Build Your Own LED Grow Light

[TheMadDabber]

Love me my passively cooled units! I'm not even sure you'd need to bend metal. What about 90° aluminum and sheet metal. Cut corners to 45° the verticals screw the sheet metal onto the top and bottom rectange frame? Probably easier to buy one.... But no where near as fun or rewarding

 

[Amy Gardner]

Good thread! Thanks @PurpleGunRack

I’m slowiy gathering components for a tiny build (5x128 chip boards - or 4, depending on configuring them to fit the space!). I’ll report back further down the track. I have my boards and driver, shopping for wagos and wire this weekend. Do folks have a preferred brand for hookup wire - or does it not really matter?

 

[Old Salt]

Good thread! Thanks @PurpleGunRack

I’m slowiy gathering components for a tiny build (5x128 chip boards - or 4, depending on configuring them to fit the space!). I’ll report back further down the track. I have my boards and driver, shopping for wagos and wire this weekend. Do folks have a preferred brand for hookup wire - or does it not really matter?

I use 20 AWG Gauge Copper Stranded Hook Up Wire 25 ft 0.0320" PTFE 600 Volts. I like stranded as it is more resistant to breakage due to vibration. Copper has good conductance, and PTFE 600 Volt insulation has good heat resistance, and is more than double the voltage from the drivers.

To use stranded wire with quick connects like the Wago, I tin the ends before inserting them into the connector to eliminate loose strands that can cause shorts.

BTW 20AWG wire is good to 10 Amps for the short lengths we use. If the drivers are outside the grow area, use 16 or 18 gauge. I recommend putting a short length (10cm or 1/2") of black heat shrink on one end of the wires used to interconnect LEDs, and routing that to the -ve connection for the LEDs. This helps avoid costly mistakes in assembly and repair.

 

[PurpleGunRack]

Good thread! Thanks @PurpleGunRack

I’m slowiy gathering components for a tiny build (5x128 chip boards - or 4, depending on configuring them to fit the space!). I’ll report back further down the track. I have my boards and driver, shopping for wagos and wire this weekend. Do folks have a preferred brand for hookup wire - or does it not really matter?

You're welcome @Amy Gardner , hope you got some useful info

I recommend using solid wire cable 18AWG / 0,75mm2, it's the biggest that'll fit in the connectors on the boards.

 

[Old Salt]

I'm thinking of a TC421 WiFi time programmable led controller, and using one of the five channels for power to the drivers via a relay. A 20K resistor in series with the dim input for the drivers should drop the voltage from 0-12 to 0-10V.

TC421 WiFi Time Programmable Led Controller​

I received this the other day, and promptly ran into a problem. I sent this to the vendor:

I'm unable to connect the TC421 to my computer via WiFi. It is not found by the included software.

I'm unable to download the iPhone app. The QR code is not recognized.

Let's see if he has a solution, or if I have to return the item.

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Maybe updated software on line
But that sucks, new toy and u can't play with it

 

[Old Salt]

Maybe updated software on line
But that sucks, new toy and u can't play with it

There's no option for upgrading software listed in the manuals. I checked the device, and PC software. There doesn't appear to be a menu item for this either. It could be a hidden item. I also checked on-line. The manufacturer's website doesn't recognize the model number or name of the device.

 

[Mayne]

that sucks Salt,

I know the Sonoff 4chan doesnt take 5G either,

 

[PurpleGunRack]

I'm lost in these controllers, seems like it's not easy to find a good one for multiple drivers.

CD-rom included, what is this 1998?

that sucks Salt,

I know the Sonoff 4chan doesnt take 5G either,

What's 5G?


I'm thinking about getting multiple Sonoff POW R2...

 

[Old Salt]

I'm lost in these controllers, seems like it's not easy to find a good one for multiple drivers.

CD-rom included, what is this 1998?
What's 5G?
I'm thinking about getting multiple Sonoff POW R2...

I'd like to see the Coralux Storm X reprogrammed to handle it. The 16 channels are a bit overkill, but if two channels are assigned to each led bank, one for dimming, one for a power control relay we'd be off to the races. It lacks a WiFi or computer connection for activity programming. It all has to be done with that pesky rotary control. There might be Arduino or Raspberry implementations that would work as well. I've got to take a look.

I like a CD-Rom as a backup to downloadable software. If that means stepping back in time, so be it - as long as I get to take 20 years off of my age as well.

5G is the next generation or 5th generation wireless systems .

 

[Mayne]

i use the sonoff 4chan with 3 drivers, works great,

 

[Old Salt]

Love me my passively cooled units! I'm not even sure you'd need to bend metal. What about 90° aluminum and sheet metal. Cut corners to 45° the verticals screw the sheet metal onto the top and bottom rectange frame? Probably easier to buy one.... But no where near as fun or rewarding

I'm planning flat bar for the long sides, angle for the inner and rails, c-channel for supplemental LEDs, and sheet aluminium for interconnect, power and controls. I'm thinking of using alumiweld and brazing the main frame together. All you need is a propane or MAP torch, and the rods.

 

[PurpleGunRack]

5G is the next generation or 5th generation wireless systems .

So many things out there called 5G

i use the sonoff 4chan with 3 drivers, works great,

Ahhh ok, so just not compatible with your new wifi?

 

[Mayne]

So many things out there called 5G





Ahhh ok, so just not compatible with your new wifi?

I have both 5g and 2g, so yeah, it works for me. I was just pointing out, that if you have only 5G, it wont work,..

 

[Chris Scorpio]

Probably late here a bit but think most newer routers have both 2g and 5g
Mine does
Hell I gave like 6 routers...lol always upgrading

Hope you get it dialed in Salt

 

[DrDoob]

I’m just curious but are you guys refering to 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for your routers or something different?

 

[Old Salt]

Hope you get it dialed in Salt

I'm not too concerned about it. Either The vendor solves the problem, or I move on to another platform.

That Coralux Storm X is starting to look really good, pesky rotary control and all. It's basically an Arduino Uno with a PCA9685 16 channel 12-bit PWM, LCD display, and rotary control. They left out the USB port. It may be easier to start from scratch with the hardware. I'll need to dive into the programming to find out.

 

[Old Salt]

I’m just curious but are you guys refering to 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for your routers or something different?

Something different. If you have internet connectivity with your smartphone, you'll probably be on a 3G or 4G network. 5G is new cellular technology that the telcos are starting to roll out this year. It's supposed to have much faster data transfer speeds.

 

[DrDoob]

Something different. If you have internet connectivity with your smartphone, you'll probably be on a 3G or 4G network. 5G is new cellular technology that the telcos are starting to roll out this year. It's supposed to have much faster data transfer speeds.

That’s what I thought but how does that help or hurt wifi lighting controllers? Are you guys just looking for something that doesn’t need wifi at all?

 

[Mayne]

Something different. If you have internet connectivity with your smartphone, you'll probably be on a 3G or 4G network. 5G is new cellular technology that the telcos are starting to roll out this year. It's supposed to have much faster data transfer speeds.

yeap, and also gives your body 3x the RF to fry our brains and bodies, so theres that too.