You can arrange them however you want, I was just throwing ideas out. You’re a smart guy, you’ll just kind of have to figure out what you think will work best for you.
I would definitely try something like that first. I was gonna suggest one drivers worth. That way it will still go towards end project. But however you wanna do it, it’s your cash.
The main thing here is not wasting a drivers available current or voltage right? As you’ve been finding out for me, the best compromise would be a setup like your drawing using 4 drivers. I’m sure I could build 2 frames similar to @Daddy s light and move things around as needed like @1BigFella is suggesting. But yeah it sounds like the 8 cob setup is going to be the best option. Although I have been following your DIY thread, I still don’t have a good grasp of what is the best to use. There are quite a few opinions. I’ll go ahead and buy enough stuff for one 8 cob setup once we figure out what COBs and drivers I should buy. Even if my heatsinks get a little warmer than I want, I can figure out how to cool them.
Ok. You want built in dimmer or to wire in potentiometers to have remote dimming? Get that and we’ll nail down the driver part number.
And did you decide on color temp?
One thing you can do for staggered planting, is to put the short plants on boxes or plastic bins to raise them up closer to the light. Nothing says a mixed-use grow chamber has to have every plant on the floor.
I’ll probably use pots for dimming. I know a lot of talk goes on about colors and I definitely need 3000k for flowers looking at the data sheets on them.
I would agree about color temp.
So here’s where we would be at for driver running four citi 1216’s at 50 watts each with external dimming leads.
Meanwell hlg-185h-c1400b
Those citizen 1216’s in 3000k 90 cri look like part number for gen 6 is
CLU048-1216C4-30*H5M3-F1
There’s other stuff you’re gonna need obviously, but probably best to find best prices on that stuff and then tack on other stuff.
CobKits seem to have some of the best prices I’ve seen. Didn’t know about them until your mention. Let me run something by you. Would it be any easier to go with ten 40 watt COBs and the drivers to run them. I know 10 watts isn’t a ton of heat, but it might mean the difference between having to use active cooling or not. I think my heatsinks were designed for 35 watts. If I went with 10 COBs I could buy six 3000k and four 4000k. I don’t want to drive you nuts with waffling, but I do want to avoid using anything but the circulating fans in the room to cool if at all possible. It could also be possible that the driverless COBs I was testing are just so horribly inefficient that they put off more heat than light and a good 50 watt Cob won’t be a problem.
I’m absolutely sure your light watt to heat watt ratio is going to be better with any of these than those driverless cobs. But I don’t think even going with a 40 watt cob those sinks will do it passively. That’s just thumb eyeball though. You can measure them out and see how much surface area each heatsink has. You’re looking for about 18 square inches of surface per heat watt to meet minimum cooling requirements passively. Figure a citi 1212 is almost 50% efficienct at 1050ma. So you’re looking for 20 watts of thermal load, and that’s to meet minimum requirements without choking off natural cooling.
And you’re definitely not bothering me. This is how I learn too.
I meant to add, you can certainly opt for going with some pin sinks. That’s going to run about another $20 per cob. I was under impression you wanted to try and make the ones you had work, but I’m good with trying to see it out either way.
Yep I want to try to make them work if possible. Also I can get a 4 x 4 Sheet of .125 aluminum for $60, so I would imagine I could do something to dramatically increase the heatsinks cooling capability. Or something like that. I had better order the COBs today. CobKits barely has what I need in stock. I can only get 5 of the 3000k, so I’ll have to get 5 of the 3500k. They don’t have the drivers in stock, so I’ll have to get them from TRC.
Too bad you can’t get any of this at Amazon @dbrn32
You don’t want it from amazon really. Prices are jacked up to accommodate amazon fees and sellers to make profit. Some of the components are there, at like 30-50% more.
Check arrow for driver. Usually get free shipping on large enough purchase, and I think if you go sign up for their mailing list they’ll email you a 10% off code.
If cobkits is low, try typing that part number into the other suppliers.
TRC electronics has the drivers for $46 each. I’m set up with them. All they sell is power supplies. I’ll get everything else from CobKits @dbrn32.
Just got email from Jameco they have free shipping over $49 code. I can get it for you if they have in stock and price. Otherwise trc is good, I’ve used them.
Jameco has them in stock. I added 2 to my Cart and it says they can ship tomorrow. If there’s a coupon code, I would be glad to use it if you got one.
If this is something you’ll be messing with (you will) get on the mailing list for all of them. They send stuff like this out regularly.
I have been registering with anyone new I’ve come across. Some like digikey and arrow I already have accounts with. Thanks for the code. 2 drivers are on the way. Don’t happen to have a coupon code for CobKits do you?
I don’t sorry. If I had to guess, slight chance he may do something like a 420 sale. He’s very active and an advertiser on riu, if you can stomach going through all the bs I would imagine that would be the place to look.
Small shop, single guy I’m pretty sure. I think his name is Jamie, but not 100%. But I’m pretty sure he tries to stay competitive without having to order in 1000 piece quantities, so probably not as much room for him to discount like the heavy hitters. He did seem like a cool guy though.
I used to go to riu and g420 before ilgm. Too many people arguing about stupid crap. You’re right about the BS there. Ok, I have 5 of the 3000k and 3 of the 3500k in my cart along with 8 CLU048 holders, 8 reflector adapters, and 8 reflectors. Will the 3500k COBs be ok or should I try to find 3 of the 3000k somewhere else?
They’re fine. You have 90 cri? As long as they’re 90cri you could do all 3500k if you want. There’s really not that big of a difference. Either in 90cri shift red peak from 600nm to around 630-640nm. The 3500k just gives a little more blue.
