Help buying LED
- Thread starter BlackBean
- Start date
blake9999
Well-Known Member
@BlackBean Something we haven't gotten into yet is your budget. What kind of budget do you have for lighting?
Yes the COB is just multiple diodes bonded to a substrate or "board" which as blake just explained is the B in COB.
heres some reading material you might find helpful:
https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2016/aug/the-basics-of-chip-on-board-cob-leds
heres some reading material you might find helpful:
https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2016/aug/the-basics-of-chip-on-board-cob-leds
SouthCross
Well-Known Member
The chip is a square of aluminum with lots of LED crystals attached to it. Instead of have multiple separate LEDs. They're concentrated on one "chip".
The three main parts are a driver, heat sinks, and the chips. Everything else is chip holders, wires and a hanger.
Right now I'm on kindve a tight budget. Couple hundred at most for now. I'm prepping for a larger grow soon. I'm a noob grower but have a few good harvest. I've grown soil hydro and now on to organics. My thing with this is I've always used HID lighting. Learned from an old school head and just got stuck. I'm trying to learn more about newer products and techniques. So I don't wanna get too crazy with this first setup it's like a pre requisite before I make my decision on how I wanna design my big room. The thought of "building" my own lights is very intriguing.
chasingwaterfalls
Active Member
Always been interested, too! But as soon as I start reading a DIY guide, it seems too daunting without some in-person help/guidance (for me, ofc).
coreywebster
Well-Known Member
You can afford one of these and would be perfect for your space and simple to put together.
https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/products/135w-led-board-kit
You can also afford various COB DIY builds because your lighting up a 2x2.
Don't let anyone talk up cheap LEDs, the fail rate of those Mars panels is very high, its well documented all over the internet. They may grow weed but not if they break after 1 month... They are also not very efficient.
COBs and Quantum boards are very efficient. VERY! Less heat because your getting more light for less wattage. Its not a coincidence that 90% of the LED growers on here are using either COBs or Quantums.
https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/products/135w-led-board-kit
You can also afford various COB DIY builds because your lighting up a 2x2.
Don't let anyone talk up cheap LEDs, the fail rate of those Mars panels is very high, its well documented all over the internet. They may grow weed but not if they break after 1 month... They are also not very efficient.
COBs and Quantum boards are very efficient. VERY! Less heat because your getting more light for less wattage. Its not a coincidence that 90% of the LED growers on here are using either COBs or Quantums.
coreywebster
Well-Known Member
Theres all the help you need on here.
I was the same before I built my own. But once you have you realise its fairly simple.
It did take me a while to get my head around everything but the building is simple.
Here is a 7 part guide to COB DIY. Its a bit old now but shows everything you need to know.
chasingwaterfalls
Active Member
This is perfect! Just started watching it, but now you've got me curious as well..
Just never really minded unnecessarily splurging on growing, I don't spend on myself - except when it comes to mary jane! But I realize that a lot's changed and improved with LEDs even in the last 5 years, when I started. Blurple's a passing(past?) trend
coreywebster
Well-Known Member
I must of watched those vids 50 time before purchasing anything to DIY my own. You should check out what Growmau5 is doing lately, he's always growing and showing results.
The whole Blurple phase is what ruined the reputation of LEDs, LED companies ,especially Mars making all sorts of BS claims for so long that folks tend to not trust anything any real LED manufacturers claim now. Which is a damn shame.
Stephenj37826
Well-Known Member
Quantum boards for low ceiling height.
nfhiggs
Well-Known Member
Check out the youtube video from Growmou5. He has a bunch of COB DIY vids.
blake9999
Well-Known Member
CobKits
Well-Known Member
well using exclusively red/blue is
white cobs have plenty of blue in most cases, and if people want to add reds they add deep reds (660) or far reds (730)
Hybridway
Well-Known Member
I like the Amare's. The SE-250 is not it's listed price BTW. Its under 500. Prolly around 450ish.
Whatever you decide to go w/, I'd compare it to your hps in a direct side by side before fully investing into a room. The last thing you want to happen is buying a bunch of led that's not going to match your hps or better.
Good Luck!
Thumbs up
Member
haha, speaking of cheap price, of course choose meizhi light! I also have one meizhi light, still works well, I ordered it just because it's very cheap, besides, it looks more beautiful than viparspectra light.
superjack
Member
Do not buy VIPARSPECTRA light. They are liars. My light was totally burnt after 2 months, and you will be cheated like me
