Lighting Project Cheapo LED Grow Lamp

[DABaracuss]

Yeah, I see the difference made by dropping straight into a 10L pot, but even so I get worried about her becoming rootbound.

Methinks fibre pots shall be ordered up soon, unless I find a good deal here. Or I'll just go nuts with a drill and multitool.

Drill works. I used garden liner on the inside and a doorknob drill bit .

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[Banjacked]

Drill works. I used garden liner on the inside and a doorknob drill bit .

Sent from my 6045O using Tapatalk

Naah, lots of little holes and slots. Stress relief plus eliminates the need for a liner.

Or just order fabric pots from China for €10 for a set of 5 17L ones (other sizes available) given that they'll arrive at around the time Pandora is clear.

 

[Pro-T]

Naah, lots of little holes and slots. Stress relief plus eliminates the need for a liner.

Or just order fabric pots from China for €10 for a set of 5 17L ones (other sizes available) given that they'll arrive at around the time Pandora is clear.

I’m definately going down this route also. Much better/larger root growth than a plain old pot.

 

[Banjacked]

Meanwhile, Pandora doesn't seem to be complaining much. She's been moved out of the direct blast of a 12" fan next to her and wind-burned leaves have been chopped off, otherwise she's just plodding along as you would expect but now pistils are browning and you can see the weight going on. Still plenty time to kill her.

So time to start planning for next cheap LED panel, thinking of upping the Kelvin a little if I can, and moving to SMD 8520 which should give me quite a bit more lm/w than the 5730, busy looking at rigid strips since, well, I can. Ain't as if I don't have the power supply for them since I have 2 x 360w power packs PLUS my original modified PC power supply so, in total, that's potentially the best part of 900w at 12v capability and I know I can get these strips cheap as hell. It's just figuring out what to get, you has to be careful, since their definition of "cool white" doesn't match mine when I see pictures, their "cool" is my "cold", BUT there's nothing to stop me mixing in the 5730 strip I use just now or even buy a second "colour" to fire up as well in flowering. Decisions, decisions, especially when you want to keep things under €25-30.

I know, I could just buy a QB or cobs or some fancy "grow light" but where's the fun in that and how would I "inspire" others to think out of the box a little if I did that?

So here's little Pandora, not directly under the light for a change.

 

[Pro-T]

I don’t have the equipment to test the draw of this frankenpanel from the wall. Any idea what it draws? I’m sure it was already mentioned but I can’t find reference to it anywhere.

 

[Banjacked]

I don’t have the equipment to test the draw of this frankenpanel from the wall. Any idea what it draws? I’m sure it was already mentioned but I can’t find reference to it anywhere.

I'm sure mine came in at around 140w, gimme a few and I'll get the current draw again.

Current draw is 0.6A on the mains side, so that's a nominal 230vac x 0.6A = 138W INCLUDING power supply and losses therein.

 

[Pro-T]

Cool, I’m going to spend the evening re - doing some of the work on mine. I eventually found the packaging for the wire I used to join the strips.....8amp, max load 96w automotive wire.

 

[Pro-T]

I'm sure mine came in at around 140w, gimme a few and I'll get the current draw again.

Current draw is 0.6A on the mains side, so that's a nominal 230vac x 0.6A = 138W INCLUDING power supply and losses therein.

Thanks man, I’m now thinking my wire is a bit overkill perhaps? Will I not get more voltage drop using a thicker/higher rated wire than what I need? Or am I just being over cautious?

 

[Pro-T]

So is it fair to say that’s roughly 70w per side?

 

[Banjacked]

So is it fair to say that’s roughly 70w per side?

Yup, perfect 14.4w/m (5m should drop you 72W)