Recommendations... 4-5 50w CoBs/other

[staygreener]

I'm normally the kind of person to sit back and read a hundred pages, but all I'm looking for are my best options for DIY LED.

Is the Vero Series 7 the right move? I want 3500k or half/half of 3000k/4000k and am comfortable with my heat sink dealing with 50ish watts. I see the Citizen lights being mentioned, but it seems like the Vero's blow them out of the water in terms of lumens/w.

Thanks for reading/considering.

 

[Danielson999]

The Citizen, Vero, Cree and Luminus are all very competitive. Certain cobs are alittle better than others at certain currents. If you want 50w cobs then the Citi 1212, Vero 29 B or D, CXM22 or CXB3590 are all similar performance. None of them are blowing the doors off the other so if you want to do it on a budget just pick the cheapest of those 4 and run with it. The Citizen might be the cheapest...I haven't checked prices lately. The Vero 29SE have poke-in connectors which makes things really simple. The CXM's might have the best efficiency at 50w...

 

[staygreener]

The Citizen, Vero, Cree and Luminus are all very competitive. Certain cobs are alittle better than others at certain currents. If you want 50w cobs then the Citi 1212, Vero 29 B or D, CXM22 or CXB3590 are all similar performance. None of them are blowing the doors off the other so if you want to do it on a budget just pick the cheapest of those 4 and run with it. The Citizen might be the cheapest...I haven't checked prices lately. The Vero 29SE have poke-in connectors which makes things really simple. The CXM's might have the best efficiency at 50w...

I had forgotten about the Bridgelux chips using pico ezmate. I mean, I have an iron & solder, but as you said it's simple. I'd be willing to give up a little bit of efficiency for familiarity (I made lights with Vero 18's & CXB3590's in the past). I don't have to make up my mind for another month, so I'll see if I get the desire to put the research in to go with another.

Thanks

 

[GBAUTO]

I ended up with the Vero SE 2-3k & 2-4K , I can run them up to ~ 80W per COB but dim them when power isn't needed. A 130-140mm pin sink will keep it plenty cool with normal airflow.

 

[xX_BHMC_Xx]

I had forgotten about the Bridgelux chips using pico ezmate.

The Gen 7 SE have poke-in connectors that accept 18ga. wire, even simpler!

 

[staygreener]

Ok so I think I've picked out my hardware.

First question: Am I missing anything here?
These are 3000k/4000k 80 CRI Vero 29's. I chose the C bin because a quick google led me to believe that they're the "top bin" choice.
BXRC-40E10K0-C-73: https://www.digikey.com/products/en?mpart=BXRC-40E10K0-C-73&v=976
BXRC-30E10K0-C-73: https://www.digikey.com/products/en?mpart=BXRC-30E10K0-C-73&v=976

Second question: It seems like there are three companies who make appropriate power supplies that I can buy through Digikey: Thomas Research, Lite-On, Recom Power. Anybody have input on one/all of them?

And... damn... power supplies aren't cheap.

A 130-140mm pin sink will keep it plenty cool with normal airflow.

I use these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C7VOHOA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Replace the four screws that hold the heat sink to the fan and you have a very low profile light.