New Grow Planning

[changeofpace2014]

Here is the problem! Read the specs. I have contacted the seller but have reservations they can resolve the problem.

I.M.O - If one looks at some of the Mean Well led driver specs. The first thing that stands out is the A/C draw on a 1400 MA constant current driver it was 1.2A. now look at the A/C on the drivers I currently have problem with they are only .35A. Should of been a red flag. The only reason we noticed the problem was because of the very little load on the circuit. We expected to see 6 + Amps but only had 1.8A and that was the red flag.

I wonder what problems would of developed trying to grow with 130W of led verses 450W. There is no way to know unless you check the led / driver or perhaps add up the total and then check the load at the panel for bad numbers.For example if you expect to see 10A and you only read 3A there is major issue.

This issue is really a show stopper, should of checked them in the begging but I did not have the heat sinks. Damn Budget...

[Jibblerjoe]

The only problem I know of with underpowered leds, would distance from the plants. And the number of leds required.

[changeofpace2014]

If you look at the Vero 18 spec sheet for the BXRC-30G4000-D-7X-SE these reading fall in line for a 14.6W application. No where near the 1500MA spec on the current driver.

[changeofpace2014]

I do not think there is enough penetration / flux to try a grow with these. I know there is wide range for the Vero to be driven (500MA - 2100MA), if I decided to risk it and went with this issue as is there would be around 2364 DC Flux per COB, but the target was 6038 DC Flux per COB. I am considering moving the COB s around to have groups of 3# this would allow the grow to operate at the target Watt of around 45 /47 Watts, however I am unsure if grouping them tight would produce the same results. I will have to go have another look at the frame to see if I can mount them in some sort of circle / triangle.

The easiest way is to replace the bad Chinese drivers with some real Mean Well, but damn so much extra$. The seller did refund 1/2 the $, I guess that is better then nothing. I suspect this issue is across the board with all those cheap led drivers, People Need to Check / Verify the circuit has the target load.

I really do not know if these led drivers are a case of bad design or counterfeit, I just assumed the e-bay seller had verified the drivers are running at the rated spec. Like I said I assumed...

[changeofpace2014]

Update the Mean Well replacement drivers have been ordered. More time should of been spent researching Mean Well in the beginning! The e-bay Chinese drivers were no where near spec, waste of time, and money, not just for the replacement drivers but all the materials involved with wiring them up. Wire, connectors, capton tape, thermal compound, solider, heat shrink ect. Only a partial refund for them.

I suspect the mean well will be so much brighter running at a true 1400MA verses the Chinese drivers.

The original wiring scheme was each Vero had it's own driver, but the Mean Well drivers will be wired in series. More efficient to use the large led drivers.

Ok I totally missed the side connector on the vero, even after spending hours wiring them up... Good thing I have to pull them all apart to wire the new m.w drivers.. Will try 18 gage stranded again.... Once again should of spent more time on Bridgelux site as they have video

[changeofpace2014]

The Mean Wells arrived and are now wired... I had to demo the old e-bay drivers and the plate they were mounted to...no getting them off intact, mind you they might still work.

So we have a HLG-240-C-A driving 5 Vero 18 and HLG-185H-C-A driving 4 Vero 18. They are really bright compared to the other drivers. I have not verified the MA but I did check the load and in the begging it was 3+ amps, then I thought about the potentiometer adjustment. Looks like they ship from factory in the middle so I turned it up. They should be driving at 1400MA now. I will verify after I cover all the terminals back up.. Lots of forward voltage out there 120 on the 185 and 150 on the 240 dc.

The Hanna meters also came a ph and ec, will have to pick up some distilled water to verify they are working.. Learned the lesson with the Chinese drivers, if you order something hook it up right away and do not weight like I did with the old drivers because the warranty may slip away on you.

To do list includes two four pack of 24w cfl and splitter, o need a cord plug as wall but he base are wired and still need to purchase some GHFG, this and that ect..

Behind schedule, really wanted to grow over the coming snowy winter. The girls should finish up in early March, I hope. Stains are listed somewhere at begging of thread.

[changeofpace2014]

quick update - The grow went well with no real issues and all the equipment performed as it should.

The little grow tent and 400 w led produced over a pound of seeded bud.. Ya the seeds were intentional on some of the branches, however I had no other place to keep the males while I was collecting pollen so they pollinated at will until I pulled them out. A little pollen goes a very, very long way in a enclosed tent situation. Funny the Thai was the closest to the males but it was the least pollinated. So we ended up with beans consisting of Cotton Candy Kush (MSNL) which states it is the original North America west coast strain, Thai stick and Strawberry Cough were also pollen donators. The S.S.C only produced males so I kept one and collected pollen for a future grow to something interesting and high thc. We will see.

Wanted to say this site has been and will be a invaluable resource for growing and learning. Thanks Nebula and all of you guys who have made this possible.

[3Berries]

I've had one of these on my furnace for decades. it works great at taking odors and smoke, pollen anything out of the air. Clean it once a year.
3. Electronic filters

Electronic Filters: These work paticularly well on smoke particles and never need replacing, though they must be scrubbed every few months. Photo by Darrin Haddad
These high-tech units, sometimes called electrostatic precipitators, are also incorporated into the ductwork. As air passes through, a high-voltage current puts an electrical charge on particles. At the other end of the unit, oppositely charged collector plates grab the particles like a magnet.

Electronic filters work especially well on smoke particles too small to be trapped in media filters. One independent test found such filters worked about 30 times as well as regular fiberglass filters. (There is no industry yardstick for measuring the effectiveness of whole house units because performance is affected by a home’s blower and ductwork.)

Unlike media filters, electronic filters never need replacing, but the aluminum collector plates must be cleaned in soapy water every few months. The process of charging particles, called ionization, may produce trace amounts of ozone, a lung irritant. Electronic filters cost $600 to $1,000 installed and require a 120-volt electrical outlet.