LED grow lights... input please.

[clongo]

im trying to part out two arrays with the best ppfd per watt for one with 12000k, 425 nm 440nm and one with 630nm and 660 nm. I don't know anything about heat sinks needed per diode or how to run them for maximum life while still getting a total of 1500ppfd on a 2.5x3 cabinet scrog. looking for bud depth layer (not starkly pruned below) of 2-2.5 to feet. I think a combination of lenses 90 and 60 degree would be good but I have no idea.

[Colorado Grower]

You can get a great deal on LED grow lights at
http:growlightsbyallled.com

[khyberkitsune]

im trying to part out two arrays with the best ppfd per watt for one with 12000k, 425 nm 440nm and one with 630nm and 660 nm. I don't know anything about heat sinks needed per diode or how to run them for maximum life while still getting a total of 1500ppfd on a 2.5x3 cabinet scrog. looking for bud depth layer (not starkly pruned below) of 2-2.5 to feet. I think a combination of lenses 90 and 60 degree would be good but I have no idea.

You're not telling us where you want that 1500 PPFD. How far away from the light do you want that sort of intensity? A good new 1,000w HPS will put that out about 2-3 feet away, which means 1-1.5 feet from the bulb you're hitting bleaching levels of photons.

[silent leprechaun]

Hey guys,
I am becoming a big fan of LED lighting.
I have started my first ever LED grow log.
You can find it on here or on my word.press page. I update both together.
I am using a Pro-Grow 260 and 4 x 20w CFL. The CFL are just for heat purposes.
Have a look and let me know what you think. Hopefully the bloom will go ok. I hope so.

Here it is: LED LOGGER

You can find it here under LED grow log testing the Pro-Grow 260

I hope you enjoy it. I will be blooming in just 5 days from now.

Ill give the plants 36 hours of darkness to kick start them into the phase.

Let me know what you think.

Take care.

[Psyz]

Hi all, long time reader but first time poster. First of all thanks to all the regular poster, weezard, oldmac, headshake etcâ?¦I have just spent the last week looking over this thread and others. For some time I have been an outdoor grower but due to changing living arrangements this is no long practical so Iâ??ve decided to make the move inside. My major concern with indoor growing is the substantial amount of power required, particularly when I have worked hard to minimise power draw elsewhere in the house; which has lead me to the idea of using LEDâ??s. I was hoping to do a little thinking out loud and hope some of the experts can offer some advice bearing in mind this is just the beginning of a long learning curve for meâ?¦Thanks in advance!What Iâ??m hoping to do is connect a 200-300watt solar panel to set of deep cycle marine batteries. These batteries will be charged with a Hybrid MPPT Controller that can provide charging via AC when the sun isnâ??t shinning.

From these batteries I hope to run a DIY LED light that I hope to learn to make in the coming months. One of the greatest struggle has been trying to determine the best ratio of red:blue from many different sources. The diodes Iâ??m thinking of running are:
RED: 625nm
660nm
720nm (Possibly?)

BLUE: 460nm
400nm

I hope to have these lights running on dimmers so I can use the same light for veg and flowering and the total power use to be around 150-200W. What ratios would the experts recommend, 7:1 Veg 1:4 Flowering? Also I hear many different recommendations for diode wattage some say 1w is better others 3w others 15watt. Iâ??m currently leaning towards the 15watt Weezard approach.
Once iv decided on wattage I can work on sourcing a heatsink, some PC fans with temp sensor and some drivers. While researching drivers I came across an article on instructables that provides a guide to making a constant current source for powering LEDâ??sâ?¦What do you think (just realised turmoil had the same idea? Its all jibberish to me at the moment but I hope to brush up on my electronics theory in the near future.

I was looking around the web and found two 'instructables' regarding wiring up high powered LEDs thought you guys would be interested.

Circuits for high powered LEDS

:jointsmile:

I apologise for the long winded approach, iv been smoking and thinking about the idea too much and needed to put the sloshing around quires and ideas on paper. Thanks for taking the time and happy growing

[maruid]

I have a buncha LED bulbs at my house for general lighting. most of them i ordered from dealextreme.com or meritline.com big purverors of china manufactured products. just search "led bulb" on either site. I cant even grow a front lawn, by no means do I have a green thumb but i see issues with LEDs because

A - they are COLD, they dont seem to generate any heat at all, and if i recall correctly plants need heat (unless there is another heat source, but in nature the light source is the heat source)

B - Manufacturing consistency. I have ordered lights in groups and individually, it dosen't seem to matter. I can tell different "batches" make different light

my 2c - maybe worth less

[mmjman]

I guess what you did not realize is NASA actually uses LED's on the space station for all horticulture experiments.

[Douglas1]

I just bought two blackstar 240's completely on accident.. so, hopefully once I can, I'll have a pretty interesting grow log.. coupled with my other 240 flowering. I know they are not the best, but 300 some watts of pure led light is going to make something happen growth-wise regardless

[Native¥organicfarmer]

About to purchase my second set of led ...........
works great love them they supplement my 8khid/hps nothing compares.....
LIGHT EQUALS MASS PERIOD.......
choosing higher quality units looking for 240..... voltage ...

hell i figure my growing my own medication has gone to far......way to much money...new post.....

[pipesdaddy]

Thw word is convenience. You should pick up the things which is comaptible with your test.