IF you are new to LED and want help choosing what to buy, POST HERE!

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/publications/pdfs/ssl/lifetime_white_leds.pdf. some leds like the rebels do show a much longer life expectancy but bridgelux does not provide data beyond 10000hours and cree only test to 6000 hours. there is so much propaganda from lighting companies that it is difficult to find reliable data but the air force stopped using leds in it's retrofit program because they fell far short of the estimated life expectancy and consumer are having the same experience with cree household bulbs. I noticed your data did not indicate test current http://www.lumileds.com/uploads/167/WP15-pdf I have ordered some vero18s and a meanwell driver for a DIY test light and hope you are right about the life expectancy but with all the bad information put out by companies promoting these products over the years I am skeptical.this is a new and rapidly evolving technology that has not been around long enough to prove itself

@mauricem00 Sorry i missed it. My data was for nominal drive current for vero 29 , 2100ma
I am not sure how they test lumen depreciation with LM80 and TM-21 . I have not heard anything about cree home bulbs failing to deliver but good to know.

These cobs have a good track record so far. I do not think cree ,bridgelux ,osram and other good companies would lie on Lm 80 reports. I have read many articles on LED magazine talking about cities switching street lighting to LED, stadiums as well, all because LED requires less maintenance and have long life.
http://www.ledsmagazine.com/articles/2015/10/detroit-exceeds-48-000-led-street-lights-installed-in-doe-assisted-program.html

A lot depends on how LED is used, venting, heatsink, active/passive cooling, driver, drive currents and other design factors.
I think you will be happy with your Vero 18 as long as you do not exceed nominal drive current, good driver, good heatsink and Case temperature not too high.
street lamps and other commercial passive cooled designs run at a high case temperature. For indoor growing it is easy to use a cpu cooler or other active cooling and case temperature can be kept much lower than the street/stadium/home lighting industry .

robincnn said:

@mauricem00 Sorry i missed it. My data was for nominal drive current for vero 29 , 2100ma
I am not sure how they test lumen depreciation with LM80 and TM-21 . I have not heard anything about cree home bulbs failing to deliver but good to know.

These cobs have a good track record so far. I do not think cree ,bridgelux ,osram and other good companies would lie on Lm 80 reports. I have read many articles on LED magazine talking about cities switching street lighting to LED, stadiums as well, all because LED requires less maintenance and have long life.
http://www.ledsmagazine.com/articles/2015/10/detroit-exceeds-48-000-led-street-lights-installed-in-doe-assisted-program.html

A lot depends on how LED is used, venting, heatsink, active/passive cooling, driver, drive currents and other design factors.
I think you will be happy with your Vero 18 as long as you do not exceed nominal drive current, good driver, good heatsink and Case temperature not too high.
street lamps and other commercial passive cooled designs run at a high case temperature. For indoor growing it is easy to use a cpu cooler or other active cooling and case temperature can be kept much lower than the street/stadium/home lighting industry .

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well in 6-10 years we will know how they perform after 50,000 hours the cooling system im using will keep the temperature under 55C if the fans fail and much lower than that with the fans so heat should not be an issue.these are so new that at this point these companies are just guessing.but i'm always pessimistic about new technology until it's had time to prove itself.I am interested enough to try them but going in with an open mind.and leds do have a turbulent history

BM9AGS said:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=201418445642&globalID=EBAY-US

Specs:

LED Type: 4 High Powered Cree CXB3070 LED Chips (3000K)

Working Voltage: 85v – 265v

Power Supply: 1.33Amps (4 Power Supply's)

Operating Temperature: 90°F -110°F (32.2°C – 43.3°C)

Full Spectrum: 380nm-780nm

Thermal Management: 4 x 80mm dual bearing cooling fans

Product Dimensions: 11.65” x 11.65” x 2.95"

Product Weight: 10.5 lbs

Lens Angle: 90 degree

Coverage Area: 36″ x 36″ @ 16” above canopy

So if it's 11.65" x 11.65" I'm guessing about 5" center to center of the COB

Closest I've read guys using these is at ~10"

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Have you tried out your gogreen cxb3070's yet??

robincnn said:

Meanwell has been moving some of their models production from Taiwan to China. And the prices stay the same even after the production moves from Taiwan to China.

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Reducing the price would negate the advantage of moving to China. Why do it? Cheaper prices for consumers isn't a motivation when you're the recognized leader in your field. Look at Apple

People with little electronics experience should stick with the 32 volt model. 32 volts can give you a jolt, 72 volts can overcome skin resistance and kill you with as little as .1amps

BigDoobie said:

That link is pretty cool, didnt know you can do that I just noticed the link. I read what supra said about the two voltages 36 for running soft and 72 for running them harder. Thanks.

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Hi

who can help me to make a panel for clones and vegging
with cxb?
I would like to know how cxb I would need for a kind of 3 X 3
and what is the best 5000k or 6500k cxb
what would be best drivers also

thank you a lot

1 - HLG-185-C1400b LED driver
4 - CXB3590 CD 5000k COBS
heatsink from HeatsinkUSA or CPU coolers
wire, thermal paste, screws/bolts

That will give you 200w @ 56% efficiency and dimmable. That is plenty for clones/vegging in a 3x3 area.

doz said:

1 - HLG-185-C1400b LED driver
4 - CXB3590 CD 5000k COBS
heatsink from HeatsinkUSA or CPU coolers
wire, thermal paste, screws/bolts

That will give you 200w @ 56% efficiency and dimmable. That is plenty for clones/vegging in a 3x3 area.

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ok thank's you so much

Bonjour
Salut mon poto Yoda!..
On va tous se retrouver la...lol!
Hey guys! What about 6500ºk DD @REALSTYLES is trying atm!??
Do they worth it?
No news what happened to you mars lover...lol!???
We want the best one...but many have 5000ºk but a few 6500ºk...and less DD bin so I guess we have to wait for Mr Style report!
Have a great day ★

Alot of us used T5 fixtures for vegging in the past and for years. They usually run about 6000k. I do not see how 6500k is bad for veg. Better results than 5000k? Tough to say. I mean, how long are you really vegging for? I know I do not veg all that long. I could see higher quality and a bit more wattage if you are vegging to a larger plant, but for multiple smaller plants I dont think there would be a benefit one way or another.

Bonjour
And a 3500º vegg against a 5000/6500ºk...is it worth the money?
I do vegg well under my cxb 3500ºk but is there a huge difference?
I would need a vegg panel anyway to save time but I wonder 5000ºk or 6500ºk?
And where is @REALSTYLES ? Are you
ok mon ami?
CU

littlejacob said:

Bonjour
And a 3500º vegg against a 5000/6500ºk...is it worth the money?
I do vegg well under my cxb 3500ºk but is there a huge difference?
I would need a vegg panel anyway to save time but I wonder 5000ºk or 6500ºk?
And where is @REALSTYLES ? Are you
ok mon ami?
CU

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All good my man and 6500k DD bin @500ma is killing it for veg but I like 3500k as well.

Bonjour
Hey REALS!!
Did you notice a difference with 5000ºk!?? Or both are equal...maybe more lm with DD bin!?!
Who doesn't love 3500ºk CD...who?!? Show me the guy...lol!
Have a great day ★

REALSTYLES said:

All good my man and 6500k DD bin @500ma is killing it for veg but I like 3500k as well.

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Hi REALSTYLES

So it is better for you to take either the 5000K 6500K LED?
and put 8 COB to @500 as put 4 COB to @1400 ???

Have a great day

Bonjour
I guess RS have only 72v cob so it is 700mA and that he dimmed down to 500mA...maybe he meant that the 3500ºk made a good job in vegg too at same Amp!
And I agree that 3500ºk make a good vegg...very good in fact...better than a 400mh for sure (at least in my box!)
Have a great day ★

littlejacob said:

Bonjour
I guess RS have only 72v cob so it is 700mA and that he dimmed down to 500mA...maybe he meant that the 3500ºk made a good job in vegg too at same Amp!
And I agree that 3500ºk make a good vegg...very good in fact...better than a 400mh for sure (at least in my box!)
Have a great day ★

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No I'm using a HLG-185H-C500A driver with 6500k DD 72v I also have a 5000k DB 72v @500ma

you could build a 4 chip COB light based on the CXA 2530 for about the same money and have a light that's 5 times as powerful.

Jerry Liebler said:

I'm new here. I have an idea for a really low cost led grow light to cover a 4 foot square, that I'd like to share. It starts from the fact that "T5" format led lights are quite economical from China and can be had with "respectable" lumen output. My plan is to order 15each 4 foot 24W fixtures that claim 3000 lumens each @24watts each, specifying 3 cool white, 4 natural white, and 8 warm white at a cost of about $130. Make a 2'x4' frame out of aluminum angle stock with holes spaced 3", starting 3" from the end, for the mounting clips. The order of the lamps will be:
(ww),(NW),(ww),(CW),(ww),(NW),(ww),(CW),(ww),(NW),(ww),(CW),(ww),(NW),(ww)
The natural white and cool white will be on one "string" of 7 lights and the warm whites will be on another "string of 8 lights. The warm whites will only be on during "flower" while the natural & cool whites will be on for both veg and flower. My proposed coverage area is 4'x4' so I'll have about 2800 lumens / sq ft, about 22.5W/sqft with all lamps on (360wats total). Comments please!
Regards
Jerry

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You know, I'm all for these DIY lights, as they mostly exceed anything you can buy. But all the people on here yapping about Mars lights are just blowing smoke up people's asses, or just running their mouths to sound important. Most people don't even think about DIY, or ever look at these sections of a forum. and they have no interest in such. they just want to buy a light they can afford that will give coverage of x amount of area. And there is no middle ground for people to buy from. there are low price, low end Chinese lights, there are mid-to high priced lights passing themselves off as " Made in the USA" that use the same parts as those "junk" lights, and there are the high end lights that 90% can't afford and are hugely over priced anyway.
I bought Mars lights before I discovered the DIY lights. I have three of them that are all three years old and still going strong. I've grow excellent weed with them and have had some good harvest. Yep, I can do better with better lights, and I'm working towards that goal.
Telling people they have to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars in order to grow good weed with LED is ludicrous! I've got bud right now, that will knock anyone on their ass and it was grown under my "shitty" Mars light! What I'm looking to gain is grams/sq.ft and better, more powerful lights are needed for that. Growing 7 ounces of great bud in a 2.5'x2.5'x5' tent with a 345 true watts of LED isn't record setting but it sure as shit isn't shabby either!

So yes, there are better lights, and most are DIY. But you get what you pay for right? Hope you don't own a Volkswagen.....

Zulu Smoker said:

The problem is, they're rated for much more aren't they? Others claim 3-5 year warranties when their fixtures aren't even designed for such rigorous operating schedules, failing within a year. You're lucky if they last more. I call this deception. Most LED modules have a rated lifespan of 50,000 hours - that's 5.71 years. LEDs (and most solid state electronics) run within acceptable operating conditions normally reach this. Most cheap 1/3/5W LED lights are in garbage bins right now, the surviving rest are all exceptions.

Save money in the long run and get the best lights you can afford (avoiding all low-end products). Your plants, wallet, and sanity will thank you.

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pop22 said:

You know, I'm all for these DIY lights, as they mostly exceed anything you can buy. But all the people on here yapping about Mars lights are just blowing smoke up people's asses, or just running their mouths to sound important. Most people don't even think about DIY, or ever look at these sections of a forum. and they have no interest in such. they just want to buy a light they can afford that will give coverage of x amount of area. And there is no middle ground for people to buy from. there are low price, low end Chinese lights, there are mid-to high priced lights passing themselves off as " Made in the USA" that use the same parts as those "junk" lights, and there are the high end lights that 90% can't afford and are hugely over priced anyway.
I bought Mars lights before I discovered the DIY lights. I have three of them that are all three years old and still going strong. I've grow excellent weed with them and have had some good harvest. Yep, I can do better with better lights, and I'm working towards that goal.
Telling people they have to spend hundreds to thousands of dollars in order to grow good weed with LED is ludicrous! I've got bud right now, that will knock anyone on their ass and it was grown under my "shitty" Mars light! What I'm looking to gain is grams/sq.ft and better, more powerful lights are needed for that. Growing 7 ounces of great bud in a 2.5'x2.5'x5' tent with a 345 true watts of LED isn't record setting but it sure as shit isn't shabby either!

So yes, there are better lights, and most are DIY. But you get what you pay for right? Hope you don't own a Volkswagen.....

Click to expand...

HPS setup w/ a good quality Hortilux bulb is better and more efficient than MarsHydro garbage LED. We arent all pushing everyone to go COB, but sure as hell shouldnt buy shitty non-efficient LEDs.