Mau5Capades: builds & grow journal

VegasWinner

Well-Known Member
@VegasWinner
I wish I had a clone man, I want to build an electric 356 Speedster kit on a vw chassis and a some kind of cafe racer bike, if I could find the time and money.

on the Far red topic. I just started using some 730nm cheap ass Epistars that I got on clearance from Steve's led. After reading a bit more about PR & PFR, i think the Cree XP-E are going to be my choice in the future. they can handle 1000ma and go to 740nm.
-my observations are only based on 14 days of flowering but so far I have noticed:
flowering day 9: looks like pictures of past grows without Far red at day 12-13
Today: flowering day 15: looks like bud site developement I am used to seeing around day 18-19.
I am seeing at week 5 more week 6 effects now. I am seeing more trichrome development I would expect in another week perhaps. I run the Far Red 45 minutes after lights out. I like to let the IR and Deep Red run the entire light cycle. We shall see. yeah I got the cheap leds from steves. and they are fine for me. I am using meanwell SE-200-48 for my led drivers. I can mix the 700ma and the 1000ma in one base LDD5up. I have developed an On/Off timer for the arduino uno with relays and receptacles and I am programming an arduino uno for a growers controller to do lights on, off, far reds, blue night lights, F&D timing, temps monitor, and fan controls. peace
 

Growmau5

Well-Known Member
@Scrtsqrl Now that the HLG240c-1750b are readily available and just a few dollars more than HLG185, If you are building 4 cob bars, I think it makes sense to go with the 1750. you only lose 3% efficiency. 56% down to 53% but you gain over 20% in photon. Plus you can always dim it.
For passive kit options that are well suited to 1750ma, check out Pacific Light Concepts .com

For the Ice led heatsinks, Cutter.au is the spot.

@VegasWinner well these far reds have me really extra excited about this round. And I too am going to start messing around and integrating some LDD5up boards into my room. I really like the control and dimming to 0% with these drivers.
 

VegasWinner

Well-Known Member
@Scrtsqrl Now that the HLG240c-1750b are readily available and just a few dollars more than HLG185, If you are building 4 cob bars, I think it makes sense to go with the 1750. you only lose 3% efficiency. 56% down to 53% but you gain over 20% in photon. Plus you can always dim it.
For passive kit options that are well suited to 1750ma, check out Pacific Light Concepts .com

For the Ice led heatsinks, Cutter.au is the spot.

@VegasWinner well these far reds have me really extra excited about this round. And I too am going to start messing around and integrating some LDD5up boards into my room. I really like the control and dimming to 0% with these drivers.
I hear ya. I am getting an arduino to program for lighting including Far Red Deep Red IR and Royal Blue channels along with cobs and F&D timing. Maybe adding aeroponics pump timing too. Make it open source and DIY available. When it improves production I am for it. I like using the LDD driver board easier and only one electrical plug. Peace
 

Scrtsqrl

New Member
Not Growmau5 but if you are concerned with heat you want to run LESS amperage not more. Limiting heat means you have to be concerned with efficiency .
Yeah, I get that but summer time is the only time I have those problems so I'd like the higher levels during the rest of the year.
 

Pleasant Peasant

Active Member
Just wanted to give you a shout out.

Got my mother ship up and running tonight. Added my old Mars 300 onto the frame. Still on that budget haha.

Thanks for leading me to the "light" side of the force. Shout out to PLC too.
Still need to play with my lead lengths etc


Anyways. Just wanted to say thank you for breaking it down and helping me on this journey. Whether you knew it or not :)
 

Attachments

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Just wanted to give you a shout out.

Got my mother ship up and running tonight. Added my old Mars 300 onto the frame. Still on that budget haha.

Thanks for leading me to the "light" side of the force. Shout out to PLC too.
Still need to play with my lead lengths etc


Anyways. Just wanted to say thank you for breaking it down and helping me on this journey. Whether you knew it or not :)
THIS is somewhat like something I want to do. But incorporate blue and red monos from stevesled.
 

Growmau5

Well-Known Member
Just wanted to give you a shout out.

Got my mother ship up and running tonight. Added my old Mars 300 onto the frame. Still on that budget haha.

Thanks for leading me to the "light" side of the force. Shout out to PLC too.
Still need to play with my lead lengths etc


Anyways. Just wanted to say thank you for breaking it down and helping me on this journey. Whether you knew it or not :)
Thanks for sharing your build! Your build is a great example of the evolution that an led grower undergoes as they research, learn & test. Cheers
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Just wanted to give you a shout out.

Got my mother ship up and running tonight. Added my old Mars 300 onto the frame. Still on that budget haha.

Thanks for leading me to the "light" side of the force. Shout out to PLC too.
Still need to play with my lead lengths etc


Anyways. Just wanted to say thank you for breaking it down and helping me on this journey. Whether you knew it or not :)
The color it gives off almost looks like an AT600! :P
 

cata

Member
hey growmau5 first time led grower here. looking to set something up. wanna build lights for a shed I have. in Michigan with my mmmh card. looking to do 12 plants. would 12 cree 3590 3500k work? prob cd bin. wanna use hlg-185h-c700b driver. correct me if I'm wrong. I wanna use b driver so I can put a dimmer on it. instead of manual dim it on the driver. also I know that 1 driver can run 8 cob. and if I have just 4 cob on the 2nd driver, would that effect anything? my budget is around 1200ish including heatsink, connectors, etc. thanks for the help. shed is a good size not sure on dimensions. but enough for 12 plants. lights also be modular.

happy Friday and smoke on

cata
 

DISTRESS0R

Active Member
I hear ya. I am getting an arduino to program for lighting including Far Red Deep Red IR and Royal Blue channels along with cobs and F&D timing. Maybe adding aeroponics pump timing too. Make it open source and DIY available. When it improves production I am for it. I like using the LDD driver board easier and only one electrical plug. Peace
This is just one of things ive heard so many people say or promise to deliver on, but no one has really been able a solid code yet that embodies these beliefs of open source. I am not doubting you, I hope you succeed so we can all start building the most ultimate open source garden control system
 

VegasWinner

Well-Known Member
This is just one of things ive heard so many people say or promise to deliver on, but no one has really been able a solid code yet that embodies these beliefs of open source. I am not doubting you, I hope you succeed so we can all start building the most ultimate open source garden control system
I know. I am an old C and C+ programmer from before Windows. I have reviewed the code for the coralux and the typhon and now developing code for grow room controllers. I have already found the hardware to be driven by the controller. I have the arduino mega 2560, with the lcd shield and rotary encoder i want to use, have the shield programmed, and I am now working on the open source code for the actual controller. The plan is to have at least four to six PWM driven channels along with tow recycle circuits.

Biggest issue right now is to sacrifice a PWM channel for timing or to add a rea time clock circuit, RTC to have real-world time. This decision has led me to the arduino mega2560 as it has more ports available and I can add a RTC circuit, and lcd shield with rotary encoder and at least one temperature sensor.

I have developed a menu for setting up clock, six channel drivers for cobs or leds and working on programming two outputs for two recycle timers circuits as analog outputs to drive two more receptacles with on/off timing 1/4 perhaps.. it is not easy, but not that hard either. As soon as I get the prototype up and running, I will do a youtube video. I am already using a modified typhon controller to do the work, but that is just a start. Typhon has only four pwm circuits, and the coralux has six. I am looking into an arduino mega 2560 to be the work horse. The Mega costs about $45 and the4 lcd driver is $15. The outlet controllers can be either made or purchased. I can make them for $15 or buy the for $20 each. I have two units I am testing right now I removed all my timers yesterday and set up my system for testing. Working real good so far. I have Royal Blue, Deep red, IR, and Far Red along with tweo cob fixtures, I am controlling from one source now, using a mw se-200-48v ps for the led banks.

I am working on the specific code now, as I have developed a menu system and process for navigating the menus. More to follow in the next few weeks. These are exciting times for the community,a s we are getting our own lights, lighting controls and now grow room controls to monitor/control temps, times, etc. will keep the community updated. you can follow me to keep up if you like. change is coming. peace
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
I know. I am an old C and C+ programmer from before Windows. I have reviewed the code for the coralux and the typhon and now developing code for grow room controllers. I have already found the hardware to be driven by the controller. I have the arduino mega 2560, with the lcd shield and rotary encoder i want to use, have the shield programmed, and I am now working on the open source code for the actual controller. The plan is to have at least four to six PWM driven channels along with tow recycle circuits.

Biggest issue right now is to sacrifice a PWM channel for timing or to add a rea time clock circuit, RTC to have real-world time. This decision has led me to the arduino mega2560 as it has more ports available and I can add a RTC circuit, and lcd shield with rotary encoder and at least one temperature sensor.

I have developed a menu for setting up clock, six channel drivers for cobs or leds and working on programming two outputs for two recycle timers circuits as analog outputs to drive two more receptacles with on/off timing 1/4 perhaps.. it is not easy, but not that hard either. As soon as I get the prototype up and running, I will do a youtube video. I am already using a modified typhon controller to do the work, but that is just a start. Typhon has only four pwm circuits, and the coralux has six. I am looking into an arduino mega 2560 to be the work horse. The Mega costs about $45 and the4 lcd driver is $15. The outlet controllers can be either made or purchased. I can make them for $15 or buy the for $20 each. I have two units I am testing right now I removed all my timers yesterday and set up my system for testing. Working real good so far. I have Royal Blue, Deep red, IR, and Far Red along with tweo cob fixtures, I am controlling from one source now, using a mw se-200-48v ps for the led banks.

I am working on the specific code now, as I have developed a menu system and process for navigating the menus. More to follow in the next few weeks. These are exciting times for the community,a s we are getting our own lights, lighting controls and now grow room controls to monitor/control temps, times, etc. will keep the community updated. you can follow me to keep up if you like. change is coming. peace
Peace, and I followed maybe half of that lol

Sparkfun is right up the road from me. I was ready to pull the trigger on a grow control setup when I realized I didn't have the programming background to integrate everything I needed to.

I'd very much like to support your efforts on this, first thing we should do is start a thread elsewhere and invite the interested to it, so as not to continue cluttering up this thread.
 

VegasWinner

Well-Known Member
Peace, and I followed maybe half of that lol

Sparkfun is right up the road from me. I was ready to pull the trigger on a grow control setup when I realized I didn't have the programming background to integrate everything I needed to.

I'd very much like to support your efforts on this, first thing we should do is start a thread elsewhere and invite the interested to it, so as not to continue cluttering up this thread.
agreed. we need a forum or space to develop code together. I have purchased a ldc shield that has a rotatry dial that will help with menu access, and buttons too. I have coded this portion, the menu portion, now I have to put them together and put together the final code snippets to complete the package. peace
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Hi Growmau5, awesome stuff. Would 4 cobs cxb3590's 3500k work for a 3x3 tent?
Depends. If you run those 4 chips at 50W, I'd say it's barely adequate. At 75W they'd do well and at 100W they'd kick ass. The harder you run them the hotter they'll get, requiring more heat removal at each step.
 

R3DSTAR

Active Member
Depends. If you run those 4 chips at 50W, I'd say it's barely adequate. At 75W they'd do well and at 100W they'd kick ass. The harder you run them the hotter they'll get, requiring more heat removal at each step.
So 5 cobs would be a nice coverage?
 

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
So 5 cobs would be a nice coverage?
30W/ft^2 is a good place to start. Therefore, something around 270W would be in the right neighborhood. Less if you run lots of chips at very low watts per, more if you only want to run 3-4 at full power.

The reason you see setups with more chips at low power is because the chips run both cooler and more efficiently at low current. The only downside to this strategy is initial cost.
 

MeGaKiLlErMaN

Well-Known Member
30W/ft^2 is a good place to start. Therefore, something around 270W would be in the right neighborhood. Less if you run lots of chips at very low watts per, more if you only want to run 3-4 at full power.

The reason you see setups with more chips at low power is because the chips run both cooler and more efficiently at low current. The only downside to this strategy is initial cost.
Right on. I thought that $1,600 was high enough for my 5x5
 
Top