DIY 13w Philips bulbs panel - is it worth it?

[Blue Whale]

Hey, I would like to ask more seasoned LED growers if my predictions are right.

According to Shane from MIGRO company, 13w Philips bulbs can produce up to 1.78umol/J, when tested using 6 bulbs in 2x2 .
Will this efficiency stay roughly the same if I decide to use more bulbs in a bigger area?

Here are my calculations (correct me if I'm wrong)
Let's say I want a medium of 750 umol in a 2x3 (60x90 in cm or 0.54m2)
750 * 0.54 / 1.78 = 227.5W~ that would be approximately how much wattage I would need for this area
227.5 / 13 = 17.46 - around this many bulbs should give me required light density

My main concerns would be, that the efficiency doesn't exactly work like that, and that the measurements in MIGRO were made with light 11cm from the PAR meter, and due to the lights not being designed specifically for horticulture, the quality may degrade greatly for branches further away from the lights.

I will appreciate any help and criticism.

 

[BobThe420Builder]

Some have grown decent small plants with light bulbs

Personally I'd get a real grow light. Even a cheap one will do 10x better than bulbs

Mars, Spyder and Viperspectra have decent lights under $100, think some for $80

 

[Hydrahail]

Screw in grow

You will have better luck running quantum boards, strips or COBS at much higher efficiency !!!! I also have 3 high output cob arrays,10 cobs total.1 array is 3 3590 cxb ,hlg 185 h1400a at 3500k.1 is 2cxb 3070 and 1 3590 at 150c1400b at 3000k.The main 1 is 4 clu0481818 run at hlg240 h1050b at...

www.rollitup.org

This guys seems to do pretty good with those type of lighting

 

[BobThe420Builder]

Lol

Done stretchy larfy plants. Money invested in all those fixtures and lights could get a decent REAL grow light

 

[Rocket Soul]

Hey, I would like to ask more seasoned LED growers if my predictions are right.

According to Shane from MIGRO company, 13w Philips bulbs can produce up to 1.78umol/J, when tested using 6 bulbs in 2x2 .
Will this efficiency stay roughly the same if I decide to use more bulbs in a bigger area?

Here are my calculations (correct me if I'm wrong)
Let's say I want a medium of 750 umol in a 2x3 (60x90 in cm or 0.54m2)
750 * 0.54 / 1.78 = 227.5W~ that would be approximately how much wattage I would need for this area
227.5 / 13 = 17.46 - around this many bulbs should give me required light density

My main concerns would be, that the efficiency doesn't exactly work like that, and that the measurements in MIGRO were made with light 11cm from the PAR meter, and due to the lights not being designed specifically for horticulture, the quality may degrade greatly for branches further away from the lights.

I will appreciate any help and criticism.

I'd try making numbers for your bulb light, including cabling, framing and the sockets. For 17 bulbs I'm pretty sure it will be expensive enough to make an Alibaba 2 board set competitive in price. The bulbs can work fine for seedlings but for flower your better off with a real growlight.

 

[Blue Whale]

I'd try making numbers for your bulb light, including cabling, framing and the sockets. For 17 bulbs I'm pretty sure it will be expensive enough to make an Alibaba 2 board set competitive in price.

The bulbs themselves will cost around 50 bucks (for set of 18 )
18 sockets is another 15$
I have some cables lying around, but I would have to check the framing prices as well. Probably few more bucks
Kingbritte charges 130$ for 240W panel which surely is superior to light bulbs, but is it 2x better umol/J-wise

This guys seems to do pretty good with those type of lighting

And he is using unspecified led bulbs with different wattage, so it's hard to evaluate his panel's real efficiency (at least 22 bulbs with 250W total)

 

[Southernontariogrower]

Hey, I would like to ask more seasoned LED growers if my predictions are right.

According to Shane from MIGRO company, 13w Philips bulbs can produce up to 1.78umol/J, when tested using 6 bulbs in 2x2 .
Will this efficiency stay roughly the same if I decide to use more bulbs in a bigger area?

Here are my calculations (correct me if I'm wrong)
Let's say I want a medium of 750 umol in a 2x3 (60x90 in cm or 0.54m2)
750 * 0.54 / 1.78 = 227.5W~ that would be approximately how much wattage I would need for this area
227.5 / 13 = 17.46 - around this many bulbs should give me required light density

My main concerns would be, that the efficiency doesn't exactly work like that, and that the measurements in MIGRO were made with light 11cm from the PAR meter, and due to the lights not being designed specifically for horticulture, the quality may degrade greatly for branches further away from the lights.

I will appreciate any help and criticism.

Buy one of Shanes setups, lm sure Migro would grow good weed

 

[Blue Whale]

Buy one of Shanes setups, lm sure Migro would grow good weed

I don't doubt that, their PAR ratings are amazing for low scale growing, but even their 120W array costs over 230 euro which is way over my budget at the moment

 

[Southernontariogrower]

I don't doubt that, their PAR ratings are amazing for low scale growing, but even their 120W array costs over 230 euro which is way over my budget at the moment

Think smaller then. 150w can do a 2x2 without a problem, lots of 150w leds.summer is coming you just need to put them outside, ld soak them overnite then plant.

 

[Moflow]

What about 5 or 6 Vesta strips and a driver?
6 x strips ~ $60
MW 185h 24a Driver $33
Aluminium angle for frame

BXEB-TL-2750G-3000-A-13 Bridgelux | Optoelectronics | DigiKey

Order today, ships today. BXEB-TL-2750G-3000-A-13 – LED Lighting COBs Engines Modules LED Module series White, Warm / White, Cool Linear Light Strip from Bridgelux. Pricing and Availability on millions of electronic components from Digi-Key Electronics.

www.digikey.com

Driver

Meanwell HLG-185H-24A / HLG-185H-36A / HLG-185H-48A LED Lamp Lighting Power Supply

Meanwell HLG-185H-24A / HLG-185H-36A / HLG-185H-48A LED Lamp Lighting Power Supply

www.ledcontrollercard.com

 

[Rocket Soul]

What about 5 or 6 Vesta strips and a driver?
6 x strips ~ $60
MW 185h 24a Driver $33
Aluminium angle for frame

BXEB-TL-2750G-3000-A-13 Bridgelux | Optoelectronics | DigiKey

Order today, ships today. BXEB-TL-2750G-3000-A-13 – LED Lighting COBs Engines Modules LED Module series White, Warm / White, Cool Linear Light Strip from Bridgelux. Pricing and Availability on millions of electronic components from Digi-Key Electronics.

www.digikey.com

Driver

Meanwell HLG-185H-24A / HLG-185H-36A / HLG-185H-48A LED Lamp Lighting Power Supply

Meanwell HLG-185H-24A / HLG-185H-36A / HLG-185H-48A LED Lamp Lighting Power Supply

www.ledcontrollercard.com

This is a killer suggestion, you would need to add some sinking though.

 

[Moflow]

This is a killer suggestion, you would need to add some sinking though.

I've never tried them but they a very much maligned and misunstood strip.... lol
A great value versatile strip that'll grow good weed.
You dont need the latest and greatest efficiency to grow a bit o weed.

 

[Moflow]

Something like a diy version of a vertical system that hybridway used a few years ago. I can't remember what it was called... got it! 'Suncloak'

SunCloak lights

Anyone other than Hybrid have any experience with the SunCloak lights? I really like the concept but I'm not sure if I should go with them or wait until Timber is offering Vero builds? I'm trying to light up 2 rows of 4X8 in a sealed basement room and I would like to try to get by with no A/C...

www.rollitup.org

Reviewing Sun Cloak Systems vertical LED panels: A transition from HID to LED

Hi there, Tommy Trichrome here, first time forum poster, but long time reader. By chance I came across the Suncloak vertical LED lighting system as it was being developed in the same building in which I was employed. I have been amazed by the results and felt it necessary share what I have...

www.icmag.com

 

[Zokko]

Bump.
I'm interested.
I'm thinking about doing something similar.
Actually I already ordered some Osram 13w 1521 lumen bulbs on really good discount.
Already painted white a small cabinet 1.35 x 1.35 x 2.65 feet. Gonna put a big air sucker ontop to pull the heat from 9 of these bulbs.
I have 3 autos 3 weeks old and I dnt think I'm gonna have enough space for all my plants in my original growbox.
Maybe gona put 2 of them or 1 in a larger pot under 9 of these bulbs.

 

[Zokko]

I did it. I got 1 plant 10 days into flower 2 gal fabric pot just moved in the box yesterday.
Mounted 6 x 2700k + 3 x 4000k on the ceiling, as high as possible. I used ceramic sockets and they do take off some of the heat. I think the bulb housing material is aluminium, not thermoplastic. Also the screw is definitely made of aluminium.
Now, the bulbs do get hot but not as much as cheaper bulbs that I use. I have the exhaust right on top, even mounted the center bulb on the fan.
Will post results.

 

[Moflow]

I did it. I got 1 plant 10 days into flower 2 gal fabric pot just moved in the box yesterday.
Mounted 6 x 2700k + 3 x 4000k on the ceiling, as high as possible. I used ceramic sockets and they do take off some of the heat. I think the bulb housing material is aluminium, not thermoplastic. Also the screw is definitely made of aluminium.
Now, the bulbs do get hot but not as much as cheaper bulbs that I use. I have the exhaust right on top, even mounted the center bulb on the fan.
Will post results.

Good job, keep us posted.