Building DIY LED?

[Techhead]

I don't know about that link ibaba, there is a lot I'm not seeing there. It would be like buying glasses without seeing the optomotrist. One part says 100 chips, the other said 60, then the voltage and current thing does not line up. Sure, if you multiply the voltage and current it does come out to about 100W, but where did they plug into a 36V DC line at 3 amps? that 120 degree angle, that's just how diodes are, there is no lensing. Looks a lot like HOOEEY to me. What percentage of frequencies are they?They don't say that either do they.
My best advice is, don't buy anything fly by night. and try to stick to at least 36 watts of true LED power per Sq. Ft. and don't be fooled into there hype. 100 of 3 watt LEDs is not 300 watts. Now input current times input voltage will get you closer to what the real power output is, but then there are losses in the LED drivers, and also there are fans. By the way, using 2.6 V. at .350 A. each led is running at .9 watts, so if there number of diodes is 100 than that may be close, but then when you read down it said there was 60 diodes. what is the real count?

 

[ibaba]

I don't know about that link ibaba, there is a lot I'm not seeing there. It would be like buying glasses without seeing the optomotrist. One part says 100 chips, the other said 60, then the voltage and current thing does not line up. Sure, if you multiply the voltage and current it does come out to about 100W, but where did they plug into a 36V DC line at 3 amps? that 120 degree angle, that's just how diodes are, there is no lensing. Looks a lot like HOOEEY to me. What percentage of frequencies are they?They don't say that either do they.
My best advice is, don't buy anything fly by night. and try to stick to at least 36 watts of true LED power per Sq. Ft. and don't be fooled into there hype. 100 of 3 watt LEDs is not 300 watts. Now input current times input voltage will get you closer to what the real power output is, but then there are losses in the LED drivers, and also there are fans. By the way, using 2.6 V. at .350 A. each led is running at .9 watts, so if there number of diodes is 100 than that may be close, but then when you read down it said there was 60 diodes. what is the real count?

I have to agree with you that it is completely untried. I have bought so far 2* 30w chips and 1*100w chip of these full spectrum chips. the 100w and 30w chips emit a completely different color, one is more pink, like red blue mix and the other orange! both advertised as 400nm~840nm !! they were from different manufactures.

I believe that 3amps at 33v is 100w, that is normal for a 100w cob.

The advantage of buying these COBS is the extreme affordability so we can have fun and experiment - not for people who dont like risk taking! I bought a 50w COB + Driver including shipping for 10bucks, so the risk isnt too much. Of course I view my grow as experimental and am not dependent on it.

 

[LEDBud]

My adventure into DIY LED grow lights begins with a bang.
I have just bought four (4) 100w 400-840nm Cobs consisting of the 100 x 1w Epileds LED's for $25 each on eBay

They will be mounted on a 80mm Flat faced Fan cooled heatsink , $15 on eBay

And powered via a 650w ATX power supply (had it) that will be up-converted to 30-36v via individual $7 250w step up boost converters for each COB.


My plan is to power them at 30V x 2.5A for 75 watts to keep them running cool.

Cost: $55 for each assembled 100w Cob (75w) with its own step up converter.
Works out to 75 cents per watt at 3/4 power or 50 cents a watt if run at full power , which some people do.

$220 total cost for 4 builds with a combined watt draw of 300w

With that in mind a person could build a 1500w draw LED system for $1,100
plus $50 - $75 for two used 1000w server power supplies , they can be bought in lots for pennies.



The future is here and its getting to be affordable


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The 3w Cobs may not be superior to the 1w Cobs since they are concentrated in such a tight area.

I expect the 100 x 1w chip to be a good choice as it will have *less* of a center hot spot when compared to a 60x 3w Cob
Which is my guess , If I buy some 60 x 3w Cobs I will measure the center "hot" spot of both lights and compare the results.

I expect the 100 x 1w COB will have a excessively bright center spot that will require the light to be raised higher then a 100 x 3w panel for example.
If that stands to be true then the 3w chip may well have a hotter brighter center spot the will require the light to raised higher then the 100 x 1w Cobs.



There is a 60 x 3w full spectrum 100w Bridgelux COB for those of you who may be interested in the 3w version

 

[Zombiewoof]

sub'd

 

[LEDBud]

Finally building these , the first set of step up convertors did not make it I was refunded. I did not re-order them until a few weeks ago.

They arrived yesterday I am currently assembling the cobs and drivers , i will post a photo update and a link to a tutorial on the assembly/ build

 

[Stage]

 

[Kriaze]

I've been looking at building a DIY LED light myself just to see how they are. I've found a kit online and may take the plunge as I'm not electronically minded and these are pretty simple. Still if I could save money and I could learn about these step up converters and such I'd try and go fully DIY so here I am waiting to soak up some knowledge

 

[Goat86]

i just baught these and they work great