Help Me Pick a DIY Light (cob vs strip vs Ali Board)

[saintminer]

Here in canada our dollar is garbage and shipping costs are horrific. Hence the penny pinching mentality and weighing of pros and cons that I am doing constantly. I've got carts filled with every part i'd need to complete either of these light set ups but I'd definitely like some input on which you guys think would be ideal.

I have a 4x8 tent but am only really looking to cover a 4x4. I scrog generally so strips seem ideal but I have concerns about heat (mentioned later) since I can't afford to ship heatsinks to canada.

Strip Build $650-ish

12 4' strips in parallel on an hlg 480h-42a

• 12 - BXEB-L1120Z35E4000-C-B3 ($207.84cdn)
  
  https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/e ... ND/7907661
  
  1 - Hlg 480H-42A ($185Cdn)
  
  https://www.mouser.ca/ProductDetail/MEA ... 52bA%3D%3D
  
  12 - 4 foot 1"x1" Angles ($130Cdn)
  
  https://ecommerce.metalsupermarkets.com/
  
  and about $60 of odds and ends such as thermal tape, wagos and what not that I don't have laying around.

Cob Build $550-ish

• 6 - Vero 29 ($28.19Cdn)
  
  https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/e ... ND/6557092
  
  6 - 140mm x 70mm Heatsinks off Alibaba ($140Cdn)
  
  1 - Hlg 480H-2100B ($199.96Cdn)
  
  https://www.mouser.ca/ProductDetail/MEA ... UfOw%3D%3D
  
  About $40 in Angle for 36"x36" frame

Kingbrite Qb288 build

EDIT: Is it possible running these knock off qb's at 1.050 ma without a heatsink? I can get 8 boards with a more even spread for less than what it costs to ship 4 boards with their slate 2 heat sinks.

Wire 4 boards in series on each driver

• 8 - qb288 ($300Cdn Shipped)
  
  2 - Hlg 240h 1050b ($172 Cdn)
  
  around $60-80 for the odds and ends.

Questions I Have

[*]On my Cob Build are the vero 29's poke in connectors able to handle the forward voltage if they are all wired in series? Can't seem to find if they have a voltage or amperage limit on them.

[*]Will 140mm heat sinks be sufficient to cool vero 29's at the current of 2100ma?

[*]On my strip build will the bridgelux strips get too hot running at 1050ma on only 1" angles? I've heard conflicting testimony saying that 1" x 1" will be sufficient to run them. I'm aware that heatsink USA offers 1" profile heat sinks but that would come to nearly $300 alone to have 12 heatsinks shipped to my home in canada.

Thanks again to anyone that takes the time to read this and offer some help. I'll likely be detailing the build thoroughly as soon as parts are ordered.

[Grower]

Pardon me, got no time atm but
Meijiu (alibaba seller) has some 800 leds boards that can be run at 200w without heatsink, you could save a lot on shipping costs

[Jolly Green Giant]

welcome to the forum first off..

I'm not sure if you found it buried in here. viewtopic.php?f=15&t=42
but arrowmart has duty free into Canada! they have bridgelux EB gen 2 strips and the driver..
https://www.arrow.com/en/products/bxeb- ... /bridgelux

https://www.arrow.com/en/products/hlg-4 ... nterprises

ordering both thru Arrow might save ya a few more bucks to find heat sinks

[saintminer]

@jolly_green_giant

Thanks for the arrow recommendation! I checked before and their eb strips are currently more than digikey after the conversion. However that hlg driver is a fair bit cheaper so definitely a good find.

And has anybody tried those 800 boards out? Im curious everytime I see them but keep seeing mixed reviews of meijiu (diodes damaged during shipping and customer service issues mainly)

[Calenk]

I'm also in Canada. just about finished my veg light build. once you factor in aluminum and thermal tape and what not. it's not so cheap anymore. so I think what I'm going to do for my 4x4 flower light is 4 atreum 288.2 boards as they come with the heatsink and then get a driver from digikey. shipping on 4 boards is 32 USD and digikey is free next day shipping on the driver. boards should come to about $435 CAD unless there's duty.

[Grower]

And has anybody tried those 800 boards out? Im curious everytime I see them but keep seeing mixed reviews of meijiu (diodes damaged during shipping and customer service issues mainly)

https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-fotop-gr ... 18.960546/

[unkle_psycho]

Yeah I've been looking at those 800 diode boards, make sense if your on a budget, and have no need to know exactly which diode your running.
I think they are around 70$ without the heat-sink, and then their delivery would be cheap too. They have holes for attachment, so no frame is really needed.

Bridgelux strips are great too. If heatsinks are very expensive maybe it makes more sense to just buy more strips and run them soft, without heatsinks.

[Calenk]

for 2 of the 800 boards with heatsinks from meijiu its $331.61 USD shipped to canada

[unkle_psycho]

without the sinks and driver it might be quite a lot cheaper

[Calenk]

without the sinks and driver it might be quite a lot cheaper

I'm not sure it is. I think it's a size thing. she quoted me the same amount on shipping for 3 naked boards. it appears any package that size under 20kg is $108USD shipping. over 20kg is $196USD