Atrium Cage T5 Lighting Question

If it were me, I would go CoBs all the way.

JD spots and dshulds pool bulbs (rebadged JD spots we are pretty sure) are also good.

The cobs may cost a bit more, but they can be put on a dimmer to ramp up and down during the day, and are easier to put up top. One good sink can hold a few (long sink) or you can use Pins. The cobs also put out alot more light for the same wattage as JDs/Pools. The JDs and pulls are overdriven cheap cobs, under driving good cobs pumps some serious light for little wattage.

My 4x2x4 is pushing about 40k lumens worth of cobs, at 200ws. So a quad 48 is also about 200ws and puts out 25k or so lumens.
 
If it were me, I would go CoBs all the way.

JD spots and dshulds pool bulbs (rebadged JD spots we are pretty sure) are also good.

The cobs may cost a bit more, but they can be put on a dimmer to ramp up and down during the day, and are easier to put up top. One good sink can hold a few (long sink) or you can use Pins. The cobs also put out alot more light for the same wattage as JDs/Pools. The JDs and pulls are overdriven cheap cobs, under driving good cobs pumps some serious light for little wattage.

My 4x2x4 is pushing about 40k lumens worth of cobs, at 200ws. So a quad 48 is also about 200ws and puts out 25k or so lumens.

That sounds like a DIY lighting setup that would be over my head. Got any pictures?
 
Let me see.

That would be 1 driver option, it's solder less as sold, but mine is soldered.

That is installed in a heatsink, that's large. That requires soldering and unsoldering to do.

There is other options, depends how you want to do it.

Easy way, Cobs and Pins.


Pin sinks. https://www.rapidled.com/140mm-pin-heatsink/ (1 sink per cob)

My large sink https://www.rapidled.com/6-x-12-premium-heat-sink-and-enclosure/ (it comes in a 20inch version, it's just not listed atm for some reason)


Then you choose a driver.

Meanwells HLG, are dimmable, you need a 0-10v analog dimmer. This cannot be completely shut off. And it dims in steps.

The LDDs I show in the attachment, dim with 0-5v pwm. They dim more gradually and in many steps, and can be completely shut off.

From there the CoB install is easy. If HLG route you wire in series, so the HLGs positive to the positive of the first cob. The negative of the first cob to the positive of the second. And on, until you reach the final Cob, then that's negative connects to the HLGs negative.

if you go with LDD, each driver controls one Cob. You can wire them, with solder or use the board like in the picture. They then need a power supply that connects to the board.

the biggest decisions going forward, to help more would be.

Do you only want 6500k, or do you want a WW or Red channel, and or a blue channel. And do you want the channels to dim to off.

Depending how large the cage, and your channels choice, you could even dim and brighten the cobs by a per cob basis. So in my build I have 4 6500k cobs, I can move the sun throughout the day.
 

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Let me see.

That would be 1 driver option, it's solder less as sold, but mine is soldered.

That is installed in a heatsink, that's large. That requires soldering and unsoldering to do.

There is other options, depends how you want to do it.

Easy way, Cobs and Pins.


Pin sinks. https://www.rapidled.com/140mm-pin-heatsink/ (1 sink per cob)

My large sink https://www.rapidled.com/6-x-12-premium-heat-sink-and-enclosure/ (it comes in a 20inch version, it's just not listed atm for some reason)


Then you choose a driver.

Meanwells HLG, are dimmable, you need a 0-10v analog dimmer. This cannot be completely shut off. And it dims in steps.

The LDDs I show in the attachment, dim with 0-5v pwm. They dim more gradually and in many steps, and can be completely shut off.

From there the CoB install is easy. If HLG route you wire in series, so the HLGs positive to the positive of the first cob. The negative of the first cob to the positive of the second. And on, until you reach the final Cob, then that's negative connects to the HLGs negative.

if you go with LDD, each driver controls one Cob. You can wire them, with solder or use the board like in the picture. They then need a power supply that connects to the board.

the biggest decisions going forward, to help more would be.

Do you only want 6500k, or do you want a WW or Red channel, and or a blue channel. And do you want the channels to dim to off.

Depending how large the cage, and your channels choice, you could even dim and brighten the cobs by a per cob basis. So in my build I have 4 6500k cobs, I can move the sun throughout the day.

Man, you need to teach me your ways lol. I'm not good with the lighting stuff :(
 
Man, you need to teach me your ways lol. I'm not good with the lighting stuff :(


It's not too hard, I am more than happy to help.

Maybe I will make a guide, I think I started one long ago and never finished it.

Can even make it a sliding scale, Low tech to High tech lol.

Honestly kind of just did, the jist but we can detail it more.

Lowtech would be JD spots, good amount of light, easy to Install, and pretty cheap.

Mid tech, would be CoBs with HLG driver, and Pins or Fixture sink. It's pretty easy, with not much wiring. Controllers from 20-500.

High tech, would be what I pictured, many channels, much wiring, controllers from 20-500.

I'll throw up a blog or something this evening. With some guides and comparisons.
 
It's not too hard, I am more than happy to help.

Maybe I will make a guide, I think I started one long ago and never finished it.

Can even make it a sliding scale, Low tech to High tech lol.

Honestly kind of just did, the jist but we can detail it more.

Lowtech would be JD spots, good amount of light, easy to Install, and pretty cheap.

Mid tech, would be CoBs with HLG driver, and Pins or Fixture sink. It's pretty easy, with not much wiring. Controllers from 20-500.

High tech, would be what I pictured, many channels, much wiring, controllers from 20-500.

I'll throw up a blog or something this evening. With some guides and comparisons.

Would appreciate it! I always liked the idea of being able to control the LEDs with dimming, storm modes, warm and cool colors, moving across the sky, etc
 
@dshuld any thoughts? I've read some good lighting posts by you.

Sorry, I'm not getting notifications for tags for some reason. I agree with others on the 6% until your foliage becomes really dense. I only have 2 cages with 12% currently, one is Lola's being veiled and the other is blue lightning's since his is taller then standard cages and dense foliage.
 
Sorry, I'm not getting notifications for tags for some reason. I agree with others on the 6% until your foliage becomes really dense. I only have 2 cages with 12% currently, one is Lola's being veiled and the other is blue lightning's since his is taller then standard cages and dense foliage.

Boy we wanted to talk about LEDs! :).
 
:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: , we talking about your vero's or citizen? :ROFLMAO:


I ain't even got to that part yet :). Just given OP the option of drivers first.

CFers are craving the info on the LEDs, I started a blog, to jot it all down, and help some people get into the DIY LEDs :).

But it's not a thing yet, soon though, Soon!
 
Or lm561c / lm301b for that matter :LOL:.


Just rub in the LEDs we can't get. Thanks for that :p. I found some cheap strips for buggies to use instead of the F series though. They run on 12v and can be controlled by the TC420, and are fairly bright, if you use enough. And they are 97cri :).
 
Just rub in the LEDs we can't get. Thanks for that :p. I found some cheap strips for buggies to use instead of the F series though. They run on 12v and can be controlled by the TC420, and are fairly bright, if you use enough. And they are 97cri :).

Interesting, have a link to them?
 
Just rub in the LEDs we can't get. Thanks for that :p. I found some cheap strips for buggies to use instead of the F series though. They run on 12v and can be controlled by the TC420, and are fairly bright, if you use enough. And they are 97cri :).

:LOL: , they had my 4000k version from what I remember when I looked.
 
Sorry, I'm not getting notifications for tags for some reason. I agree with others on the 6% until your foliage becomes really dense. I only have 2 cages with 12% currently, one is Lola's being veiled and the other is blue lightning's since his is taller then standard cages and dense foliage.

I actually think the foliage will be fairly dense when I first set up the cage. The cage won't ship until late August, but I already have all my plants potted and growing on a covered patio. Maybe I will post a pic of it set up in a couple months and get input on which uvb bulb to order then.
 
:LOL: , they had my 4000k version from what I remember when I looked.


Oh ain't you lucky lol. Honestly I don't think we need 4000k much, you have to remember that reds are for flowering and we are most instrested in Veg, unless you have flowering plants.

There was another strip of this, that was double the LED count, 600 per roll vs this 300. Same as this though, 95 is the minimum and in other places they claim it's 97 on average.

https://www.amazon.com/MARSWALLED-D...RBYYX6FRZ&qid=1562600716&s=gateway&th=1&psc=1

I think I'm going to use some of these with a tc420 for my buggies rack.
 
I actually think the foliage will be fairly dense when I first set up the cage. The cage won't ship until late August, but I already have all my plants potted and growing on a covered patio. Maybe I will post a pic of it set up in a couple months and get input on which uvb bulb to order then.

May be the better idea but you'll still likely be ok with 6%. That is what I have on my 48" cages.
 
Oh ain't you lucky lol. Honestly I don't think we need 4000k much, you have to remember that reds are for flowering and we are most instrested in Veg, unless you have flowering plants.

There was another strip of this, that was double the LED count, 600 per roll vs this 300. Same as this though, 95 is the minimum and in other places they claim it's 97 on average.

https://www.amazon.com/MARSWALLED-Daylight-Non-Waterproof-EF120-140lm-Photography/dp/B07G79WKM7/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?keywords=asin:B07Q2FC25J&pd_rd_i=B07G79WKM7&pd_rd_r=f6b9bec6-d44d-419e-9b71-a970645777c7&pd_rd_w=nFGJ8&pd_rd_wg=Jqzsd&pf_rd_p=d006b618-5fac-44e6-850d-a0fdd19f7847&pf_rd_r=B3N5XHHWERQRBYYX6FRZ&qid=1562600716&s=gateway&th=1&psc=1

I think I'm going to use some of these with a tc420 for my buggies rack.

Well, let me explain a little why I want more red in the leds. One reason of course is Lola's upgrade when I get to it will be hibiscus like now. Second reason though, I go through some scheffs like no bodies business in my standard "daylight" cages. I do how ever have one of these I've been messing with since doing Lola's build that has actually kept 2 scheffs alive and growing. Same conditions as my 6500k kept plants but the two under these not so efficient 4000k have been growing fine since last Aug. So, I'm shifting to 4000k because I've noticed a positive reaction with pothos under 3500k too.

Screenshot_2019-07-08-12-24-42.png
 
Oh ain't you lucky lol. Honestly I don't think we need 4000k much, you have to remember that reds are for flowering and we are most instrested in Veg, unless you have flowering plants.

There was another strip of this, that was double the LED count, 600 per roll vs this 300. Same as this though, 95 is the minimum and in other places they claim it's 97 on average.

https://www.amazon.com/MARSWALLED-Daylight-Non-Waterproof-EF120-140lm-Photography/dp/B07G79WKM7/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?keywords=asin:B07Q2FC25J&pd_rd_i=B07G79WKM7&pd_rd_r=f6b9bec6-d44d-419e-9b71-a970645777c7&pd_rd_w=nFGJ8&pd_rd_wg=Jqzsd&pf_rd_p=d006b618-5fac-44e6-850d-a0fdd19f7847&pf_rd_r=B3N5XHHWERQRBYYX6FRZ&qid=1562600716&s=gateway&th=1&psc=1

I think I'm going to use some of these with a tc420 for my buggies rack.

This is one I've looked at too. I'd use a diff ps then the supplied one though.

Screenshot_2019-07-08-15-04-31.png
 
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