The Basics Of Plant Lighting

The tested CXA3050 (precursor of the 3070 series) lasts 36000 hours+ at 105 degrees celcius and 1.5A
And lasting as in it still puts out 90% of it's original amount of lumen after 36k hours.

At 2.25A and 85 degrees it should still have 80% of its original lumen output after 36000 hours.

The leds shouldn't be at those temps anyway with half-decent cooling.
Even after those 36000 hours the Vero 18/29 and CreeCXB3070/3590 should still easily put out much more light than Marshydro and the like.
 
I was just wondering what I might cannibalize from my failed panel - whether the drivers and the LEDs are both cooked. :cheesygrinsmiley: I can use the fans, for sure ... :hmmmm:
 
Graytail said:
I was just wondering what I might cannibalize from my failed panel - whether the drivers and the LEDs are both cooked. :cheesygrinsmiley: I can use the fans, for sure ... :hmmmm:
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Heatsinks?

With the drivers efficiency is a factor to consider. I think the hlg series as are all above 91%. Salvaging an inefficient heat generating driver may be counterproductive.

If the fans are on their own driver that may be useful.
 
Graytail said:
When a panel fails, is it the driver, the LED cluster, or both that fail?

... I have that POS 6 module panel ... with parts n stuff ... :hmmm:
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Hey Gray, on my POS panel that failed, it seemed to be the driver/power supply that went bad, as I replaced it at the time and then the COB worked fine. Not sure if its the same for your POS panel, but being they are from the same place I would say check the driver first. I believe it a chip fails you can a lot of the time visually tell... I've seen browning/burning on the diodes and surrounding panel, discolored diodes, and even swollen encapsulations from failed diodes. Its seems usually you can see a visual difference if its the diode, just from other fails I have seen online.
 
Very cool DIY build Van Dankenhoek! When you have it done and ready to go, if you don't mind, drop me a link to your journal. I would love to watch it. Very curious about these white Cobs.

Also, has anyone come across any PAR readings from any all white DIY cree or vero cob lights? I am curious what kind of coverage one could expect for PPFD.
 
HI

I have suffered through the same lights a couple of you have spoken and same vendor with the same results which is now 2 out of 3 are doa.
I contemplated rebuilding those but instead I finished my own diy cobb project a bit over a month ago, 8 X cree 3590 ( 6-3000k / 2-5000k) to say I have been thrilled with what I have seen so far would not cover it. I used 90 degree lens with my cobbs and the penetration is the best I have ever had and I have always grown with leds. While some say the lens causes hotspots I have not witnessed this as I get a very even coverage.
While lumens are not the best measure of a light this cobb light is much more powerful than a true 600 watt manufactured led light I use. I have a pretty good meter and it maxes it out directly underneath the diy cobb fixture at about 20 inches which it doesn't on the 600wat manufactured light. Edge readings are much higher with the cobb fixture than the manufactured light.

I get 475 watts at the plug with the 8 X 3590 and it is a better light than a 600 watt led premade light I use. Tent stays at 82 degrees at the top of the the plants which is far cooler than other leds I use that have less wattage. Stretch has been normal but again the trichs are just sick!

I will try to get some pictures of the plants which are at day 38 of 12/12 and post, size and trich wise as good as it comes as they look like someone coated them with powder sugar.

Van Dankenhoek I am sure you will be more than pleased with your finished project.

Icemud I think someone on another forum had some par readings and I will try to find them again.
 
Nicest things about those cobs is just how few you need and you can do it all in a small package.
No need to solder hundreds of leds, just a few cobs and you're done. If you're among the laziest you can even use thermal adhesive and with those Vero Bridgelux chips you can also use those pico ezmate connecters.

Also Cree might become cheaper in the very near future.
Their stock has dropped very hard over the years while (more than 50% drop) while the average stock in Nasdaq has risen by 40% or so.
Competitors like Nichia and Osram (Bridglelux too) have become extremely competitive for much cheaper.

This chip looks like an enormous badass, 131 lm/watt @ 85 watt draw power.
Light Emitting Diode(LED)/NICHIA CORPORATION
Don't know where to get it though.
 
dubbrollin said:
Hey hose.
I just picked up this this LED panel and need a lil advice on it. its a 120 watt panel but no name.
PIC_00591.JPG


I m trying to determine how i want to set this up. My plants are already sitting under a homemade CFL set up.
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Hey dubbrollin,

Did this cheap LED you used actually work out to grow some plant?
I am limited to ebay LEDs with no shipping charges so I prefer your feedback before I purchase one

Thanks
 
lakegrow said:
HI

I have suffered through the same lights a couple of you have spoken and same vendor with the same results which is now 2 out of 3 are doa.
I contemplated rebuilding those but instead I finished my own diy cobb project a bit over a month ago, 8 X cree 3590 ( 6-3000k / 2-5000k) to say I have been thrilled with what I have seen so far would not cover it. I used 90 degree lens with my cobbs and the penetration is the best I have ever had and I have always grown with leds. While some say the lens causes hotspots I have not witnessed this as I get a very even coverage.
While lumens are not the best measure of a light this cobb light is much more powerful than a true 600 watt manufactured led light I use. I have a pretty good meter and it maxes it out directly underneath the diy cobb fixture at about 20 inches which it doesn't on the 600wat manufactured light. Edge readings are much higher with the cobb fixture than the manufactured light.

I get 475 watts at the plug with the 8 X 3590 and it is a better light than a 600 watt led premade light I use. Tent stays at 82 degrees at the top of the the plants which is far cooler than other leds I use that have less wattage. Stretch has been normal but again the trichs are just sick!

I will try to get some pictures of the plants which are at day 38 of 12/12 and post, size and trich wise as good as it comes as they look like someone coated them with powder sugar.

Van Dankenhoek I am sure you will be more than pleased with your finished project.

Icemud I think someone on another forum had some par readings and I will try to find them again.
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LG, kool beans. Does the Cree 3590 cover far red (700 to 750nm)?
 
VonDankenhoek said:
Thanks man.

The cxb chart is actually linked back on post 270. It doesnt show the cxb 3590, 3500k though. My cobs schefuled to arrive tomorrow!!!

Notice there is essentially zero UVB in any of those graphs. Im considering the addition of a 48" uvb 54w reptile tube. maybe run it an hour or two thru flowering.
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Thanks for the graph HD. Im guessing that the graph is a spectral depiction of the first gen CXA, because the latest graph is of the second gen and it is slightly different (at cree.com see the pdf data sheet for XLamp CXB3590). The second gen is described as,

"The XLamp CXB3590 LED Array is the brightest member of the second generation of the CXA family that delivers up to 33% higher efficacy than the first generation in the same LES. The higher performance CXA2 LED Arrays allow lighting manufacturers to achieve the same or better performance with a smaller LES, enabling a radical reduction in system size and cost..."

Hey VDank, looking forward to hearing about results with your new hardware. Also, Ive done some research on UVB Dosing and am interested in your prescription.

Happy Growing, SF.
 
Those cobs arrived on time in cree packaging stating cxb 3590, 3500k, cd bin. Im psyched to proceed but i have to be on the grind today. Sunday or monday ill get it done and try plugging it in! Kingbrite is legit and i do recommend them if youre looking for good pricing on cree or bridgelux cobs.

On the uvb it seems like the poster known as kite high is an expert. im following his guidance and going with a 48" 54w t5. Im gonna run it for 2 or 3 hours a day @~18" and see what happens. A reflective 48" fixture is about $30 and the bulb is $55, both shipping included. It seems like the science supports uvb supplementation for thc increases but it looks like it is strain dependent to a noticeable extent.
 
Hey Von, I just ran across efficiency numbers for the phosphor coated low-watt-LED Par-Force panels - 1.35 PPFD/watt - not bad!

I'm running my 250 at a foot over young vegging plants and they're loving it. :cheesygrinsmiley:

https://smartgrowtechnologies.com/
 
is that the lamp you won? Have you flowered anything w it?

That deal par force offered on 4-20 of 420$ off of the lights makes me super skeptical of actual value.
Hope you grow bouteous buds with it...you seem to do thst no matter what the equipment.

I got a destroyer just starting flower that is super sexy!
Planning to finish my panels tomorrow. ill get some pics up if i dont electocute myself.
 
Yep, it's the one I got for POTY. :cheesygrinsmiley:

I'm only using it for veg. But what impresses me is that I can run it a foot above my plants and there's very little heat from it - no fans even, just heatsinks. The 250 model is selling for $500 now, so a much better value than it was 6 months ago. :laughtwo:

Fantastic news on the Destroyer! You'll have to post up some pics in a few weeks. I want to see someone else's and most members are running Desfran right now, or Auto Destroyer.
 
Its a luxury experimenting with free lamps! Maybe it will inspireyou to diy?

The huge heatsink and no fans is a style i like.

Ya this destroyer is growing great. its in first run soil 5 gal fabric. most sativa looking plant ive grown, looks like. Ill go back and check out your destroyer posts to refresh my memory. Ive got a sugarpunch 15gal in the flower room with destroyer. both loving the vero29s. im very curious about the effect the new cobs will have on the space.
 
I haven't tidied it up yet but it is in service! I had a few little setbacks during the final assembly. LED builder realstyles helped me with troubleshooting and it lit up.

Each panel of 2 cxb3590, 3500k, @.7mA is pulling 119w. Cree data says 56% efficient and the meanwell hlg 120h 700c (A version) is about 92% efficient with that load.

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The cob spacing isnt really precise for light distribution but i think it makes sense. The 4 center cobs are at about 80w each 40% efficient. I spaced the crees further awaqy from the veros because of slightly lesser par. My goal with adding the wings was to get full illumunation out to the edges. I got a simple meter coming soon and I'll see how the intensity pattern shapes up.

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Ive got one plant at about 3.5 weeks 11/13, one plant at about 12 days 11/13 and those lil gals are just in a day or two.
 
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