LEC - Light-Emitting Ceramic

[dbkick]

Try this

Looks good on paper but the one review it got there was pretty bad , although I'm aware some people just don't review things fairly, the part I notice is about the ballast. it says "

• High frequency design means low harmonic distortion

But I don't get that part, low freq core and coil thd is none to very very low.
That light sure does look good on paper though. at 32 inches umole 1850, 97 cri (although plants don't know what that acronym means according to a well respected light manufacturer. Jesus reading on thru the specs it operates at 100-200khz.
That review though seems legit issues. But then he mentions philips allstarts which this isn't is it?
I realize some companies rebrand so I dunno.

 

[hyroot]

the DNA 900 bulb is the allstart 860 rebranded. This was all covered in cococolas thread last year.

if you can find a digi ballast at the right frequency you can run the 860's on it. DNA has that ballast. But they were charging $800 for the bulb and ballast. Im not sure what it costs now.

 

[ttystikk]

the DNA 900 bulb is the allstart 860 rebranded. This was all covered in cococolas thread last year.

if you can find a digi ballast at the right frequency you can run the 860's on it. DNA has that ballast. But they were charging $800 for the bulb and ballast. Im not sure what it costs now.

I also ran 860W CDM lamps, but on magnetic ballasts last year and I wasn't impressed.

I think the Hortilux platinum thouie ballast would run it. Its specs say it runs at 120Hz. What do you think?

Another of its features is that it's a square wave output ballast. This may be as critical a part of the equation as the lamp itself.

 

[hyroot]

I also ran 860W CDM lamps, but on magnetic ballasts last year and I wasn't impressed.

I think the Hortilux platinum thouie ballast would run it. Its specs say it runs at 120Hz. What do you think?

Another of its features is that it's a square wave output ballast. This may be as critical a part of the equation as the lamp itself.

I'm not 100% sure. I think the 860's run at 60hz

 

[ttystikk]

I'm not 100% sure. I think the 860's run at 60hz

Having read their specs pretty carefully when I got them, the major concern about using electronic ballasts was high frequencies- the acceptable range if I recall correctly was up to something like 200-250 Hz. The ultra high frequencies of most other electronic ballasts (10,000-250,000 Hz) was physically destructive to the pit and it would destroy itself.

Square wave is another issue, more related to total photon flux; you've seen the dark stripes in shots of people's grows? That's direct evidence of the fact that the sine curve ballast is actually NOT lighting the lamp for a significant fraction of the time. Square wave output solves this- but it's apparently expensive to make ballasts that do it, as all the ones I've seen are substantially more costly.

 

[alesh]

Any idea on how efficient the LEC fixtures can be?

Just wondering if COBS truly are the best indoor lighting application, with or without CREE products, at this time, regardless of cost.

My rough estimate is slightly under 40%. It's data sheet states 1.95 uE/J. DIY LEDs can be definitely more efficient.

 

[vitamin_green_inc]

Got a sweet deal that I couldn't pass up

 

[GroErr]

Got a sweet deal that I couldn't pass up

Fire her up! Want to see some CMH porn

 

[dbkick]

Got a sweet deal that I couldn't pass up

You're gonna prompt me to buy another one and I don't even need it.

 

[vitamin_green_inc]

Fire her up! Want to see some CMH porn

Lol I will get some shots from my buddy this week. He's installing the wiring this week I will post back this weekemd

 

[borbor]

You're gonna prompt me to buy another one and I don't even need it.

I say that like once a week.

 

[GroErr]

Here's another prompt, Day 35, 4x Blue Dream's in 5gal, 40" x 40" x 35-38" H, my "about a pound" run



Cheers

 

[PSUAGRO.]

looking gooooooooood groerr

 

[AquariusPanta]

Here's another prompt, Day 35, 4x Blue Dream's in 5gal, 40" x 40" x 35-38" H, my "about a pound" run

View attachment 3395910

Cheers

Now is that with a 315W LEC fixture, GroErr?

 

[GroErr]

Now is that with a 315W LEC fixture, GroErr?

Yes, they're under one LEC, pushing this run out to ~3.5 x 3.5 and ~3ft. H to see what a decent yielding strain can do under one of these lights. Not seeing any drop off in bud production or penetration from my previous 3x3 runs so far.

 

[AquariusPanta]

Yes, they're under one LEC, pushing this run out to ~3.5 x 3.5 and ~3ft. H to see what a decent yielding strain can do under one of these lights. Not seeing any drop off in bud production or penetration from my previous 3x3 runs so far.

That's about 25W/sq. ft.! That's surprising to me, given the stellar condition and progression of your plants at this point in budding!

How far is the light from the canopy? Have you experimented with determining how close the fixture and bulb can come into contact?

 

[GroErr]

That's about 25W/sq. ft.! That's surprising to me, given the stellar condition and progression of your plants at this point in budding!

How far is the light from the canopy? Have you experimented with determining how close the fixture and bulb can come into contact?

Yeah, it's awesome I've been running them for ~9 months and tried from about 12" to 20" in 2 inch increments. Anything under 18-20" above the canopy and you get some top-level canopy bleaching of the leaves. 18" - 20" seems to be the sweet spot. I was thinking I may have to go a little higher to cover off this footprint but edges are doing just fine so left it at 18"-20".

I also played around with different pot sizes and height of plants in addition to the distance from the canopy. The sweet spot seems to be around 36" height for the plants. I found that shorter plants were really wasting light as they penetrate well. Plant height around 34-38" still provides good coverage and minimal popcorn other than the very bottom, but even that I've noticed is strain dependent. So this run should really push the limits for both footprint and canopy depth.

 

[dbkick]

Back to the allstart

the DNA 900 bulb is the allstart 860 rebranded. This was all covered in cococolas thread last year.

if you can find a digi ballast at the right frequency you can run the 860's on it. DNA has that ballast. But they were charging $800 for the bulb and ballast. Im not sure what it costs now.

I'm not 100% sure. I think the 860's run at 60hz

Was reading somewhere (that I don't remember where ) the 860s run at 174hz.

 

[ttystikk]

Back to the allstart


Was reading somewhere (that I don't remember where ) the 860s run at 174hz.

Maybe the ballast does, the bulb is going to run at whatever the ballast feeds it- good or bad.

My magnetic ballasts ran at 60Hz, bulbs did fine.

Not sure if I mentioned it in this thread, but I think a big part of making these bulbs work best is using a square wave ballast to run them. Hortilux offers their platinum ballast, but it's fucking ridiculously expensive! Does anyone have any ideas about where I could source a proper square wave ballast for less than $550?

 

[dbkick]

Maybe the ballast does, the bulb is going to run at whatever the ballast feeds it- good or bad.

My magnetic ballasts ran at 60Hz, bulbs did fine.

Not sure if I mentioned it in this thread, but I think a big part of making these bulbs work best is using a square wave ballast to run them. Hortilux offers their platinum ballast, but it's fucking ridiculously expensive! Does anyone have any ideas about where I could source a proper square wave ballast for less than $550?

I read on the page hyroot posted I think, the 860s are designed to run sine wave. It's all a mystery to me.