4x6 bridgelux build questions

[Elevator Dude]

I am looking to replace my blurples and was seconds away from pulling the trigger on the 960w DIY kit from chilled when a friend pointed me here.

After spending a few days lurking on these forums I want to build a bridgelux light for my space. I chose the bridgelux 4' strips over the samsung f series so I can run the lights soft and close for maximum efficiency and even coverage.

I run a 4x6 scrog and want to split my light into 2 halves for easier handling so each half will be covering a 3x4 space and they will fit into a frame to become one light basically. I want to run a seperate driver for each half so that they can operate as stand alone lights.

My questions are how many strips should I run total and which drivers should I use. I may buy the chilled connect driver and controller to handle dimming and automation. I will also be adding monos to suppliment the 3500k strips.

I am not looking for minimums to cover my space I don't mind going way over board on hardware and dialing back.

Sorry for asking basic questions but I can't find anything on the forums covering my size space. Thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully getting me pointed in the right direction.

[sdfoster22]

I am looking to replace my blurples and was seconds away from pulling the trigger on the 960w DIY kit from chilled when a friend pointed me here.

After spending a few days lurking on these forums I want to build a bridgelux light for my space. I chose the bridgelux 4' strips over the samsung f series so I can run the lights soft and close for maximum efficiency and even coverage.

I run a 4x6 scrog and want to split my light into 2 halves for easier handling so each half will be covering a 3x4 space and they will fit into a frame to become one light basically. I want to run a seperate driver for each half so that they can operate as stand alone lights.

My questions are how many strips should I run total and which drivers should I use. I may buy the chilled connect driver and controller to handle dimming and automation. I will also be adding monos to suppliment the 3500k strips.

I am not looking for minimums to cover my space I don't mind going way over board on hardware and dialing back.

Sorry for asking basic questions but I can't find anything on the forums covering my size space. Thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully getting me pointed in the right direction.

For a 3x4 you would need to get to about 420w to reach the 35w sq/ft. If using the 4' strips you can dial it down, spread it across the canopy, and lower the lights.

I can give you a build running each strip at 50%. If you want to put the lights even closer, double the strips and they will run at about 25% running a lot cooler.

Using 14 eb gen 2 strips run by an hlg-480h-48a would give you around 410-420w. The driver would run them a little over 50%, and run each strip with about .76a. If you used 28 strips you would get the same wattage, it would just run each strip at .38a. A little over 25%.

[Elevator Dude]

Just to be clear you are suggesting 14 strips in a 3x4 running at 50% or 28 running at 25%?

I thought I was nuts with 24 in my cart, seems like I underestimated how soft these things can be run. If I run them that low I might be able to get away with a 3x4 sheet of aluminum rather than heatsinks ti offset the cost.

[sdfoster22]

I've heard of people running them that low. Maybe wait on people to chime in to see if the light is strong enough. Running them at 50% you might be able to get away with aluminum sheet. Just make sure to cut air holes for air movement if you vent through the top of your tent/room.

[unkle_psycho]

There's a long thread on eb strips on RIU, the impression I got is that they run pretty cool at 50%, so I would imagine a sheet would suffice. At 25% I would be surprised if any cooling was really necessary.

If you live in a country where heatsinks are expensive, i think its an essential part of build design to play around with putting money into sinks or strips. Here a simple u-channel cost as much as the strips, so it was very tempting to double the strips rather then invest in ghetto cooling. A nice finned aluminium sink that would cost 5-10$ in china, would cost aorund 50e here, so I could have gotten over 5 strips per proper heatsink.

[Elevator Dude]

Ok so the plan is to get 24 strips now 3500k
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/7907661

Then add 24 more 3000k later when they become available.

I was going to pick up 2 of these drivers and split them in half so running 12 on each. Then once I have all 48 chips use 24 chips on each driver.
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/7704121

Should this work?

[sdfoster22]

The minimum order for the 3000k is 100 strips. You can't just order 24.

That driver will work with 24 strips. It would drive each strip at about .475a or 475mA. Which should give you about 420w total. Maybe more depending on voltage loss.

That sounds like a pretty sweet build.

[Elevator Dude]

The minimum order for the 3000k is 100 strips. You can't just order 24.

That driver will work with 24 strips. It would drive each strip at about .475a or 475mA. Which should give you about 420w total. Maybe more depending on voltage loss.

That sounds like a pretty sweet build.

Ok, new plan order 48 strips, 2 drivers and build this thing this weekend. Unless anyone chimes in with any new ideas I'll be ordering these tonight.

So thanks for the advise, moral support and ideas guys. Hopefully I'll have some pics up by next weekend.

[Elevator Dude]

I was going to order chips tonight but i cant kick this diy bug and really am in no hurry so a little more planning time for me. i had an idea for liquid cooling strips to control heat in the grow room. i am sure these strips run cool but they still put out heat like any thing else. currently my room sits at 85 with the ~800 watts of LED i am running with a small ac and co2 which isnt an issue but i would like to run less ac, i already run a closed loop chiller to keep my resovoir at 64 degrees.

anyway my idea is to use 2 inch rectangle or 1 inch square tubing capped on both ends with a drilled and tapped inlet and outlet on either end could even use a tube on the front and rear to complete a frame and serve as a manifold hooked up to a chiller and tape some strips to the bottom. 4 foot aluminum tubing is ~$15 usd on onlinemetals.com i am sure locally sourced it could be much cheaper.

possible issues i see are condensation and weight especially in scale-ability

[unkle_psycho]

I'm pretty sure I read a thread somewhere, that they were discussing this. I think the person who had done this used the warm water generated somehow in his house, and counted some cool savings in hot water fees.

Probably not cheaper then good heatsinks sourced well, but way cooler, and definitely offering the chance to move heat out of your grow space with less ventilation, if thats necessary.

You can calculate the ratio between cost of strips and cooling, so if strips cost 15$ and cooling 15$, you always have the choice of just halving heat by doubling strips.