blew up or smoked, so all is good.


I have a couple of @Sebring Loco Mota and @ReikoX auto fem mix germinating that will be my test run with the lights. :v:

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giphy
Fookin sweet.

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Congratulations on First Light!! :+1: :sunglasses: :heart_eyes: :dizzy:

Cheers
G

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Well i finally pulled the trigger and built me a light. I want to say a special thank you to @Gpaw couldn’t have done it with out you and all the OGers. Amazing group i am so thankful to be a part. I went with:
16- BXEB-L1120Z-35E4000-CB3
4- BXEB-L1120Z-50E4000-CB3
2- HLG-320H-42A
I ran it in parallel 8-35E & 2-50E on each driver and run them independently of each other so i can put 10 strips on 12/12 and 10 on 10/14 if i want or whatever. And i absolutely love it. Thanks again for all the help.![20201022_083357|375x500] (upload://iG8wcPnt8diqc6cWXhiQLHWAHvr.jpeg)

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46"x45"

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Nice build, I like the staggering so you can turn half on or off. What was your total cost?

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@YoBigdaddy, that is a beast!!

You built it brother :+1:

Cheers
G

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I’ll add it up in morning, but it was under 400

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Not bad you’ll get years of use out of er!

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The efficiencies are interesting with the new LEDs.
Looking a the lumens per watt metric:

Source lumens/Watt
light bulb = 16
CFL = 60
HPS = 86
49WT5-HO = 100
T5 LED = 125
Bridgelux Gen 2 = 183

Collected from various ‘interweb’ sources… so ‘grain of salt’ required.
The T5 LED number is probably comparable to the ‘blurple’ grow lights.

Looking at ‘Bang for the Buck’ we are really ahead of the curve of what can be done as DIY.

Cheers
G

12 Likes

10 x EB Series Gen 3 in 4000k per tray
1x xlg-150-AB driver with output lowered to ~135W

~270W for the new 3x3 tent that will join my little maker. Why 4000k? Because the pictures will look nicer.

:grin::grin::grin:

I know, not the cleanest work but a HUGE improvement over my last that got me a beautiful harvest.

when one is good, more must be better. lol

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Awwww nice one @SaintAliasKnife. Can we get a pic once they are in and running?

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oh yes. no doubt. I’ve been pacing the depot cleaning not to overload the waste removal cycle. I should be done in 2 weeks. I’ll set up my 3x3 then and hang the lights.

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@Mr.Sparkle

I unplugged my light from the driver on Friday but left the driver on, I plugged the light back into it today and its not working, like last time. Is this me causing them to blow not having the light connected when they are on?

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Definitely could be a possibility but i can’t really comment on specifics if this is the situation on your case, have you checked for output voltage with a multimeter or is it dead dead ?

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There is an over-voltage protection Cct. on the Mean Wells. Depending on the design, they might go into ‘hiccup’ mode & have to be powered down to reset.

Cheers
G

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No I haven’t checked it with a multi meter yet, it seems stone cold dead, the light works on my other driver…

It’s a meanwell XLG -150 - L-AB

Yeah I checked the spec sheet online, it does have hiccup mode, but I disconnected it from the power for 24 hours and it’s still the same.

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Defective.
Overvoltage section (under Protection) on pg. 3 says it is supposed to “shut down output voltage and re-power on recovery”.
So what it should do is; power down re-connect LEDs and power up.

If you do the RMA thing… Tell them you want to see a fault analysis report… That always makes them ‘perk up’.

Cheers
G

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