The LED hack shack and other tall tales

Full house

Unfortunet some of the 3000K Strips have given up, fairly sure it’s factory fails.
They run on low mA current from a constant current driver, so the current should not go up when some give out.
Temp is low as well, highest I have messured is 40C. (look at the FLIR pic’s in the top of the post)

The only strips that have failed is the 3000K strips, so checked the bottom light and same problem.
The 3000K strip had failes, on the 2nd light as well.

I am anyway going for the dual row 12Vold strips, they are cheaper then the 24V strips and have twice as many chips.
So far there have been no problems with the hack job, removing resistors and get more light out of them.

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I’m new to LED folks but I have been studying and researching this shit the last couple years.
I am also an electrician, none the less, 10 years in this business and DC and electronics are still areas of limited experience.
I’m comfortable in saying I could build any light from scratch but figuring out the proper spectrum to go with has left me scratching my head.
I’m planning on going all in here very soon. I’ll share any and all my builds and research.
If y’all ever need any electrical help don’t hesitate to shoot me message.
This is a good read, one of the most informative pieces of info I’ve come across in my days of research.

Fluence Bioengineering_High PPFD Cultivation Guide_v1.2.pdf (1.4 MB)

External link
http://fluence.science/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/High-PPFD-Cultivation-Guide-9.27.16.pdf

EDIT
Read this if you don’t want to jump right in to the above.

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Thanks for your reply, and the link.
It’s very basic info, but could be very usefull for the new grower.
Nice charts, I just have no way to messure umol/PAR light. Not even a datasheet on the cheap LED’s
The plants function as my PAR meters, much more crude indeed but thats part of what makes it fun.
Besides that Im kinda working blind, and im sure I haven’t fryed my last strip. Just ordered some MW constant current drivers, after trying to max out a china driver and killing half the chips in the test setup of the new dual row stips.

I would love a PDF on how they design their lights, how different spectrums effect the plants and flower production.
All the data they collected, up to the point where they found out whats most optimal.

I have found loads of sponsored info, where ppl promote brand lights with the best spectrum. Much better then what they have used before, but there is little for me to learn from that. Besides what I could import from the US, but id have to sell a kidney on the black market to pay for it. With the import tax and customs handling, on a light id truth be told, rather would have no one know about.

I plan to do a bunch of different tests, of things I can’t find or where the data collected isn’t shared.
If I’ll needing advice from an electrician, It’s always nice to know one more you can ask.

Gonna try a 250Watt LED light, 348 Volt, with 30 strips in series. Running 700 mA, with a total of 2160 china LED chips.

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I know this should have been a weekly update on the Spectrum flower test

To be honest, there is very little difference from last to this week.
We have hit 8 weeks, so I had hoped to be able to see some ambers or something.
Read several people claim LED buds finish weeks faster then HID, not that I really belive that it’s natural to keep an eye out.
So far I can’t really see the difference in trichome production, it started about the same time after the 12/12 flip and I expect it to take as long to finish as well. Another 2 weeks minimum for the cheese!

A hot n sexy UPS lady dropped a pack of at my place to day, would not mind if my regular post looked like that.
Still the most sexy part, was for sure the package and it’s content!

FUCK YEAHHH!!!

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57 Days in Flower


6500 Kelvin 12V Strips



I have concluded there is so big a difference between the 12V and 24V strips, that it’s not really fair to compare.
I will still go into detail, once the test is finnished. But I will not be continuing to use the 24V strips, once the test is done.

Got a bunch of new 12V strips on the way, in different spectrums for a new light build.

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Winter is coming!

Splitting up the garage/lung room, that way I can heat up the smaller part with hot air from my cooltubes.
As the LED’s simply don’t make enough heat, to keep the temp’s up and it’s not even that cold yet.

Got a used door, put a wooden frame up.
Now I just need to get some wood sheets, insulation and a little paint.

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Team Putin @ 44 days flower

Folia is fried, but the buds are growing and packing on!

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HDTV digital broadcast uses UHF. You don’t have that where you live?

Nope, not that I am aware.

At least no one got UHF antenas anymore, might find them on old houses.

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All over Canada and USA those antennas got a second life when HDTV digital broadcast came along. Many people have removed those “old antennas”, not realizing they would get this new life in the digital age.

Now people are being duped into buying “digital” antennas, when they are the exact same thing as the “old fashioned” ones they had removed many years ago when they got cable or satellite TV.

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So are you saying i can watch local tv with an antenna and it’ll be HI Def? We dont have cable tv, we just do netflix and amazon

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yep… I have one above my window…its a low pro bar now instead of rabbit ears. I pick up 13 or 15 channels… locals and Pbs and such

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Depends where you live, brother!

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The new wall is up

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9 weeks have passed so far, it’s getting closer to the finish line for the Spectrum test.
Still not seeing any ambers, but have started to flush. Midt week I drained 1/3 and topped off, and today I topped off the res again with pH adjusted water. In a few days I will drain 50% and top, then look at the trichomes and see if it’s time to switch to pH adjusted water only.

3000 Kelvin Strips



4000 Kelvin Strips



6000 Kelvin Strips



6500 Kelvin 12V Dual Row Strips



8000 Kelvin Strips



Under the 8000 K strips, the trichomes look more cloudy. Could be the light tricking my eyes, but no ambers as of yet.
I might have to take em past 10 weeks, to get me some golden trichomes.

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You deserve big kudos for your dedication bro :thumbsup:

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Thank you, I wish the plants where a little “nicer” looking.

But have learned a lot, both about the LED strips and less defoiling might be a good idea.

Next light test will be all dual row strips, still waiting on parts for the build.
Should be here in time, as theres still about a weeks flower time left and drying.

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Paint job done

Temp’s in the veg closet have already improved

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Garage side done, maybe I should have painted the ceeling while I was at it :smiley:

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To fish?

Or not to fish?

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