Let's Help J.R.R. Build His LM561C Strips Project!

[J.R.R.Toking]

Hey everyone!

What a great site, and I'm very happy to have found it in my time of need!

I just realized that this is a much longer post than I had expected...I will do a recap in bold at the bottom, for those who just want the condensed version...thanks!


I'm looking to do a simple, framed LM561C strips build, to cover either a 4'x3' area (most likely) or a 4'x2' area (definitely possible). LEDG's "Strips Build Designs" post was very helpful, but I'm NOT intending to use the rigid strips, but instead use the TAPE (REEL) strips. While it may be a bit more work, I feel it's both cheaper and more flexible to go this way, as I'll order some extra meters/reels of strips for future projects. As LEDG suggested to me, I'll go with 3000K color for the flowering cab, and would like suggestions on a temperature for use in a dedicated vegetative cab as well (but that's in the future; I'll just use the 3000K for the first run, but I wish to order the right strips for this vege cab now as well).

I'm planning on using one-inch angle aluminum for the frame and as heat sinks (or should I use "U" channel/ heatsink.com product instead?), and I will have plenty of air movement in the cabinet which should help keep the angle aluminum fairly cool...thoughts?.Bad idea? Don't cheap out and get the actual heatsinks?

As for the LM561C strips. is there a double-diode reel strip available, like a flexible version of the diode pattern used in the Samsung F-Series Gen3 hard strips used in LEDG's "designs" post? My thought is that with @ 144 diodes per 4' section, it would be simpler wiring (and use fewer strips) to attain my 30W/sq. ft. driven @ 75%. Is there a downside to using fewer strips of double-diodes VS. more strips of single diodes? In a 4'x3' flower area, will fewer rows of double diodes REALLY make for less-even coverage and/or more hotspots?

Could someone (expert) kindly go to DigiKey and source the SPECIFIC LM561C diodes (double and/or single diode) that I would want for this build? How many diodes TOTAL do I need in my spaces to get 30W per M^2? In a few words, could someone please say a word about WHICH PARAMETERS are important (and why) to buying the right strips (such as Flux, Lumens/W, Max Current, Voltage-Forward,etc.?)I really think getting this all in one, concise thread would not only help me, but many future LEDgardiner.com members as well.
Here's the link to DigiKey searching "LM561C + 3000k" : https://www.digikey.com/products/en?key ... 2B%203000k

I think the double diodes would be 48V...is this a problem, or limiting the driver I'd need to run these things at @ 75% so I could get peak efficiency? Which model number driver for my setup...and do I go Constant Current or Constant Voltage?

If you've hung with me this far, thanks; it went longer than I had thought it would. I have ideas about most of this stuff, but I'd like to get FACTS from experienced people who know what they are talking about. When I do something correctly once, I'll know it forever...but until then, I like to err on the side of caution and respect, especially when dealing with electricity!

thanks in advance!

CONDENSED VERSION RECAP: USING 3000k Color For Flowering Area. What color for separate, DEDICATED Vege Light?

Covering 4'x3' Flowering Area
DIY Frame Dimensions: 42 inches x 32 inches, with 42 INCH LM561C TAPE/REEL Strips, Double Diodes Preferred (like in Samsung F-Series Gen3 4' Hard Strips) Are these available? DigiKey Link? Downside to using these rather than "normal" Single-Diode strips? How many diodes TOTAL to hit 30W/M^2, @ 75% power?

Source the best strips from DigiKey? https://www.digikey.com/products/en?key ... 2B%203000k

Please explain, like you're speaking to a small child ( ), all the IMPORTANT parameters when buying LED strips for a build, such as Flux, Lumens/W, Max Current, Voltage-Forward etc.? I'm only half-joking here...a brief explanation of these would REALLY help solidify what I perceive to be my current understanding of the importance of these terms!

Best Model number driver and wiring strategy (Series, Parallel, or S/P?)

Thanks in advance!

[sweeper]

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/opt ... ageSize=25

There's a 48" 3000k strip bud. I used the same, but in 3500k. I personally wished I had went with heat sinks for the clean looking build. cost would have been similar to be honest. However, the aluminum u channel from my local home improvement store I used is working just fine.

http://www.heatsinkusa.com/1-000/

That's a 1" heat sink for a pretty reasonable price.

I wired in parallel.

Here is my build thread for reference:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=461&start=20

I made a few mistakes early on with some calculations, but by using proper tools and taking measurements of everything it worked out great! I built this fixture in a rush, but couldn't be happier with performance. I hope some of this is useful for you. Feel free to ask away, there is a great group here.

[Jolly Green Giant]

again welcome

common consensus is 3000k for flower.. 4000k for veg.. I went 3500k quantum boards knowing I'm going to veg and flower with the same light.. ( my k.I.s.s. mentality.. if 3 for flower, 4 for veg, why not in between for both!) and I absolutely love what I've seen over the pass almost year!!!

48v strips/tape shouldn't be a problem wired either way... more than likely I would go parallel on a HLG-***h-48B ( w size depends on how many strips per driver) for your 12sqft at 30w a sqft.. you roughly want 360watts to flower cannabis... a HLG-320h-48A/B would work.. or bump up to a 480h-48 and dim a little. ( number of tape strips would depend if ya found single or the double row diode tape)

99% of the time the hlg series from meanwell is the recommended driver series... there's plenty of other series and brands what will work well... just the quality and efficiency is hard to beat with how common/easier they are to find. ELG LPM LPV OWA a few other common series from mean well.

I'm not touching on the tape reel stuff I always mess it up because of resistors and where to cut etc etc. I need to play with my strip build idea first before I go into that

[Grower]

I am curious to see a 5000/6500k veg

[J.R.R.Toking]

I'm actually rethinking using the 4-foot (well, 44-inch), 288 diode RIGID strips in both the 4'x2' and/or the 4'x3' builds. My interior cab diameter will be almost exactly 47 inches, so at a touch over 44 inches I believe I can make these Rigid Strips work. The "normal" strips have only 60 diodes per meter (according to a supplier), so to get 566 LEDs/diodes (2 Rigid Strips X 288 diodes)in my 4'x2' (actually 20-inch deep)cab, I'd need to mount and wire @ 10-12 4' strips! This way (60 LED reel strips) seems like it over-complicates things (more frame, more heatsinks, more wiring***), just to spread the light a little more evenly over the 4'x2' (or even the 4'x3') area.

A supplier I've been in contact with tells me the double diode reel strips ARE available, but they use Samsung LM281B+ LEDs to make them. I don't know a thing about those LEDS, so for me, "That's a hard pass."

So, the supplier has the 60 diode/M strips for @ .09/per diode, while DigiKey has the rigid Strips through LG's link for @ .17/ per diode...so the Rigid Strips are just under twice as expensive...BUT the time, hassle, $ for extra heatsinks/wire/thermal tape/connectors etc. DEFINITELY mitigates the up-front cost difference...so it seems like if you can make the 288 LED Rigid Strips work, you probably should.

The BIG question is, will using the 4-foot, 288 LED Rigid Strips really make that much a difference in light spread/coverage verses using 10+ individual rows of LEDs in either a 4'x2' (using 2 Rigid Strips) or 16+ rows in a 4'x3' area? In other words, is it worth the extra, more even coverage to go through with using the reel strips, or just use the F-Series Gen3 288 diodes and call it a day?

I think the coverage from the 2 or 3 Rigid Strips will be fine, but I'm willing to listen to more experienced LED growers' opinions.

Thanks for the responses so far!

[J.R.R.Toking]

I am curious to see a 5000/6500k veg

Thanks for stopping by.

I'd be interested as well, but am not in a position to experiment with untested LEDS at this time. So I'll check things out, but I have to go with the usual suspects as far as players for my vege build.

[sweeper]

I am curious to see a 5000/6500k veg

I also would be curious about this. I wonder how much difference it will make. I'm trying to decide between 3k or 4-5k for my next light.

[J.R.R.Toking]

I am curious to see a 5000/6500k veg

I also would be curious about this. I wonder how much difference it will make. I'm trying to decide between 3k or 4-5k for my next light.

Alright you guys...I ordered my F-Series, 4'-288 diode strips for this build; 4 in 3000k, and 2 in 5000k. I'm thinking I might put these 6 strips into one fixture with two different circuits, so I can use just the 5000k strips for veg, then disconnect the driver and switch it over to the 4-strip flowering fixture...it'll just mean switching two wires back and forth between whichever circuit I want to be using at any given phase of the plants' lives..

We'll see how it grows...

[Grower]

Can't you use just a switch?

[J.R.R.Toking]

Can't you use just a switch?

LOL...this was the same question I had, buried up there in my original marathon post!

I'm certainly not an electrical engineer, but I can follow directions or install parts that have been pre-selected. I will switch these so seldom, it wouldn't be a huge deal keeping separate circuits (in fact, it would probably be safer), but I'd be up for some kind of switching solution if someone could spec it out.