First, parts must be ordered.

I just ordered this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100W-100Watt-High-Power-White-LED-Light-Heatsink-Cooler-100W-LED-Driver-/221992627350?var=&hash=item33afcaac96:m:mnRhShhcQmf9D_2yJFdRdEA

In the drop down I selected WW with heat sink plus driver and lens.

I use WW warm white because it uses the color spectrum that plants
use most for photosynthesis and leaf growth.

After parts arrive, I will assemble the unit and plug it in.

Not sure if I will hang from ceiling or mount to a old light.

to be continued.....


Doug

Look forward to seeing more on this. Thanks!

I checked the same kits buying from China website,  This price is really good better than Alliexpress, Anyway, I am wondering that I find the same kit with grow lights LED, not sure cold white, Warm White, Grow Light LED, Which one is better.

My biggest problem isn't light, it's keeping them warm and growing when it gets cold. I bought a used 100 gallon fish tank and then found an electric blanket at good-will. I'm going to wrap the tank with the blanket, lay some styrofoam sheet over the outside of that and see how it goes this winter. It'll look ugly but just about everything I build does. Good luck and let us know how those lights work out. 

Noel my T5VHO lights throw out so much heat I have to have a fan on the plants. It increases temps by about 20 degrees at 71 in house.
Ricky, cold white is a good range for figs. The others might be better? I don't know the range? All my grow lights with grow lamps are at the same range as the cold white, 6000-6500k. That's a decent range for vegetative growth. Not for flowering though, you want 3000k for flowering, or in that range. I use florescent grow lights, and they are either 6500k or 3000k. I guess the main range of light. A grow light that offers both, would not be better, you don't want flowering on new plants. Plus the vegetative light would be decreased, the amount of lumens. Best to switch bulbs depending on your goals.

Drew. Thanks.

Hi Drew, They have cold white, warm white, and " 100W 380-840nm Full Spectrum High Power LED ", Anyone tried those full spectrum LED?

Last year I used regular LED light bulbs and had cuttings next to a window with a heat mat, but this year everything will be in an unheated greenhouse.  I'm definitely going with 6000-6500K leds this year- If ordering from china I think the U.S. bulb base is E26 but double check on that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dimmable-E26-E12-E27-GU10-G9-LED-Corn-Bulb-14W-18W-25W-30W-Light-SMD-4014-Lamp-/311697427410?var=&hash=item48929d4bd2:m:mkzzOSDt8mPACdEgLpv6idg


 http://www.gearbest.com/led-light-bulbs/pp_125991.html

You all need to do some reading on color spectrum and what is usable for plant growth.
Cold white will put out a blue hue. Great for seedlings. Warm white has a more yellow tint that matches the summer sun best and used for vegetative growth
and potential flowering.
If everybody knows more about it than I do, please show your proof before giving out bad information.
The nice part about these leds is after you learn you have the wrong color, you can change the led.



Doug

edited to correct wording. I said it backwards

Well i thought it was common knowledge, it's very basic info, look anywhere and you will see.
Here is a basic primer
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plant-light-spectrum-growing-flowering-plants-72801.html

When buying T5 grow lamps you have 2 choices. Both bulbs have the full spectrum, but most of the light is in certain ranges. Depending if you want vegetative or flowering growth. Here are some VHO T5 lamps, all that you can get for plants. One or the other. Cool white matches exactly the blue light need for vegetative growth. As stated in the link I provided.
https://www.hydroponics.net/c/774

Remember there are people who are fairly new at this stuff so I appreciate the addtl info.  Thanks :)

How many pictures of grow rooms have you seen with cool white or bluish tint?
None, because the blue spectrum is not enough by its self for
healthy plant growth.
Blue light alone is not even used in commercial grow lights. They use a ratio of 4-5 red LED'S to every
single blue bulb. The blue spectrum will not work well past seedling growth.


Doug

http://www.integral-led.com/education/warm-white-or-cool-white

Drew, I'm building a versatile 100w grow light.
9000 lumen.
$30
using the light spectrum in the middle of the high and low ends only make sense to me.

Your single bulbs alone would allow me enough money to assemble a 300 watt 27,000 lumen light.
Not much comparison.
But thanks for your input.


Doug

Thanks to both Doug and Drew. Anything shared with good intent is a blessing to all.  Doug- Anything you can share on your project that a beginner could use? Tips, watts, lumens, specific bulbs you've researched, etc. etc. Anything budget minded would be a big big plus too.  You guys sound like you know a thing or two and prices have dropped so much on LED's that it seems doable except for lack of expertise on my part. Thanks.

Hi Doug. I just ordered the same kit. Thanks for sharing that. I'll wait to hear what you have to comment on about assembly etc. before I put my cro magnon hands on it.  Hoping you have great luck and maybe some of that luck will slide my way too LOL.  

Once I get the kit in my hands, I will show step by step how to assemble your own LED
light.
LED's are the least expensive to operate as they use far less power than other
grow lights like Metal Halide, High Pressure sodium. They also produce very little heat.

The grow light industry are switching to LED's as lights of choice.

Follow along and build your own.

I have no guarantee of the quality of these kits, but I have been running
cheap Chinese LED's for years without a problem.

to be continued.....



Doug

edit
while ordering parts, I recommend getting some Gnatrol in preperation
for trees being brought inside.

I ended up getting one of these. Used a standard base(e26).Trying to keep the energy costs down. 6500k temp, over 6000 lumens and only 105w. Also cfl bulbs run much cooler than hps or mv/mh. Plus no ballast needed.

https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/62837/FC105-FEIIIB10565.html?utm_source=SmartFeedGoogleBase&utm_medium=Shopping&utm_term=FC105-FEIIIB10565&utm_content=6500K+-+400+Watt+Equal+Compact+Fluorescents&utm_campaign=SmartFeedGoogleBaseShopping&gclid=CMbv6dyo2c8CFZWFaQodUJMGug

6200 lumen vs 9000 lumen with 100 watt LED.
LED's use drivers, not ballasts.

This will be fun to compare plant growth come spring.
:)

Doug

I'm not sure what a driver is?? I was a bit skeptical trying something new but maybe I'll give it a shot next year.

Thanks for sharing that link Brandon. I think the more tools in the tool box the better!

CFL bulbs are great until the bases get hot.
After the plastic discolors to a light brown I would consider it unsafe to use.
Keep an eye on it.


Doug

Seller of parts just today told me the fan is not included. But they show it in the description with the kit.
Anybody else may want to hold off buying from this seller until I see what they send and if I have to file
a dispute with them. You cant show a description of what your selling without including what is being displayed.
Its hard to deal with people who do not understand english. I will do my best to get this straightened out.
At worst I'jj buy a cheap muffin fan and a 12v 2a power pack. (wall wart) to complete this light.
It will still be under $40 total by time its plugged in to a timer.

Doug

here is information on the usable light spectrum for plant growth.

https://californialightworks.com/light-spectrum-and-plant-growth/




I use warm white 3000k because it is in the most usable wavelength for vegetative
growth. If I want to induce flowering I will add more red to my spectrum with a different led light.

I have 4 or 5 grow lights I have built in the past years,
I'm only passing on my experience from what I have learned by doing.

Doug