Building a 1 watt LED light

[bombbudpuffa]

I just ripped this off the internet, the box is used to shield all the light except a little tiny sliver that goes thru the slit. The slit width is important in the future but not for now. The distance of the box slit to camera is also important for future calculations, may be beyond me. For now, I want the wavelength peaks. The intensity of a particular wavelength is for the future, baby steps.
The software is Theremino. A diy place on the internet. Just having phun with photons..
The diffraction gradient splits the light into its rainbow of components with magic.

Gotcha! Any links to the diy? I like magic...especially if it makes pretty lights.

 

[screwdriver]

Theremino.com
The spectrometer software is under the automation link. There is also a pdf showing how to make the box. I dont think there is any dimensions to the box so I just made it like the pictures. It could use improvements but I just wanted it done. Now I can tweek here or there to improve.

 

[bombbudpuffa]

Thank you!

 

[screwdriver]

This is from the manufacturer of my LEDs.

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[screwdriver]

Here's my spectrum image for the Full Spectrum, Red 660nm, Royal Blue 440-450nm.
However, I'm not real confident in this spectrometer. Still trying to figure out the software too. Not sure if it retains the calibration after it shuts down or you have to recalibrate each time. It is semi close to being calibrated.

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[bombbudpuffa]

That's super interesting.

I just hooked one of these up to a light. Pretty cool to use a remote on them.

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[bombbudpuffa]

The Theremino stuff is incredible. Took a while to find the software and diy but looks simple enough. Going to try it just as soon as I get a new laptop.

 

[screwdriver]

The Theremino stuff is incredible. Took a while to find the software and diy but looks simple enough. Going to try it just as soon as I get a new laptop.

That was the hardest part of the project, finding the software.

I saw the dimmer you installed. For the little 1-5w haven't seen any leaf burn except when within an inch from the full spectrum LED. The 100w is a little different, wish I would have got a dimmer, but the drivers I bought didn't have that feature. Getting a little burn at 1.5 feet, safer at 2 feet. Maybe need to take off the lens.

I would like to see a build with a red, blu, grn 100w LEDs with the drivers that have the remote to change the color spectrum, then program the appropriate spectrum for the growth cycle.

 

[bombbudpuffa]

That was the hardest part of the project, finding the software.

I saw the dimmer you installed. For the little 1-5w haven't seen any leaf burn except when within an inch from the full spectrum LED. The 100w is a little different, wish I would have got a dimmer, but the drivers I bought didn't have that feature. Getting a little burn at 1.5 feet, safer at 2 feet. Maybe need to take off the lens.

I would like to see a build with a red, blu, grn 100w LEDs with the drivers that have the remote to change the color spectrum, then program the appropriate spectrum for the growth cycle.

They make the controllers for that for lil or nothing. Throw one together. Need a link?

 

[screwdriver]

That's going to be a someday project, I'm still working on yesterday's project not to mention last weeks project is still waiting to be completed.

I dug out some other lights for a quick look at their spectrums.
Fluorescent tube in a work light,
old metal halide,
really old HPS.

All my tests are completed in the least controlled environment. There is also a reflection that can be seen at times. Thats all or most of the spikes in the black region. I think there is also too much light getting thru and over driving the camera.

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[bombbudpuffa]

Maybe make the light slot more thin? Loving what you're doing in this thread.

 

[screwdriver]

Maybe make the light slot more thin? Loving what you're doing in this thread.

Hard for me to make thinner. Wood isn't the best material to make a thin slot. It will have to be made from some metal so it can be adjustable. I may just be able to use a couple of polarizing lens but don't know if that affects the spectrum.

 

[RubyRed]

:48:

 

[bombbudpuffa]

My be a lil sliding door like design where you can adjust the slit.

 

[screwdriver]

That is the way to do it, but it has to be precise. That's the part I have to think about. I think about how parallel those door have to be, type and shape of material. I have to make sure it doesn't cause light leaks or more reflections.

Here is the tube light spectrum. With a little modifacation to the spectrometer. I taped a calibrated piece of a milk jug across the slit. One of the problems with the spectrometer is the length, hard to fit into a little cabinet. I think it shows a pretty good representation of the spectrum of my tube light.

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[screwdriver]

This is a good representation of the spectrum from the 43w box.

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[screwdriver]

Here's another style, 3500K 50watt cobs with the driver built in.
I scavenged the heatsink from a PLC that was heading to the recycle pile. I printed the end caps to fit a 4 inch flex duct. Drilled a bunch of holes and tapped to mount the LEDs. The screws were also from the PLC. Wired up and plugged in. They're bright enough.

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[screwdriver]

And the spectrum.

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