Making a custom brand SMD grow panel

[Solipsis]

Hi guys

I'm into LED gardening, I made a full spectrum Cree COB unit already which is exceeding expectations...

However my grow cabinet is 2-tier and I am really sick and tired of my HID... such a shitty spectrum and so much heat. I have one tier meant as an arid zone and the other for a more humid climate but it did not really pan out this way.

My cabinet is a cramped enclosure so I really need lighting which does not need *too* much cooling (even though currently both my HID and COB have dedicated fans aimed at them) but especially plants should be able to grow close to the lighting without burning.

I'm a sucker for efficiency and I admit also to still supplement with some blurple for looks. I know 10W COBs are "hot" right now but I would be pretty happy to make the best 3W or 5W SMD panel currently available.
If necessary I could cool the lighting I am looking for by placing it onto the 'ceiling' of the top tier and integrating a heatsink and cooling fan on the topside into the 'hood'.

Also I spent or wasted a huge amount of time getting proper LED strips for another grow unit on Alibaba and know that eBay can be a minefield too so advice on sources is welcome too!

What do you think? I am not married to the idea of SMD's but I also have limited experience with pushing the limits with growing plants close to LEDs. Cacti are easy cause they take so much more time to grow up and into your lighting if at all.

All help is much appreciated!

Here is the cabinet I am talking about.. it is Arduino controlled:



In case you're wondering, here is the COB on the right of the bottom tier:

[sdfoster22]

Check out the strip light builds here.

http://ledgardener.com/diy-led-strip-bu ... bridgelux/

Here is a thread on sources.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=42

What country are you in?
What are you growing?
What is the dimensions of your grow space.

You can run strip lights really soft, spread around the canopy, and grow within 6in with little heat.

If you buy Samsung or bridgelux strips from a reliable source, they work really well. If you give me a little more info, I can work a build up for you.

[Solipsis]

Hey!

Thanks very much for the response and help.

I'm in the Netherlands and I grow ethnobotanicals, curiosities and things like pseudo bonsai versions of plants like avocado, baobab..
One zone meant to be arid (well one is hotter and dryer right now but because the HID is unpleasant hehe) the other more like humid subtropical but i dont pick plants from a narrow biotope per se.
There's a lot of grafted cacti.

Many of these plants can handle a lot of light but I walk a tightrope because I dont really sell or consume my plants so not a point in a big electric bill and i have little income.. Also it's not big enough so i grow miniature versions a little better of some plants.

I have 150W on the HID now and probably don't want to go over 150 (or 200W max) on replacement LED so seems smart to invest in the highest range of lm/W i can get esp the affordable ones to DIY.
Personally i believe in dual spectrum as the enriched version of blue+red: good to have a full spectrum but still most of it should be red and blue (at about a 1:4 or 1:6 ratio or something like that).
For me extra blue is good though to inhibit elongation considering space issues.
I'd like to combine a full spectrum with some pure blue/red for additional aesthetic reasons. Already phased out so much other blue and red lights....

Checked out your first link already mostly. i also already built another grow tent which is an experimental setup.. It has dual spectrum 130 lm/w waterproof epistar led strips and is meant for very high humidity.

The strips were affordable but the import taxes (because legit vendor) and courier shipping were not.

I will check out the vendor thread too... Spent a lot of time trying to vet ones on alibaba etc lol.
Problem isnt that i dont know what suits me but navigating the market. Not sure if the vendor thread is enough to help me with that but here goes.

I really appreciate it!!

[sdfoster22]

Yeah, I don't know much about the Netherlands and where they can Import from, or how much it is to import stuff from other places.

[unkle_psycho]

There are a couple of different ways to arrive at high light. Your plants are not very tall, so you don't need any penetration. It would be best for you to run very low power leds very close to the plants.

[sdfoster22]

What countries can you import from without any or minimal vat and or dutiez tax? How high is the vat and or duties from USA? China? Austrailia?

If you give me some info on where you can import from, I could maybe give you some build ideas with mid power leds. Strips, qbs, pcbs, ECT.

[Solipsis]

Vat is 21% unless from within europe. Above 150eu there is import costs.
I think also ordering from a legit tech company which ships through DHL is part of the issue cause it must be declared.
I got my (pretty unusual) led strips by getting a paid test sample and for companies courier shipping would make sense. But normal or slow cheap mail were not options.

Seems like companies like DX (direct express iirc) while 'legit', often ship smaller orders in ways more under the radar. Free shipping but takes ages.

Low voltage smd does seem suitable for me. Might even be able to do 5v (as opposed to 3v) without extra cooling, although not sure if wood bases boards for them would be bad (if treated with PU).
A big help would be where to get separate brand leds (red blue, deep red, warm white, cool white, .. I'd like to compose a rich spectum) for cheap and reliably, ideally top bin. Again efficiency seems nice if i save on electricity.
Id really like an option for regular airmail.

I solder and tinker but am not good at calculating diode circuit currents.. Would be so great if you could help?

Thnx

[sdfoster22]

There is always this option

https://www.todogrowled.com/gb/17-hlg-quantum-boards

Are you interested in cobs?

[sdfoster22]

I did find these. They have them in 3000k and 4000k 154 l/w.
https://m.ebay.com/itm/5x-TCI-Linear-LE ... Sw2xRYa8YX

Here is a thread on them
https://www.rollitup.org/t/boring-ol-23 ... ld.943311/

If you don't find what you are looking for, these might be an option for you.

*edit*

They do use the lm561b diodes. They are a little less effecient than the lm561c, but the grow stuff just as well.

[Solipsis]

I know quantum boards.. Seems good but i might prefer to build myself if its cheaper.

Those samsung diodes do seem great with their luminosity.

I have a cob and like it but honestly smd seems better for me because they are less of a point source of light and the heat generated is concentrated too. Neither of which is nice when plants grow close.
My cob is good though for small cacti.

On ebay especially from asia i have no idea which ones are fake and shilling even with good ratings which can also be fabricated.

I guess one can scour weed forums for discussion on lighting.

Will take a look at source thread when i am back home later today.