5 x 5 tent, led grow light design ????
- Thread starter Cdjbm07
- Start date
InTheValley
Well-Known Member
whats the bank consider?
boilingoil
Well-Known Member
If that's your budget on lighting, you'd be best served with a 1000 HPS for a 5x5. Your not going to get anything for a 5x5 that will due crap for $300.
Moflow
Well-Known Member
I can't see it.
Have you checked out led gardeners site for some ideas?
https://ledgardener.com/diy-led-strip-build-designs-samsung-bridgelux/
There's a complete parts list.
5 x 5 grow lights with Bridgelux 4 ft Strips might get you in around 300 - 350
https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/bridgelux/BXEB-L1120Z-35E4000-C-B3/976-1732-ND/7907661?utm_adgroup=General&mkwid=sU5LbP0S7&pcrid=267270543729&pkw=&pmt=b&pdv=t&productid=&slid=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3srQi56y4wIVBLDtCh0TNgooEAAYAiAAEgKn7fD_BwE
boilingoil
Well-Known Member
Depends on if you're skilled enough to assemble a light yourself. Self assembly will run you a $1 a watt. If your purchasing then it'll run $1.60-2.00 a watt.
boilingoil
Well-Known Member
That's only about 350 watts of light.
coreywebster
Well-Known Member
@Cdjbm07
Parts list.
2x meanwell lrs350-48 power supplies. $25-35 each.
16 x cutter strips (cree J series) approx. $150 https://www.cutter.com.au/product/ssk-1560-3590cr/?attribute_pa_led-colour=3500-kelvin&attribute_pa_thermal-tape-length=no-tape&attribute_pa_cri-colour=90-cri
Those are 90cri, I would suggest getting 8x 90cr and 8x 80cri for higher average lm/w
They are 560mm. Wires all soldered on and thermal tape is included. From aus though but shipping is fair. (click option with added tape)
Aluminium U shape frame.
8 lengths of 3/4 inch U around 1200mm each. (5m cost me $10 cut to size) so maybe $20
Wire. You will have to research that yourself, different prices where I am. I wouldn't know where is good to look in USA.
That's your basic 700w set up. But by no means underperforming.
Those strips been 48v will get 350w with 8 of them per lrs 350-48.
If you wanted to go with highest lm/w you could use all 80cri but you would still be hitting good efficiency adding half 90cri.
All that with everything you need including wire and plugs should come in $300 or less even after shipping and taxes on the strips.
There are other options too like EB strips which you can get locally. But the voltage will be different so you will have to work out which is the best option, matching the lrs power supply to the strips voltage.
Parts list.
2x meanwell lrs350-48 power supplies. $25-35 each.
16 x cutter strips (cree J series) approx. $150 https://www.cutter.com.au/product/ssk-1560-3590cr/?attribute_pa_led-colour=3500-kelvin&attribute_pa_thermal-tape-length=no-tape&attribute_pa_cri-colour=90-cri
Those are 90cri, I would suggest getting 8x 90cr and 8x 80cri for higher average lm/w
They are 560mm. Wires all soldered on and thermal tape is included. From aus though but shipping is fair. (click option with added tape)
Aluminium U shape frame.
8 lengths of 3/4 inch U around 1200mm each. (5m cost me $10 cut to size) so maybe $20
Wire. You will have to research that yourself, different prices where I am. I wouldn't know where is good to look in USA.
That's your basic 700w set up. But by no means underperforming.
Those strips been 48v will get 350w with 8 of them per lrs 350-48.
If you wanted to go with highest lm/w you could use all 80cri but you would still be hitting good efficiency adding half 90cri.
All that with everything you need including wire and plugs should come in $300 or less even after shipping and taxes on the strips.
There are other options too like EB strips which you can get locally. But the voltage will be different so you will have to work out which is the best option, matching the lrs power supply to the strips voltage.
Last edited:
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
@Op
You could also do the same setup but instead of using strips you can use chinese qb clones, cost between 25-30 per unit (no heatsink, use same drivers as above): use somewhere between 8-10 of them spread out over the drivers, maybe with some backing alusheet if you use less than 5 per driver.
Checknout the chinese knock off thread for more infos
NugHeuser
Well-Known Member
With this setup, would you wire it in series or parallel? Does it matter which?
coreywebster
Well-Known Member
You can wire multiple strips direct to each terminals on the power supply or you can wire parallel like you would see on a HLG parallel set up. Either way its parallel.
Not as sexy as a meanwell HLG few percent less efficient too. But the price is great
NugHeuser
Well-Known Member
Yeah I got a buddy who went with your exact recommended setup above and just trying to help him out with it. I appreciate the post, definitely a cost efficient choice for led strips, I never knew you could get a such setup so cheap.You can wire multiple strips direct to each terminals on the power supply or you can wire parallel like you would see on a HLG parallel set up. Either way its parallel.
Not as sexy as a meanwell HLG few percent less efficient too. But the price is great
eatled
Active Member
Do you understand the difference between a constant voltage vs, a constant current supply?
This Mean Well LRS is a voltage source. The output voltage must closely match the forward voltage of the strips.
You do not want a voltage source with a voltage that exceeds the strip's maximum forward voltage.
The safe way to use this supply is to add a Mean Well LDD current driver.
I use pairs of Bridgelux Vesta strips because it is the only off the shelf 2700K 90 CRI I could find in stock. It also has a row of 5000K 90 CRI that I never use.
The min-max Vf of a 560 mm Vesta is 23V - 26V. I always use a pair wired in series so the total voltage range is 46v-53V.
The Mean Well LRS-XXX-48 adjustable output range is 43.2 ~ 52.8V.
This is a safe voltage range for the strips I use.
If the LRS output can exceed the max Vf of your strip(s) then you need to be very careful the output adjustment does not exceed the Vf of your strip(s)
If you were to use an BXEB-L1120Z (Vf 37V - 43 V) the LRS would not be a good choice unless you added an LDD driver to each strip.
This Mean Well LRS is a voltage source. The output voltage must closely match the forward voltage of the strips.
You do not want a voltage source with a voltage that exceeds the strip's maximum forward voltage.
The safe way to use this supply is to add a Mean Well LDD current driver.
I use pairs of Bridgelux Vesta strips because it is the only off the shelf 2700K 90 CRI I could find in stock. It also has a row of 5000K 90 CRI that I never use.
The min-max Vf of a 560 mm Vesta is 23V - 26V. I always use a pair wired in series so the total voltage range is 46v-53V.
The Mean Well LRS-XXX-48 adjustable output range is 43.2 ~ 52.8V.
This is a safe voltage range for the strips I use.
If the LRS output can exceed the max Vf of your strip(s) then you need to be very careful the output adjustment does not exceed the Vf of your strip(s)
If you were to use an BXEB-L1120Z (Vf 37V - 43 V) the LRS would not be a good choice unless you added an LDD driver to each strip.
NugHeuser
Well-Known Member
Well the strips he got are 48v max, so the safe way to go about this is to set the driver to about 47v with a multimeter first then should be good to go?
eatled
Active Member
Adjust the voltage to the minimum (counter clockwise), fire it up, then slowly increase the voltage.
Monitor the temperature of the strip. You can use your finger.
Increase the voltage until the strip feels somewhere between warm and hot but not burning hot. You should be able to leave your finger on continuously.
You are not using strips with current limiting resistors are you?
Monitor the temperature of the strip. You can use your finger.
Increase the voltage until the strip feels somewhere between warm and hot but not burning hot. You should be able to leave your finger on continuously.
You are not using strips with current limiting resistors are you?