Are Rapidled And Similar Kits Worth It

[Thunder]

Hey Thunder, I’ve just (December) built my first cob and it’s a Rapid kit, vero 29 @3000k I didn’t opt for the framing though fashioning that myself from 2020 square framing aluminum. That said love the light, total investment around a $1000. Fills the 4x4 tent really well. I use a eight tube T5 HO fixture @6500k tubes for veg, pulling tubes when everything’s small, adding the tubes back in as everything gets bigger. Also just grow during the winter, better temps where I’m at in California.

Can you go into more depth on your veg cycle please? Like the exact lighting used. Not sure I follow. I wasn' pplanning on using a t5 at all. Ultimately I was hoping to just use less cobs and dimmed to appropriate wattage.

 

[BERRYBlast]

Running the drivers remotely helps keep heat out of the grow tent. I rarely go over 85f with my setup running a sealed room. I run Co2, so my AC doesn' kick on until 83f.I'm in Cali.

These cobs when put together in a DIY are the best bang for buck. The kits are nice but they aren't worth it when everything is plug and play.

 

[Dan789]

Can you go into more depth on your veg cycle please? Like the exact lighting used. Not sure I follow. I wasn' pplanning on using a t5 at all. Ultimately I was hoping to just use less cobs and dimmed to appropriate wattage.

Only had mine plugged in since January, maybe one of the other guys swinging a cob set up will comment on if they’re using the cobs for veg too.
T5 8-tube HO will draw about 480 watts at the wall with all the tubes in place, as you disconnect tubes that (wattage) goes down.

 

[DGP]

Running the drivers remotely helps keep heat out of the grow tent. I rarely go over 85f with my setup running a sealed room. I run Co2, so my AC doesn' kick on until 83f.I'm in Cali.

These cobs when put together in a DIY are the best bang for buck. The kits are nice but they aren't worth it when everything is plug and play.

Are you in soil, coca or hydro?

 

[brazel]

Being a electrician you understand it's different from motors & controls and electronics, right? If I could give you any advice... Learn motors and controls.

Next part is what area you work in, commercial ground up, you're following a print where in the service department you'll use, dc, ac, watts, volts, amps.

This being said it's quite simple and knowing electricity allows you to understand at the very least circuits and possibly wiring in parallel and series.

 

[brazel]

So, the last few weeks i have gone down the COB rabbit hole. While my knowledge is far from most, I feel I am ready to tackle this. My goal is to start with a 4x4 tent in my garage with a max of 5 plants. Now I am a first time grower so my ultimate goal is simplicity. I am an electrician by trade (commercial) so a lot of the terms and formulas i understand easier than most. Problem is the internet and its knowledge are intimidating. I have watched the youtube videos and read the threads and gain a lot of knowledge. Still i am lost on where to start.

My goals are to buy and buy once. Budget is in the air. Not a millionaire, but I came into this knowing lighting is everything for results. I see the rapidled 10, 12 and i believe 16 light combos for 4x4 tents. Then I see people growing with 6-8 lights with great results. Are that many lights really that necessary for my goals? I have seen where it is suggested to have 50 watts a square foot and what not. Thing is I am not going to be cramming my tents. I have no problem dropping the coin on a 12-16 light setup. I just want to make sure it will be usable from seed to flower. Like most I am shooting for 600w for the 4x4.

I am also not against piecing a system up myself as I am not scared of the task. Just when really comparing the prices (at least from what I have found) the savings isn't substantial. When I see kids like Rapidleds Medical kit for just over 1000 it really makes me think. I dont necessarily have to run all those lights for veg. Just looking for some experience as google has failed me. Everything I have found seems to fall short of what I am looking for.

600w between 12 x 50w cobs or 6 x 100w cobs... the heat is the same but one is more efficient at dissipating heat.

Electricity is charge kilowatt per an hour

Dimmer is good

 

[brazel]

Get 4000k and use the whole way.

How you grow will help determine your frame or lack of.. scrog or natural... etc

 

[Thunder]

Being a electrician you understand it's different from motors & controls and electronics, right? If I could give you any advice... Learn motors and controls.

Next part is what area you work in, commercial ground up, you're following a print where in the service department you'll use, dc, ac, watts, volts, amps.

This being said it's quite simple and knowing electricity allows you to understand at the very least circuits and possibly wiring in parallel and series.

My knowledge of electricity and its properties is just fine. Mainly my knowledge of what works is lacking. Like what kits, manufacturers and lighting is best. The wiring up and building is the easy part for me. 6 years commercial electrical experience building ground up data centers. Not to mention my dad is a superintendent. I have the tools and electrical know how just its in a vastly different area. I don't mind spending the money I just want to buy something I can build off of and use is different ways. When I price out 12-16 cobs of what has been referenced to me I find I am not far off on price from a equal kit. The drivers may not be what I need so I may have to upgrade. Either way I'm only seeing a minimal difference. I can weld up framing myself. Most seem to direct me in the way of buying everything individually so I am trying to find that route.

 

[Dan789]

My knowledge of electricity and its properties is just fine. Mainly my knowledge of what works is lacking. Like what kits, manufacturers and lighting is best. The wiring up and building is the easy part for me. 6 years commercial electrical experience building ground up data centers. Not to mention my dad is a superintendent. I have the tools and electrical know how just its in a vastly different area. I don't mind spending the money I just want to buy something I can build off of and use is different ways. When I price out 12-16 cobs of what has been referenced to me I find I am not far off on price from a equal kit. The drivers may not be what I need so I may have to upgrade. Either way I'm only seeing a minimal difference. I can weld up framing myself. Most seem to direct me in the way of buying everything individually so I am trying to find that route.

For framing you want to go with something light in weight, by the time you’ve got 12 cobs, heatsinks and framing even using aluminum it adds up quickly, then hoisting it into place, over you plants without damaging either plants or light is a handful.

 

[brazel]

I just want to buy something I can build off of and use is different ways.

constant current power supply, if you're running three cobs at 10v each and have a PS that can handle 100v then you could add more and all will run at the same current.. You can do the same in a different way with cv or cc/cv but I'd go with cc.
Like a panel and adding the phases to see which one can support your new circuit

 

[DGP]

View attachment 772150 View attachment 772150 I got almost everything for my build at cobkits.com. I built a 3 bar light for the 2X4 veg tent and a 3X 4 bar light for the flower room 4X4.

Here is what worked for me for each lamp site (12 sites in the flower rm. for example):

(1) Arctirc Alpine 11 plus CPU cooler $7.41 Newegg.com
(1) Luminous CXM22 50V 1.5amp COB Chip $19.00 COBkits
(1) Ideal COB holder $3.50 COBkits
(AR) 18 ga solid copper insulated wire Salvaged from a broken light fixture in my workshop

For each 4 COBs in a bar (wired in parallel):
(1) Meanwell 240H-54B Constant current/voltage Driver $72.00 COBkits
(1) 100k Pot and small project box (for dimming) ~$5.00 Amazon
(1) Salvaged 14-16 ga power cord (3 wire)

For the whole 12 lamp array:
(1) 3 amp 12V power supply Scrounged up an old wall wart from the workshop to drive the CPU cooler fans.

Minus the frame (which I made from aluminum in my shop) each lamp site comes out to about: $50, maybe add a little for shipping.....

Between my veg tent and flower room with some obvious scrounging for materials my cost was about $740 to light both rooms or about $0.70/watt. I would estimate you could build a nice system for about $1.00 to 1.20 per watt with little to no scrounging. If you used Cree COBs (even the 36W ones) the cost goes up a fair amount but I like the higher output and lower cost along with a a high CRI of 90 that the Luminous chips offer.

 

[Thunder]

View attachment 772150 View attachment 772150 I got almost everything for my build at cobkits.com. I built a 3 bar light for the 2X4 veg tent and a 3X 4 bar light for the flower room 4X4.

Here is what worked for me for each lamp site (12 sites in the flower rm. for example):

(1) Arctirc Alpine 11 plus CPU cooler $7.41 Newegg.com
(1) Luminous CXM22 50V 1.5amp COB Chip $19.00 COBkits
(1) Ideal COB holder $3.50 COBkits
(AR) 18 ga solid copper insulated wire Salvaged from a broken light fixture in my workshop

For each 4 COBs in a bar (wired in parallel):
(1) Meanwell 240H-54B Constant current/voltage Driver $72.00 COBkits
(1) 100k Pot and small project box (for dimming) ~$5.00 Amazon
(1) Salvaged 14-16 ga power cord (3 wire)

For the whole 12 lamp array:
(1) 3 amp 12V power supply Scrounged up an old wall wart from the workshop to drive the CPU cooler fans.

Minus the frame (which I made from aluminum in my shop) each lamp site comes out to about: $50, maybe add a little for shipping.....

Between my veg tent and flower room with some obvious scrounging for materials my cost was about $740 to light both rooms or about $0.70/watt. I would estimate you could build a nice system for about $1.00 to 1.20 per watt with little to no scrounging. If you used Cree COBs (even the 36W ones) the cost goes up a fair amount but I like the higher output and lower cost along with a a high CRI of 90 that the Luminous chips offer.

Bro you are awesome! You have been dropping knowledge on my thread haha.

 

[DGP]

Bro you are awesome! You have been dropping knowledge on my thread haha.

It's my first LED build out so I am learning as I go too......

 

[Thunder]

It's my first LED build out so I am learning as I go too......

This process of picking lighting has my head spinning haha.

 

[brazel]

It's my first LED build out so I am learning as I go too......

Nice bro, what's your canopy temps like? Anything you'd change?

 

[DGP]

Nice bro, what's your canopy temps like? Anything you'd change?

So far no real changes, I really like them so far. Canopy and pretty much the inside of my 2x4 tent tends to be 75f or so but it is in my garage and this time of year I have to put the driver in the tent to keep it from getting too cold.

The flower area is a 6 X 4 X 8 room with a 4x4 grow area and the drivers are outside the room. Inside it stays at 70F. The LEDS generate very little heat and so I am pretty optomistic that it will save a lot of a/c energy.

 

[brazel]

Bump your temps up to at least 83, lose the fans and roll passive using Just heatsink... IMO

 

[Dan789]

So @Thunder what did you choose to go with?

 

[BombBP]

Vegging these under 3 citizen clu048 chips and 4 cree cxa1304 chips.

@DGP and I are using the exact same design in flower. 1 bar, 4 cobs and active heatsinks. There are pros and cons to both active and passive and after using both I prefer active. They're much cheaper and much cooler.

 

[DGP]

Vegging these under 3 citizen clu048 chips and 4 cree cxa1304 chips.

View attachment 774577 View attachment 774578

@DGP and I are using the exact same design in flower. 1 bar, 4 cobs and active heatsinks. There are pros and cons to both active and passive and after using both I prefer active. They're much cheaper and much cooler.

I like them for the cooling reason as well cause keeping the chips cool is key to long term reliability and lifetime. Although the worry is if the fan dies.....