The COB debate

[JimmyJames905]

Hi guys.
I'm in the market for cheap bloom lights and after much research (and trolling) I've come upon some information regarding DIY CREE LED COB lighting. It seems many of us out there are taking our lighting needs into our own hands. Lately I found some 50watt Warm White (3000K) COB flood lights on Alibaba and eBay.
I'd post a photo but this forum won't let me.

 

[sleepless]

Don't buy them.
They are junk.
If your on a budget look up citizen 1818 or 1212 cobs.
Fantastic output and price/effeciency

 

[JimmyJames905]

I will do that. Till then I bought 1 50w eBay flood light to see how it goes. If I get one grow out of it I'll be surprised. At least I can use the case, heat sink and reflector when the COB/driver burns out. Currently I'm looking at the older Cree CX series that have come down in price. I'll build my own for what they're charging on Alibaba.
The math says I can build a 100w Cree CX with large heat sink and fan for $60 each (CDN). One $40 meanwell driver will run four 36v Crees.
That's $279 for 400w at 7000 lumens per COB. You can't even buy 1 light online of that quality for that price.

 

[sleepless]

I will do that. Till then I bought 1 50w eBay flood light to see how it goes. If I get one grow out of it I'll be surprised. At least I can use the case, heat sink and reflector when the COB/driver burns out. Currently I'm looking at the older Cree CX series that have come down in price. I'll build my own for what they're charging on Alibaba.
The math says I can build a 100w Cree CX with large heat sink and fan for $60 each (CDN). One $40 meanwell driver will run four 36v Crees.
That's $279 for 400w at 7000 lumens per COB. You can't even buy 1 light online of that quality for that price.

I'm building a 4x CLU58-1825 that will be pushed up to 113 watts a cob in 3x3.

Gonna be fantastic.

Under $600 canadian.

 

[JimmyJames905]

Hold the busses!
I contacted digikey and they have the Gen 7 BridgeLux Vero 29's for as low as 32.00 CDN.
13733 lumens at 68 volts !!!!!!!!
Yes I said 13 thousand!
Where I'll get a driver for that I don't know. But it calls for a huge heatsink at 134 mm wide by 200mm tall.
The chip part is Vero 29 BXRC-30G10Ko-C-73 for $31.69.

 

[JimmyJames905]

Search YouTube for
Vero 29 vs HPS 600 w.
The guy gets 100 more grams than the HPS. It's a side by side comparison. 409 grams dried from the Vero...300 g from the HPS. One plant!
Mind blowing

 

[sleepless]

Been out since June.

 

[JimmyJames905]

But what do you drive it with?

 

[freakbudz420]

Have you checked out a guy on YouTube Growmau5? Some interesting stuff.


Sent from my iPhone using 420 Magazine Mobile App

 

[JimmyJames905]

Ya. He's awesome. Now I know why he pushes the CREE's. Impossible to find a driver for those hi amp Vero's under $100.00. You can push a cree with a $25 driver.