IKEA Cultivation LEDs

Hatgirl · January 1, 2017

Anybody else trying out these new plant-optimised LEDs from IKEA's VÄXER range? I have two sitting on top of a plastic box with some micro/tumbler tomato seedlings, and some young alpine strawberries and dwarf peppers.

NarnianGarden · January 2, 2017

No, but this looks like something I might look for if I ever visit IKEA... (not in my town yeat)..

By the way, their store concept is such that after you're finished with the route, you feel like you've run a marathon...! AT least here in Europe.

Worth1 · January 2, 2017

I went one time never again.
Found everything to be made in China.

NarnianGarden · January 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I went one time never again.
Found everything to be made in China.

That's the case in most places these days ...

Worth1 · January 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

That's the case in most places these days ...

Got lost in the place too.

Worth

Ricky Shaw · January 2, 2017

These would be excellent for cold treatment on tomato seedlings since they put off very little heat. At 16 watts I'm uncertain how effective these would be beyond small seedlings. LED is not known for penetration, typically you'll see 600w-900w for a 4x4 area of plants under load. The math on that is 37 of these smaller units in a 4x4 space, and you can readily see the limitations.

But for seedlings in cold treatment, where you're trying to not raise temps and light requirements are not high, these seem perfect.

Worth1 · January 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

These would be excellent for cold treatment on tomato seedlings since they put off very little heat. At 16 watts I'm uncertain how effective these would be beyond small seedlings. LED is not known for penetration, typically you'll see 600w-900w for a 4x4 area of plants under load. The math on that is 37 of these smaller units in a 4x4 space, and you can readily see the limitations.

But for seedlings in cold treatment, where you're trying to not raise temps and light requirements are not high, these seem perfect.

The rule of thumb is 50 watts per square foot or more.
With 900 watts that is 56.25 watts per square foot in 4X4 area.
Worth

Hatgirl · January 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

The rule of thumb is 50 watts per square foot or more.
With 900 watts that is 56.25 watts per square foot in 4X4 area.
Worth

Wattage isn't an appropriate way of judging the amount of light coming from an LED, though (although the "average" PPFD figure IKEA give isn't useful either)

Cole_Robbie · January 2, 2017

Most companies selling LED lights are just assemblers. There are a limited number of diode manufacturers. You won't know the exact specs for the light unless you know who made the diode. And companies selling lights will rarely provide that information. They don't want to admit that other brands use their same diodes, making them essentially the same product.

artis · January 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

Wattage isn't an appropriate way of judging the amount of light coming from an LED, though (although the "average" PPFD figure IKEA give isn't useful either)

Most LED lamps give off light in a similar range of quantum efficiency (~20-40% of electricity converted into light), so I think that one can use the wattage to compare them reasonably well. 16 W is not much at all and the price of this unit seems quite high. A 4x4 ft space would probably need at least 300 W (or ~20 units of 16W).

I have forced myself through some of the original research articles on photosynthesis and it appears to me that salespeople's claims of the "special" wavelengths are exaggerated. Even green light can be utilized by plants. Some of the blue spectrum (~450 nm) is definitely needed to prevent plants from getting leggy. Yes, the red light (~630-670 nm) is the most efficient in terms of electricity conversion into photosynthesis but the difference from blue, yelow and even green light is not that big (perhaps 2x max).

Durgan · January 2, 2017

http://durgan.org/2016/December%2020...20System/HTML/ 29 December 2016 Seedling Light System
Natural window sunlight is used for most of my indoor growing. Often this is insufficient depending upon the weather. I put together a simple system from purchased parts from Home Depot. A 23 Watt Compact Fluorescent Bulb daylight spectrum was used, a simple reflector, and a 23 liter plastic pail. The heat produced is minor and may be ignored. The lamp fixture was $20.00 complete. The Compact Fluorescent daylight spectrum bulbs were $20.00 for four. The pails was $3.00. I will add a small fan when one if found to move the air in the pail.

Durgan · January 2, 2017

Another CFL
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Hydroponic Full Spectrum CFL Grow Light Bulb 60 Watt Bulb 5500K H60

Hatgirl · January 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by artis

Most LED lamps give off light in a similar range of quantum efficiency (~20-40% of electricity converted into light), so I think that one can use the wattage to compare them reasonably well. 16 W is not much at all and the price of this unit seems quite high. A 4x4 ft space would probably need at least 300 W (or ~20 units of 16W).

I have forced myself through some of the original research articles on photosynthesis and it appears to me that salespeople's claims of the "special" wavelengths are exaggerated. Even green light can be utilized by plants. Some of the blue spectrum (~450 nm) is definitely needed to prevent plants from getting leggy. Yes, the red light (~630-670 nm) is the most efficient in terms of electricity conversion into photosynthesis but the difference from blue, yelow and even green light is not that big (perhaps 2x max).

According to NASA research, a mix of red and blue LEDs is the best for leafy greens. They're about to start research for growing tomatoes on the ISS so I look forward to their papers on the optimum lighting for fruits

Worth1 · January 2, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatgirl

According to NASA research, a mix of red and blue LEDs is the best for leafy greens. They're about to start research for growing tomatoes on the ISS so I look forward to their papers on the optimum lighting for fruits

All any plant needs is red and blue they dont even see green.
The indoor light for people have a green led added to make a bright white.
Plants dont need it but there it is for us.
The led light may draw 16 watts but put out more.
This is the way with the CFL is it may draw 24 watts but have the equivalent of a 100 watt incandescent bulb.
For fruits a 65k is just fine it has every color spectrum you want it is equivalent to the noon day sun.
I have already done the research.
The "grow" lights you see on line are just a bill of sale scam for the most part.

Hatgirl · January 3, 2017

Aaaaanyway, it seems no-one so far has experience with these specific LEDs apart from myself.
The micro seedlings I have under them are doing well. Far better than they would at the windowsill at this time of year. There's less heat than comes off my T8 bulbs, which is good. The light diminishes quite dramatically to either side of the bulb, so the width of the "official" IKEA grow tray is a good indication of how many plants can fit under it.

January 1, 2017	#1
Hatgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 211	IKEA Cultivation LEDs Anybody else trying out these new plant-optimised LEDs from IKEA's VÄXER range? I have two sitting on top of a plastic box with some micro/tumbler tomato seedlings, and some young alpine strawberries and dwarf peppers.

January 2, 2017	#2
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	No, but this looks like something I might look for if I ever visit IKEA... (not in my town yeat).. By the way, their store concept is such that after you're finished with the route, you feel like you've run a marathon...! AT least here in Europe.

January 2, 2017	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I went one time never again. Found everything to be made in China.

January 2, 2017	#6
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	These would be excellent for cold treatment on tomato seedlings since they put off very little heat. At 16 watts I'm uncertain how effective these would be beyond small seedlings. LED is not known for penetration, typically you'll see 600w-900w for a 4x4 area of plants under load. The math on that is 37 of these smaller units in a 4x4 space, and you can readily see the limitations. But for seedlings in cold treatment, where you're trying to not raise temps and light requirements are not high, these seem perfect.

January 2, 2017	#9
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Most companies selling LED lights are just assemblers. There are a limited number of diode manufacturers. You won't know the exact specs for the light unless you know who made the diode. And companies selling lights will rarely provide that information. They don't want to admit that other brands use their same diodes, making them essentially the same product.

January 2, 2017	#11
Durgan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 1,341	http://durgan.org/2016/December%2020...20System/HTML/ 29 December 2016 Seedling Light System Natural window sunlight is used for most of my indoor growing. Often this is insufficient depending upon the weather. I put together a simple system from purchased parts from Home Depot. A 23 Watt Compact Fluorescent Bulb daylight spectrum was used, a simple reflector, and a 23 liter plastic pail. The heat produced is minor and may be ignored. The lamp fixture was $20.00 complete. The Compact Fluorescent daylight spectrum bulbs were $20.00 for four. The pails was $3.00. I will add a small fan when one if found to move the air in the pail.

January 3, 2017	#15
Hatgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Ireland Posts: 211	Aaaaanyway, it seems no-one so far has experience with these specific LEDs apart from myself. The micro seedlings I have under them are doing well. Far better than they would at the windowsill at this time of year. There's less heat than comes off my T8 bulbs, which is good. The light diminishes quite dramatically to either side of the bulb, so the width of the "official" IKEA grow tray is a good indication of how many plants can fit under it.