Introducing CobKits.com - specializing in DIY and Citizen COBs
GrowUrOwnDank
Well-Known Member
Thanks bro. That's a very reasonable price. I've spent several hours today reading up on COB and it's starting to click a little. At least I understand the components and watched a couple of awesome vids from @Growmau5 (thanks) and several others. I notice your name keeps popping up in my reading as well. Thanks all for sharing.
@CobKits Been stalking your site also. Thanks again everyone.
CobKits
Well-Known Member
thats cause Jorge is a card-carrying Badass
Michiganjesse
Well-Known Member
Jorge I would like your opinion (because your a bad ass) wanting to build a cob light first time small time grower 5x5 flower room try to run perpetual garden small 2 to 3 ft plants more worried about quality than quantity. I have a few cheap leds over 1000 watts total 300 mars hydro, couple ufos 180 watts, another 420 watt led full spectrum plus a 300 watt cfl flower bulb but i could do better these are cheap China made do you think the 300 cob kit is tyne right start for me to try? Anyone else chime in would like some feed back. I'll be moving into my new home soon. After all my final inspections first thing going in is walls venting sun tunnel new dedicated circuits to room. I just updated my whole electrical service inside and out i could run two homes off my panel. I want an efficient room keep the bills low grow some nice medicine for treating my tumor and my wife's seizures. Unless i can buy a quality light pre made for 3 bills don't think that is possible
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Grab a couple kits and do work.
Michiganjesse
Well-Known Member
Would love to but $$$ are tight I just bought a house cash and remodeled it from floor joist up all new beams floor joists all new electrical heating plumbing flooring changed walls doors I'm still not done $$$$ and a disabled wife and 3 beautiful kids whom are a bit spoiled my oldest boy 7 got me for a $60 back pack my coins are depleted in time I'll have a green house just small 10x10 but heat lights but that won't be this year may be 2 years all depends i won't do it unless i can do it right
CobKits
Well-Known Member
buy a DE HPS
GrowUrOwnDank
Well-Known Member
My goal is to build a single powerful COB. CHEAP! I have a heat sink and fan. I think I will just need a driver and the COB itself. I may want to use the COB holder options for ease in attaching the wires. But, I am thinking I could just use the thermal pads to attach the COB directly to the Heat Sink. I could then build my own reflector using existing attachment points on the casing of the heat sink. I would not have a problem drilling and tapping if I choose to use a holder/reflector.
Setup. Area I use is 2'x2'x8' in a closet, which can easily be expanded sideways at some point if I desire. Number of plants are usually 1 to 4 small autos or photos, 12/12 from seedling. For now I use a good soil in 1.5 to 2 gal pots or I may go back to hempy bucket at some point in a 3 gallon bucket. MaxiBloom powder, Lucas Formula recipe are my nutes.
Currently, I like to use my old Blurple UFO and 150 HPS together to cover as many different types of spectrums. They work very well and my plants seem pleased with that. But, it's time for experimentation with this new COB tech. I want to add one of these in my setup as stand alone or in addition to the Blurple and HPS.
See the pics. This heat sink is a CPU cooler from a bad ass Dell I had back in the day. I have no idea how it works. The fan is a 120v and it pushes 60-70 CFM.
Note also. I have plenty of scrap sheet metal. I can make my own encasement and even reflector.
The goal is well grown dank blooms fast. I have no intention to go beyond micro for personal.
I am thinking this driver "
MeanWell HLG-185H-48A Driver". EDIT: I see it has an internal potentiometer for dimming? $40 from cobkits seems really cheap.
I am unsure of the best most powerful and efficient COB. But, I would like to go as cheap as possible. I am thinking the Citizen 1818 looks like an efficient choice and if I ever decide to add more COB's it will work in parallel being the correct voltage. And it's cheaper than the 1825. Is the 3500 CRI 90 my best choice? Since I don't really veg? For small plants 12/12 from seedling and autos?
$66 seems pretty cheap to me for this experiment. I do want it to work tho. What do you COB experts think? Thanks.
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CobKits
Well-Known Member
they make epoxy for that if youre planning on running your cob at high current like it sounds, you should know that its considered inferior to the non-permanent thermal paste
if youre using a single cob just use a $5 off the shelf reflector. they are computer engineered for better coverage than anything you could build
the A series doesnt take an external dimmer. its got a dimming pot for current right on it. some people with a lot of fixtures like external dimming, in your easily accessible single-cob micro grow it should be a good fit.
i also have 120W drivers i havent put up yet (same style- HLG120H-48A)- a better match for asingle cob as its 2.9A max vs the 185 which is 4.25A max and a single 1825 (only citi that can take that kind of current) run that hot will prob be above the 53W top end of that driver
sure as long as your adding 1818s. while 1825s are also 50W nominal cobs they run on a slightly different current/voltage curve, best not to mix and match
id recommend a $65 1818 light engine: https://cobkits.com/product/clu048-1818-active-light-engine-single/
and ill put up that HLG-120H-48A driver for $25. So for $90 you should be able to run that out to 150W and its a first class assembly of all new parts, basically plug and play no fabbing for you
GrowUrOwnDank
Well-Known Member
"id recommend a $65 1818 light engine: https://cobkits.com/product/clu048-1818-active-light-engine-single/
and ill put up that HLG-120H-48A driver for $25. So for $90 you should be able to run that out to 150W and its a first class assembly of all new parts, basically plug and play no fabbing for you"
Nice. I love the ease you offer with light engines. I read all that. I am thinking tho. My $66 experiment is the way to go. I am thinking I can get 150w efficiently from my posted design with the bigger driver. Cheaper. And be able to build higher power for it. And I'll shoulder the liability if my heat sink isn't enough. I will also consider your offer. 150w is awesome at that price. Actually. That's a damn good price. I may take your offer up for a tried and true, and experiment with my project too! Let's do this! I'll buy your tried and true!. And you supply my experiment at $66? Commit.
and ill put up that HLG-120H-48A driver for $25. So for $90 you should be able to run that out to 150W and its a first class assembly of all new parts, basically plug and play no fabbing for you"
Nice. I love the ease you offer with light engines. I read all that. I am thinking tho. My $66 experiment is the way to go. I am thinking I can get 150w efficiently from my posted design with the bigger driver. Cheaper. And be able to build higher power for it. And I'll shoulder the liability if my heat sink isn't enough. I will also consider your offer. 150w is awesome at that price. Actually. That's a damn good price. I may take your offer up for a tried and true, and experiment with my project too! Let's do this! I'll buy your tried and true!. And you supply my experiment at $66? Commit.
CobKits
Well-Known Member
bigger driver offers you nothing if youre running it at 150W... it just costs more.
as far as your 1818 on a CPU setup can you drill an tap your cooler to bolt the chip down? that would be better. or if youre just experimenting you can prob get away with thermal paste+kapton. the thermal paste is kind of sticky and suctions the chip on there, tape just basically keeps it in place so its not sliding around. thats all the light engines really offer over your cpu cooler is easy mounting. if you want to save money your options are:
-delete reflector and reflector adapter fromthe light engine, would save you $6 or $7
-delete the holder itself and mount the chip direct. will save you $3 more but you'll need to solder the chip
Michiganjesse
Well-Known Member
I'm so glad to have found this thread I'm just reading up trying to learn. Hard to learn until i get the materials in hand and start asking. I'll be getting something to build in the next 2 months after i complete my house. Going to stalk this site until then. CobKits i really like your style of business informative helpful honest your a cool cat. I can tell by the way you carry on a conversation
JorgeGonzales
Well-Known Member
I think saving money with an 1818 instead of 1825 is silly.
JorgeGonzales
Well-Known Member
I meant for a guy choosing between a pre-drilled Mechatronix or his own heatsink he'll have to drill anyway. Silly way to save $16 when you are running at 150W a cob. That's the 1825s wheelhouse.
JorgeGonzales
Well-Known Member
Yeah, and 150W is far from overkill in that space. I guarantee the first grow would have more than $16 extra yield for the same cooling costs.
GrowUrOwnDank
Well-Known Member
I was thinking I might expand and add another COB down the road. I really want the intensity of the higher wattage coming from the chip as well. Thanks for your patience. I am still learning.
I can drill and tap the cpu cooler. Not a prob. I'll take the holder and the reflector as well. And the tape to secure the chip to the holder.
Perhaps I am not putting it together correctly. I was thinking the 1818 could be driven to giving me the intensity I am looking for. And would be more efficient driven than the 1825. I'm still learning. Thank you for your input.
That's what I want. More light.
So are you inferring I should get the 48v driver and the 1825 and that would give me more light versus the 1818? Sounds good.
Your comments are making me wonder if I should consider the 1212 and the less powerful 120H driver. That is much cheaper and if it will give me the intensity I would like. That may be the ticket and only be like $40. Yet that's a 1 off. Doesn't sound like it will offer enough wattage for expandability.
I am so confused.
brindle123
New Member
Hi everyone. New member just signed up and thanking everyone in advance for reply's. I'm joining the world of cobs. Running a 3x3 going to try auto's as well as photo's. Was planning on 3590's 3500k (timber) but I have looked at the citizen line and may change my mind. If I could get some advice on a configuration it would be great. It is 4 1818 3500k 80 cri and 4 1212 3000k 90 cri. Using the light engines.With 2 drivers Not sure about driver's yet but don't know if I need to run them soft or hard and what efficiency I can expect. Want to shoot for the 40 or so watt sq, ft. range . The 1212's will be mainly supplemental. Hoping to get some feedback on this. brindle123