Cubicle lighting

[agrisparks]

Has anybody recently installed or replaced lighting in cubicle buildings. If so what sort was it. There are a few companies selling lighting systems and claim increased yields. I wondered if anyone can comment on, if these claims work in practice

 

[Farmer Keith]

Replaced all my bulbs with LED corn bulbs 3 years ago, loads more light, no more milk, I wouldn’t say it was a total waste of time and there’s possibly some gains been made in terms of fertility, general heath etc and obviously it’s a more pleasant space to work/bed up. However I’d take the claims of 2 extra litres with an huge pinch of salt.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Did it a few years back now, 8 possibly.
Just had my electrician sort it, as these firms seem to want big money.

Did it as having standard light/dark phases do make sense.
In practice though, if there are any gains. They are so dilatory and nigh on impossible to attribute to the lighting.
So it's very much in the marginal litre territory.

 

[Fergieman]

I put in an all singing all dancing system when we built a new shed in 2012 but as said take the claims with a pinch of salt. Its good not to have to think about switching lights on or off as they are totally automatic. If fact I haven't touched them since 2012.
I have the electrician here today installing a system in an other shed but just bought the individual parts this time. 100w high bay led lights, red led night lights, 2 timers and a daylight sensor which should make a fully automatic system for less money.

 

[Jdunn55]

Does anyone know any places to buy cheap but decent lights?

I only want them so that I can see and dont mind turning them on and off as I please, I'm not convinced they'll add any extra litres so just want to be able to see my hand in front of my face at this time of year

 

[pappuller]

Good sparky should sort it, simple system with led lights and dual timer/light sensor for main lights on/off and low level night lights on

 

[SolwayFarmer]

I put in an all singing all dancing system when we built a new shed in 2012 but as said take the claims with a pinch of salt. Its good not to have to think about switching lights on or off as they are totally automatic. If fact I haven't touched them since 2012.
I have the electrician here today installing a system in an other shed but just bought the individual parts this time. 100w high bay led lights, red led night lights, 2 timers and a daylight sensor which should make a fully automatic system for less money.

Where did you get the night lights. Thanks

 

[Fergieman]

Where did you get the night lights. Thanks

The electrician sourced them from his supplier but they look like these :- https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/pro...SiQs2M5BssQfkRYCUuRoC6mUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I'll look at the empty box later.

 

[Bald Rick]

Replaced all my bulbs with LED corn bulbs 3 years ago, loads more light, no more milk, I wouldn’t say it was a total waste of time and there’s possibly some gains been made in terms of fertility, general heath etc and obviously it’s a more pleasant space to work/bed up. However I’d take the claims of 2 extra litres with an huge pinch of salt.

Interestingly, we have one shed on High Pressure Sodium, one on a combo of sodium & LED and one exclusively on LED

At first glance, you would pick LED all day long BUT if you genuinely believe that you need 200 lux at cow eye level for increased yields, then HP sodium kicks LED in to the long grass. We light meter tested all three sheds and the sodium one had no drop off in light intensity at all across the width & length of the shed whereas the LED only one was very specific to a small area and rapidly fell away - a spot light effect if you will.

 

[pappuller]

Interestingly, we have one shed on High Pressure Sodium, one on a combo of sodium & LED and one exclusively on LED

At first glance, you would pick LED all day long BUT if you genuinely believe that you need 200 lux at cow eye level for increased yields, then HP sodium kicks LED in to the long grass. We light meter tested all three sheds and the sodium one had no drop off in light intensity at all across the width & length of the shed whereas the LED only one was very specific to a small area and rapidly fell away - a spot light effect if you will.

Running cost and installation vs return ???

 

[Bald Rick]

Running cost and installation vs return ???

Sodium are 400w iirc spaced at about 18ft . Can't remember wattage of LEDs but they are "high barn".

Would have no idea on running costs as we only get one great big bill per quarter

 

[Rossymons]

Ours was completed by our sparky who had the patience of a saint competing the work as I put on my geek trousers and pulled them all the way up!

Basic light sensor outside the shed which set the lights on and off depending on levels of darkness. This then went through a timer to hopefully mimic a 18/6 split of light/dark. As we have a central feed passage I then asked that the feed passage light stayed on all night but only half the lights and that all the cubicle lights were off to mimic the 18/6 split.

Could I see any financial benefit from it? Probably not but it was a new build so the lights had to go in anyway so why not have it "perfect" from day one?

Was I content that I had done everything I could to get a marginal litre? Yes.

 

[Fergieman]

This is our control box put together by electrician.

 

[JES]

Just had bill for doing 200 cow cubicle shed with led strip under 2k. Sodium 400w, strip fluorescent 58 w, led strip 20w. New lights read 390 lux at cow back level.Not one litre of extra milk but should pay for themselves in 10 months with less electric even at night rate.

 

[upnortheast]

Just had bill for doing 200 cow cubicle shed with led strip under 2k. Sodium 400w, strip fluorescent 58 w, led strip 20w. New lights read 390 lux at cow back level.Not one litre of extra milk but should pay for themselves in 10 months with less electric even at night rate.

What have you replaced. To expect that saving in leccy use ?

 

[JES]

Replaced sodium in feed passage and 3 double fluorescent in every bay with 1 led in each bay. Have to replace 1/3 rd of fluorescent every year, led are supposed to last 20000 hours.

 

[crashbox]

Does anyone know any places to buy cheap but decent lights?

I only want them so that I can see and dont mind turning them on and off as I please, I'm not convinced they'll add any extra litres so just want to be able to see my hand in front of my face at this time of year

I have bought red LEDs from ebay, white LEDs from CPC.
About £20 for 100W and £30 for 200W, seems good value to me.
Make sure you get the correct K rating (softness/harshness of the light) for your application.
Am planning to install something similar to the home made system @Fergieman described.

 

[Jdunn55]

I have bought red LEDs from ebay, white LEDs from CPC.
About £20 for 100W and £30 for 200W, seems good value to me.
Make sure you get the correct K rating (softness/harshness of the light) for your application.
Am planning to install something similar to the home made system @Fergieman described.

Thanks