LED Grow Light

[mishtern]

I'm really intrigued by the idea of LED grow lights for urban farming. I know there are some kits that sell for big bucks but I want to build my own.

Let me preface this with saying I'm an electronics newb. I know many basic concepts but never actually applied anything. I remember calculating current, resistance, and voltage in high school for resistors and LEDs but nothing really since then.

My understanding is that photosynthesis occurs best at a 660nm wavelength. The Lumex SSL-LX30448SRC has a peak at the 660nm. There is another type of chlorophyll abrorbtion that peaks around 460nm but my understanding is that any royal blue LED will satisfy that requirement. I've read that a good ration of red to blue is 3:2.

If this was making one circuit from a battery to light up an LED, I wouldn't be posting this. I need to power about 75 LEDs to create an intense light. I want to be able to plug into an regular 110v outlet.

I don't think it would be wise for my create on my own a AC-DC converter then figure out the resistance and whatnot but if I need to I'm sure I could. I'd prefer to be able to buy a controller that would suit my purpose though. Can anyone help me out here? Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

Subscribed. Hoping this thread goes somewhere. I am interested in building custom 110V to DC converter that is very efficient and building the LED array to the output specs of the converter. I know most people will just buy a wallwart and call it a day.

 

[Freddy]

Check Ebay for grow lights, I believe. I grow Bonsai and have some tropicals that require additional light indoors in the winter. There are some multi emitter led panels on there, and there might be some more info about wavelength, # of leds, etc.