LED FAQ) Building and DIY

[XRM]

one or 2 29's would'nt[/SIZE] add supplemental / satellite lighting around 4) 5- 6' plants in 2) areas ( others are right outside tent) never expected these autos to get near this big n bushy.

and with the very limited budget right now i cant afford 4-6) 20 - 50$ cobs much less the driver.

4-6) 10$ ones I prob can scrape together & it should add enough to help these plants bud out nicely.

one pf the reasons the vero18's caught my attention is ive seen people using them and places have then for around 8$ or so think it was digikey or mouser has like 30 different ones. I could get a hps but then i constantly be running the ac hard and as well as they penetrate i dont think i would get the light around as well as 4-6 cobbs.

ive only got so far into looking i set my constant migraines into overdrive alil before christmas looking again and trying to think about all this. before i smahed my head i prob could have figured everything and prob would have also had the $ to just buy the 3590's and build a nice setup.

3, maybe 4 vero 9's may give me the spread they need but i havent seen any that are 20$ and i guesstimated the 4-6 18's (or 25xx crees) @8-10$ + that meanwell many use is around 60$ + a couple incidentals = around 150$ im gunna try to squeeze outta my broke butt to make sure our med harvest is nice so we can move for the next few months I'm not sure of any better way to do it? I'm over on gc more and have pics n stuff havent even figured out how to turn on notifications or send a pm hear yet.
which is scary since many moons ago i setup ran forums, and before the net BBS's head injury and a tbi can really mess you up.

gow the heck do ya edit besides quote on this forum????

 

[Loc Dog]

You can not edit or send PM's till you have 50 posts.

Also, checkout growmau5 videos on youtube. A very good starting point, and will not be as confusing. Then reading about the finer points will not be as difficult.

 

[XRM]

You can not edit or send PM's till you have 50 posts.

Also, checkout growmau5 videos on youtube. A very good starting point, and will not be as confusing. Then reading about the finer points will not be as difficult.

seen em, one of the reasons i considered one of the 25xx series but figured itd be hard to get cobs driver n holders at one place reasonable so i didnt have to pay multiple high shipping charges.

 

[Loc Dog]

seen em, one of the reasons i considered one of the 25xx series but figured itd be hard to get cobs driver n holders at one place reasonable so i didnt have to pay multiple high shipping charges.

I have not seen better deals than this place for kits. Prices are in Australian dollars -

http://www.cutter.com.au/categories.php?cat=MAU5+KITS

There is another guy that used huge heatsinks (72" long), and mounted cob's to that -

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=333629

Just noticed you said you have very limited budget. Neither of those links would help you. Those long heatsinks were about $350.00 for a 4 X 8 tent to cool 16 CXB3590's

 

[XRM]

I have not seen better deals than this place for kits. Prices are in Australian dollars -

http://www.cutter.com.au/categories.php?cat=MAU5+KITS

There is another guy that used huge heatsinks (72" long), and mounted cob's to that -

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=333629

Just noticed you said you have very limited budget. Neither of those links would help you. Those long heatsinks were about $350.00 for a 4 X 8 tent to cool 16 CXB3590's

right, and ont need em have boxes full of new and used hs and fans prom at least 30 or 50 of each in the torage trailers from when i used to mess with pc's more.

just trying to supplement the lighting with a number of smaller cobs since they kinda got too big this time and i was already lacking

 

[Loc Dog]

Ya, "no good".


View Image

I was not agreeing with the statement. It is what sucks about researching things. Some pontificate about how they are right and everyone else is wrong, and are wrong. That is why it is so confusing. Maybe some spread false knowledge for their own benefit, screwing up others.

 

[Dion]

right, and ont need em have boxes full of new and used hs and fans prom at least 30 or 50 of each in the torage trailers from when i used to mess with pc's more.

just trying to supplement the lighting with a number of smaller cobs since they kinda got too big this time and i was already lacking

ok dude i think i understand ur situation and id suggest you check out cobkits


what is your budget exactly?


here are some cheap and easy options

https://cobkits.com/product/citizen-clu048-1818-80cri-choice-of-color-temps/


https://cobkits.com/product/meanwell-hlg-120h-48a/

https://cobkits.com/product/140mm-x-70mm-pin-fin-heatsink-for-cxb3590/


2 of those cobs and 2 sinks

EDIT: oh u got heatsinks so dont need em.

 

[neverforget4/20]

Ok

I have not seen better deals than this place for kits. Prices are in Australian dollars -

http://www.cutter.com.au/categories.php?cat=MAU5+KITS

There is another guy that used huge heatsinks (72" long), and mounted cob's to that -

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=333629

Just noticed you said you have very limited budget. Neither of those links would help you. Those long heatsinks were about $350.00 for a 4 X 8 tent to cool 16 CXB3590's

Re: heatsinks. The cost of heatsinks adds up quickly. If you aren't worried about how sexy your light design presents consider scrap aluminum heat sinks. I grabbed a massive 40# sink from ebay, sawed it in half and used it to cool my cxb's passively. Heavy as hell but works great and sink is part of structure.

 

[XRM]

Budget is honestly zero we barely get by But I know I need to squeeze sum dollars outta my ass to help these beasts bud out nicely and by guesstimate for that amount (4or5) of this range of smaller cobs and a driver I'm prob going to need at least 100 - 150 $
us Dollars (noticed as my head allowed more reading thru your thread your overseas ...... or I am depending on which way ya look at it )

 

[Dion]

i just ordered 2 vero 29 and 2 heatsinks from cutter

then i ordered an ELG-150-36A from mouser

I've crunched the numbers every which way and that was the cheapest option with dimming.


just order the vero 29 from digikey or cutter whoever is cheaper after shipping and then get some chinese drivers off eBay, go the old driver per cob style.

you have the sinks so you could potentially get lights in to ur grow for around 50 bucks each.

couple of those and ur on ur way i reckon

 

[wildgrow]

I was not agreeing with the statement. It is what sucks about researching things. Some pontificate about how they are right and everyone else is wrong, and are wrong. That is why it is so confusing. Maybe some spread false knowledge for their own benefit, screwing up others.

I didn't think you were... The pic was a demonstration of everything you said in the quote above.

 

[XRM]

i just ordered 2 vero 29 and 2 heatsinks from cutter

then i ordered an ELG-150-36A from mouser

I've crunched the numbers every which way and that was the cheapest option with dimming.


just order the vero 29 from digikey or cutter whoever is cheaper after shipping and then get some chinese drivers off eBay, go the old driver per cob style.

you have the sinks so you could potentially get lights in to ur grow for around 50 bucks each.

couple of those and ur on ur way i reckon

Thanks for the help, dont have enough height over how tall these are to utilize 2 over the 4 plants in 1 1/2 different areas. this and a few other reasons are why i i have been looking at the smaller or medium sized cobs.
When i can do more searching and comparing ill see whats available in 3000k or even maybe 2700k in the vero18's and what can run them hard w headroom for more cobs.

 

[Loc Dog]

I am trying to decide between 8 or 10 Vero 29's for a 4' X 8' tent, which is seven feet tall. Will be using screen of green method, and RDWC so growing in 5 gallon buckets. Trying to figure out if 10 would be too strong.

Forgot to mention that I would be driving them at 90 watts.

 

[RiddleMeThis]

i just ordered 2 vero 29 and 2 heatsinks from cutter

then i ordered an ELG-150-36A from mouser

I've crunched the numbers every which way and that was the cheapest option with dimming.


just order the vero 29 from digikey or cutter whoever is cheaper after shipping and then get some chinese drivers off eBay, go the old driver per cob style.

you have the sinks so you could potentially get lights in to ur grow for around 50 bucks each.

couple of those and ur on ur way i reckon

How many watts do you plan to run those at on those drivers Dion?

Plans changed for me, will now have multiple 4x2 rooms. Was thinking 4-6 vero 29s. Enough light to pull 1# is the goal.

 

[Koondense]

1pound in a 4x2 space?
Can be done but you must be at least a decent/good grower
And you'll need around 300W for it, I suggest 6 cobs@50W for that space.

 

[RiddleMeThis]

Awesome Koon, thats what I was thinking. Maybe more if I can handle the heat... or just drive them harder (if I go with Vero29s)?

Im a shit grower so I guess all have to learn . In all seriousness, not too bad, just going to take a run or two to get back in the groove. Growing in organic soil for the first time(previously coco/canna), new to LEDs, bit of a learning curve. Quality is certainly more important than yield, however I must be able to provide enough meds, including a bit of personal.

Fortunately ill have a 600HPS to bang out the first harvest and fund the LED builds.

 

[Dion]

I am trying to decide between 8 or 10 Vero 29's for a 4' X 8' tent, which is seven feet tall. Will be using screen of green method, and RDWC so growing in 5 gallon buckets. Trying to figure out if 10 would be too strong.

Forgot to mention that I would be driving them at 90 watts.

need at least 10, would you run a 1000w hps over a 4x8?

neither would I, you can light that garden with 1000w but you will need way more cobs and drive them way softer for that kinda efficiency


at 900w ur really skimping and not even that efficient, id aim for 1300 or more watts

you should drive 15 at 90w if u really wanna go down that road

or 20 or do it properly and drive 32 at a tad lower wattage

 

[Loc Dog]

need at least 10, would you run a 1000w hps over a 4x8?

neither would I, you can light that garden with 1000w but you will need way more cobs and drive them way softer for that kinda efficiency


at 900w ur really skimping and not even that efficient, id aim for 1300 or more watts

you should drive 15 at 90w if u really wanna go down that road

or 20 or do it properly and drive 32 at a tad lower wattage

Thanks!!!!

That saved me many thousands of dollars I do not have. I can not justify the cost of LED's until they are 50% more efficient than HID light. Probably need to wait for generation 12 or higher.

I run 2 x 600 watt HPS in 4 X 8 tents, and was hoping to get equal results with less electric.

 

[gmanwho]

lately, on the dimmable meanwell ballasts, what are you guys using for a dimmer on the ballasts without the onboard potentiometer ?

 

[Dion]

Thanks!!!!

That saved me many thousands of dollars I do not have. I can not justify the cost of LED's until they are 50% more efficient than HID light. Probably need to wait for generation 12 or higher.

I run 2 x 600 watt HPS in 4 X 8 tents, and was hoping to get equal results with less electric.

u can get up to 64% efficient cobs vs ur 36ish % efficient 600w, assuming u swap bulbs often enough so around 70% more efficient then HPS

what kind of yield u getting with 37.5 watts per sq ft?

u can run 16 vero 29 gen 7 @ 80w each(2100mA) in ur space and get around 48% efficient and should be averaging at least 1.3 grams per watt with 1280 outa the wall.