DiY LED - Cree CXA3070

AquariusPanta

AquariusPanta

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure. This is my first grow using (IR) stars. If you can find one of CaptainMorgan's threads and dig into one the many, many posts, then you could probably piece together some examples and incorporate that information into your scenario/project.

Keep in mind, each star is emitting around 1W @ 700mA. This means they shouldn't be far from the target.

Using my logic, I advise you to consider buying a few 10W (IR)'s from the site that StarDustSailor provided, as it sounds like your intentions are set on either making profit from a wide growing operation or getting your large mormon family stoned for some outlandish holiday.
 
Abiqua

Abiqua

Well-Known Member
SupraSPL said:
Wow thats a big build amigo! You can get a lot of infrared from every day halogen lights and since they are only on for 5 minutes the heat and electrical use should be negligible.

Also with a build that size CXA3070 AB bin availability may be a problem (the last of the 100 pack on Arrow just sold out). The Vero line has recently updated spec sheets showing improved efficiency and thermal performance. Combine that with the price drop at Digikey and the Vero is looking good, great news for DIYers that like to run hard. I have been working on updating my data sheets for the all the Veros. Here are the "typical" numbers for the Vero29. The CXA still outperforms in cost and efficiency at low currents 350-1050mA but they are near evenly matched at mid current 1.4A and the Vero performs slightly better at high currents. (CXA3590 a better comparison at high dissipation)
View attachment 3294368

View attachment 3294369
Click to expand...
Wow, so all ranges of the Vero were updated? I really like the convenience of the Molex connectors and the built holders. But those #'s + the price point, very hard to resist and many available too, at least for now.....:) :joint:
 
SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
Trimming a batch with (4) different Cali Connection Alien OG fems from seed (Tahoe Og X Alien Kush (Alien Tech Pheno Reversed)) They all came out nice but #2 has a really nice spicy OG smell and nice purple hued nugs along with the best looking trichs/buds of all four. Hopefully it smokes as good as it smells. The buds structure and smell remind me of my Cali Connection Buddha Tahoe OG fem so it will be cool to compare them side by side one of these runs. Pics coming

The slightly cooler canopy temps and nice dry air seem to have increased the frosting slightly from the summer batches. I would still like to try adding more deep blue to see if I can get more from the trichs.
 
SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
AquariusPanta said:
I'm currently using 2x (IR)s for a single lady. For about a week straight and with the infrared turned on after lights out, she would would grow around two inches per night on average, with a high of three inches and a low of one inch. While this rapid growth and stretching may be viewed as a negative outcome, I believe it sped things up for her and allowed her early flowering phase to end sooner, thus bringing forth budding many days before if I had not used infrared.
Click to expand...
During this time the plant continues to grow roots and veg a bit. So wouldn't hurrying through that phase cost yield or cause you to have to veg longer to make up for it? Some of my indica doms seem to fall behind the sativa doms when it comes to vegging, so rushing that phase seems like it would really hurt yields?
 
SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
Chigur said:
Im limited by neither space or heat, If im using Co2 ill have to have the temps high but that and side lighting are things work out once im set up.

So 1450mA? How will that effect the draw? Im roughly basing things on 60w per..Including driver-cooling.

So..4 or 5 COB's on a meter long heat sink?...1 or 2 fans?
Click to expand...
60W ea is a good estimate. A 5.88"X36" heatsink is 9360cm² and should be good for at least 240W or (4) COBs. I believe you could get the job done with one fan at 12-15V depending on your ambient temp. Two fans might fight each other to some extent. But if you go with HLG-185H-C1400A/B drivers, they drive (3) COBs each so you could use 27" long with a single fan for sure.
 
AquariusPanta

AquariusPanta

Well-Known Member
SupraSPL said:
During this time the plant continues to grow roots and veg a bit. So wouldn't hurrying through that phase cost yield or cause you to have to veg longer to make up for it? Some of my indica doms seem to fall behind the sativa doms when it comes to vegging, so rushing that phase seems like it would really hurt yields?
Click to expand...
I'm drawing a blank here Supra, as I'm not quite certain how to respond. You may or may not be correct about your assertions but I certainly do not know the answer. This is my first grow with (IR) lighting. I haven't questioned the method thus far but you bring a fair point up.

The way Captain explained it was that the extra hour or two, 13/11 flowering schedule, allows for more light to be absorbed by the plant hence shorter flowering periods. I'm merely testing the merit of this practice at this point. For those who lack the knowledge of this subject, the infrared, when ran for 5-10minutes after light off, transforms pFR to pR, which translates to ~2 hours of instant 'sleep time'; the plant essentially believes it's under a 13/13 time frame.

She definitely vegetated that week, which was in the middle of the second and third week rather than the first but I'm uncertain on how the roots reacted.

Just to be clear, I started using the (IR) after the first week of the flowering phase (12/12).
 
Last edited:
Chigur

Chigur

Member
nogod_ said:
Look at it this way:
if your target is 3000w of AB @700 mA you are emitting 491,xxx lumens.
@1400mA you are emitting
422,xxx lumens.

You are losing roughly 14% of your light for the same energy burned. Your spread is also much more even with 700mA and you can get closer to the canopy which means less of your photons are ending up in the angel's share.
Click to expand...
Makes sense, what driver would i use to bring them down to 700Ma? Coming from Is this simply double the amount of COBS?
Seems im limited by CXA availability, Do the Veros perform as well under driven to this degree?
 
Chigur

Chigur

Member
SupraSPL said:
60W ea is a good estimate. A 5.88"X36" heatsink is 9360cm² and should be good for at least 240W or (4) COBs. I believe you could get the job done with one fan at 12-15V depending on your ambient temp. Two fans might fight each other to some extent. But if you go with HLG-185H-C1400A/B drivers, they drive (3) COBs each so you could use 27" long with a single fan for sure.
Click to expand...
Great info, Ive sense you recommend smaller strings due to the danger of loading. Do you think i should keep the strings to 3 for this reason? 27" gives me about a meter coverage which helps doing figures.

That driver look perfect, i can add a dimmer when i skill up a bit.

What are your thoughts on more COBS at 700mA?
 
Last edited:
SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately the Veros do not do well at low currents compared to the large CXAs. If you are going to run soft or do a lot of dimming, the CXA3070 ABs are definitely worth waiting for (I might have 20 to spare if that takes the edge off.) But at 1400mA, using the "typical" figures the Vero29 is cheaper and the CXA3070 AB is slightly higher efficiency (5-7%).

These are some great 800mA drivers, 90.5% efficient but not power factor corrected so would work better on 240V for a large build.

Another option is the HLG-185H-C700A/B. Power factor corrected and 93-95% eficient, but yes mucvh higher voltage string in this case (286V).
 
Chigur

Chigur

Member
SupraSPL said:
Unfortunately the Veros do not do well at low currents compared to the large CXAs. If you are going to run soft or do a lot of dimming, the CXA3070 ABs are definitely worth waiting for (I might have 20 to spare if that takes the edge off.) But at 1400mA, using the "typical" figures the Vero29 is cheaper and the CXA3070 AB is slightly higher efficiency (5-7%).

These are some great 800mA drivers, 90.5% efficient but not power factor corrected so would work better on 240V for a large build.

Another option is the HLG-185H-C700A/B. Power factor corrected and 93-95% eficient, but yes mucvh higher voltage string in this case (286V).
Click to expand...
Decisions decisions.
I cant PM yet but im very interested in that 20

If i run them that soft do i have to use a driver per COB?
 
Last edited:
SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
You could use either of the drivers mentioned. The HLG is 700mA and dimmable. The 800mA eBay driver is less efficient and not power factor corrected but 35V vs 286V
 
Castaman

Castaman

Well-Known Member
A question to active cooling led users :shock:
Many of us are using CPU coolers, so wouldn't it be better if the fan is reversed to make it blow up than to the sides, especially when your exhaust is at the top.
 
SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
A few years ago I experimented with lapping a CPU heatsink for a Pentium 4 CPU and I tried re installing the fan both ways. Blowing into the heatsink (forced) was amazingly more effective at cooling the CPU temp compared to sucking air from the heatsink (Induced). The stock configuration was forced cooling and every CPU cooler fan I have ever come across including the Arctic Alpine 11 is configured this way, so it seems from an engineering standpoint that is the standard.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top