Renfro's 760 Watt COB LED Build -> 1kW DE HPS Replacement

[Renfro]

So I hooked up a test light to see how things are working, looking good. Still have to finalize the wiring on the DC side with some solder joints, no room for 6 wagos in the housing. Then I have to wire up the AC side properly.



I can dim each driver (row of 4 cobs). Here are the readings at full, and dimming one row at a time until all three rows are dim.

 

[F80M4]

Hey! Been following your post this one and the 40lbs one. How much did this cost to build? Do you have a schematic I can follow if I choose to build this? Keep it up man!

 

[Renfro]

Didn't really track the cost, coulda been done cheaper for sure. It's just 4 cobs wired in parallel to the drivers.

 

[ToFarGone]

Full disclosure I got lazy and didn’t read the entire thread so it may have been asked.

Why did you decide to go the cob route vs QB or strips

 

[Renfro]

Why did you decide to go the cob route vs QB or strips

I like them better. I was gonna go Timber until I saw how much money I could save and build a better light. Also I can upgrade chips in the future or replace a chip that fails. But mostly because I like them better lol.

 

[Renfro]

Here was my reply to the same question on the first page of the thread:

COBs are LED. And why not? I like them. They performed so amazingly well in tent and that light was built with the gen 3 cobs. Here is a comparison of the gen 3 and gen 4 CMX-22. So I am getting even more light per watt with the gen 4 chips. Never know, in 3 or 4 years after the lights have long paid for themselves in energy savings the chips may have advanced so far and I could just pop new chips in the holders and have a new light that puts out even more light per watt and perhaps even less heat. The big appeal to me is the potential of a future upgrade that costs 250 - 300 bucks and brings the light up to date with current tech.

 

[Renfro]

Another thing to consider with LED, something that nobody talks about really, the surfaces of the LED's themselves can react with chemicals in the air causing them to lose a little light output. This is something that was shared with me by an industry insider. With COB's I could replace them in a few years if need be, plus get a newer version of the chip. I was also told that a game changing LED product will be coming out, perhaps before spring, that will address this issue and take things to the next level.

 

[Axion42]

Another thing to consider with LED, something that nobody talks about really, the surfaces of the LED's themselves can react with chemicals in the air causing them to lose a little light output. This is something that was shared with me by an industry insider. With COB's I could replace them in a few years if need be, plus get a newer version of the chip. I was also told that a game changing LED product will be coming out, perhaps before spring, that will address this issue and take things to the next level.

What types of chemicals? First hearing about this myself.

 

[Renfro]

This is how it was explained to me by my source

If you have time to wait there will be some new products soon that are alot better than quantum boards, still a similar set up but alot better for a situation like yours.
You are setting up a commercial area, LEDs are ok for DIY as you arnt spending alot. The fact is they don't last all that long because they become contaminated with sulphur and other chemicals in the room. COBs have the same problem, People don't do tests on this because they do not have the equipment at thier disposal....

LEDs are porous, they absorb moisture and other contaminants in the air, some chemicals effect them more than others, losses can be above 10% per year, they don't die they just loose output.

 

[shimbob]

All your current readings are negative, flip the coils around

 

[Renfro]

All your current readings are negative, flip the coils around

It's a charge controller dumbass. It reads negative when it thinks battery is being charged.

 

[Renfro]

Just like on my car, negative vacuum = boost! lol

 

[Teag]

Mind changing your privacy settings on your profile? Hard to find all your good posts when I can't look at your profile.

 

[Renfro]

Just search for my posts using the search function

 

[ttystikk]

This is how it was explained to me by my source

This is why I covered all my COB chips with lenses, despite the minor performance loss.

 

[Renfro]

This is why I covered all my COB chips with lenses, despite the minor performance loss.

Yeah but I doubt that hermeticallys sealed but should still help.

 

[ttystikk]

Yeah but I doubt that hermeticallys sealed but should still help.

Keeps the overspray off them at least.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

So I hooked up a test light to see how things are working, looking good. Still have to finalize the wiring on the DC side with some solder joints, no room for 6 wagos in the housing. Then I have to wire up the AC side properly.

View attachment 4410431

I can dim each driver (row of 4 cobs). Here are the readings at full, and dimming one row at a time until all three rows are dim.

View attachment 4410432View attachment 4410433View attachment 4410434View attachment 4410435

Man you never stop impressing me. Nice.

 

[1212ham]

It's a charge controller dumbass. It reads negative when it thinks battery is being charged.

Why the name calling? Shimbob is correct about flipping the coils and it is not a charge controller, it's a meter.

 

[Renfro]

Read last part, special notes #1, the transformer IS wired correctly FFS, it's just not charging a battery.