Let The Healing Begin! First Grow- DIY CXB3070

[Waiks]

Aloha!

First off, huge thank you to this section and forum in general. So so many good people here contributing. You rock!

As of this writing, I am about 1 month into my first grow. I started with a home made cfl cab, but now I have a 36"x20" apollo tent with a 400w hps cooltube. Running organic soil in smart pots. 4 clones from a random guy I met, and 1 SSH seed I started.



This cooltube is hot. So hot, I have to vent my ac to the tent's intake.
400 watt cool tube plus a 500 watt a/c to cool it? At ~$.40/Kwh where I live?
Pshhhhh.

I think it's time for some LED action!

A few hours of lurking and reading...couple days of waiting...few hundred bucks ($315) spent and...



4 x CXB3070 AB bin COB's
1 x HLG 185h c1400 Driver
4 x Arctic Alpine 11 Plus Coolers

Just waiting on some Ideal cob holders to come in!
I plan on positioning 2, 18 inches apart on L brackets.
I'll have two of these rows, 4 inches away from the front and back of the tent. This will have them about a foot away from each other.

Here's a rough sketch
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - 0========0 - -
- - - - - ==== - - - - -
- - 0========0 - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I want to incorporate some red and blue eventually. UV also. Eventually...I really haven't read up on it yet.

Can't wait to get this hps crap sent away and refunded! Hopefully I can cut down my a/c usage with the cobs in there.

Couple of things I need to work out though still.
I don't want to screw in the holder to the heat sink.
I also don't want to use the stock adhesive on the alpines, mainly because I accidentally got my greasy thumbs all over them. Haha
Where can I get some good adhesive? Best Buy? Radio Shack? I want to use the holder but not screw it in, relying on the adhesive and possibly some tape to keep is snug.
Thoughts?
Would a double sided sticky thermal pad thing be better in my case?

Thanks for stopping by!
Much love

 

[FranJan]

What holders are you using? Depending on the holders you could use the thermal grease I linked to below as you want to but then use A SMALL AMOUNT of thermal glue to affix the holders to the heatsink. Remember that it's the vacuum created by the thermal grease that holds the COB to the heatsink. When you use Kapton tape it's to make sure the vacuum isn't disturbed not to hold the COB on so depending on the holder you could use the holder as a replacement for the tape by affixing it with thermal epoxy/plaster/glue. And by using a small amount you won't have to destroy your heatsink to upgrade to the CXC series when it comes out, (and you will ). Taping the COB holder is another option I guess but again it depends on the holders.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/cooler-master-thermal-compound/5341247.p?id=1218634900979&skuId=5341247

Thermal plaster:
http://www.amazon.com/Thermal-Conductive-Heatsink-Adhesive-Compound/dp/B00KAOP4SY/ref=pd_sim_147_8?ie=UTF8&refRID=1P4DBBDJX0DBP9KBGC9Q

Can I say one more thing? Don't flower those plants until you straighten out their deficiencies. Start a new thread in http://rollitup.org/f/marijuana-plant-problems.65/ with a link that photo to it and see what some of the troubleshooters there say. Your going to need a little compost tea IMO. Also they looked a bit overwatered but that's just my lil' ol' 2 cents.

Peace and Best of Luck with the grow and new lights.

 

[HiloReign]

Looks great... Are you in Waiks, by chance?

How's the humidity with those wicking beds?

 

[Waiks]

Hey guys

Here are my holders
www.idealind.com/products/oem/led_holders/cree.jsp
So you're saying grease the chip and glue the holder?
With the holders I chose can I grease and tape? I want things clean and easily changeable

I agree with you on the deficincies . I've had those clones for two weeks now and tbh the only change in growth they've shown me is minimal. I had to battle some pests in the begininng and they were in solo cups for over a month.

I'm using CC's mix. I got the clones on a whim though so they got transplanted into freshly mixed soil- no cooking time. I just hit them with another compost tea last night.
Gonna be gone for a week for christmas so I want to either switch to flower now with all the girls, scrap the clones and get new ones to flip, or scrap the clones and veg out the ssh longer along with some seeds so that when I leave in december they are only about half way done flowering... thoughts?

And thanks Hilo! I am in Waikiki. Wish I had space to spread my legs and green thumbs like you guys on the Big Island! Soon...soon...

Oh yeah. Rh stays between 40-50 with the sip. Havent been keeping it full of water though

 

[HiloReign]

Cool, friend. I'm always bitchin' about mold and the rain here but yes, I'm very fortunate to be where I am!

Sounds like you took the right steps to fixin up those clones... As far as what to do, I'd personally just give them some time to see if they get better.. If they don't bye bye, but if they do, flip 'em and find out what they can do.

 

[FranJan]

I think with the chip loks you could probably get away with Kapton only. There is a brim on them where you could put some thermal glue but you would probably have to ruin the chip lok to swap out COBs.

 

[Waiks]

Alright folks, the holders have arrived

Got all my supplies ready!!!
One thing holding me back from putting this bad boy together though!!!!!
I picked up 2x 3.5g Arctic Silver 5
I have no drill tap or grease or all that...I do have a corded hand drill though!
Is it worth the 25 minute uphill bike ride plus who knows how much moolah for the tap?
Or should I just apply the AS5 on the cob, and drill directly into the sink like a boss?

Help me decide quick! lol

 

[HiloReign]

I blasted small holes with my corded drill in my aluminum heatsinks no lube and all lmao... Ruined the bit but it was already at the end of its life... Not suggested as worse shit could happen, like the bit breaks off and gets stuck in the heatsink etc. but it's your call~

 

[Waiks]

Rajah!
Blasting away

So in this order I shall:
Iso alcohol the pre applied paste off
Drill tiny pilot holes for the holders
Insert cob into holder and apply paste
Spread it good and screw in holder
Repeat x4
Connect 18 gauge 150v thermotsat wire running from + to - on each cob
Connect same wire with fans in series to 5v 2a phone charger.
Testies

 

[HiloReign]

I'm blind as a bat but it looks likes you're well on your way...

 

[Waiks]

Guys wtf



Should I pay 40 bucks to rent a drill press?
I don't want to lose the sinks...
Is this one still usable? The bit is stuck inside.
When I place the holder on it for visual it looks like the edge of the cob will be about a hair away from the little holes I just made (turning it 90 degrees)

 

[SPLFreak808]

Some epsom salts at a tsp p gallon would help! Welcome! And aloha! Electric getting a bit exspensive yet? Lol if you live in waikiki how would you take care of the smell?

 

[Waiks]

Thanks for the tip!
Havent been hit with my full light usage bill yet...we shall see lol. But if my calculations are correct it will be close to 250. I have a carbon filter coming in and my building always smells like dank anyway lol

Went ahead and tried to drill again...another broken bit, stuck in the sink. I really don't know what to do at this point.
Kapton tape isn't something that is easy to find on an island. I don't want to wait for shipping, and this drilling is frustrating.

 

[mc130p]

Thanks for the tip!
Havent been hit with my full light usage bill yet...we shall see lol. But if my calculations are correct it will be close to 250. I have a carbon filter coming in and my building always smells like dank anyway lol

Went ahead and tried to drill again...another broken bit, stuck in the sink. I really don't know what to do at this point.
Kapton tape isn't something that is easy to find on an island. I don't want to wait for shipping, and this drilling is frustrating.

Are you using any oil while you're drilling/tapping?

 

[Waiks]

Nope
Came up with a plan though-
1. Buy a press and oil from the hardware store
2. Drill/tap my 8 holes needed
3. Return the drill press
4. ???????
5. Profit

How heavy is a 10 inch tabletop drill press?

It's that or buy a $35 dollar drill guide thing.
Any suggestions on what kind of drill bit to use? Material wise and stuff

 

[SPLFreak808]

When drilling aluminum, slow and steady is what you need! Buy some drill bits made for metal and dont use too much speed. Once it bites go slow! Too bad i work today, or I'd come help you, i fabricate with metal/wood/fiberglass and electrical circuits all day lol good luck with the grow!

 

[Waiks]

Mahalo!
I appreciate the offer, I may have to take you up on it someday!

I think I'm going with the drill guide route with actual metal bits. Brb going to the store...will update soon.

HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE!!!

 

[HiloReign]

SPL nailed it. I was using one of those "all-purpose" metal bits and I couldn't really tell you more about it. I didn't press very hard when drilling and it took me a couple minutes or more per hole drilling through only around a 1/4" in thickness.

Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do though, you got this~

May be able to find kapton on Oahu... Radio shack is the first place that comes to mind but I don't even know if one of those still exist over there lol.

 

[Waiks]

I might just have to wait for kapton to come in.

Bought a drill guide and titanium bits and was successful in drilling two holes.
Then I broke the tap inside the sink.
So now I have 2 bits and 1 tap broken inside the heatsink.

Tears of frustration and money wasted have been shed.

If anyone on Oahu is reading this, please hook a brotha up with some tape lol I don't want to wait another 3 days plus shipping fees to get this shit going!!! Arghhhh

Any risk in Arctic Silver 5ing the cob and the little brims of the holder directly onto the heatisink? No screws or tape, just AS5 thermal compound to keep it from falling off, until kapton is delivered. I really need to get this going before my deadline to return the HPS passes

 

[SPLFreak808]

I might just have to wait for kapton to come in.

Bought a drill guide and titanium bits and was successful in drilling two holes.
Then I broke the tap inside the sink.
So now I have 2 bits and 1 tap broken inside the heatsink.

Tears of frustration and money wasted have been shed.

If anyone on Oahu is reading this, please hook a brotha up with some tape lol I don't want to wait another 3 days plus shipping fees to get this shit going!!! Arghhhh

Bro, i can honestly say just have it ordered. Have some patience! 3 days wont hurt! I've been using 1000's with no a/c on oahu for years lol. Your ladies appear to need epsom salt AND/OR less K. It appears to have K toxicity, when this happens it may push you into a iron/zinc/cal/mag def because the root zone starts to get acidified, im not sure if you've taken care of it but i figured id try to help for the time being.