EarthFireGardens 288 Watt LED Light - Munki's Experience

[Munki]

Hello everyone, thanks for stopping by. I just received my brand new EarthFireGardens 288 watt LED light array. I'll be sharing my experiences with this light here. Feel free to ask questions or comment. I'll do my best to answer them. Onward to the unboxing!

Here is how it arrived. Gotta love FedEx Home Delivery as I got it on a Saturday! Shipping label shows that this is this box came from Hong Kong then was re-shipped to me.

The light inside is surrounded by closed cell flexible foam board.

The light accepts a standard 3 prong computer cord.

The supplied cord is ... different. Rather short in length (about 4 feet) and the plug is not a 120 volt. It is a 250 volt plug and included is an adapter that converts it to the standard 120 volt.

The 8 hooks that connect to the light unit.

Here is the light array.

To service the unit, there are 24 screws that need to be removed. It appears that so many are needed to ensure that the frame is held close to the light lenses as they are secured to the LEDs this way.

Note that there are 6 panels in the unit. Each panel is wired to 2 power converter units. Also, there is a power converter for powering the 80 millimeter axial fans that cool the unit.

No manuals or warranty cards are supplied inside the box. No accessories to hang the light are supplied either except for the eye hooks. I'm thinking of connecting the light to a board with cables only about 4 - 6 inches above it and then running two large eyehooks through the board and using chains to suspend from there. That should make it easier to raise or lower the light.

 

[Bandit420]

Thanks for posting your experience in such detail Munki. I'll be watching with great interest. Keep up the good work Bro!

 

[Munki]

Thanks for posting your experience in such detail Munki. I'll be watching with great interest. Keep up the good work Bro!

Thanks Orangeblood. The more I learn, the more I'll share. Unit appears solid but one can tell that it is not mass produced. Shouldn't be a problem, but I wanted to mention it.

 

[TorturedSoul]

Nice!

 

[TorturedSoul]

Looks awesome, Munki! Are the fans noisy at all? Are they filtered? What kind of heat are you seeing after it's been running for a few hours (do you have a non-contact IR thermometer that you can shoot it with?)? What is the primary (IOW, "bright") footprint at 12", 18", 24", and 32" above the floor? So there is a separate power-supply just for the fans, if I'm reading your post correctly. I wonder why it wasn't set up so that each fan is supplied from the power-supplies that power the LED bank under that fan instead... Do you think that if the fan PS went out that the resultant heat would harm the light? What are you growing under it? That connection point on the light kind of looks like the one on a computer. Is it? And are you sure that adapter switches the voltage too or might it just be a common plug-adaptor? A lot of electronics these days coming from abroad are set up to run on varying voltage levels from 110v-250v or so and I'm wondering if this is one such. If so, it would be really handy for those of us who have extra-long (~3m) cords.

That's all the questions that I had floating around at the forefront of my mind about the Eco-Blaze lights. I'm... kind of interested in them, lol.

 

[ol hippy]

Munki, Mine was packaged pretty much the same ..the light is pretty heavy compared to a 400watt hps ! But I stopped running the 6" vortec fan that sounded like the space shuttle re-entering.. Nice breakdown and pictures of the light ! Lets see how they produce now !!

 

[TorturedSoul]

Munki, Mine was packaged pretty much the same ..the light is pretty heavy compared to a 400watt hps !

It just occurred to me that the weight-factor might be easily accounted for by the multiple power-supplies on board. Compare it to a 400-watt HPS with the ballast built-in and it probably wouldn't seem heavy at all. I've had to install and remove 400-watt MH security lights - those have the ballasts in the case - overhead while standing on an extension ladder and... it's a wonder I'm still here, lol.

All this talk about these lights has got me itching. I don't live anywhere near the big cities or their store so I can't go look at one in person but the pictures and descriptions are almost as good.

I can't wait to start seeing grow journals.

 

[Munki]

Looks awesome, Munki! Are the fans noisy at all? Are they filtered? What kind of heat are you seeing after it's been running for a few hours (do you have a non-contact IR thermometer that you can shoot it with?)? What is the primary (IOW, "bright") footprint at 12", 18", 24", and 32" above the floor? So there is a separate power-supply just for the fans, if I'm reading your post correctly. I wonder why it wasn't set up so that each fan is supplied from the power-supplies that power the LED bank under that fan instead... Do you think that if the fan PS went out that the resultant heat would harm the light? What are you growing under it? That connection point on the light kind of looks like the one on a computer. Is it? And are you sure that adapter switches the voltage too or might it just be a common plug-adaptor? A lot of electronics these days coming from abroad are set up to run on varying voltage levels from 110v-250v or so and I'm wondering if this is one such. If so, it would be really handy for those of us who have extra-long (~3m) cords.

That's all the questions that I had floating around at the forefront of my mind about the Eco-Blaze lights. I'm... kind of interested in them, lol.

Heh, "kind of" interested! Lots of questions for kind of. I'll answer the questions as I can. I will be growing the plants that can be seen in my thread "The Munki's Playground" in 2 gallon hempy buckets for the first grow. I am searching for mothers so I won't be doing ScrOG or anything complicated this round. I don't have the remote laser IR sensor, so I can't test that yet but maybe one day I will! Tempted to get one of those and a LUX meter so I can place my light in the ideal height.

Fans are not too bad for noise; I'll try to get a noise sample recorded and then post to YouTube so you can hear it. They are just 4 80 millimeter computer style axial fans. They are not extra quiet but don't sound annoying noisy either.

It appears that there is a separate unit that supplies the necessary 12 volts DC the fans need. The LEDs most likely run on a lower voltage. If I do get an IR temp gun, I may do an experiment one day that would test if a catastrophic failure happened to the cooling fans, what the temps in the unit would rise to in room temperature. My guess is the unit will do well; the 1 watt LEDs are quite efficient, dissipating a low percentage of the electricity as waste heat. I did not take all the light panels out to see if there was only 1 or 2 power units for the 4 fans.

The power connector is a standard one found on computer power supplies and HDTVs. It is unknown to me if you can put 240 volts into the unit. I'd say stick to 120 volts. If a user needed a long cable for the unit, I'd recommend one like this. Pretty cheap from this supplier.

15 Foot Computer Power Cord - Black

Hope I can answer more in the future. I still need to figure out how I'm going to install it into my tent.

 

[Munki]

Munki, Mine was packaged pretty much the same ..the light is pretty heavy compared to a 400watt hps ! But I stopped running the 6" vortec fan that sounded like the space shuttle re-entering.. Nice breakdown and pictures of the light ! Lets see how they produce now !!

We shall see how they do in the next few months for sure!

 

[Munki]

It just occurred to me that the weight-factor might be easily accounted for by the multiple power-supplies on board. Compare it to a 400-watt HPS with the ballast built-in and it probably wouldn't seem heavy at all. I've had to install and remove 400-watt MH security lights - those have the ballasts in the case - overhead while standing on an extension ladder and... it's a wonder I'm still here, lol.

All this talk about these lights has got me itching. I don't live anywhere near the big cities or their store so I can't go look at one in person but the pictures and descriptions are almost as good.

I can't wait to start seeing grow journals.

glad we could get you excited about growing again. The light is very bright and when you turn it off, everything appears to have a green tinge to it. The light desensitizes the eyes to all other colors. Almost psychedelic!

 

[TorturedSoul]

Heh, "kind of" interested! Lots of questions for kind of.

I don't have the remote laser IR sensor, so I can't test that yet but maybe one day I will! Tempted to get one of those and a LUX meter so I can place my light in the ideal height.

They're handy in a "non-necessity" kind of way. I've had one for a while. It's a Craftsman "Professional" 1400 Degree InfraRed Thermometer (measures from -20F to 1400F). Good for testing your air conditioner's efficiency/condition by checking input/output temperature, hot-spots in exhaust manifolds when looking for a single-cylinder lean condition in that turbocharged race car, doing "point & shoot" checks of a DWC reservoir, shooting a wall or roof to check for hot-spots... And I just found a new use, lol: I pointed it under my tongue and pushed the trigger and it read 98.6F so no more old-school thermometers when I'm sick. Heh. Yeah, they're fun to play with I mean useful. I don't know how much this one cost, it's not top-of-the line (it's got a 13:1 distance:target ratio so the farther away you get the bigger the target gets but if you can get it close it's literally "spot-on"). I did some auto work for a guy some time ago and he could only pay me $25 so he threw it in. He couldn't find the instruction manual which sucks because it seems to have several features (and modes, and buttons, and three switches hidden behind the battery). I look on the 'net every now and then but haven't come across a .PDF on it. Model number is 81998 if you come across one; it seems to be accurate enough for consumer work.

EDIT: Seems it's made by Extech, it's $99.99, and it's still being sold at Sears

EDIT #2: Found the manual of the manufacturer's "non-SEARS" version. Yippee!

Fans are not too bad for noise; I'll try to get a noise sample recorded and then post to YouTube so you can hear it. They are just 4 80 millimeter computer style axial fans. They are not extra quiet but don't sound annoying noisy either.

I've done a lot of DWC grows so I'm used to air pumps/stones and powerheads. It "sounds" like I wouldn't notice it if it were around them - or near the average computer.

The LEDs most likely run on a lower voltage.

From what I've read, it could be either way. Depends on what was used. I guess if the connection/solder points to the individual LEDs are exposed you could stick a DVOM on them.

If I do get an IR temp gun, I may do an experiment one day that would test if a catastrophic failure happened to the cooling fans, what the temps in the unit would rise to in room temperature.

If I end up getting an LED, I will check it. I'm sure it'll be a lot cooler than the average HID. But I almost certainly wouldn't do any "catastrophic failure" type testing, lol. Good LED lights may well be worth their weight in gold, but... I seem to have a distinct lack of gold and I'd not be able to replace any such device (I broke the band on my 34-year old Bulova today - I'll probably be a week or two just replacing THAT).

In fact, if I do get one of these things it'll probably be one of the smaller ones; I doubt I could swing the 288-watt version unless I hit the lottery. Shame, though, as I've thought up all kinds of things to do with one. But... Reality and all that, lol.

the 1 watt LEDs are quite efficient, dissipating a low percentage of the electricity as waste heat.

Pretty much what I was thinking.

The power connector is a standard one found on computer power supplies and HDTVs. It is unknown to me if you can put 240 volts into the unit. I'd say stick to 120 volts. If a user needed a long cable for the unit, I'd recommend one like this. Pretty cheap from this supplier.

15 Foot Computer Power Cord - Black

I wasn't thinking about connecting it to 240v (although if there's a standard label on it that lists input voltage it may have that range?) so much as just wondering if one could do away with the included adapter (and cord) and just use a standard computer cord (on 110v/120v). Although my computer cord is currently in use on my computer, come to think of it. Kind of scatter-brained right now and the nightly migraine isn't helping mental clarity.

glad we could get you excited about growing again.

Have always been excited about growing. Just... combination of factors, and all that.

The light is very bright and when you turn it off, everything appears to have a green tinge to it. The light desensitizes the eyes to all other colors.

Funny you should mention that. I long ago had some (apparently) severe light-damage to my eyes. If I'm looking at something, say something neutral such as a blank white wall, and close one eye, it looks slightly greenish. If I instead close the other eye, things take on a slightly bluish tint. Oddly enough, when my headaches are more severe, the problem seems to be more noticeable. I'm not discounting the "possibility" that there "might" be some brain-damage that's exacerbating the problem too. It has been suggested a few times that I should see a neuro-specialist for the eye thing, the mad headaches that can be crippling at times, and a few other things - but, as mentioned, there's that distinct lack of gold and all, lmao. The ex-wife used to say that she thought I had a brain-tumor - she was always such a positive little ray of sunshine, lol - but I mostly ignore it until the headaches/etc. get too fierce and then just try to find a quiet corner where there's no people so I can thrash around on the floor and cry/moan for a while. <SHRUGS>

But I ramble endlessly. I will take your words under advisement and make sure to switch to the polarized prescription sunglasses if/when I am around a high-powered LED.

Thanks for the information that you've provided!

 

[Munki]

My wife gets migraines so I empathize with you my friend.

 

[man0os]

Thanks for taking thr time to start this journal, I'm keeping my eyes on it!!!

 

[Keith Lake]

 

[Munki]

OK I have installed the unit into my tent. The power cord can be replaced with any computer power cable; I had a longer one lying around to use so no issues there.

I have a video that shows the light in operation.

The EarthFireGarden's 288 watt LED initial test on Vimeo

It includes sound so you can hear what the unit sounds like. Enjoy!

Here are some pics of the tent with everything else installed.

 

[Keith Lake]

I really like how you set up your carbon filter so the weight's not on the tent frame and it's not taking up as much space near the top

 

[Munki]

I really like how you set up your carbon filter so the weight's not on the tent frame and it's not taking up as much space near the top

While I lose some floor space, it allows for a more straight path for the air out of the tent. It may be preferable to remove the air from the top as it will be hotter, but I have had good results with this position.

Thanks Soniq420!

 

[Setting Sun]

I'm in!

 

[The Lurker]

Hey Munki,

Interesting pickup my friend. Too bad the manufacturing folks shipping from Hong Kong are too cheap to throw in an 8ft cable with a North American plug for these. I lived in Asia for a few years, and I can tell you, most of those converter plugs are cheap pieces of crap! (just part of the culture - folks'll take a much longer route in a metered taxi if they can avoid the $1-2 road toll on a shorter route. Idiotic...) As long as it doesn't affect performance...

If you have a kill-a-watt or similar handy, can you take the watt/amp/voltage readings and post the #'s for us? I know the distributor's taken a few, but I want to see what you are getting where you are.

Thanks mate!

-TL

 

[Munki]

Hey Munki,

Interesting pickup my friend. Too bad the manufacturing folks shipping from Hong Kong are too cheap to throw in a 8ft cable with a North American plug for these. I lived in Asia for a few years, and I can tell you, most of those converter plugs are cheap pieces of crap! (just part of the culture - folks'll take a much longer route in a metered taxi if they can avoid the $1-2 road toll on a shorter route. Idiotic...) As long as it doesn't affect performance...

If you have a kill-a-watt or similar handy, can you take the watt/amp/voltage readings and post the #'s for us? I know the distributor's taken a few, but I want to see what you are getting where you are.

Thanks mate!

-TL

You got it, my friend! I have an extra kill-a-watt meter I can use for this. I'll try and get the results up tonight.