...All Things Vero...

Would you consider buying a VERO after reading through some of the posts?


  • Total voters
    357

bobbuck

Well-Known Member
Good thread lots of serious info here. I'm looking to build a Vero light for a 2x2 flower box. Im thinking 4 Vero 18's would cover that area? I'm having some trouble pairing a driver to run all 4. Any info from the informative Vero community would be awesome!
 

J-Icky

Well-Known Member
Good thread lots of serious info here. I'm looking to build a Vero light for a 2x2 flower box. Im thinking 4 Vero 18's would cover that area? I'm having some trouble pairing a driver to run all 4. Any info from the informative Vero community would be awesome!
I'm building a 6 vero 18 light using the hlg-185h-c1050a from meanwell for a 2x2 area. I'm using 4 3000k and 2 4000k and they will produce a little over 185w, or just over 46w sq/ft. There will be 2 rows of 3 cobs, both will have the 3000k on the ends and the 4000k in the middles.

I plan on running Autos so I wanted a light that would be mostly flower but would also have a good enough spectrum to get good growth for the month or so of veg. I also didn't want to mess with switching lights from veg to flower, especially since its a small area and would only be one or two plants at the most
 

bobbuck

Well-Known Member
Thanks
I'm building a 6 vero 18 light using the hlg-185h-c1050a from meanwell for a 2x2 area. I'm using 4 3000k and 2 4000k and they will produce a little over 185w, or just over 46w sq/ft. There will be 2 rows of 3 cobs, both will have the 3000k on the ends and the 4000k in the middles.

I plan on running Autos so I wanted a light that would be mostly flower but would also have a good enough spectrum to get good growth for the month or so of veg. I also didn't want to mess with switching lights from veg to flower, especially since its a small area and would only be one or two plants at the most
Thanks. I like the idea of the six veros. I think my build will be similar. I may look in to driving them at 700ma for veg, then stepping it up to 1050ma for flowering as I will be using the light for both phases. Thanks again
 

J-Icky

Well-Known Member
Thanks
Thanks. I like the idea of the six veros. I think my build will be similar. I may look in to driving them at 700ma for veg, then stepping it up to 1050ma for flowering as I will be using the light for both phases. Thanks again
Thats why I went with the A version of the driver, it has a built in dimmer that will let you turn it down to 525mah. I plan on running mine at between 525-700 when the seeds first pop and slowly turning them up over the course of 3 weeks, which is usually when Autos start flowering.

Now if you wanted to dim down more than 50% you could go with the B version of the driver and buy an external pot that would allow yo to dim down something like 90% and with the addition of another thing, the name escapes me at the moment you could dim all the way down to 0.
 

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
Thats why I went with the A version of the driver, it has a built in dimmer that will let you turn it down to 525mah. I plan on running mine at between 525-700 when the seeds first pop and slowly turning them up over the course of 3 weeks, which is usually when Autos start flowering.

Now if you wanted to dim down more than 50% you could go with the B version of the driver and buy an external pot that would allow yo to dim down something like 90% and with the addition of another thing, the name escapes me at the moment you could dim all the way down to 0.
PWM for dimming?
Or a potentiometer! (From 100 to 10%)
Are you going to go 20/4 from start to finish?
Change a timer from 18/6 to 12/12 is easy to do and will provide you a more potent weed (but since you smoke pure weed maybe auto are easier to smoke pure...!?!?)
CU
 

Baura

Well-Known Member
So, i was looking at the v 22, but then someone said(in this thread) that the v 22 is not that efficient. But If I'm not wrong, the datasheet states 120lm/w at 85c. (3000k @ typical current)

But even if the v22 were just as efficient as vero29,10 etc, i think that the vero being solder less is a huge plus...

So, I would like to know how does stealth/small cabinets vs large grows light requirement.

Like, 30w/sqft is nice. But if I have a stealth 1.3sqft grow with Mylar on the walls, or if I have a large 3x4 area. Is 30w/sqft good for both?

If I plan to use one spectrum from seed to harvest. Should I go 3000 or 4000k? Or it depends on the genetics of each plant(auto vs unknown seeds)

And again, for a 1.3 sqft stealth grow I'm aiming at 40w total. For a better canopy coverage should I go 1 x v18 @ 1.3a or multiple v10/13 cobs at a total 40w?

Cheers
 

J-Icky

Well-Known Member
PWM for dimming?
Or a potentiometer! (From 100 to 10%)
Are you going to go 20/4 from start to finish?
Change a timer from 18/6 to 12/12 is easy to do and will provide you a more potent weed (but since you smoke pure weed maybe auto are easier to smoke pure...!?!?)
CU
A potentiometer, I think its the C version that would allow PWM dimming, but its all a little over my head. Thats why I just went with the A version which has a little screw built in and I would'nt want to go much lower than 525mah anyway.

I plan n running 18/6 the whole time but the autos will allow me to stagger 2 plants so I'm harvesting every 40-50 days. If i had the room I have a bunch of bag seeds I'd love to grow and clone and keep only the ones I liked. But unfortunately My situation will only allow me one small space at the moment. I know I could also go with fem seeds but with such a small space I'd rather have the perpetual and shorter grow times. I had thought about 12/12 from seed but in the end that is essentially an auto grow and autos have come a long way in terms of potency so I figured I'd just go that route.
 

J-Icky

Well-Known Member
But even if the v22 were just as efficient as vero29,10 etc, i think that the vero being solder less is a huge plus...
The solderless option is nice and was what I planned on using at first. But after doing some research I learned the pico ez-mate connectors are only rated for something like 120v and my build was going to be 180v. So for my build I I would have either had to go with 2 drivers or do what I'm gonna do and just solder the wires to the cobs.
I also wouldn't risk running more than what they are rated for because you can risk failure or even worse a fire.
 

Baura

Well-Known Member
I also wouldn't risk running more than what they are rated for because you can risk failure or even worse a fire.
They=connectors, right?

As I am an car audio freak, I do respect wire and connectors max V and current.

Nice to know the 120v max for connectors.

By the way, if I plan to cool a cob with a CPU cooler, what's the best bet?

Assuming a CPU cooler has 50heat watt max cooling capacity, would v 29 be better cooled than a v18 assuming there is more area to dissipate power thru the heatsink? (V29 would run at 60% nominal power, and the 18 at 140% nominal power) but I'm wondering the heat transfer/surface area in lumen efficiency.....


Cheers
 

J-Icky

Well-Known Member
I'm not so sure about the whole dissipating thing with the contact surface area. I would assume that the vero 29 would do better just because it'll be running WAY more efficiently, but regardless of what percentage is heat and light, 30w of heat is still 30w of heat.

Honestly with those figures I'd go with the Vero 29. For me, running at nominal, it was cheaper to get more Vero 18s to reach the wattage I wanted than to go with the Vero 29s. I don't remember what the price difference was but I remember having the light more spread out, more light sources, played a part in my decision too.
 

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
So, i was looking at the v 22, but then someone said(in this thread) that the v 22 is not that efficient. But If I'm not wrong, the datasheet states 120lm/w at 85c. (3000k @ typical current)

But even if the v22 were just as efficient as vero29,10 etc, i think that the vero being solder less is a huge plus...

So, I would like to know how does stealth/small cabinets vs large grows light requirement.

Like, 30w/sqft is nice. But if I have a stealth 1.3sqft grow with Mylar on the walls, or if I have a large 3x4 area. Is 30w/sqft good for both?

If I plan to use one spectrum from seed to harvest. Should I go 3000 or 4000k? Or it depends on the genetics of each plant(auto vs unknown seeds)

And again, for a 1.3 sqft stealth grow I'm aiming at 40w total. For a better canopy coverage should I go 1 x v18 @ 1.3a or multiple v10/13 cobs at a total 40w?

Cheers
Bonjour
In a PC box I would go with Vero10 maybe 13 @500mA (3 = 48w)
Idk if there is V13 3500ºk but I would go that route!
CU
 

Baura

Well-Known Member
Bonjour
In a PC box I would go with Vero10 maybe 13 @500mA (3 = 48w)
Idk if there is V13 3500ºk but I would go that route!
CU
Hello,

Actually in my case it is a 1.5x1 and 2.5 ft tall cabinet box...

Actually I harvested my first growth in that cabinet. Veg with 2x45w cfl 6500 k , and flowered some buds with 3 x 16w led 3000k e27 bulbs(they claimed 1600lm at 16 w so its not true I guess....)

For even canopy in 1.5sqft and 2.5 ft tall with 3 vero 10 @ total 48w... What about spacing them vs one centered heatsink?

Cheers and thanks
 

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
Hello,

Actually in my case it is a 1.5x1 and 2.5 ft tall cabinet box...

Actually I harvested my first growth in that cabinet. Veg with 2x45w cfl 6500 k , and flowered some buds with 3 x 16w led 3000k e27 bulbs(they claimed 1600lm at 16 w so its not true I guess....)

For even canopy in 1.5sqft and 2.5 ft tall with 3 vero 10 @ total 48w... What about spacing them vs one centered heatsink?

Cheers and thanks
Bonjour
With 2.5ft tall (75cm) I would go with Vero13 or cxa2530 (9 $) 3500ºk for vegg and bloom...and I would split the space in four equal parts and place a cob over each parts (500/700mA max with a dimmer would be great)
Pc cooler would help or 3 small hs with fan!
CU
 

Baura

Well-Known Member
Nice, thanks.

I live in brazil, here duty taxes are huge. But thats another problem....
Shipping the parts to brazil will be a problem(expensive plus 90% probable taxes)

my price database is ebay/octopart and sometimes aliexpress, but i could not find the cxa2530 for $9....
BXRC-35E2000-C-23 at digikey is $6....

Actually i found at mercadolivre(our local ebay) a MW LPC-60-1400 for U$12(R$50) with shipping included, no risk of getting taxed. And the seller said he had like 30 of them in stock. SO thats a good thing i guess...

So i just might plan the cobs based on the driver...
Because this LPC with 60w(i would use less) for U$12 is the best bang for the buck(more efficiency , reliability i guess....)

i´ll probably end up with vero 29 and lpc-60-1400....

vero 18 @ 1400ma would be too hard/hot?

cheers
 

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
Bonjour
It is a very good deal for 14$!
V29 will be good if you can source it locally or try kingbrite on alibaba with their regular shipping (and he can write a low price on the package so even if you pay 90% of 20 $ it will be ok
CU
 

Baura

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the tips!

[email protected] sounds amazing, but my actual grow space is very small. And I'm afraid of getting the LEDs too close to the plant and burn them...

I'm trying to avoid the idea of 3 or 4 cobs in 1.3 sqft due to final cost and multiple drivers, wire, heatsinks, fans. But at the same time I don't have enought distance from the cobs to the plant, so multiple cobs tend to give a more equal coverege.

Now I'm looking for the prices of cheap 36-84 @ 350(or 500)ma drivers to run 2 vero 10( or 13) per cob...

When running 2 cobs in series, like 2 vero 18 @ 60w(2x30w) each in its own CPU cooler, any problem due to different temperature and different Vf?

Cheers
 

nevergoodenuf

Well-Known Member
Personally I would go with the Vero 29, because you said how expensive it is to import. Just go with the dimmable driver, that way, if ever want a little more, it's a dial away. One sixty to 100 watt driver. I have used the Cen -100-36 with Veros in parallel. You could run 1 and dim it to your needs and/or add more later if you wanted to eventually spread out that 100 watts.
 

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the tips!

[email protected] sounds amazing, but my actual grow space is very small. And I'm afraid of getting the LEDs too close to the plant and burn them...

I'm trying to avoid the idea of 3 or 4 cobs in 1.3 sqft due to final cost and multiple drivers, wire, heatsinks, fans. But at the same time I don't have enought distance from the cobs to the plant, so multiple cobs tend to give a more equal coverege.

Now I'm looking for the prices of cheap 36-84 @ 350(or 500)ma drivers to run 2 vero 10( or 13) per cob...

When running 2 cobs in series, like 2 vero 18 @ 60w(2x30w) each in its own CPU cooler, any problem due to different temperature and different Vf?

Cheers
Bonjour
Can you remind me the size of your growspace please!
CU
 
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