Average set of four cobs using a 185H-C1400A/B driver at 200w, using 36v cobs will draw more energy kWh than a GrowGreen 200w board using a 185H-C1050A/B driver covering the same area. After running 4 -cree cxb3590 36v 3500K using a 185H-C1400B driver for two years my electric bill was pretty predictable. After switching over to a GrowGreen 200w board using a 185H-C1050B driver I have seen a drop in my electric bill. I have power meters connected up to my light fixtures and with 800w of GrowGreen pcb's my power bill is lower than my 400w of cob fixtures.
Having multiple channels to fine tune the desired spectrum for plant response is always a plus for any grower no matter what you are growing.
right now I have a side by side comparison with 5000k/3500k and 5000k/3000k using the same tomato plants; clones from same plant; both growing in same conditions side by side. I provided a picture earlier. The tomato plants on he Right are under the 3000k/5000k fixture, while the Left side is the 3500k/5000k. The tomato plants on the Left are long and flowering. The plants on the Right are short and flowering. In fact the tomato plants on he Right began fruiting quicker than the plants on the Left. Both lights are driven at he same drive current, and same wattage output.
Also notice how the micro-greens are situated approximately 4" above the 200w fixture on he Right and there is no HEAT issue arising from the fixture running at full power. The same is true of the fixture on the Left, except the plants want to crowd the light and I have to move the plants around since I am not raising the light any further. also notice the herb garden above that 200w fixture running at full power with no HEAT issues above that fixture either. No Heat stress.
Can a COB fixture do that with active cooling on a heat sink with a pc fan? I already know that answer. NO. Cobs create a heat zone above the passive or active cooled cobs and you cannot use the space above cob fixtures except for fans or remove heat. The same is true in a tent. I have the same fixture in a 2x2 tent picture provided with the pcb installed inside a dryer duct to remove any heat created by he GrowGreen board. My problem is keeping up with the feeding schedule. The plants are bushier than when I was using 5000k for veg alone.
Mixing the 5000k with the 3500k makes a great veg machine, but I already knew that I posted a thread over a year ago about mixing 3500k with 5000k cxb cobs and got great results, which led to more testing with flexible strips to verify what I already knew now from my testing.
The Industry is catching up with my thinking. Nothing new there. I have always been an industry leader staying on the forefront cutting edge vs. following the crowd. That is how I came here in the first place to see what was all the noise about led's going on here. I followed
@SupraSPL @Growmau5 @Greengenes707 @robincnn @welight and many others including chilLED grow lights. I studied his Gen 1 and Gen 2 boards for technology. I watched his dialog with
@Growmau5 and enjoyed it immensely. That was when I was inspired, lower energy better growth. listening intently to glean the most from everyone, that is how I stay current, listening to young people all the time.
I was sold. I bought some Gen 2 boards from ChilLed and use them religiously. I do NOT copy anyone. The GrowGreen came from my two years of testing and experience, just as my led controllers came from the same. I have been using GrowGreen led 6 channel controller for almost two years now and not even a glitch even when power goes out. I don't dim my lights with controller, just on/off.
I think lab testing is great for marketing but real results speak volumes to testing.
I know some of you here prefer to treat in a way consistent with what you think I deserve, but I do not accept that treatment and I ignore it. So if you find you are commenting and I am not responding to your comments, you are probably on that list that believes you know me or my work without ever having any personal experience with my work.
I have 40 years of successful clients, but that was then this is now. I still practice the same attitude as I always have, the customer is always right, even when they are wrong. it is called respect the core of my business and personal principles.I treat the customer that spends $20 with me the same a customer spends $2500 with me, like family.
Regarding testing. testing is a cost. In a CO-OP the members would vote to have the testing and how to pay for the testing. Even tho this Co-OP does not have paying membership I have seen some comments regarding testing already, and I will just leave it at that.
response from laboratory for testing for $550 with output file.
Test we discussed was our distribution and color ( sphere ) test.
This is our test SKU501
Jason.==
Jason Gee
www.lightlaboratory.com
714 282-2270 x 102
714-947-1411 - direct
ISO/IES 17025 Accredited Laboratory