Replace 5W LEDs with COBs in Mars light?

[Remystemple]

I was reading another thread where someone was gonna take an old mars light and replace the leds with cobs. I have 2x 480w mars hydro reflector lights that are honestly underwhelming beside any of my other lights. instead of buying new lights and putting them in the closet i'd like to do the switch out too, but know nothing of the parts inside the lights or how many cobs, and what kind of cobs ( 3500k ect. ) to get.

I'd have help to install them into the light boards, my brother is great with this kind of stuff but knows nothing about lighting lol.

any advice or experience would be appreciated.

Thanks Team.

 

[fanleaf]

I was reading another thread where someone was gonna take an old mars light and replace the leds with cobs. I have 2x 480w mars hydro reflector lights that are honestly underwhelming beside any of my other lights. instead of buying new lights and putting them in the closet i'd like to do the switch out too, but know nothing of the parts inside the lights or how many cobs, and what kind of cobs ( 3500k ect. ) to get.

I'd have help to install them into the light boards, my brother is great with this kind of stuff but knows nothing about lighting lol.

any advice or experience would be appreciated.

Thanks Team.

Was it in my 42 cob array thread shown below that you seen the conversions? There are many Mars to cob conversions by me and other users in that thread. Maybe give that thread a look by clicking it below in my signature. Give that thread a read and I think many if not all of your questions will be answered along with gaining vast amounts of knowledge on cobs.

 

[Remystemple]

Was it in my 42 cob array thread shown below that you seen the conversions? There are many Mars to cob conversions by me and other users in that thread. Maybe give that thread a look by clicking it below in my signature. Give that thread a read and I think many if not all of your questions will be answered along with gaining vast amounts of knowledge on cobs.

Thanks, i'll start reading now.

 

[Remystemple]

Exactly what i was after. Thanks a lot!

 

[Mars Hydro]

on the reflector light, you might find it hard, since there is the reflector cup outside, but COB lights are bigger, unless you don't put the reflector cup there.
Anyway, manufacturer not recommended on DIY, it will influence warranty.

 

[Remystemple]

on the reflector light, you might find it hard, since there is the reflector cup outside, but COB lights are bigger, unless you don't put the reflector cup there.
Anyway, manufacturer not recommended on DIY, it will influence warranty.

i got them second hand so i don't have a warranty for them. if i did it i probably wouldn't use the reflector cups. I'll probably do it one day just to learn something about the lights. until then i just got a discount code for another cob led from the company i got one from last time. so i figure 2 of those with a couple other smaller lights should be great for a 5x5.

 

[Remystemple]

is there a model or brand of cob and how many you'd suggest that isn't cree? i don't want to pay for the name brand. also i'm not sure what colours to choose? like 6500k and such. each light is about 1x2' so i feel like i should be able to fit 6 per?

 

[Mayne]

they use about 200 Watts each at the wall. Not sure of the drivers they use, which is important for choosing cobs.

can u open it and take a pic of the driver?

I have only used Luminus cobs and they need 51V to run each cob. id get the 3500K highest CRI that u can get with what ever cob u go with.

 

[Remystemple]

they use about 200 Watts each at the wall. Not sure of the drivers they use, which is important for choosing cobs.

can u open it and take a pic of the driver?

I have only used Luminus cobs and they need 51V to run each cob. id get the 3500K highest CRI that u can get with what ever cob u go with.

Yeah I'll try get a pic after work.

Thanks

 

[fanleaf]

is there a model or brand of cob and how many you'd suggest that isn't cree? i don't want to pay for the name brand. also i'm not sure what colours to choose? like 6500k and such. each light is about 1x2' so i feel like i should be able to fit 6 per?

Actually you do get more light per watt with the Cree so it's not all "name" but also, the Crees are way cheaper now than they used to be. You can get the best CXB3590's for $30 each and free shipping. Just FYI

 

[Remystemple]

Actually you do get more light per watt with the Cree so it's not all "name" but also, the Crees are way cheaper now than they used to be. You can get the best CXB3590's for $30 each and free shipping. Just FYI

Thanks for the info. I think I'll start looking for a few of those. Probably not on amazon tho eh lol

 

[kelticBlue]

can u open it and take a pic of the driver?

Here is a look at mine, three drivers, nice because they also drive cooling fans. not sure what to make of the driver rating. I was thinking Q-Boards in mine or flower boost cobs, a project for later this year.

it is a old picture the unit is in storage.....
edit: 60Watt i think
top 2 lines are input, next 2 are out put (55v-100v) and (.69A-.72A) then a date

China Driver

• kelticBlue
• May 27, 2019

china rider

China Driver

• kelticBlue
• May 27, 2019

china rider

China Driver

• kelticBlue
• May 27, 2019

china rider

 

[Remystemple]

Here is a look at mine, three drivers, nice because they also drive cooling fans. not sure what to make of the driver rating. I was thinking Q-Boards in mine or flower boost cobs, a project for later this year.

it is a old picture the unit is in storage.....
edit: 60Watt i think
top 2 lines are input, next 2 are out put (55v-100v) and (.69A-.72A) then a date

China Driver

• kelticBlue
• May 27, 2019

china rider

China Driver

• kelticBlue
• May 27, 2019

china rider

China Driver

• kelticBlue
• May 27, 2019

china rider

Thanks a lot for that!
really anything other than the 3w leds that are in it lol. i'd like to fit as many cobs in as i can.

 

[kelticBlue]

It might help more if I had the brackets off, one of the drivers should be slightly different because it doesn't run a fan.
Mine had 5 watt leds but it is almost 4 years old and need a ton of repair to the diodes. I would love to run a HLG QB 96 v2. pretty sure the mars drivers would be weak for a QB but my knowledge of the driver selection is very limited.

I would be trying to increase light density.....

 

[Remystemple]

It might help more if I had the brackets off, one of the drivers should be slightly different because it doesn't run a fan.
Mine had 5 watt leds but it is almost 4 years old and need a ton of repair to the diodes. I would love to run a HLG QB 96 v2. pretty sure the mars drivers would be weak for a QB but my knowledge of the driver selection is very limited.

I would be trying to increase light density.....

I'm thinking even 4x 30w cobs per board would be great. But I also have no clue about drivers and stuff.