My 2016 Best Flowering LED Lamp

[Led Shaper]

Hi Folks,

I am a poor pilgrim who is desperately seeking the perfect light.

After many ebay research, puchase , mounting, soldering and grow tests.

I want to present you, the best lamp that I do in 2015.

This lamp has:

4 *10w, 660nm, led DC6V-7V@900ma
1*10w, 450-460 nm led DC27-34V@350ma

Which are held with 2.5x8 mm screw, washer and nuts on a pierced aluminum plate of 1.5 mm thick.
I don't use thermal paste.

The leds position are dissymetrical to make different light density.

All the led are wired serially an connected to a 300 ma led driver.
This mean a power of (6.2*4+30)*0.3=16.44w and that's what I can measure.

I flower four plant with this lamp, I alway get good results, the bud were of a good size with many trichomes.

I do some test with more spectrum (430 and 630 nm) and more current/power (600 and 900 ma), I dind't notice any difference.

After observation of my flowering garden garden closet, I think that with 660 and 450 nm, it provide 99% of the spectrum that the plant need.

 

[Led Shaper]

Here is the lamp "in situ"

And some picture of my flowering garden

 

[Qernandron]

Hey. Nice job. Looks like an alien ship

 

[Icemud]

Very Innovative!

And I second that "alien ship" look I thought the same thing

 

[Dzordz]

Congrats LED Shaper.

Although you mention number of plants, what is the area that you expect to cover with one light?
It seems like 30x30cm (1x1foot) size of the metal surface where you attached the LEDs. As the PAR falls off quickly I would say that might be the area of cover?

 

[Led Shaper]

As writen, this lamp is for a single plant!
In my grow room each plant has his own lamp, an it's own heater.

This allow me to do some tests/experiment on the light spectrum and power.

Le leds have a 120 Degree diffusion angle

 

[Psomi]

That's amazing! How much was this DIY project, how much are you yielding dry off those. Pretty cool to see something different that's working.

 

[Led Shaper]

Le leds are around 4€ each, a led driver is 6€.
The plate 10€, count some few euros for connector, wire and a plug.
For the yield i cant 't tell I don't have a weighter, but not bad for me, I always expect to have more...

For the vegetative i have this:My LED System

 

[Led Shaper]

Ligthning considerations

When i design my lamps, I use two light band:

One correspond to the highest peak of photosynthesis in the red, which is for the A Chlorophyll (660nm).

and the other to the highest peak of photosynthesis B in the blue (453 nm).

My idea to save energy is to spread the light, instead of having a single source, which allow too the lower part of the plant to reach light.

After observations and some test, for me it seem that the plant do better when they have a concentrated blue light source and the red spreaded arround.
If some grower can confirm ?

I don't have enough rooms and time to do all the tests that I'd like.

 

[Led Shaper]

More Alien ship ?

Here are are some picture of one of my spaceship flying over a Purple bud

This alien ship is maiden of:
3* 3w 455 nm led
4*10w 660nm led
a square piece of iron foil 0.5 mm thick, folded at the corner to spread the red light to the bottom of the plant.
a cup cover to held the small led, which allow me do do some change for testing.


The led blue leds are powered at 300 ma the red at 900 ma.

A side view with only the blue leds on.

Design details:

 

[Ducati]

Very cool!!! Love the simplicity of the design. Made my DIY spot itch lol

 

[speyfly]

Great looking design, coverage and spectrum looks good too. I really like the contour bends in the fixture to direct and contain the light. Your design has given me a few ideas for my next array.

I built a cree 8 cob light 2 months ago and it's doing a great job of flowering. I am enjoying your thread since I will be adding more of the blue spectrum to the light and make it a switchable (veg/bloom). My P600 has now been retired to vegging only and while it is a OK light, for the price I paid for it I was able to build a light that out-performs the P600.

12"X40" passive heatsink, 8- cree cxa3070 80 cri chips (no lenses or reflectors, 115 deg) running at about 40w each and pulling 316 watts at the wall. Cost of parts including shipping $650ish.

Great thread and looking forward to more updates.

 

[Led Shaper]

Here's some pictures of a Fruit spirit that I flower with my 16.5w Lamp with only 660 an 450 nm leds. (sometime I turn on a 10w ir led lamp)
The plant has 80 days of veg and 50 days of Flowering.

What is your opinion ?

 

[Dropout]

try adding 9 more watts so u can have 25watt per sq ft or per plant like u say... if you would bring your panels up to 40-50watts per plant you would see a major difference from your current results... right now your plants look like there not getting enough light.

i would have a plant twice this size after 80 days of veg and 50 days of flowers with much larger buds. your doing a great job i like your style you just need to use more watts and u will see the difference....

if you want to see a major difference u need to add more then 2 bands... you'll want to add 10 more bands to your setup for a total of 12 bands ranging from 380nm to 850nm.... i wont get into details but only then will you notice a difference only adding 2 bands is not enough.

also 500ma should be your minimum 300ma is too low... i like your style cause u going as cheap as you can but right now its too cheap so just take what i say... and make a cheap one with those specs ill be waiting for pics to see difference...

 

[Led Shaper]

I use a 900 ma current lamp on one plant with the same spectral repartition, I don't really notice a difference, but it's a different strain. I will show you the result.

By the way: the growing system I use is described here.

 

[Dropout]

nice pi grow system i like ur concepts and ideas cleary u understand electronics you just need to understand the science behind grow lights... you wont notice a difference until you add more watts... general rule of thumb 25 to 40watt per sq ft and adding a full 12 band spectrum... once u engineer your grow light per plant to 40 watts with full 12 band spectrum 380nm to 850nm you will rip all the benefits and notice the difference.... btw thats 40watts draw not in leds.... drive them at 700ma so they last u longer...

 

[Led Shaper]

Here is a purple bud the plant has 80 days in veg and 65 days of flowering.
Upper, you can see a picture of this plant with the "alien spaceship" I use for it.(900 ma)

Before, I get better result with this lamp, I think, I get too damp condition while it was under flowering.
If you can give an advice/opinion.