Basement Salad Garden Build Planning

[Grower]

I was wondering why you went with a ladder configuration instead of a few longer strips? I'm looking at building a setup for the same purpose. I was going to use 2-3 longer strips run lengthwise instead of width. I though it would be easier to wire.

If I am going to grow in shelves with 3x 2ft tubes each level like nft channels, I would probably get 3x 560mm strips.
Greens doesnt need that much light so u can go soft and save you a lot of time by wiring only 3 strips

[Strelok]

I was wondering why you went with a ladder configuration instead of a few longer strips? I'm looking at building a setup for the same purpose. I was going to use 2-3 longer strips run lengthwise instead of width. I though it would be easier to wire.

Couple of reasons:

1. Personal preference; there would end up being two 3" gaps between strips if I spaced them out evenly along the length of the shelf and it would just drive me insane. 22" is pretty much perfect for a 24" shelf.
2. Flexibility for splitting the build in two in the future - I'm thinking i might want to divide the shelf into growing short 8" plants and taller 12" plants
3. If I don't split it, with a 72" span I might have to figure out some kind of support system for the center of the lights depending on how heavy the whole thing is
4. There might be very slightly better coverage because I'm going to have the front of the shelf open at all times and if I went lengthwise I feel like the light that was closest to the front would just blast a lot of light into the basement

[unkle_psycho]

Are you still around? How is your setup performing?

[LEDG]

I was wondering why you went with a ladder configuration instead of a few longer strips? I'm looking at building a setup for the same purpose. I was going to use 2-3 longer strips run lengthwise instead of width. I though it would be easier to wire.

Couple of reasons:

1. Personal preference; there would end up being two 3" gaps between strips if I spaced them out evenly along the length of the shelf and it would just drive me insane. 22" is pretty much perfect for a 24" shelf.
2. Flexibility for splitting the build in two in the future - I'm thinking i might want to divide the shelf into growing short 8" plants and taller 12" plants
3. If I don't split it, with a 72" span I might have to figure out some kind of support system for the center of the lights depending on how heavy the whole thing is
4. There might be very slightly better coverage because I'm going to have the front of the shelf open at all times and if I went lengthwise I feel like the light that was closest to the front would just blast a lot of light into the basement

I’ll quote him so he gets the email

[EddyNoMuscle]

I hope I ain't necromancing this thread too much, I am new to the forums and don't want to clutter it.

On topic: I want to build something to grow greens too. I am planning a strip build, and I was almost all set for a H562D system when I found this thread and now I am researching the F-Series.

I like the LT-F562B a lot but... How do you manage heat? Do these strips require a "true" heatsink? I can't find much info on heat management! Don't they require to dissipate something like 17W of heat?

Also, I read that many here choose the 4000K . Any reasoning, any link to study? Everything I can find for greens seems to point toward 5000K.

Thanks in advance, a lot!

[unkle_psycho]

The heat depends on how hard you run them. If you aim for efficiency, you run them pretty soft. Herbs and salads don't need that much light either, although if your in the US you can get a 'real' heatsink and run them very hard and high, and cover a larger area?

Here at my local, any decent heatsinks were over 25e, really nice ones over 45e. In China they are cheap, but if you don't have a month to wait for china mail, it might be cheaper to buy more strips. Anyway, its a good idea to compare available sink prices to strip prices and adjust your build accordingly. Many people manage with some U channel running pretty hard.

If you google samsung f-series build, you should find a bunch of discussion threads at RIU and other places discussing them. They also discuss heating needs a lot.

The way cooling works, gives diminishing returns, so you get less and less while you add more and more. The first little amount of sink is the most important. like an aluminum panel behind a QB. Even slight air movement will cool them a lot too.

[unkle_psycho]

I'll be growing veggies with Vesta strips, because they allow me to adjust frequency. Most research was done with single color led diodes, but what I read different salads and herbs react very different to different spectrum's. I also read that salads and herbs love 90cri, at least with lower light levels. I do hope to get some 80cri strips to compare.

[Hydrofood]

Any new news regarding this build?
I too am in the midst of building an herb/greens light.

[Hydrofood]

Basically do what Lane did in his build
Do you have a link to this build or know any details about it by any chance?
Thank you very much.

[unkle_psycho]

Perhaps the LedG would know, if he passes by. Is there anything specific you need help with?