COBGrowLights (GrowthStar Spyder)

A

az2000

Well-Known Member
jpaq666 said:
Right now I think I'm just gona shop for area 51 and see what they look like, brb
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I have three A51 lights. But, they are the diode-based lights, not the new COBs. I am not growing as much anymore, just hobby. So, I do the Cree lightbulbs in a small space. I'd may experiment with some better small-space lighting (low-power COBs, SMD5630 strips).

I like A51 because it has a lifetime warranty (parts at wholesale) and anticipated upgrade paths. But, the other names mentioned are probably just as good. Nothing would be recommended in this forum if it wasn't reasonably good. You should be safe with any of the names mentioned.

How tall is your space? You mentioned CFL. That might influence what you do. Some of these lights are too intense for shorter grows. Maybe people use dimmers, I don't know. (I'm really not a COB guy.).
 
J

jpaq666

Member
Oh well I'm back quickly, com'on....
Cant trust these guys...
I would use them if a friend refered them or something but aside from that to someone like me these guys are as fishy as anyone else because I dont understand the tech and they are doing nothing to convince me that they do. Wher are the testimonials, the case studies, you know, there is nothing except a few pictures and complicated specs...
 
J

jpaq666

Member
az2000 said:
I have three A51 lights. But, they are the diode-based lights, not the new COBs. I am not growing as much anymore, just hobby. So, I do the Cree lightbulbs in a small space. I'd may experiment with some better small-space lighting (low-power COBs, SMD5630 strips).

I like A51 because it has a lifetime warranty (parts at wholesale) and anticipated upgrade paths. But, the other names mentioned are probably just as good. Nothing would be recommended in this forum if it wasn't reasonably good. You should be safe with any of the names mentioned.

How tall is your space? You mentioned CFL. That might influence what you do. Some of these lights are too intense for shorter grows. Maybe people use dimmers, I don't know. (I'm really not a COB guy.).
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Nice setup...
Hey last I spoke with Rob at that company for the light I wanted earlier... He was telling me to just go see the facebook page for "evidence". But I dont have enough experience with growing to be able to tell the quality of the ligt from pictures of plants, maybe you can, do you see anything interesting https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?_rdr=p&set=a.497609380256295.130751.479827185367848&type=3
 
A

az2000

Well-Known Member
Maybe some of the others could evaluate that evidence. The only evidence I think you need is the product page's spec: coverage at 16w/sq ft.

He should be willing to give you a 90-180-day trial (one grow) to prove it to the "elitists." Imagine the business he would have if that were true? People here beat their brains out to do 25w/sq ft.
 
J

jpaq666

Member
az2000 said:
Maybe some of the others could evaluate that evidence. The only evidence I think you need is the product page's spec: coverage at 16w/sq ft.

He should be willing to give you a 90-180-day trial (one grow) to prove it to the "elitists." Imagine the business he would have if that were true? People here beat their brains out to do 25w/sq ft.
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I have to find that thing where it says 16w/sq foot, can you direct me to it please
 
J

jpaq666

Member
az2000 said:
Anyone know about these lights? http://www.cobgrowlights.com/products/spider-4x

Are they using COBs of repute? Someone's on the General forum talking them up. Seems resistant to come here for more specific discussion. (Starting to sound a little spammy.).
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Lollll
I'm new here so I have to ask... Why is there a grow light picture in your first post, that links to a store... Is this a publicity imbeded by the site, or did you actually post a link like that for no reason... Looks like an add more than a suggestion. You mean to say I've been talking to an add this entire time? Lol just tell me if that's the case I'm just curious, I really dont care, I'm checking out the "add" right now... But if that's your site though I have to say I'm dissapointed.
 
littlejacob

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
Bonjour
I actually run 18w sq/ft of cxb3590 3500ºk 36V cd!
4 cxb @1400mA (55w each) over a 3.5x3.5x4.5 inches box...and it is very cool...no heat 4ºC more than room ºt without extraction fan and passive intake...just a square fan inside!
If you buy some take a 220w cxb3590 from one of those companies to have less heat to deal with...or if you know how to drill a few hole, apply thermal paste and wiring...you can make yours...if you read the good threads like : if you are new to led...and heatsink in usa or matching driver and cob...you will emerge from the darkness...lol!
With a diy light you would be able to have a very cool panel run at very low amp it is more expensive but nothing is colder...!
Have a great day ★
 
J

jpaq666

Member
littlejacob said:
Bonjour
I actually run 18w sq/ft of cxb3590 3500ºk 36V cd!
4 cxb @1400mA (55w each) over a 3.5x3.5x4.5 inches box...and it is very cool...no heat 4ºC more than room ºt without extraction fan and passive intake...just a square fan inside!
If you buy some take a 220w cxb3590 from one of those companies to have less heat to deal with...or if you know how to drill a few hole, apply thermal paste and wiring...you can make yours...if you read the good threads like : if you are new to led...and heatsink in usa or matching driver and cob...you will emerge from the darkness...lol!
With a diy light you would be able to have a very cool panel run at very low amp it is more expensive but nothing is colder...!
Have a great day ★
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Merci beaucoup, do you have a link for anything not diy?
 
littlejacob

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
Bonjour
I do not have the link but I have some name...tastyled, johnsongrowlight, heavenbright, gogreenled, pacificlightconcept and I am sure I forget one...
I would not take area51 because they run the Vero 29 too hard...if you really need something who do not produce much heat choose 56% efficient cob (56% light and 44% heat!) So some cxb 3590 @1400mA! (But commercial panels do not space their cob like I do and I don't know if one this company make single cxb @1400mA panel...so you are going to have less coverage but more intensity! )
The longer the panel is the better it will be...some have a dimming option so it will be convenient for seedling and early vegg to save electricity and for summer too...I prefer a smaller crop with less intensity but less heat problems than no crop at all...it is what I plan to do...no a/c but half power and small plant...!
And lower the mA are higher is the efficiency so even with half power you should pull more than gpw (depend on your previous crop gpw!)
CU
 
Rahz

Rahz

Well-Known Member
I sell 1.4 amp 3590 lamps :) Also 1.75 amp lamps, comparable to 1.4 amp CXB3070 as a percentage of nominal current.

jpaq666,

If you're trying to determine light intensity in a particular size space you want to think about PPFD rather than watts per foot. Watts per foot won't tell you how intense the light will be unless you know the efficiency... then you can use those two numbers and some math to get PPFD in a particular size space.

TastyLED's main page has a graph with various lamps in various size spaces showing the corresponding PPFD. To disclose, I am the owner of that company. Point is, the graph is based on a particular number of CXB3590 3500K CD bin emitters in particular size spaces. It should be comparable to other companies selling similar products. For instance a T3-1750 is 3 CXB 3590s being powered at 1.75 amps. You could even use that data to plan a DIY build.

Another consideration is that you can pull decent yield with anything between 500 and 1200 PPFD. More PPFD means more grams per foot but depending on what you're trying to do a lower PPFD might be better. 1200 PPFD is very very bright. Mid 600s is a "normal" light intensity IMO. Whatever you decide, if you go with a lamp using CXB emitters you will be able to use less wattage. They are the most efficient thing on the market today.
 
MCOB

MCOB

Member
550W COB LED side by side vs 1000W HPS
http://www.cobgrowlights.com/blogs/news/77794757-growthstar-scorpion-cob-grow-light-trial-enters-final-weeks-notes-from-3rd-party-cultivator

http://www.cobgrowlights.com/blogs/news/77893445-cob-led-grow-light-review-grow-guide

Better products cost more that is a fact. The reason I dont use 3W and 5W LEDs is because they lose 10-30% light effiiciency after 12 months of use (due to higher wear and tear) which is not the reason why anyone would buy LEDs in the first place. HPS lasts 2-3 years and you have to replace the bulbs every 6 months. Proper COB LEDs should actually last 10 years.

It is ok to bash COB LEDs and promote crappy Mars Hydros. I'm good with that too.
 
MCOB

MCOB

Member
COB Grow Lights gives a 3 year warranty and 60 day money back and if you have a problem with the product they will service it and ship it back to you at no cost. Growthstar COBs actually have a chance to last 10 years unlike other LEDs. The company is constantly testing.

IF there is misinformation on the website it is because their website developer doesn't know LEDs and doesn't know how to explain it yet. It would not be a reflection of the actual LED specialists there. Give them some slack. If the prices are high it is because they include free shipping and very generous customer service refund policies.

But please, continue to promote garbage LEDs that stop working after 1 year...
 
J

J-Icky

Well-Known Member
Ok so honestly those lights will grow a plant, they will flower a plant, they will give you an ok harvest, and that harvest will get you high. But there are FAR better lights, especially COBs.

As for them being COBs, technicaly they are. They are multiple led diode chips wired together on a board, so they are a "chip on board" led. These don't have the phosphor coating most are used to seeing and I'm fairly certain they diode chips they use are not nearly as efficient as almost any other company that does use the phosphor coating.

Personally I just don't understand why they would go with a dual band spectrum, rather than a fuller spectrum. COBs are suppose to be an advance in growing light technology. These seem to be taking a small step back by ignoring the fact that its been proven that plants do use more than just a blue and a red spectrum. To me this is basically just another model of a mars or lush, and will probably perform around the same. Like i said, they will veg, they ill flower and the end product will get you high, but, and with their prices its a big but, there are FAR better options for not a whole lot more.

Oh and building a DIY light isn't as hard as you might think, especially if you go with one of the new mechatronix or similar passive heatsinks that come pre-drilled for most of the commonly used cobs. For what you'd pay for one of these, you could build a light using one of the handful of respectable COBs, a driver or two, cob holders that hold the wire to the cob securely, and predrilled passive heatsinks and maybe a couple wago 222 connectors. Just get the parts together snap some wire connectors with your fingers, cut and strip some wires, line up the cobs, holders and wires in holders, insert and tighten some screws, the only possibility of drilling anything would be to put some holes in the heatsink fins for wire or chain to hold them up. This would also allow you to adjust each light individually for perfect coverage or you could just get some aluminum angle, which is cheap an widely available, to build a frame to hold the heatsinks.
 
MCOB

MCOB

Member
Great but why go beyond blue and red when they provide 95% or more of what plants need? Wouldn't the rest put out extra heat?

Ive seen the DIY ones. growmau5 on youtube among others. But commercial growers don't buy DIY grow lights. If you are home grown then sure thats fine.

If you cause someone to burn down their house because you gave them bad DIY advice is that something you would be able to live with?


Someone is pushing Amare which cost 2-3x as much but their spectrum has no UV and low 660. Extra addons dont do anything. Extra energy consumed and more heat. Great. If I want more heat I'll just keep a candle burning instead.
 
J

J-Icky

Well-Known Member
MCOB said:
Great but why go beyond blue and red when they provide 95% or more of what plants need? Wouldn't the rest put out extra heat?

If you cause someone to burn down their house because you gave them bad DIY advice is that something you would be able to live with?

Someone is pushing Amare which cost 2-3x as much but their spectrum has no UV and low 660. .
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Ok the first point, no they wouldn't extra heat, they would push more photons to the plant. They would also provide the green spectrum that has been proven to provide photons to the lower branches of the plant. And as for the 95% or more, yeah try 60% or less, look up the mccree curve.

About burning down a house. Well I'd never recommend someone go the cheapest, cut rate route and if they did everything they were suppose to that wouldn't be an issue. With the newer passive heatsinks and cob holders I could put together a kit that would require nothing more than a screw driver and some wire cutters to build a light.
Now how are you going to feel when your cut-rate drivers burnout and burn down someones house and possibly kills their family, because you wanted to maximize profits and built the cheapest thing you could possibly call a cob light.

And about the Amare, I guarantee its pushing far more useful photons to the plant than you're "next-gen mars", which also has no-UV and probably has only 660 and only whatever blue you picked and none of the others that are more than useful to the plant.
 
MCOB

MCOB

Member
Some samples for anyone currently growing with LED grow lights.

http://www.cobgrowlights.com/blogs/news/115769221-bc-bud-depot-growthstar-led-review-updates

Video of 1600 Watts of Growthstar COB LED grow lights from COBGROWLIGHTS.com

Like most growers I just care about the results. All the technical stuff doesn't really mean that much unless you are selling something really high end and have to justify a high price point. At the end of the day, our grow lights cost much less than the higher end lights that people are still buying because they don't know about COB LEDs.

Article:
What are MCOB LED grow lights? (MCOB standing for Multiple Chips On Board)
http://www.mcobgrowlights.com/what-are-mcob-grow-lights/
 
MCOB

MCOB

Member
MCOB said:
Some samples for anyone currently growing with LED grow lights.

http://www.cobgrowlights.com/blogs/news/115769221-bc-bud-depot-growthstar-led-review-updates

Video of 1600 Watts of Growthstar COB LED grow lights from COBGROWLIGHTS.com

Like most growers I just care about the results. All the technical stuff doesn't really mean that much unless you are selling something really high end and have to justify a high price point. At the end of the day, our grow lights cost much less than the higher end lights that people are still buying because they don't know about COB LEDs.

Article:
What are MCOB LED grow lights? (MCOB standing for Multiple Chips On Board)
http://www.mcobgrowlights.com/what-are-mcob-grow-lights/
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Recent:
Mr. Huston’s five plants were harvested at eight weeks and resulted in a 1.35-lb harvest. - See more at: http://thenewswire.ca/archives?tnwcatalyst2=release_id=19950#sthash.XXwrlbZy.dpuf
http://thenewswire.ca/archives?tnwcatalyst2=release_id=19950
 
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