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Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Hello fellow ROI ppl.. This is my first post here so be gentle with me and sorry for bad english.

Im setting up little grow operation. My grow area is 1m x 1m x 2,5m and I was planning to make my own led lights.
I was thinking 10x cxb3070 cobs with dimmable drivers. Im gonna make two lights, both having 5x3070.
I will attach my cobs to 70cm x 14cm x 2cm heatsinks, one driver for 5xcobs.

Questions..
What driver should I use ? As I told before, I wanna have dimmable drivers.
How many 120mm pc fans should I attach to the heatsinks ? Am I good with two fans per heatsink ?
What is good driver for my fans ?
What holders should I use ? Should I use reflectors or lenses ?

I was planning to order my cobs from here:
http://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/cree-inc/CXB3070-0000-000N0HAB30G/CXB3070-0000-000N0HAB30G-ND/5124979
Can I get holders/lenses/reflectors from digikey too ?
To avoid huge taxes I wanna order everything from europe (gb or de).

Any suggestions ? Hints/tips ?

Thank you for answering.. ROI diy light threads have been really good info for me. Thumbs up to all of you led grow pioneers.

EDIT: should I buy 3000k or 3500k cobs ? or should I mix 'em ?
It ALL depends on your preference. 3500k has a bit more blue for veg. I actually did 25%4000k & 75%3500k. As for lenses or reflectors, that's a small space you'll be in. I'd go with reflectors to get that light going down rather than all over your walls. Drivers? Don't short yourself. You're smart wanting dimmable. The highest you can go in power for 5 is either a meanwell hlg240h-c1400"B"(dimmable) or a Pairui LGSU250-1400"D"(dimmable) you can always dim during veg and crank up for flower.BTW 10 cobs in a 3x3 will KICK ASS.
 

ledder

Member
It ALL depends on your preference. 3500k has a bit more blue for veg. I actually did 25%4000k & 75%3500k. As for lenses or reflectors, that's a small space you'll be in. I'd go with reflectors to get that light going down rather than all over your walls. Drivers? Don't short yourself. You're smart wanting dimmable. The highest you can go in power for 5 is either a meanwell hlg240h-c1400"B"(dimmable) or a Pairui LGSU250-1400"D"(dimmable) you can always dim during veg and crank up for flower.BTW 10 cobs in a 3x3 will KICK ASS.
Thank you for fast reply..

How is the "dimming" done with these drivers ? Is it made by screwing the dimming screw or something else ?

Any thoughts about the cobs ? Is those good for my purpose ? Can I do veg and bloom with 3000k ? Or should I mix with other colors too ?
What about the reflectors.. Is it better to use reflectors instead of lenses ? Pros/Cons ? Reflectors is cheaper ?

When flowering.. I will crank up those leds, but how about heat ? Will I be in trouble if I use only two 120mm fans on each heatsink ?
Or should I go with three fans ?

Is those drivers powerfull enough ? How do I calculate this ? What is the efficiency "sweet spot" for these cobs ?

Thank you for helping.. Electricty is not my field of expertise.. ;)

EDIT: typos
 
Last edited:

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
Thank you for fast reply..

How is the "dimming" done with these drivers ? Is it made by screwing the dimming screw or something else ?

Any thoughts about the cobs ? Is those good for my purpose ? Can I do veg and bloom with 3000k ? Or should I mix with other colors too ?
What about the reflectors.. Is it better to use reflectors instead of lenses ? Pros/Cons ? Reflectors is cheaper ?

When flowering.. I will crank up those leds, but how about heat ? Will I be in trouble if I use only two 120mm fans on each heatsink ?
Or should I go with three fans ?

Is those drivers powerfull enough ? How do I calculate this ? What is the efficiency "sweet spot" for these cobs ?

Thank you for helping.. Electricty is not my field of expertise.. ;)

EDIT: typos
Dimming will be done with a potentiometer. If you put both drivers on one cord it's a 50k ohm one with a 5k ohm resistor. If you leave them on their own seperate cords, you'd use 2- 100k ohm ones with a 10K ohm resistor. Use 2 140mm fans or 120. (Whichever fits heatsink snugly). Growth is good with all spectrums really. But I prefer mixIng colors.


This is a pic of two drivers on 1 50k ohm potentiometer with a 5k ohm resistor inline.20160212_220215.jpg
 

pookat

Well-Known Member
you could make your own pulse width modulator, it lets you alter the frequency as well.
depends if you want to target a pulse rate with on off flash times like 10% on 90% off @ 720Hz.
if i can manage to upload a circuit picture i will- you should be able to get the bits from radio shack ? cheap enuff.
 

ledder

Member
Thank you guys for replying.. What reflectors do you guys recommend for me ?

EDIT: Im still little worried about the driver and is it powerfull enough.
 

pookat

Well-Known Member
forgot to put the cap size, about 47nf should be ok, bigger cap = lower frequency ( 100uf it'll be like a stunned slug), smaller cap (1nf)= faster if your trying flash duration stuff yu'll need sum math's,
 

pookat

Well-Known Member
having not much money, i make mi own just a cut up cheapo survival blanket and some wood framing,
if you can afford then get the best,
 

pookat

Well-Known Member
just noticed the circuit's the wrong one, if you copyed it don't use it as it is, it'll fry the led's,
i figured out how to delete it hopefully in time.
 

ledder

Member
just noticed the circuit's the wrong one, if you copyed it don't use it as it is, it'll fry the led's,
i figured out how to delete it hopefully in time.
Im sorry what circuits are you talking about ? I haven't ordered anything yet.. Im still waiting for re-confirmation about driver.

EDIT: oh yes.. now I get it what circuit you are talking about.. no worries
 

Evil-Mobo

Well-Known Member
Thanks, so running 1 of the tasty led, I could get more penetration and yeild than using both of my 300w mars at the same time? I've been getting good yeild running both of them but trying to get more out of using 1 light and keeping the heat down. Running the 2 mars and 1 tasty together I believe I would have real issues keeping the Temps down in the tent.
I can tell you the swap in lights for me has been huge. My T2-2100 went into a 20"x36"x60" tent. HUGE upgrade and the girls are happy. Even the texture on the new growth is so much more detailed than before. But, I didn't have two lights before just one . I am leaving my old light for the clones until I get around to possibly hacking it to put COB's or just selling it off because I will soon not have a need for it.

My temps with a small circulating fan are between 80-85 and the humidity around 50-65%. I have a carbon filter and exhaust fan en route, hoping I can dial the temp down slightly without screwing up the humidity too much. We will see. It's a grow in progress and my first one ever. But I am very happy with Tasty LED, and have two more of his lights en route.
 

Evil-Mobo

Well-Known Member
yes. I have been reading these.. many of these diy lights uses 4xcobs on one driver.. Thats why Im little bit conserned will one driver be enough for 5xcobs.
If you get the HLG-240-1050 you're good, I have a couple of spares if you cannot locate them.
 

SoOLED

Well-Known Member
I can tell you the swap in lights for me has been huge. My T2-2100 went into a 20"x36"x60" tent. HUGE upgrade and the girls are happy. Even the texture on the new growth is so much more detailed than before. But, I didn't have two lights before just one . I am leaving my old light for the clones until I get around to possibly hacking it to put COB's or just selling it off because I will soon not have a need for it.

My temps with a small circulating fan are between 80-85 and the humidity around 50-65%. I have a carbon filter and exhaust fan en route, hoping I can dial the temp down slightly without screwing up the humidity too much. We will see. It's a grow in progress and my first one ever. But I am very happy with Tasty LED, and have two more of his lights en route.
blasphemy!!! I will soon not have a need for it. you can use it with your T2-2100(lucky) far clones go, you can buy or scavenge t5/t8's on from office buildings yard sales.

in flower if I have room ill hang it.
 

Evil-Mobo

Well-Known Member
blasphemy!!! I will soon not have a need for it. you can use it with your T2-2100(lucky) far clones go, you can buy or scavenge t5/t8's on from office buildings yard sales.

in flower if I have room ill hang it.
There will be (2) T-4-1750's here soon :bigjoint:
 

ChuckNice

Well-Known Member
I love my go green lights and can't recommend them enough. You could get a 300w for the 2x3 and either another 300w or 2-3 200w units in the 3x4. I have used just a 300w unit in a 3.5'x3.5' and was very impressed with the results. I'm doing an experiment right now with two 300w units in the same tent and the buds are blowing me away. Easily on par with a 1000w hps with waaaay less heat.
 

ThaMagnificent

Well-Known Member
I love my go green lights and can't recommend them enough. You could get a 300w for the 2x3 and either another 300w or 2-3 200w units in the 3x4. I have used just a 300w unit in a 3.5'x3.5' and was very impressed with the results. I'm doing an experiment right now with two 300w units in the same tent and the buds are blowing me away. Easily on par with a 1000w hps with waaaay less heat.
I was going to buy the buy 3 get 1 free package, but the only thing holding me back is the older cob version
 
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