@bob31 @Countryboyjvd1971. I know one of you guys use LEDs like I do and thought I’d share what I found out. You may already know yourselves but just in case you didn’t. I own the roleadro 300s and when I used a cheap lux meter on my phone just to see how bright it was in areas. Well at 18" I was getting like 14000 lux’s. Now, on to why I made this post. I found some really cheap led lenses on Amazon. They’re 90 degree lenses. 20 to a pack for about 5 bucks. I bought two packs. Took the clear glass cover off my lights and the new lenses slipped right on. I only put 20 on each unit since I have two lights. Well I spread the lenses over the lights and measured the lux’s again and it was now at 25000 lux. And that’s with only twenty of the sixty lights covered. How many lux will you get with all the diodes covered in the lenses. I’ll find out when the order gets here. Now, I know that lux doesn’t matter with led lights but, in theory More light equals bigger buds right? Just thought I’d share my experience. And my plant seems to like it. I’d show some pics but lights out at moment
I added some reflectors to my COBs and it more than doubled the light below them. I thought there would be less light bouncing off the side walls, but to my surprise the light the sides of the plant saw doubled too! They have a very wide viewing angle without the reflectors so they waste a lot of light on the high side walls. That light has to bounce around several times to get down to the plants. Just by capturing that sideways light and directing it down the improvement was terrific.
For 5 bucks, I was able to turn my$75 light into… Well, a better light😀
Almost twice as good! That’s nothing to sneeze at. Dollars in your pocket.
My reflectors were $9 each but I only need 6 of them. Considering how much COBs, drivers, and heat sinks cost it was a fabulous deal.
That interesting @HornHead
Can you post a link from amazon so we can see what tour taking about
I have a assortment of light leds cobs and lec fixture but if i can increase power im all in
@Countryboyjvd1971. Not sure how to post link, but just get on Amazon and type in led world lenses. They range from 7 to 120 degrees. I just checked my lux again and it went from 14000 to 29000 lux at 18", I think I said it raised it to 24k, not 30k.
@dbrn32 I assume from reading your reply to others that you have more knowledge than I do on such matters so my question to you is: the lenses I added to my lights make them brighter on a lux meter, but, does it take away from the par or umols or whatever it is or d they enhance it. Thanks in advance
Yes, both are correct in just about all cases. The light having to pass through the lens will eat up some photons. Not a lot, but transmission isn’t 100%. And the reason you see higher readings is because the light is more focused. It’s channeling the photons that do pass through the lens in a tighter beam.
Lens and reflectors can be both a help and hinder. It really depends on the state before and after. If you’re looking to get higher par levels out of a lower powered system, obviously they are a good fit. If you already are killing it on photon output, boosting par levels just means you’re going to run your lamp higher. Make sense?
@dbrn32 they were just some cheap 90 degree lenses from Amazon. $5 for twenty. My lights are the 2nd generation 300w roleadro. Their is a guy on YouTube review it or something like that. But, he checks par of lights and the roleadro was low, not gonna swear but I think the readings was around 200 at 18" dead center and I have 3 lights in a little 2x3 tent so I could afford to focus the lights more and not worry about losing coverage. Here’s some pics
If you can capture some of the light bouncing off the sidewalls and direct it down to the plants, it helps. A lot of that light just bounces around and never gets there otherwise. The one case where it would not be useful is if you positioned your lights really low and the lenses made bright spots surrounded by dark spots.
I’d say you’re golden. That is pretty much the ideal situation to justify adding them.
https://www.amazon.com/world-Degree-Black-Holder-Power/dp/B00PH2NQ8E
Are these them @HornHead
Sorry beo been busy as normal
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@GardenAmbition can’t put links to your site! amazon only unless You want to do an affiliate account
@Countryboyjvd1971 yes sir, those be it. Except I got the 90 degree ones. Think the ones I ordered the other day was 60 degree. Mix it up a little bit
Cool i may try a few myself see if it dies anything @HornHead👍