Status
- Done
Introduction
We don't have a lot of rooom to garden outside. And wouldn't you know it, we don't get much sun in the house. I built this grow light to use on a 4 plant hydroponic garden I built. My test subject for this light will be herbs.
Overview
The colors we are interested in for our light are red and blue. Different LED lights you can buy have differnet ratios of these two colors. There are excellent articles on the internet describing how plants use these two colors. Now if you want to view your plant's natural beauty then this is not the light for you.
For this light I used red and blue LEDs. I used 3 red LEDs for every Blue LED. Hopefully this provides some good results.
Specifications
I built the light on perf board. See the pictures for the layout. The light draws 10.7 watts of power and runs on 12V. 1.5W is dissipated in the resisters. I used 136 LEDs and 34 100 ohm resisters.
Construction
Please use the pictures as a guide for construction. Each row contains a 100 ohm resister and four LEDs in series.
Greatly dimmed so you can see the LED colors
Top view of Light
Bottom view of light
How Much Light Do You Need?
This is prob the biggest question. Depending on what you are growing you'll need from 5W to 15W per square foot. Lettus and herbs will need 5W to 10W per square foot. And vegetables will need 10W to 15W per square foot. What you are aiming for is 25% to 30% of the watts per square foot used by a HID light. For example if you use a 200W HID light you would only need a 50W LED light.
What Can I Grow?
The ratio of red to blue is important to plant growth. This light has a high percentage of blue light. This makes it well suited for non flowing plants such as herbs.
Conclusion
This is an extremely bright light. It should provide enough light for a small garden. By small I mean 1 ft by 1 ft.
Comments
Hi, great work. I'd like to do something like you. I have a question - what kind of LED did you use? Are these High lux flow LEDs? how much candela ? thx a lot..bye
— 12 June 2010, 23:13
please send you plans to jmc640862004@hotmail.com
thanks
can you build me a 600 watt grow light led e mail me if u can for a good prices only! going54@live.com thanks
I admire your innovation. However LEDs need to dissipate the heat they generate or they will burn out prematurely. If you look at commercially available units, they all incorporate heat sinks.
You would also be very happy with the results of using multiple spectrums of red and blue respectively. Especially for fruiting.
nice work please send plans kaushpat@hotmail.com
That looks really good , do you think you could send me the parts list and plans? it would be great if you could cheers bet8@aber.ac.uk
wow!! i want the plans too! could you be so kind as to share it with me? also how is it powered, which exact components you used etc. bob08642@googlemail.com
It's amazing,could you please send the plan to me please?more details would be better,thanks.I'm interested in it very much. alex@hongke-led.com
Please send me plans for this It looks amazing How much did it cost? Roots_otb@hotmail.com
Do you believe it was just not enough power for you Rcamp? LED lighting has many uses. It truly is the light of the next future then there will always be one to follow. If using LED for Growing, it can grow or stay standstill at low correct wavelength and wattage, but if you really want Completeness, you have to use True Grow Lights with a bit more specification. They do work, they do save money over all.
I don't believe in selling snake oil. Or giving it away for that matter. This information is here to show that its not just companies selling the "perfect light source" for growing plants indoors. I like this light but it didn't give me what I think I'm looking for.
I'm building other lights to test and compare with this one. When I'm happy then the rest of you will be happy. I don't want to lead people a stray building something that isn't going to perform well.
There is no doubt that LED lights make great light sources for indoor gardening. The question I'm trying to answer is "How much LED produced light is needed to get the same results as other light sources?"
humboldt bud? — 06 May 2009, 09:36
what if i wanted to grow marijuana how much watts will need
everysingle funcking post i see sais email me the details. how many fuckin time does he have to say hes not telling you!
i read in this thing that led loose ligh after 2-3 months. you have to have the SHITTYEST leds EVER if the run out that soon. most leds last from 6 to 10 years(thats why comercial modles are so expensive) and you can grow flowering plants like cannabis with them as long as you supplement you led with some hid.
icelandic grower? — 19 April 2009, 12:07
Hi hi. Grate light, would you please send me part list and instructions on how to build one of these. My mail is rudolf@skokaup.is
Would you please send the parts list and instructions for building this light or even something stronger if you have it available to kms147@charter.net, I would really like something in the 50 to 100 watt range if possible.
Thank You
yaga-yofoesho? — 18 March 2009, 20:27
i grow indoor coca that i aquired on a trip to south america it gives my coffee the buzz i need to get me threw the day grown under 3 ten watt lights
Clean & sober tomato grower? — 18 March 2009, 13:39
With a chosen name of Ganjarooster, it isn't surprising they know of no legitimate use for grow lights !
At this point I don't have formal plans for this light. This is one of many prototypes I'm working with. Once I decide on which light I like I'll create plans for people to use
Could I have the plans sent to : chakotay@hushmail.com
Great photos can you email the parts list and plans to gaitashimashoo(at)yahoo(dot)com.
thanks
Well you don't realize that a lot of gardeners start their seeds indoors under lights. The backyard gardener who wants to get a jump start on the season will use grow lights.
Ganjarooster? — 02 January 2009, 14:39
Will this light work for Marijuana? Cause there's really no legitimate use for grow lights in the private sector.
RE YOU KEEPING E-MAIL ADDRESSES FOR THOSE OF US INTERESTED IN YOUR UPCOMING PLANS? QUESTION , IF BLUE IS FOR VEGETATIVE GROWTH, AND RED IS FOR FRUIT OR FLOWERING, WHY AREN'T THE COLORS SEPARATE OR SWITCHABLE?
can you please send a numpty like me plans for the led construction,parts etc..keen to get involved and hopefully contribute in the future.regards
jamesdesoer@hotmail.co.uk
Nice..so a 100w led light system should be equivalent to a 400w HID system?
You should post how to make a 100w LED system..with resistor information and what not..
this is nice, could you please send me a copy of instructions or plans with the material list? thanks rick280401@aol.com
very nice, I would like some info on how to wire the LED's.
Kernel Claypool? — 27 March 2008, 01:16
What would be the RED/Blue Color Ratio for a Tasmanian Poppy?
This si great! Would you please send instructions and where to get the material. Send to indadesigns@aol.com
Por que nunca ponen los planos ?
can you send my the plans for you new design if already available or let me know when the plans and parts will be available to purchase im looking to use on a 4x4 hydrogarden. please send info to emgonzalez82@yahoo.com
please send me schematic. thank you! panayot_b@yahoo.com
What a great idea. Please send info on where to buy the LED lights and what thir specification is.
Thanks very much,
Kale
When I chose the leds I looked at wavelength vs brightness vs cost vs availability. Given all the choices I chose what was cheap and easy to buy. If I find a cheap source for 650nm leds vs the 625nm ones then I'll switch. The blue leds are very close so I don't see a need to change them.
At this point I won't be sending out info. This light for me was a prototype that I'm no longer using. I have a new much brighter light I've been testing. When finished I'll have forsale a blank circuit board. I will also provide information on where to buy the LEDs.
I too would love to get a copy of the plans for your LED setup. I grow Golden Muscadine clones for a winery and this looks very promising. moonchildg13@yahoo.com thank you
great idea mate, just what i'am looking to d o please could u send plans if poss to www.shaunrbsn@aol.com thanks
I would also like the plans for this project . pls send to ovaldes433@aol.com thanks
Will Setzer? — 14 February 2008, 12:30
Could you email me a part list and some plans for this? Also could you tell me where to get the parts?
My email is setz0010[SPAMBLOCK]@umn.edu
Great job looks good!
Hello. These L.E.D s have quite the potential. Was there an issue of rapid decline in intensity? Also, I'd like to experiment. Is there a link to your details? If not please send to cgally2003 at yahoo. Thanks!
Great you have what i ve been looking for. Nice set-up. could you send me the plans too. thanks -- josecaroline@live.com
— 05 February 2008, 10:39
how to avoid intensity loses after 3 months
i am afraid that the intensity of leds will decline after 2 to 3 months
this is incredible may i please also have a copy cmboyer@hush.ai thanks so much for sharing the knowledge
please send me a detailed copy of instructions/schematics for the led grow light you explain in your article. thankyou very much ryo_360@yahoo.com
If your sending out plans I would like a copy milleric@sbcglobal.net
I would like to get detailed instructions for constructing the LED bank that you explain in your article. Please send to jimgreenthumb@aol.com Thanks!
dizzybronco? — 27 December 2007, 23:50
I would also love to get construction instructions and a list of materials. I've herd great things about LED lights and would like to test them for myself. Thanks so much. dizzybronco2@yahoo.com
Chronically_me? — 26 December 2007, 23:31
I would like construction instructions on building this light please. I have just recently learned about LED lights for growing. They're quite expensive to buy so I would rather build them myself so I can experiment. Thanks. djchrismayhem@hotmail.com
This is just what I have been looking for do you have any schematics or directions and a parts list to assemble this lamp. My wife is growing some herbs in a small area during the winter and this would be perfect. Please email them to me if you can. Thank you. The1pig@hotmail.com
Visit http://www.gardeningcamp.com and you'll see the pictures of what I'm growing. Currently I'm growing basil. Next I'm going to grow california white sage.
I should correct myself, many do use hydroponics to grow herbs... but many more who grow other types
herbs ey?? What kind of herbs would that be...?
I don't know too many who use a hydroponic system to grow herbs... unless...
Agree with others... please post the schematics and also a weekly photo / notes of your progress.
I will mention your work on my site, urbancommune.org
mchavez777? — 30 October 2007, 20:45
Your the man! Can you please email me a little more detail/instructions on how to assemble. mchavez777@yahoo.com
I've been looking into doing this for awhile now, and upon seeing this I must say well done it looks nice. Just a quick question, did you take to time to look up specific light frequencies or just go with any red/blue LEDs. I googled photosynthesis light absorption and found a very neat graph relating it to frequency.
PS zazil kiss my ass you tool thank you
your invention is stupid!!!!
ive been looking for something like this for days online if you could please send me more info i would really love it. This would make a great project but i am also a complete noob :) Thanks Tristantrip@comcast.net
Hey awesome stuff! I would be grateful if you could provide part specs and even a little guide/instruction on how to assemble this type of light on my own? If you have good sources for acquiring the parts that would also help me. I am a complete electronics noob hahaha! Thanks in advance! email: creo47@yahoo.com
hey, this is nice. If you are sending parts lists, that would be awesome. Ive been trying to assemble one for a while. thanks fatddrfreak@yahoo.com
Hey do you think you could email me a list of supplies and some instructions on how to build lights like these? ive done some projects with soldering but i have never worked with LED lights. my email rcdc128@aim.com thanks
great job on the light . I would like to try and buid my own light as well. Can you give me a list of possible suppliers that you used to make your light and about how much did it cost? TIA
I've had to reduce the wattage of this light to 7.5 watts. To get the full 10 watts you'll have to seal the botom part of the light in epoxy.
hi i really hope that you reply to this, i am awful with electronics, could you supply me with all the information, like numbers and reistors snd location and stuff. i would be very gratefull
regards ali
snowblindali@yahoo.co.uk
My goal is 5 watts per square foot. I really like your numbers. None of the standard light meter give me the measurements I'm looking for. Since the testing equipment for measuring the light intensity at different wavelengths is very expensive I'm resorting to just growing plants and taking notes. I'll update as testing continues.
Montana Dave? — 13 June 2007, 14:15
Interesting! But with the high efficiency of leds shouldnt this be good for more area. Like 6 of your units in a 4x8 area,32sq.ft. After all HID or HPS is mostly heat
Comments are now being added to pages
have fun!