CXB3590 DIY Light

Yesterday I posted a question about how to apply thermal grease. Thanks again for all the advice.

This is the now finished light, front and back. 6 each CXB3590s mounted on Arctic 64s with holders, 3 each MW HLG-120H-C1050As, a 12V power supply and a 6 channel fan speed control. There are 3 switches, 1 to power up the fans and the other 2 switches (no fans, no lights), 1 switch for 4 of the lights and 1 switch for the remaining 2 lights. I mounted all this on a 24"x24" piece of aluminum cut to the shape of a pentagon. I added lenses mostly because I thought it would look better.

Between the 2,4 or 6 light option coupled with using the dimming function of the C1050As, I should have pretty good flexibility. Since I've never tried a grow before and know practically nothing about it, I hope this light will work out. I plan to use a 3x3 or 4x4 tent so I think I can dim down for the 3x3 and dim up for a 4x4.

I read many of the threads on the LED Forum and especially benefitted from "DIY Lights - How to Power Them" and "Heatsinks for DIY LED Lamps". Also seeing the threads from other DIYers was very helpful. I particularly thank Supra who, at least for me, really led the way ahead on making my own light.

HydroDC said:

Yesterday I posted a question about how to apply thermal grease. Thanks again for all the advice.

This is the now finished light, front and back. 6 each CXB3589s mounted on Arctic 64s with holders, 3 each MW HLG-120H-C1050As, a 12V power supply and a 6 channel fan speed control. There are 3 switches, 1 to power up the fans and the other 2 switches (no fans, no lights), 1 switch for 4 of the lights and 1 switch for the remaining 2 lights. I mounted all this on a 24"x24" piece of aluminum cut to the shape of a pentagon. I added lenses mostly because I thought it would look better.

Between the 2,4 or 6 light option coupled with using the dimming function of the C1050As, I should have pretty good flexibility. Since I've never tried a grow before and know practically nothing about it, I hope this light will work out. I plan to use a 3x3 or 4x4 tent so I think I can dim down for the 3x3 and dim up for a 4x4.

I read many of the threads on the LED Forum and especially benefitted from "DIY Lights - How to Power Them" and "Heatsinks for DIY LED Lamps". Also seeing the threads from other DIYers was very helpful. I particularly thank Supra who, at least for me, really led the way ahead on making my own light.View attachment 3423355View attachment 3423356

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Hell yeah dogg! Things rad,good luck

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Very cool man. Loving the ingenuity that is going into all these lights. I have the tools and the means to build something like this, I just need to do it! Your piece is kind of inspiring for sure! Great job.

Looks awesome man! Keep us posted. I'm sanding down my sinks right now. Mounting 12 cxb3590s tomorrow

Haha, the pentatron! You'll want that thing dimmed right down to start seedlings m8. Nice, neat job, well done.

I'm digging the bulbular lenses, HydroDC!!

Very Nice well thought out light. Nice neat wiring job. How did you cut your piece of aluminum ? kinds looks like you have access to a shear. Wish i had one would have made my life a bit easier.

Very nice setup! I also love the shape. Looking at all this sophistication, however, I don't understand why you -like most DIYers- mount the drivers onto the fixture, since they add substantial heat to the space. I'd rather put them in a seperate box outside.

Great job, if you can build a light with that attention to detail a cannabis plant is going to be ez pz.

Good luck, can't wait to see the grow space.

Meinolf said:

Very nice setup! I also love the shape. Looking at all this sophistication, however, I don't understand why you -like most DIYers- mount the drivers onto the fixture, since they add substantial heat to the space. I'd rather put them in a seperate box outside.

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Depends on how efficiently you use your drivers...plus, over long distances DC travels much less efficiently vs AC. After much consideration I will also be mounting my drivers to my lights.

DoctorDelta9 said:

Depends on how efficiently you use your drivers...plus, over long distances DC travels much less efficiently vs AC. After much consideration I will also be mounting my drivers to my lights.

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High voltage low current DC lines can be placed quite far away with minimal voltage drop. Those drivers experience about 1.5% at voltage drop at a distance of 100 feet using 18AWG wire. That's more than adequate to properly fire the 3590's.

The 12v source for the fans on the otherhand, that has to stay put.

Awesome build. I love it.

JavaCo said:

How did you cut your piece of aluminum ? kinds looks like you have access to a shear.

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No shear, sliding table saw - the aluminum sheet stock was only 1/10th". I do a bit of woodworking, so the tools I needed were mostly at hand. The new tools I got for the job were an optical punch since there were so many holes to lay out and a 2-3/4" hole saw for the holders to get attached to the heatsinks through the sheet stock. The optical punch was from LEE VALLEY and a real help.

Meinolf said:

...I don't understand why you -like most DIYers- mount the drivers onto the fixture, since they add substantial heat to the space.

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I plan on growing in my basement, so added heat won't be a problem. In fact, I may have to add some heat in the winter. When I tested the light, the drivers didn't seem to get very warm at all but I didn't measure them.

Oh ok nice clean cuts. Never heard of a optical punch going to have to check those out.

My testing on the HGL drivers showed they only put out a drop in the bucket of heat compared to what the led heat sinks do. Full blast my Drivers only heated up to 2C past ambient temps. The more efficient the Driver the less heat they put off.

JavaCo said:

Oh ok nice clean cuts. Never heard of a optical punch going to have to check those out.

My testing on the HGL drivers showed they only put out a drop in the bucket of heat compared to what the led heat sinks do. Full blast my Drivers only heated up to 2C past ambient temps. The more efficient the Driver the less heat they put off.

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I was just going to ask how much drivers put off. thanks

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Great stuff, HydroDC! You almost had me ordering tools I don't really need.

Hey what model of lens did you use and where did you get them?

HydroDC said:

No shear, sliding table saw - the aluminum sheet stock was only 1/10th". . .

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Did you use a fine tooth saw blade?

bicit said:

The 12v source for the fans on the otherhand, that has to stay put.

Awesome build. I love it.

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I also mounted my PSU in that remote drivers box since it only draws ~7 Watts to power (10) Alpine 11 fans at 5V. I am using (2) of those 5m 5string cords to connect to a small distribution case with those connectors on the two fixtures. That is because temperatures are an issue and I wanted to keep the fixtures as sleek as possible.

I understand you don't want to loose too much heat in a cold growing environment; even so I don't see the point in using LED over HPS in the first place (yet!). Guess HydroDC just wanted to create that cool thingy

BTW with 5 V29 on HLG-185h-C1050A I only reach a driver's efficiency of 89%, that is 22W of heat, so about 1 additional V29 in the space.

bizfactory said:

Hey what model of lens did you use and where did you get them?

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Like many here, I ordered the COBs, holders and lenses from Jerry at Kingbrite. Go to their site and you'll see the 100mm lens. It's a generic lens that can fit easily over the CXB3590s and holder.