DIY LED Strip build 350w

[Orb]

32 minutes ago, diyleduk said:

 

Thats not correct for this system. We dont run series circuits.

 

@Dodgee 

His wiring had me confused but yes I should've noticed it was parallel only for that driver/strip combo, my bad I commented just on the pics, I also just recently built a couple lights using the same strips on some of your heatsinks too 

[Orb]

13 hours ago, Dodgee said:

Yeah I wasn't sure tbh, I did think that's what Adam meant earlier but as long as it's working and it's not dangerous the way it sets up now?

 

I'd sooner leave it be if I can get away with it but if it's dangerous I'll rewire it before I hang it..?

 

What we saying? Safe or dodgee?

 

Sorry Dodgee seems my reading skills are more dangerous mate 

[Ledgrowlights-Adam]

2 hours ago, Orb said:

His wiring had me confused but yes I should've noticed it was parallel only for that driver/strip combo, my bad I commented just on the pics, I also just recently built a couple lights using the same strips on some of your heatsinks too 

 

how many did you wire in series? the connectors have a max 300v rating so never go over 6 strips if you do run series.

[Orb]

@diyledukI thought he was attempting 2s5p from the pics although it looked a little wrong, I mostly stick to parallel wiring though doing 2s5p with an eb gen3 build atm 

[UKsFinest]

@Dodgee that light looks good mate what a bargain too 

[Diddy]

On 5/20/2020 at 0:49 PM, Dodgee said:

Well I finally assembled this last weekend, opted too use all 10 strips on a 320w driver in the end.

 

Purchased heat sinks from Adam and he very kindly threw in some other bits and pieces I needed (wire, plug/power lead, nuts n bolts etc).

 

Total cost came too about £220ish after I bought the driver so I'm happy enough 

 

One small snag was the output from the driver was only about 12inches long so I need too buy a longer lead for that before it goes into use.

 

I botched it with a lead off an old microwave just too test it was working right,

 

In retrospect I wish I had bought better strips but as it goes it will work fine as a veg light in my 5x5 tent which is good as I plan on using that for veg full time now and only flowering in the 0.8m2 from now on.

 

Ordered a 2nd highlight 220 this morning too go in there with the other one.

 

Being as I will now be vegging with 300w instead of my old 400mh and flowering under 440w instead of the old 600w hps I'm looking forward to bit of a reduction in the old leccy bill!

 

Many thanks to diddy/Adam/toke for there help with this.

 

Nice1 guys 

 

Just a couple weeks to finish the current flower run and I'll get it installed and start popping some more beans!

Sorry mate only just seen the update on this thread. Glad you got it up and running. Thanks for the update...and don't thank me too much it was Adam who turned it round mate. As stated before I now don't give out advice on which led's one should buy - I know you said don't feel bad but I hated the thought that I got people to buy these when i thought they were "good" and it turned out they were not much cop. Funny enough I couldn't give a monkies on any of my own wasted cash  I always refer to myself of how quickly and easily and monstrously i have wasted mucho more cash in my distant past  that's how i can write off cash without feeling pain  but i always feel bad about potentially influencing others to be as stupid as me lol. 

 

Anyway ramble over im glad you have got use out them. And all the other gubbins you have bought will come in handy if you decide to upgrade in the future and stick those under the kitchen cupboard....

[Dodgee]

Yeah I have a similar attitude towards writing off cash myself @Diddy

 

If I didn't piss it up a wall or hoover it up my nose then I just count it as a win tbh

 

[Diddy]

Just now, Dodgee said:

piss it up a wall or hoover it up my nose then I just count it as a win tbh

This and loose women and red or black or indeed green/zero - oh yes that's how i justify spending on myself without regret these days lmao. Very well put though lmao love it.

[UKsFinest]

1 hour ago, Diddy said:

Sorry mate only just seen the update on this thread. Glad you got it up and running. Thanks for the update...and don't thank me too much it was Adam who turned it round mate. As stated before I now don't give out advice on which led's one should buy - I know you said don't feel bad but I hated the thought that I got people to buy these when i thought they were "good" and it turned out they were not much cop. Funny enough I couldn't give a monkies on any of my own wasted cash  I always refer to myself of how quickly and easily and monstrously i have wasted mucho more cash in my distant past  that's how i can write off cash without feeling pain  but i always feel bad about potentially influencing others to be as stupid as me lol. 

 

Anyway ramble over im glad you have got use out them. And all the other gubbins you have bought will come in handy if you decide to upgrade in the future and stick those under the kitchen cupboard....

 

For the cash spent though its the best bang for buck you would of ended up spending £200+ extra on the other strips, id rather have the bargain light tbh

[Diddy]

Just now, UKsFinest said:

 

For the cash spent though its the best bang for buck you would of ended up spending £200+ extra on the other strips, id rather have the bargain light tbh

I thought that at first mate but Adam and others were correct the lumen per watt is NOT in the good value for your dollar park. I have learned that much now. These return about 120 lumen per watt - others mentioned return about 180+ per watt. Yes they are more expensive BUT if you need to buy 3 strips to get the same lumen but the price of the "better" strip is only double the price of the cheap strip.....that's what I have learned anyway. I mean there are strips out there that are getting on for £30 a strip...but there are also some in the £12+ range that beat these hands down in lumens per dollar and thats what its all about at the end of the day.

[UKsFinest]

Just now, Diddy said:

I thought that at first mate but Adam and others were correct the lumen per watt is NOT in the good value for your dollar park. I have learned that much now. These return about 120 lumen per watt - others mentioned return about 180+ per watt. Yes they are more expensive BUT if you need to buy 3 strips to get the same lumen but the price of the "better" strip is only double the price of the cheap strip.....that's what I have learned anyway. I mean there are strips out there that are getting on for £30 a strip...but there are also some in the £12+ range that beat these hands down in lumens per dollar and thats what its all about at the end of the day.

 

Oh right I thought due to the spread of them you'd need alot to get a decent even coverage so you could get the same coverage with just say 4 strips over 10?.. I might give this a go soon 

[Diddy]

18 minutes ago, UKsFinest said:

 

Oh right I thought due to the spread of them you'd need alot to get a decent even coverage so you could get the same coverage with just say 4 strips over 10?.. I might give this a go soon 

Spread IS important for sure but there is a happier medium than using this actual strip - honestly mate for the happy medium ask DIYLED - he DOES help as a forum member and led expert even if you are not buying from him - he has done in the past pointed out good value strips to buy from digikey/arrow ect so he is super approachable.....oh and MUCH more knowledgeable than me lol.

[Dodgee]

17 minutes ago, UKsFinest said:

 

Oh right I thought due to the spread of them you'd need alot to get a decent even coverage so you could get the same coverage with just say 4 strips over 10?.. I might give this a go soon 

The more expensive strips can handle more wattage as well.

 

Say like the F series gen 3, you could run just 5 of those on the same driver I'm using and get more photons on your plants for the same wattage without overly pushing the strips either..

 

They're around £18 each or 16 if you buy 10.  If I were too do this build again knowing what I know now I would use those strips and the whole build would've cost me £110 more on strips and I would've bought another driver (80ish) so I could run at 640w instead of 320w..

 

So yes I would end up spending about 200 more but I'd have twice as much wattage and a lot more usable light suitable for both veg and flower..

 

Retrospect is a wonderful thing eh..

 

 

[UKsFinest]

23 minutes ago, Dodgee said:

The more expensive strips can handle more wattage as well.

 

Say like the F series gen 3, you could run just 5 of those on the same driver I'm using and get more photons on your plants for the same wattage without overly pushing the strips either..

 

They're around £18 each or 16 if you buy 10.  If I were too do this build again knowing what I know now I would use those strips and the whole build would've cost me £110 more on strips and I would've bought another driver (80ish) so I could run at 640w instead of 320w..

 

So yes I would end up spending about 200 more but I'd have twice as much wattage and a lot more usable light suitable for both veg and flower..

 

Retrospect is a wonderful thing eh..

 

 

 

Nice to get some experience anyway with the build so you now know exactly what your doing so atleast it wasn't a complete waste of time and I'm sure that light will produce some nice buds anyway, I'm only using about 270w LED for flowering currently I want something on the same level or better than a 600w hps in a 100x100 space.