help with home made led lights

[oldmac]

Hello Alohamahlo,

You are really in good hands with Weezard, he will not steer you wrong.

DreadedHermie, who's humor I much miss, used to recommend Meanwell LED drivers. I've used thier product line to spec out DIY lights and they seem to cover most needs.

I realize that you are looiking to use the far red as trigger lights, great idea.
You will probably be able to run them thru out the photoperiod, the ratio is physically 2:1, light output wise closer to 3.5:1. The most important part of using the far red as a trigger, is for that far red be the last light seen by the plant and again the first light seen.

Hopefully with this bump, maybe Knna will see this and chime in. :thumbsup:

Good luck with the build, hope you post pictures.
OM

[alohamahalo]

Mahalos old mac and weezard. I appreciate your guys time. I think I might use meanwells instead. I found a place online that sells em about the same as buckpucks and it will leave room so I can make the light bigger if I decide to which is almost guarenz ba bearinz. Cheee. Tanks again braddahs. Ima start building once I get back home from this family trip im on. I will be posting pictures so hang tight.
cheeee hoooo!!!
mahalos unkos
Alohamahalo

[420session]

Mahalos old mac and weezard. I appreciate your guys time. I think I might use meanwells instead. I found a place online that sells em about the same as buckpucks and it will leave room so I can make the light bigger if I decide to which is almost guarenz ba bearinz. Cheee. Tanks again braddahs. Ima start building once I get back home from this family trip im on. I will be posting pictures so hang tight.
cheeee hoooo!!!
mahalos unkos
Alohamahalo

I am curious to see how this goes. Keep me/us posted as maybe your homework can motivate a DIY. That'll be great for a lot of us LED newbies- even though im running LEDs myself, I would like to know much more on the workings of it, such as what you are doing. It sounds very good and I know if you gather somemore information and post it here, I would follow suit..

Good luck..

[alohamahalo]

Hey weez. When you used ledengin leds have a hard time soldering them? I burned out a bunch of them now. The solder wont stick to them. I've soldered things before but never had this happen. I am using a 25w radio shack soldering iron and alpha metals 60/40 rosin core .032 solder. I searched in google and getting mixed responses on what to do but would rather hear you opinion or experiances with the product them selves.
cheeeeee!!
Aloha and mahalo.

[Weezard]

Hey weez. When you used ledengin leds have a hard time soldering them?

Sure did, with the 5W. stars!
At first.
But, it was my own dumb fault.
Mounted them on the heatsink, then tried to solder them. (D'oh!)

My 25W. Rattyolshit was not up to it
Hadda dig out my HOT iron, tin the pads, tin the wire, glue the wire to the 'sink, then reflow solder with the big iron.

The 15W. emitters were a piece of cake.

I burned out a bunch of them now. The solder wont stick to them. I've soldered things before but never had this happen. I am using a 25w radio shack soldering iron and alpha metals 60/40 rosin core .032 solder. I searched in google and getting mixed responses on what to do but would rather hear you opinion or experiances with the product them selves.
cheeeeee!!
Aloha and mahalo.

My second run at the 5W. stars used copper screws instead of thermal epoxy for mounting.
Good thing too, cause I had another senior moment and mounted before soldering, again.:wtf:
So, I jus' backed out the screws and used the small iron.
Tin first, then re-flow.

Aloha
Weeze

[alohamahalo]

Ok. I tried tinning the leds before I mounted them but the solder would just fall right off as I was moving it to the side. And the black star started turning white so I gave up and mounted/kinda wired em and checked em and sure enough burnt em. Why wouldn't they stick. It was so frustrating at the time. Haha.
mahalos again brah. Your input is appreciated.

[alohamahalo]

I got a new order of leds and a new soldering iron and everything worked out cherry. Thanks you for your time and aloha. Ill post pics once I come around a camera and computer at da same time and by then I should have a couple girls in there and let you know how it works.
Cheeee! Till then my friends.
Mahalo,
alohamahalo

[loopup2u]

Hey Weezard,


I have a few questions for you, shoot me an e-mail at [email protected]

I would really appreciate it.

[alohamahalo]

Weezard. I gotta question for you. I've got a clone that I just flipped to flowering with the leds that I made based off your cake pan(which works for veg at about 6"-7" from canopy).

My question is for flowering how high above your canopy you keep da lights? Im scared to bleach her.

And I swear everyone, once I get a computer with internet and a camera cord ill post pics of the light and the girl I got growing under it. Till then all I got is my friends smart phone when he feels like letting me play around on it. Haha. Spent a good amount of my moneys on my leds cause I burnt out the first batch and got a pay as you go no internet plan

Mahalo weeezzzz!!!!
Hopefully hear from you within a few days.
Cheeeeee!!!

[Weezard]

Weezard. I gotta question for you. I've got a clone that I just flipped to flowering with the leds that I made based off your cake pan(which works for veg at about 6"-7" from canopy).

My question is for flowering how high above your canopy you keep da lights? Im scared to bleach her.

What kine leds, how are they arranged, and how hard do you drive them?
Without basic information my answer is, at best, a guess.

And I swear everyone, once I get a computer with internet and a camera cord ill post pics of the light and the girl I got growing under it. Till then all I got is my friends smart phone when he feels like letting me play around on it. Haha. Spent a good amount of my moneys on my leds cause I burnt out the first batch and got a pay as you go no internet plan

Mahalo weeezzzz!!!!
Hopefully hear from you within a few days.
Cheeeeee!!!

IF, you are using 15W. emitters and burning more than 75W, at least 6",
12" would work well.

Aloha
Weeze