Cheap LED Strips : A Viable Alternative

To you me and a good number of DIY types, nope. However if you have more money than god, have some commercial growing venture where you are chasing every gram and/or just don’t want to be up to your elbows in thermal paste, wires and connectors then it’s almost as good as something you could put together yourself. OR I guess it could be looked at that as some nice bunch of people are giving one away, the price is pefect. :wink:

2 Likes

Driver choice, question:

10x BXEB-L0340U-30G0750-C-C3

4x BXEB-L0590U-30G1500-C-C3

Slim gen3, so 10 of the 340mm @ 10.9v/700mah , 4 of the 590s @ 19.1v/700mah.

Microcontroller will have control.

So now thinking 2 @ 75w drivers? Ideally the same drivers for both - so maybe running the 340s in series pairs?

What would you guys recommend? XLG-75-H-AB ? Am i reading that datasheet right? Or are there better choices?

1 Like

If the plan is to have separate 75watt -ish lights cause i presume flower and veg spaces ? Then sure i guess, but the L series of the Xlg drivers would make it easier “XLG-75-L-AB”

but you would only be able to run 9 of the 340mm strips or 5 of the 590mm strips, you would just run them in series instead of a split parallel config you were thinking.

Saying that though, a 75watt light your at the small size on even micro growing at what about 2sqft ? If running in that size space a 75w driver would work forsure, if it’s bigger than that though id be going to a bigger driver and just run one panel cause of the ease of it.

2 Likes

I was running with the two sizes as overhead vs sidelights… 18x18x36" cabinet. Veg and flower will both be within the space.

340mm overhead, then 590s as side lights.

Yes I’d rather be on the side of dimming from maximum vs wishing I had upgraded later…

1 Like

Sides aren’t needed at that size just cause once a plant grows into them they are pretty ineffective, I’d just make a single overhead with the 340’s and have that adjustable for one or two extra heights, and maybe bump up the driver to a 100, or overdrive the 75 from the start to give you that play room

3 Likes

There is that, was thinking in the corners out on a 45-60° we’d get a bit more ‘clear’ space and coverage than on the center of the face. Also seemed a reasonable solution to the fixed location of the overheads. And gives the plants a reason to stretch out in diameter during veg.

1 Like

Now i haven’t sat down to write about this aspect till now, but more a thought on things as of late.

I think something should be said about if your tent or standard sized space growing, how the commercial options for say “cheapish” prebuilt lights are something that should also be looked at as a viable option for people as well.

Yes antithesis to the DIY nature of how this thread started, but with cheapish supposedly “decent” plug and play options being targeted and designed for the largest segment of homegrowers being “tent growers” whom grow in spaces of say 2’x2’, 2’x4’, 3’x3’ or larger common tent or space sizes, these newer prebuilt options should be looked into imo, examples like the newer mars hydro lights, or spyderfarmer stuff you see on amazon, or whatever similar or better stuff that’s out there that’s reasonably a good bang for the buck.

Saying that not everything is one size fit all we all know this, and typical reason why some of us build our own lights whether to fit our space better, or allowing us to build to what we want or consider more ideal in our own minds, or just wanting to DIY it for the fun of it, with certain business tactics aside that i wont get into for “tent growers” if you can buy a light that is near or on par for what you can DIY, and it works for your size of space, and depending isn’t that much more expensive than the diy route and you can get 2-3+ years out of them by which point were probably itching to try some newer tech, then its an avenue that should be look at for those who are in that segment, as unpacking, plug, and grow does make things easier …

Just something to consider, obviously feel free to discuss those options here if you want as im all for it as well as really this doesn’t need to be a “bridgelux 4 lyfe” fan club lol and it wasn’t my original purpose for this thread, i was more about just showing viable cheap alternatives that were available to us, so let’s just avoid the deceptive marketing/sales tactic rabbit hole that can come about from certain manufactures and stick to light facts or usability discussions…

Anyways carry on, i will probably add this to the end of the first two post of this thread at some point…

18 Likes

:crystal_ball: My local growshop has plasma lamps now. :thinking:

Nice thoughtful post Sir Sparku. :thumbsup:

:evergreen_tree:

6 Likes

This thread is so cool

5 Likes

Hey Mr.Sparkle.

On the topic of power supply.

Have you ever, or know of, anybody using a ATX power supply as a source for the LEDs? Say two 12v ATX in series? Think it might work? Or just plain old silly question? Thanks

4 Likes

No that won’t work mate. But the only silly questions are the ones that remain unasked :wink:

10 Likes

But because of the limited current, right? Because if you do connect the two you get 24V.

4 Likes

You do to an extent. It may be possible but I can tell you for certain it doesn’t work with LED drivers bro

4 Likes

If the LEDs in question run at 12v or lower then a ATX PSU could be used, but in this application with bridgeluxs the simple short answer is no

6 Likes

If you’re going to be crazy then you are better at looking how the bridgelux is built and you may be able to cut through some tracks and wack in a couple of bridging wires and you may be able to turn a Bridgelux strip into a 12v strip. It will just use more amps. But you will be lucky if its built in such a way. You may foul the heat dissipation as they often use copper in the circuit boards to sink the heat.

3 Likes

I’ve heard of people using switching power supplies as LED drivers. You need some sort of converter to do it like the Meanwell LDD drivers…

4 Likes

The problem with that type of power supply - or anything that ISNT an LED driver, is that it wont control voltage and current properly.

LED internal resistance drops as it heats up. This is just the opposite of how most circuits or substances like copper wire, react when heated. Most things increase in resistance as they heat up.

That ATX power supply is regulated, but its NOT current limited. It will allow an LED to go into “thermal runaway”.

Thats a cycle where the resistance drops as the LED heats up, which increases current flow, which increases heat, which lowers resistance even more, which increases current flow even more, which increases heat even more, which, etc etc and then the magic smoke comes out. Once it starts, its a very fast cycle of destruction.

LED drivers are NOT power supplies - they are called “drivers” because they have very different internal circuitry from any other type of power supply. They are specifically designed to control/power LED’s without letting them go into thermal runaway. The next closest thing is a CCCV (Constant Current Constant Voltage) power supply, but quality LED drivers go beyond a typical CCCV supply.

In short, you may be able to “get away with” some power supply that isnt a driver, but its very risky. The result of a thermal runaway can easily turn into a potentially spectacular fire.

17 Likes

Thank you @anon32470837 Perfectly explained, perfectly understood.

:grin:

3 Likes

:joy: YAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!! My favorite part! :fire_engine:

:evergreen_tree:

6 Likes

Thank you fine ladies and gents for the wealth of knowledge provided here. I have a million tabs open on LEDs and I can’t wait to get going on my first legal grow.

I have a large armoire I plan to convert to a grow cab, dimensions can be seen here: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

  • Flower = 41" (104cm) tall x 24" (61cm) deep x 44" (112cm) wide

  • Veg = 25" (63.5cm) tall and same depth and width

Do you think this would be feasible (veg chamber & flower chamber) with the provided dimensions? You all make it look so easy I feel like some of you could grow in a shoe box. :laughing:

I currently have 4 autoflower seeds I want to get through before moving onto regular seeds and finding a suitable mother that can continuously provide clones…that is if I can fit a mother in the bottom chamber.

For the flower chamber I am leaning towards this 240w quantum board v4 lm301b with cree xpe2 660nm 730nm LG UV switch but am not sure if the red and UV are worth it, any thoughts or advice?
Now however I see all different solid options what with these EB2’s, 3’s, the Spider Farmer SF-4000, and that’s how I’ve come to have several dozen tabs open while hurtling toward information overload.

For the veg chamber I am unsure, I know I don’t need nearly that much power, and I don’t want to burn up the clones in a blaze of fiery light or be too close to the mother with the limited vertical space. I do have a HLG 135 Kit QB V2 @ 3000K I used for my first ever grow inside a desk and I’m 90% sure it was too much light for the space. I got a larfy result but it just added to my desire to learn and improve.

I am comfortable with DIY, but I’d be lying if said I wasn’t more comfortable with buying a bit more expensive prebuilt.

Please bless me with your knowledge, oh wise ones!

7 Likes