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Another lighting question

JDU 800 watts for 4x4 puts you into a position where you would probably need CO2. It all depends on setup. 800 watts hanging 5 feet above the canopy is way different than 600 watts 5 feet above. More watts costs more money to run. Then you have the cost associated with heat issues and venting it. More watts = More costs.
As for the strips...the light strips *that I use* is fairly rigid. They are held onto the aluminum flat bar (heat sink) using adhesive thermal tape. The strips that I mentioned in a previous post are also rigid, but they can only handle about 500 mA of heat dissipation. If you want to run them “hotter” at say 750 mA or more, then you will need to think about using some type of heatsink to dissipate heat.
If you want to build out of aluminum like I did, it’s easy enough with basic woodworking tools with one exception...brazing the aluminum bits together. They don’t need “welding” since it’s not structural or weight bearing 😉 I bought some brazing rods from amazon and a propane/MAP gas torch to put it together.
If you haven’t done it yet, check out my build log. I have a bunch of pics that help explain everything. My design is just a simple spine and rib design. The aluminum is easy to use and work with.
 
So, again, not to disagree with anything Toker or YY said, they speak truth. If you did all that, you would have an awesome light.

IF you want to do that kind of work. Even if Toker brazes the aluminum for you, there is a LOT of research and specking that you have to do.

OR, you could just get one of those flat panel or COB deals for about $80-150 to add to your current arsenal and be done with it, and the UPS guy will drop it off on Monday.
 
@ DingusKhan my current arsenal is 3 T5s & they need to hang closer than & therefore block out an LED.
@ YyCannabis so 800 is too much?
 
YYCannabis I went past the 1st page on your build journal & I'm startin to wrap my pot addled mind around the concept. If you're attaching the strips with an adhesive well then I could abandon the spine approach & just use baling wire or twine to attach them to a length of hog wire...... Yes??
 
JDU. Check out this site for the aluminum and assembly components first

8020.net. And tnutz.com. Check out product ex 1010. Order by the foot and check out all of the different connectors...so simple a cave man can do it
 
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Farmall hit the nail in the head. Good quality off the shelf materials.

Just to help you think about design options, another way to do it instead of the single spine I use, is to build a frame and have the strips go across the frame...kinda like a ladder laying on its side. It’s the most common way to do it.
 
Hey YYCannabis, we’ve got a convert? Also remember that your led driver can be mounted outside the tent and help even further to eliminate another source of heat during warmer months
 
My 1st thought WAS a frame. But on hog wire I can scoot or slide them around to wherever they hit the plants best. I can think of a few configurations now, & I don't see how any of them can be wrong- the important thing is getting light to the girls.
 
JDU I love those “AHA!!” lightbulb moments when suddenly everything makes sense. Now you can see options on top of options on top of options. And yes, it’s not about how you get the light there, but how much light gets there. 👍
 
Here’s a few pics of the actual light strip on the heat sink. I just reviewed my build log and realized I didn’t put a single pic of the mounted strip.
 

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Yes, but the thermal efficiency is low. Better to have fins on your heat sink for maximum cooling capacity.
 
These strips aren’t running at high amperage, so thermal control is minimal. For my setup, this flat bar is sufficient. If I was to crank up the amps to 1.5mA then better heatsinks with fins would be required.

JDU that’s correct.
 
There are several heatsink styles out there. My small fin heatsinks never reached 78 degrees not tested the large arc shaped fin heatsinks yet but I don’t expect 3 times the improvement at 3XL the cost. Additionally YYCannabis has the exact same thermal measurements as I have so I believe we are not saturating the capacity of the aluminum
 
Here are the two profiles I use. They are about 1” wide where the adhesive thermal tape bonds the led strip to the aluminum. All of my frames use the left profile. I am working on two that will use the newer arc shape

D929200F-62FC-4CE1-80D8-13929F3AC3B5.jpeg
 
Or you could grow in low enough ambient that the room is the heat sink. The cooling efficiency still could be improved with fins... just depends on how important a few degrees might be to a situation
 
Dig it!! Funny all the theorems out there about the Stegosaurus and what it’s back spikes were for. No one ever though extra cooling capabilities until the arch shape fins proved to be superior (Recently)in regards to thermal conductivity.
 
Will certainly check your ambient temperature statement when these are up and running..so, the Stegosaurus was warm blooded? 😂
 
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