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04-02-2016, 04:57 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Zone: 2a
Location: Fairbanks, AK
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XF-3535L is still great with the current standard. The efficiency (for plant) is higher than most of commercially available grow light (except a few top-end models, e.g. Fluence/BML, Phlips GreenPower). I would probably go with 2 strips though. If you are growing lower light plants, 1 strip might work.
I would get 2 strips of XF-3535L, and connect them in serial with 1x Meanwell LPC35-700 driver ( data sheet, around $15 according to octopart): + of the driver is connected to the + of first strip, - of the first strip is connected to + of the 2nd strip, and - of the driver is connected to the - of the 2nd strip. In other word, you make a single loop. I realize that you are in AU, and I'm not sure the LED price there, but I hope Meanwell is available and cheap. It is inexpensive, and reliable driver, with high efficiency.
A newer product was recently announced with even higher efficiency. It is XR-3020. The price is similar to XF-3535L, so it is very affordable.
I personally wouldn't waste electricity (and money) on the cheap constant voltage based LED strips (your 2nd link). Those are designed to be convenient (i.e. you can cut them into lengths), and efficiency isn't their goal. The spec. was a little sketch, but it seems to be getting about 96.7lm/W, which is pretty decent for this types of inefficient LEDs. But you are getting close to 150lm/W with XF-3535L, so in a year or 2, you'll be saving money even though it is initially more expensive. There are some higher efficiency models of cuttable LED strips recently, but it is still well below the LED array/strip designed to be used with constant current drivers.
Last edited by naoki; 04-02-2016 at 05:00 AM..
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04-02-2016, 06:16 AM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by naoki
XF-3535L is still great with the current standard. The efficiency (for plant) is higher than most of commercially available grow light (except a few top-end models, e.g. Fluence/BML, Phlips GreenPower). I would probably go with 2 strips though. If you are growing lower light plants, 1 strip might work.
I would get 2 strips of XF-3535L, and connect them in serial with 1x Meanwell LPC35-700 driver ( data sheet, around $15 according to octopart): + of the driver is connected to the + of first strip, - of the first strip is connected to + of the 2nd strip, and - of the driver is connected to the - of the 2nd strip. In other word, you make a single loop. I realize that you are in AU, and I'm not sure the LED price there, but I hope Meanwell is available and cheap. It is inexpensive, and reliable driver, with high efficiency.
A newer product was recently announced with even higher efficiency. It is XR-3020. The price is similar to XF-3535L, so it is very affordable.
I personally wouldn't waste electricity (and money) on the cheap constant voltage based LED strips (your 2nd link). Those are designed to be convenient (i.e. you can cut them into lengths), and efficiency isn't their goal. The spec. was a little sketch, but it seems to be getting about 96.7lm/W, which is pretty decent for this types of inefficient LEDs. But you are getting close to 150lm/W with XF-3535L, so in a year or 2, you'll be saving money even though it is initially more expensive. There are some higher efficiency models of cuttable LED strips recently, but it is still well below the LED array/strip designed to be used with constant current drivers.
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Thanks for your reply it's mainly for bulbo and other climbing orchids. Should I get the XF-3535L? Where can I order that from?
Cheers
Tim
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04-02-2016, 10:18 AM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Jan 2016
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04-02-2016, 01:03 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Zone: 2a
Location: Fairbanks, AK
Posts: 975
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The link didn't work, but you can find it by searching L218-4080048C00000 in digikey site. Here is the link (I hope it works) http://www.digikey.com.au/product-se...-4080048C00000
The strip is wider (20mm), so you need a wider U channel or other appropriate heatsink. I haven't figured out how it is supposed to be mounted, but it looks like that you might need to drill holes. With XF-3535L, it has sticker on the back, so it's super easy. So XF-3535L might be better choice.
XR-3020 has 6.8% higher efficacy, with the nominal current of 400mA at 34.8V (13.92W). The total output is a bit lower (2176 vs 2464 lumen). With the LPC35-700 driver, you connect 2 XR-3020 in parallel (to get 350mA for each).
Last edited by naoki; 04-02-2016 at 01:05 PM..
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04-02-2016, 03:43 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Zone: 9b
Location: Phoenix AZ - Lower Sonoran Desert
Posts: 18,654
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If you put an axle in the long axis of your mount you can turn it on the long axis in front of the light strip, and have even illumination all around the mount. Orchids on a rotisserie.
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04-03-2016, 10:14 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Zone: 7a
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 2,780
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Quote:
Originally Posted by estación seca
If you put an axle in the long axis of your mount you can turn it on the long axis in front of the light strip, and have even illumination all around the mount. Orchids on a rotisserie.
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That would somewhat emulate the gentle swaying of the tree limbs in a natural environment, so you could even over-light in a way. I like it.
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04-04-2016, 07:28 AM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Optimist
That would somewhat emulate the gentle swaying of the tree limbs in a natural environment, so you could even over-light in a way. I like it.
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It's going in a reptile enclosure
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04-05-2016, 05:25 AM
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Jr. Member
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by naoki
The link didn't work, but you can find it by searching L218-4080048C00000 in digikey site. Here is the link (I hope it works) http://www.digikey.com.au/product-se...-4080048C00000
The strip is wider (20mm), so you need a wider U channel or other appropriate heatsink. I haven't figured out how it is supposed to be mounted, but it looks like that you might need to drill holes. With XF-3535L, it has sticker on the back, so it's super easy. So XF-3535L might be better choice.
XR-3020 has 6.8% higher efficacy, with the nominal current of 400mA at 34.8V (13.92W). The total output is a bit lower (2176 vs 2464 lumen). With the LPC35-700 driver, you connect 2 XR-3020 in parallel (to get 350mA for each).
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Ordered my parts
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