6 COB fixture- All Vero or mix in CREE?

Closet-Gardenholic

Closet-Gardenholic

Well-Known Member
Hey friends,

I just wanted a little more input from those of you who have had experience with the 80CRI and 90CRI versions of the Vero29 and the CREE 3590s.

I was originally thinking I would do:
6 x Vero 29 gen 7 3500k 80 CRI

This fixture will only be used for the last week or so of vegging and all of flowering. Also they will be 36v chips powered @1400

Would I benefit by spending the extra $30 to sub 2-3 3590s 3000k 90CRI for the Veros to get more far red?

If I do choose to mix, how should I adjust my array? IMG_1879.JPG

I will have 3 plants scrogged in a 20"x46" closet completely covered in panda film.
IMG_2012.JPG

Thanks for all of the input guys. Sorry for the different threads. I just want to order what's going to be best for my situation, and trust the advice here at RIU over anywhere else.
 
welight

welight

Well-Known Member
if you want to stick with the Vero theme I have stock of the Vero29SE in 3000k at 90 CRI, if you want some real red punch also have Vero29SE in 1750K but only in the C bin, 69 volt but also have Vero18SE in 1750k in which is 36V.
Cheers
Mark
 
M

MissyGoddess

Well-Known Member
Personally, I wouldn't mix COBs if you are using 1 driver. If you are putting each type on their own driver that would be fine. I am just about to flower my plants under 10 Cree 2700k 90cri Cobs, but it is the only Cobs I have used so I have nothing to compare against. I am a fan of Cree because I still have Cree LED lights I made in 2008 that still work perfect to this day (using them in my veg tent) so for me it is worth paying a little extra for the name/quality. I have tried the cheap chinese LEDs and never got more than a year out of them. I have not tried the other good Cobs like the Vero but have only heard good things so I don't think anyone can go wrong with them, especially for the price.
 
Closet-Gardenholic

Closet-Gardenholic

Well-Known Member
MissyGoddess said:
Personally, I wouldn't mix COBs if you are using 1 driver. If you are putting each type on their own driver that would be fine. I am just about to flower my plants under 10 Cree 2700k 90cri Cobs, but it is the only Cobs I have used so I have nothing to compare against. I am a fan of Cree because I still have Cree LED lights I made in 2008 that still work perfect to this day (using them in my veg tent) so for me it is worth paying a little extra for the name/quality. I have tried the cheap chinese LEDs and never got more than a year out of them. I have not tried the other good Cobs like the Vero but have only heard good things so I don't think anyone can go wrong with them, especially for the price.
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Thanks for the advice! That's an easy answer, as I'm not planning on buying a second driver at this time.

I'm sure I will not be disappointed with my initial setup. I just don't want to question myself after the purchase like I see so many people here doing LOL
 
M

MissyGoddess

Well-Known Member
Closet-Gardenholic said:
Thanks for the advice! That's an easy answer, as I'm not planning on buying a second driver at this time.

I'm sure I will not be disappointed with my initial setup. I just don't want to question myself after the purchase like I see so many people here doing LOL
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LOL, I hear you. I went the other way when I made my light last month. I had 'Cree' stuck in my head so that is all I looked for.. bought it all, then started reading and seeing the other options available for about 1/2 the price and I was questioning myself if I just paid way to much just so I can say I have Cree Cobs.
 
Closet-Gardenholic

Closet-Gardenholic

Well-Known Member
MissyGoddess said:
LOL, I hear you. I went the other way when I made my light last month. I had 'Cree' stuck in my head so that is all I looked for.. bought it all, then started reading and seeing the other options available for about 1/2 the price and I was questioning myself if I just paid way to much just so I can say I have Cree Cobs.
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I have an order going with a US supplier that has pretty fair prices and has been very helpful along the way. I believe his selection of the gen7s is limited to the 3500k 80cri 36v. He has some 2700k Vero29 available. Would it be worth mixing these in with the 3500s. Are people really pulling a much higher weight from the 3000k over the 3500k?

When you say don't mix COBs, do you mean brands or individual COBs?
 
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MissyGoddess

Well-Known Member
I was speaking more of brands than kelvin, but it really comes down to the forward voltage of the LEDs. You want to try and match them as close as possible or else some LEDs can get more/less power than you intended. I am not sure if it is as big of a concern with Cobs as it is with 3w LEDs, but I know I had quite a few issues with strings of 12 LEDs when I mixed chinese LEDs in with Crees. It got to be such a headache testing every single LED and finding sets of 12 that go together that it wasn't worth the savings for me to buy cheap LEDs.

I am hoping someone with more Cob knowledge can chime give a more definitive answer in regards to mixing Vero with Cree on the same driver. For me, picking between the two would just come down to budget. Want to save as much money as possible while still getting a great light, go with Vero, and have extra money for other items you will need. If money isn't an issue, go with Cree, but I just don't see mixing the 2 giving any better results than either of them by themselves. The lighting is so close and with so many other variables I don't think anyone can say 1 light will produce more or less than the other.

Edit: I have looked, but have not seen any evidence of 3000k vs 5000k being a major factor in yields, but I also don't think anyone has really tested Cobs/Kelvin to that level yet.
 
Abiqua

Abiqua

Well-Known Member
For a while I had 3k and 3.5K in side by sides and just liked the end result of the 3k in most results.....but then I had some crazy idea and have been running cycles that start at 4k, transition to 35k and finish with 3k 80 cri.....my favorite so far.....


going all 3k soon and maybe adding 625nm and some combo of those 1750/2700k that welight mentioned up above....

I did like finishing a few strains that get really lanky under the 4k: jack herer, Nl#5 x Haze, Juicy fruit....all Sat narrow leaf dominant and stretch as hell. The 4k seems to thicken them up ever so much.....but anecdotal at this point.....still waiting to afford testing which became Astronomical thanks to olcc pig fuckers......:peace:
 
Closet-Gardenholic

Closet-Gardenholic

Well-Known Member
MissyGoddess said:
I was speaking more of brands than kelvin, but it really comes down to the forward voltage of the LEDs. You want to try and match them as close as possible or else some LEDs can get more/less power than you intended. I am not sure if it is as big of a concern with Cobs as it is with 3w LEDs, but I know I had quite a few issues with strings of 12 LEDs when I mixed chinese LEDs in with Crees. It got to be such a headache testing every single LED and finding sets of 12 that go together that it wasn't worth the savings for me to buy cheap LEDs.

I am hoping someone with more Cob knowledge can chime give a more definitive answer in regards to mixing Vero with Cree on the same driver. For me, picking between the two would just come down to budget. Want to save as much money as possible while still getting a great light, go with Vero, and have extra money for other items you will need. If money isn't an issue, go with Cree, but I just don't see mixing the 2 giving any better results than either of them by themselves. The lighting is so close and with so many other variables I don't think anyone can say 1 light will produce more or less than the other.

Edit: I have looked, but have not seen any evidence of 3000k vs 5000k being a major factor in yields, but I also don't think anyone has really tested Cobs/Kelvin to that level yet.
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I think you are probably right about there not being a huge difference in yield. I am also curious for more people to chime in about mixing brands with similar forward voltage. (36v 3590 and 36v Vero29)

The only reason I would consider mixing would be to even out the 3500k 80cri Vero29s I've already settled on (I'm getting a great deal)

The same supplier has a wide range of 3590s available so I was just thinking about putting a few 3000k 90CRI in with the 3500k 80 CRI.
If I did 3 and 3, I would essentially have 1 of each color COB centered above each plant in a 20"x15" area.

I could build it and use it as an experiment. I wonder if I would see difference in buds in the back half of the closet vs the front half?
 
S

Shugglet

Well-Known Member
MissyGoddess said:
I was speaking more of brands than kelvin, but it really comes down to the forward voltage of the LEDs. You want to try and match them as close as possible or else some LEDs can get more/less power than you intended. I am not sure if it is as big of a concern with Cobs as it is with 3w LEDs, but I know I had quite a few issues with strings of 12 LEDs when I mixed chinese LEDs in with Crees. It got to be such a headache testing every single LED and finding sets of 12 that go together that it wasn't worth the savings for me to buy cheap LEDs.

I am hoping someone with more Cob knowledge can chime give a more definitive answer in regards to mixing Vero with Cree on the same driver. For me, picking between the two would just come down to budget. Want to save as much money as possible while still getting a great light, go with Vero, and have extra money for other items you will need. If money isn't an issue, go with Cree, but I just don't see mixing the 2 giving any better results than either of them by themselves. The lighting is so close and with so many other variables I don't think anyone can say 1 light will produce more or less than the other.

Edit: I have looked, but have not seen any evidence of 3000k vs 5000k being a major factor in yields, but I also don't think anyone has really tested Cobs/Kelvin to that level yet.
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There is nothing wrong mixing and matching cobs if you wire in series.

Parallel you would want voltages to match up.
 
Closet-Gardenholic

Closet-Gardenholic

Well-Known Member
Shugglet said:
There is nothing wrong mixing and matching cobs if you wire in series.

Parallel you would want voltages to match up.
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I'm almost leaning towards Cree 3000k 90CRI across the back and Vero 3500k 80cri across the front.

I'm very curious to see what differences there would be in the back of the closet opposed to the front
 
S

Shugglet

Well-Known Member
Fwiw. I just built a light using 6 vero 29B SE on an hlg 320 1050a. I would consider this design setup. Maxes the drivers voltage rating and puts out about 365watts at full power. Consider this setup is the same price but more efficient...

And I went with 3 3500 80cri and 3 3000 90cri.
 
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Closet-Gardenholic

Closet-Gardenholic

Well-Known Member
Shugglet said:
Check my edits. I think I may have just built the light you want lol.
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How funny! Yes, I think this is what I would like to try. The supplier I am using only stocks the D SEs, but I plan on running @1400. Unfortunately for SEs he only will stock 80cri 3500k for now.

He has the Cree 90CRI 3000k for about $10-12 more. I think I'm going to spend the extra to try the different brands and spectrums so I can see what I want to use on bigger builds in the future.

36v @1400 is only slightly less efficient than the ~50v @1050. It should still give me about 295-300 watts and my space is only 6.5 sq ft
 
Closet-Gardenholic

Closet-Gardenholic

Well-Known Member
Shugglet said:
I ordered my stuff from digikey. Don't know why you're limiting yourself for supplier.
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This person has been extremely helpful from the get go and helped me decide on the Veros in the first place. Plus he is offering me an awesome deal on the 6 3500k 80 cri, driver, heatsinks, and everything else i need.

At the same time, I can find the same prices by searching different vendors and buying everything separately.

I'm happy with my 6 36v chips @1400, but should I just stick with the 3500k 80s, or should I source my COBs from digikey and mix things up?

As stated before, this fixture will be for the last couple weeks of veg and all of flower.

Replacing a blurple Mars panelIMG_2012.JPGIMG_2008.JPG
I've gotta stop stalling and do some buying before I run out of time! I refuse to flower with Mars Hydro after reading more. It will be a good veg panel (until it burns out)
 
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