Drivers and LED F series/H inFlux strips - best choices ??

[Befri]

I'm looking to make the change from HPS to LED. After countless hours of reading thru threads I have narrowed my decisions to the follow DIY set ups. I'm having conflicted thoughts on which driver to go with on these strips below. I have even looked at the HLG QB boards, which I think is a great option. I'm looking for the best spread of lighting, efficiency, reduction in energy cost. Isn't that what we are all looking for in a LED system. Any suggestions on what choices would be the best option - I'm all ears.

Lighting foot print: 5' x 5' per system, building 4 set-ups. Ceiling height is 8.5'

Lights per system:

F-series gen3 strips:
LT-F564B strips 22" 2 row - 18 pcs(SI-B8V521560WW) with HLG-320H-48A 3ea
or
H inFlux_L09 strips 22" 2 row - 20pcs(SL-B8V4N90LAWW) with 1ea HLG-480H-48B and 1ea HLG-240H-48B

Is a goal of 75% of each strip ideal for watts/mA??

What driver(s) is the best choice??

 

[Aolelon]

Curious if you are going to be doing the strips double row? Or why dont you use the 1120mm strips,

 

[nfhiggs]

I'm looking to make the change from HPS to LED. After countless hours of reading thru threads I have narrowed my decisions to the follow DIY set ups. I'm having conflicted thoughts on which driver to go with on these strips below. I have even looked at the HLG QB boards, which I think is a great option. I'm looking for the best spread of lighting, efficiency, reduction in energy cost. Isn't that what we are all looking for in a LED system. Any suggestions on what choices would be the best option - I'm all ears.

Lighting foot print: 5' x 5' per system, building 4 set-ups. Ceiling height is 8.5'

Lights per system:

F-series gen3 strips:
LT-F564B strips 22" 2 row - 18 pcs(SI-B8V521560WW) with HLG-320H-48A 3ea
or
H inFlux_L09 strips 22" 2 row - 20pcs(SL-B8V4N90LAWW) with 1ea HLG-480H-48B and 1ea HLG-240H-48B

Is a goal of 75% of each strip ideal for watts/mA??

What driver(s) is the best choice??

If the extra cost is not an issue, I would do the H-influx strips but with 2 of the HLG-480's. I like balance.

 

[Befri]

Curious if you are going to be doing the strips double row? Or why dont you use the 1120mm strips,

Double row is what I'm going to build. I wanted 1120mm originally, but they are sold out with a lead time out to the end of August(digikey). But 1120mm strips were my first choice.

If the extra cost is not an issue, I would do the H-influx strips but with 2 of the HLG-480's. I like balance.

Cost is not the issue, and I had originally had 2 - HLG-480's. But then I was second guessing myself, and I had to ask which would be best. I appreciate your guys input.

 

[diyled]

But 5 double rows per hlg-320h-48a. Use 2 per 5x5 area. Hinflux and f series are the same in performance.


If cost isn't an issue then 2 H-350 lights per 5x5

 

[ANC]

I had originally had 2 - HLG-480's.

I'd slap 5 4' double rows or 10 2' ones on that and drive it balls to the walls for every last PAR Watt you can push out of it. The fewer parts you need the fewer failure points you have.
These things are so cheap to run, efficiency is almost immaterial. It would cost me less than 7grams of weed to pay electricity for an entire flower cycle on a 320W driver.

 

[ANC]

I thought I owe you more of an explanation....I will compare 4 possible scenarios...
Number of strips/Rated Wattage of driver, Current, Temp, Power to LED, Total lumens output.

3/240W 1.664A 45C 240.10W 40414lm (100%)
3/320W 2.185A 48C 320.06W 52118lm (125%)
4/320W 1.664A 45C 320.02W 53886lm (133%)
5/480W 1.975A 46C 480.20W 79189lm (196%)
I think it is clear which of these modules will give the most light output. You need to cost the parts to decide the financial side
The difference in price for an extra strip converted to electricity over here equal about 500kW of power. Or enough to run a 320W system drawing 350W at the wall for 120 days.... all for 2% more light...

 

[diyled]

The 48a drivers go beyond that current you state.

Tj would also increase if you drive them that hard. atleast 70c.

Its also way over max current if you run the driver at full wack. 7.65/3 = 2.55A

 

[Randomblame]

For a 5x5' area two HLG-320 fits almost perfect(~700w at the wall). If upfront costs doesn't matter take 20 H-influx L09 strips.

 

[Befri]

I thought I owe you more of an explanation....I will compare 4 possible scenarios...
Number of strips/Rated Wattage of driver, Current, Temp, Power to LED, Total lumens output.

3/240W 1.664A 45C 240.10W 40414lm (100%)
3/320W 2.185A 48C 320.06W 52118lm (125%)
4/320W 1.664A 45C 320.02W 53886lm (133%)
5/480W 1.975A 46C 480.20W 79189lm (196%)
I think it is clear which of these modules will give the most light output. You need to cost the parts to decide the financial side
The difference in price for an extra strip converted to electricity over here equal about 500kW of power. Or enough to run a 320W system drawing 350W at the wall for 120 days.... all for 2% more light...

Thank you ANC! One of my approaches to this with multiple strips is to spread the light over the canopy, and to be able to have the light closer to the canopy with a lower output to each strip. But if I wanted to crank the light up, I have the option with the system if needed.

For a 5x5' area two HLG-320 fits almost perfect(~700w at the wall). If upfront costs doesn't matter take 20 H-influx L09 strips.

What do you think would be the best for the 5' x 5' area? How many strips would you run of either F series or the H-inFlux?

 

[nfhiggs]

Thank you ANC! One of my approaches to this with multiple strips is to spread the light over the canopy, and to be able to have the light closer to the canopy with a lower output to each strip. But if I wanted to crank the light up, I have the option with the system if needed.




What do you think would be the best for the 5' x 5' area? How many strips would you run of either F series or the H-inFlux?

I would do a ten of the double row F series 44", or 20 of the H-influx L09 strips.

 

[Befri]

I would do a ten of the double row F series 44", or 20 of the H-influx L09 strips.

L09 strips are what's available, so that's what I'm going to go with for now. I want to build a couple of these and go from there. The driver you recommended was HLG-480H's(2). That puts me at 960 watts total, but I can dim them down to 700 watts.

This is where I'm confused on what's the best choice. If I go with HLG-320H(2) as Randomblame recommended, that would be close to 700 watts. I'm not sure on the math here, but what's that put out in mA/micro moles/efficiency? This is all new to me, so I appreciate all the help.

 

[ANC]

A 320 is just about perfect for a 2x4 area, so his math is correct.

 

[diyled]

L09 strips are what's available, so that's what I'm going to go with for now. I want to build a couple of these and go from there. The driver you recommended was HLG-480H's(2). That puts me at 960 watts total, but I can dim them down to 700 watts.

This is where I'm confused on what's the best choice. If I go with HLG-320H(2) as Randomblame recommended, that would be close to 700 watts. I'm not sure on the math here, but what's that put out in mA/micro moles/efficiency? This is all new to me, so I appreciate all the help.

Hlg-320 is 380w each. You only need 10 hinflux. 5 per driver.

 

[Randomblame]

L09 strips are what's available, so that's what I'm going to go with for now. I want to build a couple of these and go from there. The driver you recommended was HLG-480H's(2). That puts me at 960 watts total, but I can dim them down to 700 watts.

This is where I'm confused on what's the best choice. If I go with HLG-320H(2) as Randomblame recommended, that would be close to 700 watts. I'm not sure on the math here, but what's that put out in mA/micro moles/efficiency? This is all new to me, so I appreciate all the help.

HLG-480's are 550w drivers but they are hella expensive and you don't need 1100w above a 5x5' area, mate. And if you dimm them down to 700w you'll loose a few percent of it's effiency. Two HLG-320H-48A(6,7Amps) are just perfect because you can use it's full potential and save ~50$ per driver.
With 10 L09 strips per driver each strip would run with 670-700mA, so a third below it's nominal current. It would make them more efficient, a 3000°k strip would probably go from 178lm/w or 2,54μMol/J to something near 186lm/w or 2,66μMol/J. You can also use only 5pcs L09 strips per driver to run them a third above nom. current, each strip would get 1,34-1,45Amps and effiency goes down to 170lm/w or ~2,42μMol/j
The first solution would be more efficient and produce more light but you need twice as much strips.
If you have ~700w and effiency is 2,66μMol/J(Watt) the total flux would be 1.862μMol/s, above a 5x 5' area (2,25m²) this would be 827μMol/s/m². It's probably 10% less because of wall and distance loss so maybe ~750μMol/s/m² PPFD.
With only 5 strips per driver and 2,42μMol/J it would be 753μMol/s/m2 or ~680μMol/s/m2 incl. wall loss.
Above a 4x 4' area and calculated with 2,66 it would be 1.241 or 1100μMol/s/m² incl. wall loss, with 2,42 it would be 1130 or ~1000μMol/s/m² incl. wall loss.
A shit load of numbers, mate. But you asked for..

 

[Randomblame]

Of course, if you bring the light closer to the canopy the numbers will go up. That's why I'm sure you do not need more light for a 5x5 ' area. 700-800 is the sweet spot without additional CO² and the tops anyway grow closer to the light and get more intensity.(up to 1000)
1,6Amps is the max. rating for L09 this means you can get away with only 4 strips per HLG-320 if you want. The more strips you use the better the effiency. With 7 per driver you would run them almost at nom. current and get 2,54μMol/J and you could use lumen/w numbers from the datasheet.

 

[Befri]

HLG-480's are 550w drivers but they are hella expensive and you don't need 1100w above a 5x5' area, mate. And if you dimm them down to 700w you'll loose a few percent of it's effiency. Two HLG-320H-48A(6,7Amps) are just perfect because you can use it's full potential and save ~50$ per driver.
With 10 L09 strips per driver each strip would run with 670-700mA, so a third below it's nominal current. It would make them more efficient, a 3000°k strip would probably go from 178lm/w or 2,54μMol/J to something near 186lm/w or 2,66μMol/J. You can also use only 5pcs L09 strips per driver to run them a third above nom. current, each strip would get 1,34-1,45Amps and effiency goes down to 170lm/w or ~2,42μMol/j
The first solution would be more efficient and produce more light but you need twice as much strips.
If you have ~700w and effiency is 2,66μMol/J(Watt) the total flux would be 1.862μMol/s, above a 5x 5' area (2,25m²) this would be 827μMol/s/m². It's probably 10% less because of wall and distance loss so maybe ~750μMol/s/m² PPFD.
With only 5 strips per driver and 2,42μMol/J it would be 753μMol/s/m2 or ~680μMol/s/m2 incl. wall loss.
Above a 4x 4' area and calculated with 2,66 it would be 1.241 or 1100μMol/s/m² incl. wall loss, with 2,42 it would be 1130 or ~1000μMol/s/m² incl. wall loss.
A shit load of numbers, mate. But you asked for..

Of course, if you bring the light closer to the canopy the numbers will go up. That's why I'm sure you do not need more light for a 5x5 ' area. 700-800 is the sweet spot without additional CO² and the tops anyway grow closer to the light and get more intensity.(up to 1000)
1,6Amps is the max. rating for L09 this means you can get away with only 4 strips per HLG-320 if you want. The more strips you use the better the effiency. With 7 per driver you would run them almost at nom. current and get 2,54μMol/J and you could use lumen/w numbers from the datasheet.

That's what I'm talking about!! Thank you Randomblame!! These are the numbers that I was wondering about, and tried to figure out myself. After I posted my last comment I went back and looked over the numbers of strips and drivers. 14 strips total with a split of 7 per driver(320H-48A) is what I came too. The in between of 10 or 20 strips that made some sense to me. I'm tempted to build two different lights; 1 with 14 strips and 1 20 strips and see how they compare. Another thing I'm thinking about is the foot print, 5 x 5 vs 4 x 4. Time for some experimenting on these layouts.

For a veg light my thoughts are the following:

SI-B8TZ91B20WW ( 4k, 103 watts, 44" long, double row F series ) strips - 4ea
HLG-320H-48 driver - 1

I've always grown in a full perpetual garden. I always had plants in all stages rotating out. I like splitting my grow into 1 month harvest, it helps cut down the trim time and keeps a consistent flow of flower. For example a 4 light room with 16' x 16' foot print(flower room), I flower the first two lights for a month and then I start the next set under the other 2 lights. It's not exactly a finish every month, but pretty close.

 

[Befri]

Heat sink questions for these H-inFLux strips. Can you use aluminium tube in place of channel? For example, I have 1-1/2" x 1" x 1/16" thick tube laying around. Will this work as a heat sink for these strips? I also have access to other alum tubing at really low prices, I don't have hook ups on c-channel. I love to take advantage of wholesale prices wherever I can and when I can.

 

[nfhiggs]

Heat sink questions for these H-inFLux strips. Can you use aluminium tube in place of channel? For example, I have 1-1/2" x 1" x 1/16" thick tube laying around. Will this work as a heat sink for these strips? I also have access to other alum tubing at really low prices, I don't have hook ups on c-channel. I love to take advantage of wholesale prices wherever I can and when I can.

View attachment 4174793

Yes, you can use square tubing, it works fine. In fact you can put a small fan in the end and make it active cooling.

 

[Befri]

Yes, you can use square tubing, it works fine. In fact you can put a small fan in the end and make it active cooling.

Thank you @nfhiggs !! My thought was there's more surface area on tubing vs the c channel. But it was thinner than what I've been seeing around RUI on DIY strip builds.

I've ordered all the h-inFlux strips(40 - 3000k, and 10 - 4000k), they are due to arrive tomorrow. Drivers have arrived, and let the fun begin on building my first LED light.