LED light distance from canopy
- Thread starter mickfanning
- Start date
wietefras
Well-Known Member
You shouldn't adjust distance to dim the lights. That's just wasting light (electricity) on the walls. Dim the drivers instead.
Distance to canopy is related to the distance between the strips. When the strips are closer together you can hang the light closer to the plants to have uniformly distributed light. Rule of thumb I use is between half and the full strip to strip distance.
Distance to canopy is related to the distance between the strips. When the strips are closer together you can hang the light closer to the plants to have uniformly distributed light. Rule of thumb I use is between half and the full strip to strip distance.
nfhiggs
Well-Known Member
No, he means the distance BETWEEN the strips, not their length. If the strips are 4 inches apart , then its 2-4 inches.
Fawkes420
Well-Known Member
I should mention that my plants are in veg. state. Should i keep the light at same distance regardless if thet are in veg. or in flower state?
Today it is day 4 and until now i've keeping them at around 3" with 50% load. Watering them with a syringe every other day when soil is dry.
What do u think? Are they ok?
Today it is day 4 and until now i've keeping them at around 3" with 50% load. Watering them with a syringe every other day when soil is dry.
What do u think? Are they ok?
Attachments
Last edited:
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Hmm!? How much is 50% in watts? I would keep such a young plant at least 12-16" away from the light but six 2ft. EBgen.2 at 280mA would be only ~32w(19v x 280mA x 6). If that's the current power draw 6-12" should be okay.
Let the plant grow and keep that distance but increase intensity slowly when the plant gets bigger. Because your light is only ~82w at 700mA you should reduce to 4-6" distance when switching your lighting regime to 12/12h.
With an even canopy and the even distribution the strips offer you should get some nice results.
Fawkes420
Well-Known Member
Hi.
I don't run 2ft strips, it is 12 1ft mounted 2 each aluframe. I had to reconfig my initially setup and i had allready ordered the 1 footers.
The 1ft strips have a 700mA max instead of the 2ft strips that have 1400mA.
If i run them att 350mA i suppose it is around 50% (350/700=0,50).
I also measured the voltage and it gives me 19,82v.
19,82*0,35=6,93
6,93*12(strips)=83(power in w)
I have a grow tent 2x2 = 4 square feet,,,83/4=20,8w/square feet
I don't run 2ft strips, it is 12 1ft mounted 2 each aluframe. I had to reconfig my initially setup and i had allready ordered the 1 footers.
The 1ft strips have a 700mA max instead of the 2ft strips that have 1400mA.
If i run them att 350mA i suppose it is around 50% (350/700=0,50).
I also measured the voltage and it gives me 19,82v.
19,82*0,35=6,93
6,93*12(strips)=83(power in w)
I have a grow tent 2x2 = 4 square feet,,,83/4=20,8w/square feet
Kenny Grows
Active Member
When reading the datasheets think of "Max current" as your led's are gonna melt soon, you never wanna run them this hot. "Current Test" is what everyone on RIU run there lights at. So if you're giving your 1ft strips 300+mA you need to cool them somehow. I'm to newbie to say, but I'd move them up some has well, you're plants will show signs of light stress (frayed leaf tips).
Randomblame
Well-Known Member
Ah okay, but in the end it's still the same 82-83w and you can do it like I said.
No need for additional cooling at 300+ mA for the EBgen.2 strips. With 525-700mA I would recommend to use c-channels or alu flashing.
Fawkes420
Well-Known Member
So,,, let me see if i got it right.
In this stage (4th day) i can run like this......
19,42v x 350mA (50% of 700Ma) x 12 strips gives me a system total of 81W and therefore it would be around 10" distance.
Or should i go lower in w? Like 280mA (40% of 700mA)?
Then in flower with 75% load of 700mA....
19,42v x 525ma x 12 strips,,, system total of 122W.
I thought i got it, but now i'm confused (again)
I have put them under 65w and 9" for now.
Last edited:
wietefras
Well-Known Member
If you can dim the drivers then yes. If you want to give the plants less light then you should dim the lights rather than waste light on your walls.
The distance to canopy is only for distributing the light. They need to be far enough away for the light to overlap nicely. The correct uniformity is the same regardless of how much light is produced by the strips. If the intensity is too high for the plants then you should reduce that instead of moving the light up.
Fawkes420
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I'll try to dim down instead of rising the lights. I find this a little bit tricky since this is my first grow and therefore i'm not shure how to read the signs if anything is wrong (to hot, to intense light etc).
Isn't the system watt important? i mean, if i had to dim down instead of risigt the lights, then i'll be lowering the system watt, right?
Isn't the system watt important? i mean, if i had to dim down instead of risigt the lights, then i'll be lowering the system watt, right?
I think a $15 lux meter is a good investment, especially for beginners.
Some good guidelines from @Randomblame and others, https://www.rollitup.org/t/slow-yellowish-growth-under-vero-29-3000k-3500k.962065/page-2
"early vegging: ~15.000lx (220/240μMol/s/m² PPFD)
late vegging: ~25.000lx(360/400μMol/s/m² PPFD)
flowering: ~ 40.000-50.000lx(580/645 - 725/800μMol/s/m² PPFD)"
Some good guidelines from @Randomblame and others, https://www.rollitup.org/t/slow-yellowish-growth-under-vero-29-3000k-3500k.962065/page-2
"early vegging: ~15.000lx (220/240μMol/s/m² PPFD)
late vegging: ~25.000lx(360/400μMol/s/m² PPFD)
flowering: ~ 40.000-50.000lx(580/645 - 725/800μMol/s/m² PPFD)"
Last edited:
wietefras
Well-Known Member
Oh come on, you don't kill them that fast 
Problems in vegging usually just mean your veg period needs to be a bit longer. No big deal.
Besides I give them full blast in late veg too. That's when they are in the flowering tent under the same flowering light, but then for 18 hours.
Problems in vegging usually just mean your veg period needs to be a bit longer. No big deal.
Besides I give them full blast in late veg too. That's when they are in the flowering tent under the same flowering light, but then for 18 hours.
Joshawah82
Member
%factsWhile I don't disagree that there's a lot of garbage chinese knock-off's out there. I don't agree with your blanket put down of anything chinese being garbage. Look around and everything you own probably has something made or assembled in china, get over it. There are some that can be had for much lower pricing and perform just fine for someone growing in a small area for personal use or hobby. Not everyone needs or can afford the $500 - $2,0000 top tier lights but may have very good reasons to want to utilize the benefits of LED's. Recommending the big brands is easy, not very helpful though for those on a budget or wanting to get their feet wet with indoor or LED's. Nor will everyone want to go through the hassle or have the skills to build one (DIY). Put another way, not can everyone afford to drive a Benz C65 AMG, that's why they make north american cars, so the rest can drive something and still get from A-->B (that's a jab btw, I'm sure there are perfectly good north american cars, I'd just never drive one)
Joshawah82
Member
Yezzir