CXB3590 vs MH/HPS vs 650W ChilLED

[DeceiverZ]

Cheers fellow growers!

Wanted to document this grow since I believe it will help everyone understand lighting a whole lot better, myself included.

Here's the specs of the grow:
Three 4x8" tables each having"
- three ChilLED lights at 650W = 1950W
- three 6" Blockbuster hoods running 600W HPS = 1800W
- eight DIY LED bars with four 3590 COB 280W/ea = 2240W

Each table has 18 plants totaling 54 plants for this entire room. I took lots of clones and transplanted each of the best, and what appeared to me as the most similar in shape and size into each of the three trays so that they were seemingly identical in plant layout. I tried to not play favoritism but made sure the OGKB and GG#4 were more centrally located within each table which also means beneath the lights.

Everything is being automated via Growtronix and a trigger cord to a PowerBox unit for lighting. The room is not presently being supplemented with CO2 as I'm running fresh air in from the outside.

The clones were 14 to 18" tall when they were transplanted. These were then vegged for 6 days in this room then flipped to 12/12. At the start of the third week I switched these lights from 50% Veg mode to 100% Full Flower mode. In layman's terms this just means I flipped the necessary switches to allow full 650W power with all the available LEDs turned on at once. Before their 21st day of flower, these were only at 50% power because I didn't want to push my ladies too hard on lighting.. I will say this, these fixtures are incredibly versatile and I appreciate the features.

I chose to start this journal at the 4th week mark, when things really start to get interesting

DAY 28

Right before lights on

ChilLED light with "white" mode

 

[Loc Dog]

What are the DIY cxb3590's attached to, and active or passive cooling? Do the LED's raise the ambient temperature of room much?

 

[Shmavis]

Holy shit!

 

[DeceiverZ]

CXB3590

CXB3590

So I've been toying with the idea of DIY'ing my own COB lights and after much research I just decided to take the plunge and do it.

I bought 5.886" x 40" wide extruded aluminum heat sinks and proceeded to install 32 CXB3590 @ 3500K. 4 COBs per bar with their own HLG 240H C1750B Meanwell drivers. Also installed 100K pot with resistors on each fixture. The whole idea was to make these modular so I could move them around and maybe mix up the spectrum by alternating bars with 5000K chips on them down the line.

Here's the 8 after my crude DIY job. Didn't go for aesthetics so much as functionality for this first encounter with COBs.

And here they are at DAY 28

 

[DeceiverZ]

Day 28

Day 28

Here's what the CXB3590 tray looks like right before lights on.

​

And here's how its looking under the trellis

 

[Loc Dog]

You are probably watching Growmau5 videos. That is what I watched. You went with huge heatsinks and fans. You are running hotter than I would. I was thinking 50 watt per COB. Those heatsinks are one of the most expensive parts. I was thinking using 2 X 2" heatsinks running inside a PVC fence post connected to 8" duct fan.

The 5.88" would be about $350.00 per tent, plus shipping.

Grow looks great!!

 

[DeceiverZ]

Day 28 HPS

Day 28 HPS

For the 4x8' table in the center of the room, these 18 ladies were under three Ushio conversion 600W MH bulbs till day 21. At the start of the 3rd week I switched to 600W Ushio Optireds. I like the MH's better during their transition as I've noticed they tend to stretch less and stay deep green with less signs of stress. But once budding has set in, the reds from HPS bulbs are better IMO.


It's difficult to take pictures under HPS bulbs without the proper lens. I will take some proper ones but for now here's what this tray looks like with the lights off.

 

[DeceiverZ]

You are probably watching Growmau5 videos. That is what I watched. You went with huge heatsinks and fans. You are running hotter than I would. I was thinking 50 watt per COB. Those heatsinks are one of the most expensive parts. I was thinking using 2 X 2" heatsinks running inside a PVC fence post connected to 8" duct fan.

The 5.88" would be about $350.00 per tent, plus shipping.

Grow looks great!!

I started watching him after I bought the heatsinks and was readying to assemble! He's a great resource and I'm not so sure I needed the extra 140MM fans and power supply for each.. But alas it is my first attempt at COB's so there's no wrong way. I could've just mounted them on 80MM heatsinks and laid them out in a grid with PVC but as always I over complicate the shit out of everything I touch! hahaha

Thank you!! Hope you enjoy the results.

 

[krood]

Very impressive

 

[Big buds]

What is your electric bill wow nice grow though inpressed I've been at it for over 16 years myself can't risk a grow like that killer looking shit bra.

 

[Loc Dog]

Do you plan on doing a gram per watt comparison, of dried and trimmed?? Might not be possible with how much you are doing, and different strains under different lights.

 

[Loc Dog]

So I've been toying with the idea of DIY'ing my own COB lights and after much research I just decided to take the plunge and do it.

I bought 5.886" x 40" wide extruded aluminum heat sinks and proceeded to install 32 CXB3590 @ 3500K. 4 COBs per bar with their own HLG 240H C1750B Meanwell drivers. Also installed 100K pot with resistors on each fixture. The whole idea was to make these modular so I could move them around and maybe mix up the spectrum by alternating bars with 5000K chips on them down the line.

Here's the 8 after my crude DIY job. Didn't go for aesthetics so much as functionality for this first encounter with COBs.

View Image View Image




And here they are at DAY 28View Image View Image View Image​

How wide was the grow space in those pictures? I am thinking about using 16 COB's in a 4' X 8' tent. Three rows lenghtwise. Outer 2 would have 6 COB's each, center one would have 4 COB's for X pattern. Running at 50 volts per COB.

The place I am looking to buy from, offers reflectors for the COB's. Do you think they would be an advantage or detriment.

 

[DeceiverZ]

Do you plan on doing a gram per watt comparison, of dried and trimmed?? Might not be possible with how much you are doing, and different strains under different lights.

It's very possible indeed my friend! I intend to take samples from 3 strains out of each tray and submit those for %TAC and Terpene analysis to the local lab. Considering each cannabinoid and terpene test is USD$50 a piece, I'm doubling down on my education will be submitting 9 samples. 3 from each table, of the same strains and same positioning within the tables.

I will also be tallying up the dry weights of the total from each table so we can get a GPW understanding. I don't typically like to work with GPW, there's just too many variables to consider it a respectable standard, but for learning purposes it will suit us well to discover how each table has performed under its respective lighting -all other things being equal.

How wide was the grow space in those pictures? I am thinking about using 16 COB's in a 4' X 8' tent. Three rows lenghtwise. Outer 2 would have 6 COB's each, center one would have 4 COB's for X pattern. Running at 50 volts per COB.

The place I am looking to buy from, offers reflectors for the COB's. Do you think they would be an advantage or detriment.

The entire room is 12x20' and the tables with 4x8' geoplanters and trellis setup. I'd say if you're going to use a tent with highly reflective walls, you'll be fine running your X pattern with 16 COBs. Only thing I would have done differently is start the plants smaller so I could trellis them earlier and afford myself more vertical space. Other than that, reflectors are optional. I installed my COBs with the reflector brackets but since it's so much lighting for the space, I decided to keep them off. Not sure it would make much difference TBH.

Few images of random buds from this room day 28

Also the strains I have growing in each table are:​

Tangie
GG#4
GlueWiFi
GlueBreath
StarDawg Corey
OGKB V2
DeadHead OG
Skywalker OG
Thin Mints​

 

[skorchem]

I got a 4x8 grow on the go using 16 3500k CXB3590's running at 50 watts each in a tent.
And on the other side I have two 6oow sunmaster dual spec over 4x8 space.

Both setups running on NFT, they are about 3x6 feet in size.
Really looking forward to the outcome of your grow to see the comparison.

 

[Loc Dog]

I got a 4x8 grow on the go using 16 3500k CXB3590's running at 50 watts each in a tent.
And on the other side I have two 6oow sunmaster dual spec over 4x8 space.

Both setups running on NFT, they are about 3x6 feet in size.
Really looking forward to the outcome of your grow to see the comparison.

Please let us know about your comparison!! I am looking to replace 2 X 600 watt in 4 X 8 tent, with 16 COB's at 50 watt each. Are you using an "X" pattern?

 

[skorchem]

3-2-3 that's the config in a square

 

[Loc Dog]

3-2-3 that's the config in a square

That is what I am considering. 6-4-6. Separating into 2 units is probably better, since power supplies are 400 watt. Using growmau5 videos, and Cutter?? They same cheapest anywhere.

The thing holding me back is the cost of heatsinks. About $350.00 per tent. Thinking about PVC fence posts with fans vented from tent instead.

 

[skorchem]

you will need heatsinks of some kind as they will help keep the cobs lasting longer, and the cooler they run the more useable light they produce.

with my config I get roughly 50 watts per square foot, no need for any other color leds as they have little to no effect as has been demonstrated by growmau5.

These lights are not to be underestimated they really do produce the goods, and even at two feet above the canopy the plant internodes are around two inches apart with inner leaf growth having to be stripped out as the penetration is off the chart.

 

[Loc Dog]

you will need heatsinks of some kind as they will help keep the cobs lasting longer, and the cooler they run the more useable light they produce.

with my config I get roughly 50 watts per square foot, no need for any other color leds as they have little to no effect as has been demonstrated by growmau5.

These lights are not to be underestimated they really do produce the goods, and even at two feet above the canopy the plant internodes are around two inches apart with inner leaf growth having to be stripped out as the penetration is off the chart.

The 2 Inch wide heatsinks are only 32 cents an inch. Could use them double wide, and still be 1/3 the cost of 5.88 inch.

Was thinking using 3 pieces of 4" X 4" or 5" X 5" PVC fence posts with double width 2" heatsinks, all three connected to 6 or 8 inch ducted fan out of tent. The ducting is only thing not completely thought out. Think there is 4" duct which could merge 3 into a duct fan/6" or 8" .

 

[Bobbo4200]

I'm in on this thread guy, looks absolutely killer!