Lighting Help actually BUYING LEDS

[LazyNhazy]

@BigSm0 Can help on which you need.

 

[Dr.Bubbles]

So can I...lol

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[Archaic]

The first thing I'm doing is tearing apart the UFO and getting in there with the Fluke to see what the driver can do. The initial hack will be just getting rid of Epistar blurples and replacing with a suitable COB. That will probably happen this coming weekend.

Then it will be time to hopefully order some goodies.

 

[LazyNhazy]

So can I...lol

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Well I don't know lol just trying to help out and hadn't read through all of thread yet.

Since I got you here anyways, do you know of anyone that sells 40w strips that are 20-36v?

 

[Archaic]

Next question, what is CRI and whats the difference between 90 and 80 CRI?

 

[Arthur]

CRI is a measure of a light source's ability to show object colors "realistically" or "naturally" compared to a familiar reference source, either incandescent light or sunlight expressed in percentages.

 

[Dr.Bubbles]

Color Rendering Index. A score of 100 would be equal to the way colors pop with the sun directly overhead on a clear day. The higher the number the closer colors will show like they do outside.

I like 90 Gen 6 Citizens from personal experience. The lower cri like 80s are a tad more efficient though.

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[Archaic]

So is CRI kind of like lumens and mostly cosmetic or does it have applications for growers?

Also, does Meanwell make any drivers with an auxiliary power output to drive a fan? I can obviously just use two separate power supplies and have two cords - but if I could get a driver with a secondary fan power supply it would be super clean only having on cord. Purely a vanity thing on my part - its not needed

 

[Bong Whisperer]

So is CRI kind of like lumens and mostly cosmetic or does it have applications for growers?

High CRI is what flashlight enthusiasts drool over. Obviously plants care about light quality too, but the spectrums they care about might be different to our eyes.

 

[Slater]

I've read all of the DIYs, watched all the videos, drawn out all of the diagrams, practiced soldering, etc. but every time I go looking for actual components - my eyes glaze over and I start drooling.

Do any of you guys that actually build stuff want to maybe do a walk through on actually selecting and buying LED components?

What is a bin? How do I know I'm buying real parts? Import tariffs?!?? So many suppliers with so little explanation.

Help!

hey @Archaic

I build my own and when it come to drivers will only use HLG / ELG drivers... same company I think

for cobs there is only 3 major brands worth buying and that Cree, Citizen, Vero... which model no. of cob to use is worth the research (check out Green Gene on YT and Migro)... off the top of my head it's the Vero 29, Citizen CLU-58, Cree CBX range

For Quantum Board / chilltec style tech (PCB boards) you going into a mine field of super awesome (branded like HLG), really good (invisible sun), semi good (some alibaba products), just plain old bad (amazon / alibaba) and fake (amaozon / alibaba)... the diodes used are the Samsung LM561c (version one QB's) and the most recent LM301b, all the new QB's / chlltec pucs / spider / PLC / spectrum king I think now use them....

Now if your thinking of cutting corners and getting a none branded PCB broad from china the you may not get the best... chances are it's good and will grow some kick ass weed and get a decent yield compared to a "Blurple"... BUT it will not be "top bin"

what is "top bin" ?... when a company refers to having top bin all it mean is that those diodes came of the production line with 100% heat dissipation and that they will last there given life time of lets say 5000hrs... basically it mean they are the best diodes to come off the production line that day. Each one is individuality tested and separated by production quality... the crappy ones end up in with the cheaper Grow Light manufactures.

what you will find with boards with out top bin diodes (depending how mush they payed for the diodes) is that some will blow out very quick... we see this on AFN all the time with the Chinese QB imports... it's not that they are conning people they are just using the off cut diodes that Samsung sell out the back door.. kinda of...

how do you know you are buying real parts... simple don't buy off Amazon and don't buy direct from China... stick with the company's offering their parts as DIY... like HLG / Chilltec / diyled.uk / Pacific lights concepts (USA only) to name a few

Ebay is all good place for drivers and cobs (it where i get mine)... but stay away from the cheap PCB boards, chances are they are cheap Chinese imports with crappy diodes (maybe even fake)

Better say it again... avoid Amazon at all costs for grow lights...

happy Saturday