Strip build for 2x1.5ft vegging space

[Nishing21]

Can some helpful soul pls reccommend some strips and driver for a very small veg space, I Have no idea what I'm doing despite having read what feels like hundreds of threads.

I currently hav a 30w cfl in this space, it's used for cloning and (slowly) vegging plants, I put the vegging plants in the flower room during the lights on period to give them more light but doing this is a pain and means I can't fill the flower room with flowering plants.

So, I need a bigger light in this space but unsure how many strips I want for ideal coverage.

Space will allow 12" between top of plants in final container to light and I want to use 50w or less, I think 200 PAR would be sufficient as I don't want very fast growth.

Looking at these as apparently they are what everyone else is using https://www.digikey.co.uk/products/en?k ... C-C3&v=976

Any suggestions on how many i would want to run and on which driver, or should I run the smaller 340mm strips.

Oh and i would like to be able to dim.

Budget is tight because I just replaced my 600w hps with a hlg 350r, hope to spend less than 50 British pounds!

Please help before I drive myself insane!

Thanks

[Horst]

Hey Bro
Am new in the led topic too and did read myself into it in the last 3 month.
In my opinion u are on the right track here. The bridgelux are good at the red wavelengths and cheaper than the Samsung, but less efficient a bit.
Take a look at the cri90 strips too. Less efficient but better color spectrum. You mostly did read that the growth of the plants are more beautiful and natural.
If the efficiency is not so important in veg maybe u could take a look at the cri98 led called thrive. Even less efficient and even better spectrum.
But I think u would take 5000k or 5700k in veg with the thrive LEDs.
G

[Nishing21]

Thanks for the reply.

I would say efficiency is quite important due to low wattage, so think I will stick to the bridgelux gen3 or the Samsung's.

I was set on Samsung's initially but everyone seems to reccommend the bridgelux gen3 so I figured they were better/more efficient, what are the samsung strips people are using as there's so many diff ones on digikey.

Cheers

[Nishing21]

So after going round in circles for another few hours I am going to stick with the bridgelux gen3s, thinking 2 or 3?

Can someone give me some guidance on what else I need? Hoping to avoid heatsinks/u channels etc.

60w meanwell driver, external dimmer?

[PeteR_1]

So after going round in circles for another few hours I am going to stick with the bridgelux gen3s, thinking 2 or 3?
Can someone give me some guidance on what else I need? Hoping to avoid heatsinks/u channels etc.
60w meanwell driver, external dimmer?

Size Grow Light for "Grow Area and Plant specific Growth Stage"... download/file.php?id=4438

To avoid "heatsinks" the LED strips must run well below 50% max rated Amps (Watts), but some stiffening is still required; Aluminum Sheet, Bar or Angle...
Your 3 sq ft area requires a 120 PPF fixture at ~ 50 Watts for ~ 400 PPFD coverage... Good luck.

Some Calculations:
2ft x 1.5ft = 3 sq ft ~ 0.3 sq m (actually 0.2787 sq m)
200 PPFD (Seedlings / Cuttings) * 0.3 = 60 PPF fixture
400 PPFD (Vegetative) * 0.3 = 120 PPF Fixture

120 PPF / 2.5 PPE = 48 Watts

LED Strips;
BXEB-L0560Z-50E2000-C-B3... https://www.digikey.com/en/products/det ... B3/7907664
Bridgelux Gen 2 5000K 560mm 2460Lm (36.9 PPF), 175Lm/W (2.625 PPE), 19.5Vf, 0.7Amp, 13.65W
40 Watts * 2.625 PPE (PPF/W) = 105 PPF @ Fixture
48 Watts * 2.625 PPE = 126 PPF Fixture

LED Driver;
XLG-50-AB wired in 2-Series/2-Parallel Circuit... https://www.digikey.com/en/products/det ... AB/9858488

[Nishing21]

Thanks for the reply, so you are recommending 4 strips? I would like to stick with 4k so can I use the strips I linked with your suggested driver?

Will I be running the strips at their most efficient with this setup?

Also need to add a dimmer.

Sorry for all the questions

Cheers

[PeteR_1]

Thanks for the reply, so you are recommending 4 strips? I would like to stick with 4k so can I use the strips I linked with your suggested driver?
Will I be running the strips at their most efficient with this setup?
Also need to add a dimmer.
Sorry for all the questions
Cheers

You're welcome.

Yes, 4 strips (to match the driver), also they will operate more efficiently and provide better (more uniform) area coverage for the same Watts.
Yes, they can use the same driver and wiring scheme.
Yes, they will be running under 50% max Amps (Watts) and over 200 Lm/W, but may require some heat dissipation (?) due to being narrow, "Slim" type strips...
Yes a dimmer is needed for dimming, but the -AB suffix MeanWell LED drivers have a built-in Adjustable Pot that can set the Maximum Output Current (Watts) between 50% and 100% output...

[Nishing21]

Brilliant thanks, think 50% dimming will prob be enough so if I order the 4 strips and the driver am I right in thinking the only other things I need are aluminium bar and wire, any particular wire I need?

Cheers

[PeteR_1]

Brilliant thanks, think 50% dimming will prob be enough so if I order the 4 strips and the driver am I right in thinking the only other things I need are aluminium bar and wire, any particular wire I need?
Cheers

The 50 - 100% Adjustment is only for infrequent adjustment not frequent "Dimming"...
The recommended wire is solid 18 - 24 AWG (to fit the LED Strip connectors), but I use a "stiff" 7-conductor stranded 18 AWG. The "Release pin" on the connectors can be gently depressed to easily insert stiff "Stranded" wire.

BTW, at 200Lm/W (3.0 PPE) you would only need 40 Watts for the required 120 PPF output...
120 PPF / 3.0 PPE = 40 Watts

[Nishing21]

Ok benefit of the stranded wire being flexibility I presume?

How would I go about adding a proper dimmer to this setup then?

Cheers