Mars Hydro 300 to eco Vero29?

Hi all,

I have an old mars hydro MH-300-60LED, one of the retro first generation white ones with a single fan.
(Unable to post links yet, I will update when I have the required forum stats)

A few of the blue LED's have died now and rather than trying to repair it, I would like to remove the existing LED board, fan and heatsink and replace it with a single Vero29, mounted onto a cheap CPU cooler.
I'm a complete novice when it comes to matching drivers to cob chips, but I think I may have found a suitable match for the existing drivers which is quite a bit cheaper than a Cree, let me know what you think?

The fixture has two drivers one with a single output just for powering led's and the other with two outputs one to power led's and the other to power the 120mm fan.

Driver A - Input = A/C 100-240v, Output = D/C 55v-86v (0.655-0.68A) (Single Out)
Driver B - Input = A/C 100-240v, Output = D/C 55v-86v (0.65-0.665A) (Single Out & Fan)
My mains supply is 240v not too sure if this is relevant, if it effects the output range?

I think these must be constant current drivers as the amp range is so narrow?
Using one of these drivers I would like to power this bridgelux chip (BXRC-35E10K0-C-73-SE) from Digikey.
DigiKey Code = 976-1585-ND
(Unable to post links yet, I will update when I have the required forum stats)

For cooling I was planing on using a cheap Arctic Alpine 64 PLUS cooler from eBay.
eBay item No = 311480626859
(Unable to post links yet, I will update when I have the required forum stats)

and connecting it up to to the output from driver B which I think is rated for 0.3A.

So with this driver and chip, using the performance chart from the datasheet I have guestimated:-

@665mA the voltage will be 65.6v approx, power consumption should be just under 50W, with an output of just under 10,000lm, and an efficiency of 203lm/W approx.

Is this correct?
Is this a good driver and cob efficiency combo? I would be really great full if someone more experienced could have a gander at the cob datasheet to see if this one is a good match for these drivers?
(the setup is intended for a mini grow box containing a single auto with a tiny footprint of 400x400mm)

Thanks

Should be a nice fit.
I've done it with cxb and citizens with no problems.
2 x 36v Cree cxb on cheap Chinese drivers and 3 x 1212s.
I think the drivers were ~650mA and a voltage range of 55v - 110v range.
I've a couple of QBs and a Growgreen 2 channel board wired to similar cheap drivers too.
Works a treat!

Ah, that's great! thanks for the feedback and posting the digikey link.

I haven't heard of the Growgreen boards, are they just like the quantum boards?
I will have to check them out in a bit.

I think I have found a suitable heatsink for the build.
Digikey part No - 345-1879-ND
There is also a taller version of the same heatsink that would also fit but only if I mount the fan externally on top of the case, but the one above is good for over 100W when actively cooled.

Should I use some sort of lens with the vero?
I think the view angle of the cob is 120 degrees, which is pretty much what I would want for my little grow box but I do like the idea that the cob is protected from dust and moisture with a lens.
I may just see if I have the space left to keep the original glass on the mars light.

I'm almost ready to pull the trigger on buying the parts now, I'm just trying to find some additional red led things that I can run on the second driver as a flowing boost.
Stars, small boards, strips soooo many choices! anyone have any ideas?
It would need to be around 660nm ish and suitable for the "Driver A" from my first post.
Its really restrictive only being able to wire led boards / cobs in a single series string, i'm finding it hard to find smaller red devices that can handle over 700mA.

So you don't think that 665mA on the vero29 is too low?

You've done it now. You've ruined your life. All your "free" time is now gone. You will be driven insane from an endless selection of options and configurations.
All that matters now, are part numbers and data sheets.
The community is here for emotional support.

Just run the cob bare. No glass.
Is there a heatsink in the mars? Why not stick the Vero on it instead of buying new sink.

Or could I interest you in these? Lol
£4.80 each?

1 ft vesta strips 25v x 3 = 75v
Your driver voltage range is 55v - 86v

https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/bridgelux/BXEB-TL-2750G-3000-A-13/976-1731-ND/7899252

Another cheap option with far better spread a a great spectrum too

Apologies for the slow response, busy weekend.

@ Chip Green, hehe yeah the whole led market has become ridiculously diverse, the options are endless.
But wow its so time consuming narrowing down component options.

@ Moflow, why no glass? I would quite like to keep the existing glass if I can get away with it, does it reduce the cob's output?

Yeah, the mars does have a feeble slab heatsink, like a smaller version of the ones on the back of quantum boards.
The dimensions are, L-220mm, W-116mm, H-12mm, the base of the heatsink is very thin 2-3mm ish.
The existing 60 led's are mounted to an aluminium backed pcb with the heatsink mounted on the rear of this pcb plate, this setup does an ok job of removing the heat from an array of individual led's.
But I was concerned that cob's would run too hot because the existing setup is all so thin and doesn't really have any thermal mass to spread the heat from the small area of a cob out over such a large thin heatsink.
What do you think?

Your question got me thinking though, it would be nice to not have to buy another heatsink. I have some quite chunky rectangular aluminum bar that would make a great heat spreader, a bit like a crude heatpipe. I would need to remove a strip of fins across the center of the heatsink, but it should help spread the heat out from the vero29.

Ah nice, thanks for pointing out those strips.
That one is a little too long for my setup, but it lead me to a smaller version in that Bridgelux range. Unfortunately the current and voltage drop a bit too low on the shorter strips.
But they would be perfect for the small germination box I would like to make.

This one here.
Digikey part No - 976-1737-ND

Thanks for the likes! it will be very handy to be able to post links, I think I may be worthy after this post

I think I may get a pair of these to run as a flower boost on the second driver.
Digikey part No - 976-1542-ND

They are 3500k vero13's, each one should produce an extra 3000lm, just over 70v for a series pair and they only draw 22w each @ 75% efficiency I guess that means they only produce 5.5w of heat?
Is that correct?

Yeah you can use the heatsink and fan. I know the type of heatsink that is in the Mars lights. It's a piece of shit, but the 120mm fan getting its normal power will absolutely cool 50w on it
I was gonna hack one of these lights too, and the way I see it, if you're gonna use their dogshit cheap drivers, don't go overboard with the rest of the build because you can't polish a turd. If you want to build a kickass cob you're bottlenecking the whole thing by not using a high efficiency driver. I didn't go through with it but I would put 2 citizen 1212s on each driver + 1 fan. Just have fun with it. Enjoy the DIY. Whatever you do will be better than what Mars did. You can combine strips and a cobs. Many strips love 650mA.
edit: No disrespect to mars intended. Their new lights are better. Their blurples did outperform all the others in their class, as evidenced by Migro, achieving HPS efficacy levels.

10WeekFlushBro said:

Yeah you can use the heatsink and fan. I know the type of heatsink that is in the Mars lights. It's a piece of shit, but the 120mm fan getting its normal power will absolutely cool 50w on it
I was gonna hack one of these lights too, and the way I see it, if you're gonna use their dogshit cheap drivers, don't go overboard with the rest of the build because you can't polish a turd. If you want to build a kickass cob you're bottlenecking the whole thing by not using a high efficiency driver. I didn't go through with it but I would put 2 citizen 1212s on each driver + 1 fan. Just have fun with it. Enjoy the DIY. Whatever you do will be better than what Mars did. You can combine strips and a cobs. Many strips love 650mA.

Click to expand...

It turns out you Can polish a turd.....well, sort of.....
Amaze your friends and neighbours with this fantastic machine!
Anyone interested in one please send me a signed blank cheque.