Bill Mack

I'm talking with Bill Mack on details (I've included the content of 2 recent emails below). The sources I've used are: Gardening Indoors with H.I.D. Lighting by George F. Van Patton, Hydroponic Food Production by Howard Resh (very definitive work), and NASA studies listed in the Lumen TOPIC posted by John.

Steve F

Steve,

Here's what I propose: I design a board specifically dedicated to plant growth as we have discussed. I propose this PCB be approximately 11.5"L X 1.5-2.0"W and contain "X" amount and combination of LEDs. Since it is a strip, these strips can be side-stacked and added to accordingly and as people's budgets allow. That way you only buy what you need and initial costs are kept at a minimum. 12VDC would be the operating voltage so as to facilitate standard power supplies, solar, wind, hydro systems. UL listing could be negated because it would be classified as a "low voltage system". What do you think????

-Bill

>The NASA lights seem pretty excessive. What would it take to have
>lights in the 4,000 to 6,000 lux (400-600 fc). Beans, peppers, and tomatoes like
>this much light. Lettuce, strawberries etc need only 2000 lux. 400W high
>pressure sodium is good for 25sq ft of grow space, 1000W is good for 64
>sq ft. Rating wise, the 400W is rated at 243580 fc in 9 sq m, fc under
>bulb is 160060. What kind of LED system for a 2000, 4000 and/or 6000 lux would
>you recommend?

Steve,

I would be willing to do a SNAPLITE type of product but without the computer interface (that could be left for later should demand in sufficient quantities be there). You would be able to manually vary the intensity of each of the two tracks (RED 660 and Blue 465) and have as an option the ability to manually vary (via external pot) a pulse/flash rate.

-Bill