How to build a COB?

[Hakka noodle]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the COB technology and want to learn a few things here. I have a grow room which is quite huge (10x15ft). Previously I was using some cheap LEDs in the area and they worked out well. I was thinking of installing some COB and lighting up the whole place up. Which would be the cheapest and the efficient way to cover the whole space up. I have a budget of around 2200$.

Thanks.

[majorana]

As a rule of thumb, you want to be looking at approximately 35W of LEDs per square foot, so we're talking 5-6kW.

A COB-based light fixture will need, besides the COB, a heatsink (otherwise they fry) and a driver (to make sure they get powered). There are different companies that produce COBs, but the three most popular ones are probably Cree, Bridgelux, and Citizen. As for the drivers, MeanWell is probably the only company that most people buy from, but I'm sure there are plenty of others still.

There's some deciding to do -- what voltage COBs to get, and at what amperage to drive them -- but to simplify things you're looking at 100 50V COBs driven at 1A, and probably 10 drivers or so. Looking up what Vero29's cost at DigiKey I can already tell your budget should be sufficient, but you'd do best to also get a quote from KingBrite, a reputable seller on Alibaba who sells them too.

[Hakka noodle]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply. Is there any way of getting all the components list?.

Thanks,

[majorana]

The components will vary, depending on how you'd like to construct your build. The three basic elements are the COB, the driver, and the heatsink. Reflectors are also very popular with COBs. Other little bits and pieces will be necessary too (equipment for the wiring, material for a frame to hold everything together, sockets, etc.)

If you're going to be building this yourself I would like to suggest reading up on the LedGardner site. Part of going the DIY route involves some learning, but if you can dedicate a day (or a couple of evenings) to it that should be enough. What you want to figure out is what COBs you want, how you want them wired (in series?), and what driver would get them running.

Once you have an initial set up in mind it would be much easier to help you fine-tune it.

[Ted]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the COB technology and want to learn a few things here. I have a grow room which is quite huge (10x15ft). Previously I was using some cheap LEDs in the area and they worked out well. I was thinking of installing some COB and lighting up the whole place up. Which would be the cheapest and the efficient way to cover the whole space up. I have a budget of around 2200$.

Thanks.

Are you trying to light the whole thing? How much of that space is canopy?

[Jolly Green Giant]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the COB technology and want to learn a few things here. I have a grow room which is quite huge (10x15ft). Previously I was using some cheap LEDs in the area and they worked out well. I was thinking of installing some COB and lighting up the whole place up. Which would be the cheapest and the efficient way to cover the whole space up. I have a budget of around 2200$.

Thanks.

to get the proper amount of light in that full area with no walkways will be tough on that budget... what where you using in LEDs equivalent to hps?? normally most want 1000hps per 5 x 5.. that's six of them in your space... 6 hlg550 clones ( they equal a 1000hps se all day long) is roughly 3600-3800US...

if you can give us the total LED wattage you are/did use... most can help with something that will at lease equal it or improve the light quantity. also if you do have walkways or light movers also good to know

[Hakka noodle]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the COB technology and want to learn a few things here. I have a grow room which is quite huge (10x15ft). Previously I was using some cheap LEDs in the area and they worked out well. I was thinking of installing some COB and lighting up the whole place up. Which would be the cheapest and the efficient way to cover the whole space up. I have a budget of around 2200$.

Thanks.

Are you trying to light the whole thing? How much of that space is canopy?

Hi,
Most of the space will be used for growing, I just measured it today and i have total 3 rows, Each one of 10x3.2(3). remaining space will be a walkway.

Thanks,

[Hakka noodle]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the COB technology and want to learn a few things here. I have a grow room which is quite huge (10x15ft). Previously I was using some cheap LEDs in the area and they worked out well. I was thinking of installing some COB and lighting up the whole place up. Which would be the cheapest and the efficient way to cover the whole space up. I have a budget of around 2200$.

Thanks.

to get the proper amount of light in that full area with no walkways will be tough on that budget... what where you using in LEDs equivalent to hps?? normally most want 1000hps per 5 x 5.. that's six of them in your space... 6 hlg550 clones ( they equal a 1000hps se all day long) is roughly 3600-3800US...

if you can give us the total LED wattage you are/did use... most can help with something that will at lease equal it or improve the light quantity. also if you do have walkways or light movers also good to know

Hi,
I have 3 rows each one of 10x3.2 ft and remaining space will be used as a walkway. My last grow was in a much much smaller area, it was 3x4 and i used Chinese 600w LED (Blurple) for vegging & 600w HPS during the flowering time. I want to make something which will be sufficient for 3x/ 10x32 rows. I was looking at around 30-40 w per sq ft.
I checked the Cree CXB 3590 yesterday and they are way our of my budget, I have another option in my of using Cree 3070 3500k for whole cycle.
To be honest i'm kind of a amateur to growing and all this stuff,so any help advice are much much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Hakka noodle]

Hi,

I was just hanging out on Alibaba and i came across a few products, they looks good to me, i would really love to get suggestions for you folks.
Following are the links of products i came across.
1) https://ctlite.en.alibaba.com/product/6 ... 6f0bDI6HO8

2) http://www.betterplusled.com/product/60 ... cddfnySTmi

3) https://weshine.en.alibaba.com/product/ ... f7bdxBEi7Y

4) https://gllight.en.alibaba.com/product/ ... 7abbCEvOAt

I have no intention to promote any of these products of whatsoever, I just need suggestions.

Thanks.

[Jolly Green Giant]

ok that helps knowing the walk ways... if you truly want some lights that will last over years I would stay away from the 3/5w active slug diode stuff... they cheap out on thermal management and it will burn out.. the best part about diy you can get what you can afford now and add to it...

I would stick a 300w diy fixture every 3 feet over your 10x3 rows.... so in your room you would have 9 total lights... https://growerslights.com/collections/l ... 4373196828 that kit would be my number 1 choice.. yes I know they seem expensive but it's only 1.15 per watt..(they charge almost 2.10 per watt for them to build a light) best part is like I said earlier... you can always add on... say you get 6 of those now.. and use what ya have for the third row.. then get 3 more after first harvest!!! another good thing about those kits is they can be hung anywhere and don't need a frame..

https://www.rapidled.com/vero29-3-x-3-grow-kit/ pricing out a kit like that is also viable... I'm not sure what the difference between their kit and pricing it out is.. probably a hundred bucks per light maybe a little more..

DIY is always around half the cost for what people want for a assembled light... if you don't mind searching Alibaba for "real" parts it's even cheaper... ( I don't trust 99% of them so I will always pay the 1-2 dollars more from a known source of real parts here in the states) how ever you want to design it figure 300watts of cob/lm561c diodes per 3 x 3 for flower. it's a safe blanket number to use..

again stay away from the 3w 5w fixtures yes they seem cheap.. but they put out less light than your old school hps or mh.. not a single one of them can crack 1.5 umoles yet!! your dirty unchanged single ended hps is that at lease