DiY LED - Cree CXA3070

SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
pop22 said:
explain to me how dimming will increase efficiency. Do you mean using a dimming function on the driver, or using a lower power driver to run "softer"? I would think using a dimmer would decrease efficiency by adding resistance to the circuit.

And with all this talk of efficiency, does anyone measure the efficiency of the completed unit? I would think that, just like when building a pc, not all component combinations give the expected results when built into a composite unit.
Just curious is all.
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The phenomenon is called current droop, and to some extent temp droop plays in as well. If you run the COBs at 50W ea you get about 56% efficiency. If you dim them down to 25W ea you get ~64% efficiency. The Mean Well drivers use a constant current dimiming method. The driver efficiency remains about the same when dimmed because the voltage is still relatively high.

So when desigingn a system you may want to size it to use the driver's full capacity most of the time, but when you do need to dim it you gain the extra efficiency.
 
SupraSPL

SupraSPL

Well-Known Member
lednewbie123 said:
Ordering everything soon and just wanted to verify I have everything correct before dumping 3 grand. Decided on doing 4x 3590 36v to each 185h-c1400. Does it matter if I get the A or B or D model of the mw drivers? From what I could understand the B/D can have a dimmer but Im ok with skipping that for now if I cant find any B in stock

So my shopping list consists of
CXB3590-0000- 000N0HCD35G
HLG-185H-C1400B
Ideal 50-2303CR

Leds have been ordered. $2500 total after fees and shipping for 50x :( Came into this with a budget plan set at 2k and Im already 500 over with only the leds done lol
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I dont think you will regret it (I have upgraded my LEDs 4 times since 2009 and I don't regret it). A few points gained in efficiency = much larger gains in output. For example:
CXB3070 3K AD @ 1.4A = 48%, cost $1.63/PAR W
CXB3590 3.5K CD @ 1.4A = 56.3%, cost $1.73/PAR W

So in that example you went up from 48% to 56.3%. An efficiency increase of 8.3 % that translates to 17.2% more light/W for the same cost. The driver and heatsink cost remained the same (or even decreased) yet they are doing 17.2% more work (PPFD). That means almost 17% more bud each cycle as well, with no increase in "rent" for the space.

Another way to look at it, using CXB3590 you could get the same job done (PPFD) and reduce your total system size by 15%, making a CXB3590 setup much cheaper than a CXB3070 setup.

On top of all that you will get reduced heat emission and reduced electrical costs. Nothign wrong with CXA3070 or CXB3070 builds, they perform awesome, but for those who are designing new lamps CXB3590 @50W is hard to argue against.
 
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Future Skills

Future Skills

Member
SupraSPL said:
I dont think you will regret it (I have upgraded my LEDs 4 times since 2009 and I don't regret it). A few points gained in efficiency = much larger gains in output. For example:
CXB3070 3K AD @ 1.4A = 48%, cost $1.63/PAR W
CXB3590 3.5K CD @ 1.4A = 56.3%, cost $1.73/PAR W

So in that example you went up from 48% to 56.3%. An efficiency increase of 8.3 % that translates to 17.2% more light/W for the same cost. The driver and heatsink cost remained the same (or even decreased) yet they are doing 17.2% more work (PPFD). That means almost 17% more bud each cycle as well, with no increase in "rent" for the space.

Another way to look at it, using CXB3590 you could get the same job done (PPFD) and reduce your total system size by 15%, making a CXB3590 setup much cheaper than a CXB3070 setup.

On top of all that you will get reduced heat emission and reduced electrical costs. Nothign wrong with CXA3070 or CXB3070 builds, they perform awesome, but for those who are designing new lamps CXB3590 @50W is hard to argue against.
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Supra this was an incredibly helpful way of describing the efficiency difference. Thank you so much. I'm having trouble sourcing my 3590s and almost went went top bin cxb3070 to save time and hassle. My cxa3070s have been kicking ass, but the efficiency jump should be insane with cxb3590. SO here's my really important decision... I'm building with HLG 240 700a and cxb 3590 3500k cd bin. Is it worth it to use double the heatsinks and run 8 COBs per driver at half the wattage per COB or should I run 4 @ 50 watts each?
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
Future Skills said:
Supra this was an incredibly helpful way of describing the efficiency difference. Thank you so much. I'm having trouble sourcing my 3590s and almost went went top bin cxb3070 to save time and hassle. My cxa3070s have been kicking ass, but the efficiency jump should be insane with cxb3590. SO here's my really important decision... I'm building with HLG 240 700a and cxb 3590 3500k cd bin. Is it worth it to use double the heatsinks and run 8 COBs per driver at half the wattage per COB or should I run 4 @ 50 watts each?
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My .02, worth every nickel you're paying for it; run four CXB3590 at 50W apiece and cool actively. It's working smashingly well for me.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
SupraSPL said:
I dont think you will regret it (I have upgraded my LEDs 4 times since 2009 and I don't regret it). A few points gained in efficiency = much larger gains in output. For example:
CXB3070 3K AD @ 1.4A = 48%, cost $1.63/PAR W
CXB3590 3.5K CD @ 1.4A = 56.3%, cost $1.73/PAR W

So in that example you went up from 48% to 56.3%. An efficiency increase of 8.3 % that translates to 17.2% more light/W for the same cost. The driver and heatsink cost remained the same (or even decreased) yet they are doing 17.2% more work (PPFD). That means almost 17% more bud each cycle as well, with no increase in "rent" for the space.

Another way to look at it, using CXB3590 you could get the same job done (PPFD) and reduce your total system size by 15%, making a CXB3590 setup much cheaper than a CXB3070 setup.

On top of all that you will get reduced heat emission and reduced electrical costs. Nothign wrong with CXA3070 or CXB3070 builds, they perform awesome, but for those who are designing new lamps CXB3590 @50W is hard to argue against.
Click to expand...
Quite. I owe you and all who have helped bring the science of horticultural COBS to the everyday grower a debt of thanks.

I had my lights built around this very combination and they're performing better than anything else I've ever grown plants under... that includes sunlight.
 
the dopest

the dopest

Well-Known Member
So what is the best bin currently available for the cxb3590 and where are you getting them? Also what driver for 50w each and where are the best prices?
 
HockeyBeard

HockeyBeard

Well-Known Member
the dopest said:
So what is the best bin currently available for the cxb3590 and where are you getting them? Also what driver for 50w each and where are the best prices?
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Gotta check with Jerry after the Chinese New Year is over, or check out Cutter.au ... Driver of choice is the Meanwell HLG-185H- and you decide what amperage you want to run them at, between .7-1.4mA. Prices are steady everywhere on them.
 
J

JuanCastro

Member
I wanted to check my thought process and make sure everything is right in my head, so anyone who knows feel free to jump in. I know you can run 4 CXB3590s 36v off an HLG 185/240 1400. So if I wanted to run 2 CXB3590s instead (smaller tent) I could either run 72v units with the HLG 1400 or 36v units with a HLG 700? Or will the HLG 185/240 1400 not support 72v? Am I thinking this through correctly?
 
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