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kpro said:
NEED HELP! I'm attempting my first indoor grow project. I bought a Gorilla tent that is aprox. 20" deep, 36" wide, and 5' tall. I'm so very confused on what to do about lighting. I'm very interested in LED since I don't have a lot of space and know that temp can be an issue with a small tent. I'm interested in quality of buds over quantity, but quantity wouldn't be bad either :P. I will most likely do autoflowers,

Would you please help direct me towards the BEST possible lighting for my small space. I will probably only grow 1-2 plants at a time. I would like to keep it under $500 if at all possible. Thanks in advance:leaf:(:

-kristen
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You would only need around 200 watts of Vero (~40% efficient) in that space.
 
a 200 watt vero optic will not cover a 2 x 3 properly! The cobs are spaced too close! It does great job18inx24in area! Think of 200watts per 2x2 area! you are trying too cover 6square!
 
littlejacob said:
Hello weeders!!
I read many things about cob and i change my mind. I will go with 16 vero18 for blooming only, so is 3000k is the best or another white with far red led? What is the best driver for the vero18 to drive them between 500mA to 1050mA, is it cheaper(possible?) to have one driver or multiple small one and which one have the highest efficiency (it's not gonna be the cheapest).Thanks and have a nice grow
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Hello weeders and (maybe??) Ledders!
Did i post on the good thread? Anyone can help me? What is the cheapest option: 5 vero18 on a hlg-120-1050 or 6 on a hlg-180-1050 and is it working? (I didn't find the 120).
Please help me!
 
JimmyIndica said:
a 200 watt vero optic will not cover a 2 x 3 properly! The cobs are spaced too close! It does great job18inx24in area! Think of 200watts per 2x2 area! you are trying too cover 6square!
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So Jimmy, what's the proper spacing for the respective COB's? Is there a page on this somewhere I have missed?

I felt the same way when I was looking at the optic 2 cob lights, they seemed awfully close together.

I was kinda just going to wing it with my DIY Build but I imagine you math nerds got this shit all figured out :)

Obviously different configurations will have different results but lets say in a straight line what should the distance between each CXA/CXB/Vero's?
 
18inch square center. most problems that are gonna arise from companies building cobs. underpowered to lengthin the life=less warranty service. and the other is cob spacing claiming Bullshit coverage area! The 1 thing to remember when a company describes there coverage area??? they are talking possible veg! All my opinions are based on working knowledge!
 
I think the most difficult part of building your own led light is figuring out the spacing of the led's,cobs,or whatever. All the led's i've looked at have a very narrow beam. Even when advertised as having a 130 degree spread, a look at the datasheet will show you how fast the lumens drop off anywhere not directly under the led.
I wish the datasheet's would give the spread from a given distance, maybe some do but i haven't come across one. This is even more important if you are working with a limited height in your given space. Some of these high powered cobs will bleach the shit out of a plant if they are kept too close. Now you are in the position of wasting power burning a hole in your garden when you should have gone with a spread of lower powered leds.
Looks like you have a good setup there Jimmy, maybe if i can stop thinking about things too much i could actually get something like that going. :weed:
 
@greengenes I have 4 new in flower under A51s. I think optic bum rushed the market with there cob units without testing too get there piece early? I can do the same area with 1 RW150 as the optic200watt. Has to be spacing? The RWs and SGS(neverused1) are gonna be pushed from market early? and it will be shame because I still think they are 1- best options! What the makeup that GorillaGlue your running? Moxies version they use in there crosses anything close to yours?
 
JimmyIndica said:
a 200 watt vero optic will not cover a 2 x 3 properly! The cobs are spaced too close! It does great job18inx24in area! Think of 200watts per 2x2 area! you are trying too cover 6square!
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I agree that it won't cover the area to the best but as far as watt per foot, ~200W would work well over a ~5ft square space, giving around 40W of Vero per square foot.

The five foot tall tent with 360W fixture would be a bad combo as the COBS packed so tightly with lenses would require a larger distance away from the canopy, ultimately prohibiting plant height potential and possibly leading to bleaching.
 
Boppa said:
cree CXB3590 3000K CB 36 or 72 volt?
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Doesn't matter at all for a simple all white build.

There is nothing to fear per say, just respect. But the 36v version would have a lower voltage string of accidental shock is a concern of someone.
72v would be my pick because you could run red monos off the same driver. 150w of 3590 and 25w of 660nm off an hlg185-700 sounds like a killer combo
 
thank you. will get the 72 volt. was planning on 4 cob's off of the driver 8 total. will stick with all white for first build.

input voltage on the driver? I am wired for 208 volts, is it more efficient to drive it from that voltage or split it down to 120?
 
Boatguy said:
I think the most difficult part of building your own led light is figuring out the spacing of the led's,cobs,or whatever. All the led's i've looked at have a very narrow beam. Even when advertised as having a 130 degree spread, a look at the datasheet will show you how fast the lumens drop off anywhere not directly under the led.
I wish the datasheet's would give the spread from a given distance, maybe some do but i haven't come across one. This is even more important if you are working with a limited height in your given space. Some of these high powered cobs will bleach the shit out of a plant if they are kept too close. Now you are in the position of wasting power burning a hole in your garden when you should have gone with a spread of lower powered leds.
Looks like you have a good setup there Jimmy, maybe if i can stop thinking about things too much i could actually get something like that going. :weed:
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once you get couple runs under LED and good feedprogram? U will be surprised too say least. I know people run 6-700watts of LED in area usually covered by 1000watt hps. I like running = and LED is the way to go,but I do recommend running 900-1000 watt LED in 5x5 or 800 watts in 4x4
 
AquariusPanta said:
I agree that it won't cover the area to the best but as far as watt per foot, ~200W would work well over a ~5ft square space, giving around 40W of Vero per square foot.

The five foot tall tent with 360W fixture would be a bad combo as the COBS packed so tightly with lenses would require a larger distance away from the canopy, ultimately prohibiting plant height potential and possibly leading to bleaching.
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I put the vero 4inches from canopy and there is no bleaching! your recommendation would be adequate but doesn't maximize the space! It takes 800watts to fully cover a 4x4! would you put less than 4 - 200watt optics in a 4x4? If it wouldn't cover it the best? then why cover it to begin with! If someone doesn't use 800led watts in a 4x4 then they should stay with 750-1000hps watts!
 
kpro said:
Thanks for the replies Jimmy, Mr head & Aquarius. Going to purchase tonight
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You never said what medium and feed program your using? If coco? watch the calmag and ph! you will noticed they use the food differently under led?Just my opinion! and make sure you have air moving across canopy if they get closer than 8-10inches!
 
^^ I'd say a bit less than 800. Probably 600. I don't think the optics or sgs/RW are specifically designed to cover a large space which would make you yes... have to cram more in there. But for the AT600 or a diy or 600 designed to cover the space.... at 600w with 43% eff your at like 16-17 parwatts per square foot.
 
Scotch089 said:
^^ I'd say a bit less than 800. Probably 600. I don't think the optics or sgs/RW are specifically designed to cover a large space which would make you yes... have to cram more in there. But for the AT600 or a diy or 600 designed to cover the space.... at 600w with 43% eff your at like 16-17 parwatts per square foot.
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I think the at600 are 780watts? and with the cobs? I think it would depend on how high u wanna turn em up? like I said uptop! most companies are gonna run COBS at half throttle to extend chip life and cut down drastically on service work! Me? I have panel in the garage and its gonna be done sometime this summer! Runem hot and have spares ready! Is there any other way to make big buds? Mouser.com is my friend!!
 
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