How many watts of Samsung lm561c strips for 80cmx80cm

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Garythegoose

Member
I've got a veg tent which I'm using a 315w cmh. My plan is to buy another 315w cmh, retire my 600w HPS, and put both of the cmh lights in my flower tent, and then build an led light for the veg tent.

How many watts of Samsung strips would be enough for veg in an 80cmx80cm tent?

I've seen a kit sold locally which has 3x f series strips (432 Leds) run off an hlg185h-48 driver, dimmer and everything included, its advertised as 200w. Would this be enough to veg 4 bubblers?
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
I built a fixture for a friend using 4 of the 2' double row F-strips and a HLG 185h-48b driver mounted on a 24x18 cookie sheet. Absolutely crushes a 2x2.5 closet grow.
 
Lucky Luke

Lucky Luke

Well-Known Member
Watch you height though. I found I needed more height than what I had with about 100w of strips. Being new to LED's I didn't think of the height requirements of what is in realty a low Wattage light.
My veg tent isn't very tall and if ur using a 315 cmh u should be sweet.
 
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Garythegoose

Member
Height isn't a problem, got 2 metres to play with :blsmoke:

After digging around and doing some sums it looks like I can build a decent light myself, I'm thinking of using 4x SI-B8R521560WW @4000k strips and running them parallel on a hlg 240h 48 dimmed down a bit, this will give me around 200w with some headroom for a bit of a boost if I need it.
 
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Garythegoose

Member
I'm planning to use this light solely for veg, so I've been looking at 5000k. Is that the best colour, or would 4000k be better, or a mix of 4k & 5k? So many variables in this, its mind boggling! :eyesmoke:
 
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Zero_OS

Well-Known Member
You may want to consider running those strips on a HLG-320H-48 (B version) because:

1) the strips can handle about 1.8 amps, and when you want more wattage, you wont have to buy a larger driver later.

2) if you want to expand your veg or use it (the driver) to flower (with the same or different light), you'll have extra power without having to spring for a new driver.

3) running the 4 strips on the HLG-240H-48 will give you 1.25 amps (just above the test current), and that will be at the drivers max. The drivers get pretty hot when you run them at their upper end (best to mount them on something that can sink heat); it is better to get a higher watt driver and run it at a lower current than its max to have it run cooler.​
 
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Zero_OS

Well-Known Member
Also, look at the color spectrums on the spec sheet for the LM561C, and use that to help you decide on the color. Personally, I would go with the 4000k over the 5s because the 4s have almost the same blue as the 5s, and almost the same reds as the 3500Ks, which will give you a decent flowering option later on, if you decide to flower with your veg set-up or sell it.
 
whytewidow

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
Zero_OS said:
You may want to consider running those strips on a HLG-320H-48 (B version) because:

1) the strips can handle about 1.8 amps, and when you want more wattage, you wont have to buy a larger driver later.

2) if you want to expand your veg or use it (the driver) to flower (with the same or different light), you'll have extra power without having to spring for a new driver.

3) running the 4 strips on the HLG-240H-48 will give you 1.25 amps (just above the test current), and that will be at the drivers max. The drivers get pretty hot when you run them at their upper end (best to mount them on something that can sink heat); it is better to get a higher watt driver and run it at a lower current than its max to have it run cooler.​
Click to expand...
Closer to max load makes them more efficient though correct? Using a bigger driver running them softer will help temp, but doesn't that make them less efficient?
 
Z

Zero_OS

Well-Known Member
It's strange...the efficiencies of the 240 and the 320 watt HLGs on 115v versions peak out at around 50-60% load and then slightly taper down as it approaches 100%, but its very minor. I am not sure why the 115v version shows a dip in efficiency where the 230 and 277v versions are flat or have slightly better efficiency as load approaches 100%.
 
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