Cob Lighting For A 4x8 Flowering Tent

[sixstring]

sounds like your keeping busy while ya wait lmao. i just seen rapidled has a holiday sale this weekend,might piss off the old lady and order some stuff just because haha.

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

sounds like your keeping busy while ya wait lmao. i just seen rapidled has a holiday sale this weekend,might piss off the old lady and order some stuff just because haha.

lol.... I'm in a serious hole with this project, I have some people lined up to help me out with my projects financials... just need to save an ounce for me and I promised an ounce to my son for helping me take water readings...

oh, when I say serious hole, I can afford it, it's just all negative profits at this point };-)

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

kickass,whats the eta on those heatsinks and frames ?

lookie lookie what I found in the driveway, looks like I'll be a bit busy in the next few weeks!!!

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

@sixstring
The RapidLED frames are pretty easy to assemble: first you attach the rail mounts to the heatsinks, attach one end plate to the two rails, slide the heatsinks on the rail, and then put the other end cap on the rails.

Pretty sharp looking rails...

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

slight update: all six frames are assembled with the heatsinks attached. next step would be to start wiring the frames before mounting the COBs. I want to run the wires through mesh sleeves to keep things neat. I also want to make sure there is enough slack on the wire to allow movement of the heatsinks in case I want to adjust their locations on the rail.

 

[sixstring]

Kick fuckin ass,that pile of heatsinks is giving me a itchy credit card finger lmao.

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

Kick fuckin ass,that pile of heatsinks is giving me a itchy credit card finger lmao.

lol, by the looks of things in your shop, you don't have anymore room for more heat sinks. I just can't image how bright 18 COBs at 50w are going to be in this 4x8 tent. These frames just fit on the inside of my tent, I'm guessing I'll have to hang them from the outside tent frame pole. Just orders the adjustable rope hangers for the lights because the hangers that I bought with the frames are made to bolt to a ceiling with a screw. I'll figure something out };-)

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

Update: mounted my power board and ran the 220 line from the main panel to a 4-11/16 square box mounted on the board. Now to start mounting all the power equipment.

also got my adjustable rope hangers and hung one frame to see how it looks, these frames are going to be real tight inside the tent. the frame ends literally touch the front and back of the 4' wide tent. I kind of wish the frames were a couple of inches shorter so there would be a little more room on the ends.

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

bwahahah... the lights are hung with no COBs or wiring, just getting a placement of the array...

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

decided to start wiring up the frames. I places each COB in the right spot (10" from back wall, 12" on center)
I ended up wiring three frames.

Arctic silver on the back of the COB applied with an old credit card. stuck it to the heat sink twisted the COB back and forth to make sure the paste was well applied. then screwed then down.

wire goes through the hole in the heat sink

these are wired in series, therefore, the black goes all the way down to the + side of the last COB, then I go - from the last COB to + on the middle COB, I then go - of the middle COB to + on the first COB, then the white wire goes to the - of the first COB. basically, the Black is the + side it three COBs and the white is the - of the three COBs... If that all make sense, lol

 

[dnewsome2]

Hi All,
Sorry if something like this has been posted before but my eyes are crossed from reading all the COB posts and getting even more confused then I was before...

I'm a new farmer and I'm vegging and flowering in the same 4x4 tent with a platinum p600 light over a 2 x 3 6-bucket rdwc system. I realize now that the turnaround time using only one tent is too long and when the light to closer to the plants for flowering it doesn't have the same coverage so I decided to start slowly investing into a veg only tent(using my current setup) and a 2x3 6-bucket flowering tent to shorten up the turnaround time and get better light coverage. I was thinking of using a 4x8 flowering tent for the added spread out room.

What I'm looking for is an optimal COBs setup (spacing and nominal CCT) for the 4 x 8 (32 sqft) area.

I would like to not use fans, I've looked at the square heatsinks from northern grow lights(currently sold out). I don't mind spending a little extra for high quality parts if they are more energy efficient or lasts longer. I'll probably just use HomeDepot aluminum L-channel stock for the frames. I was thinking of multiple separate frames so I can individually adjust the height is needed.

so I'm looking for:

number of COBs needed to fill the area
number of drivers needed for the given number of COBs needed
Brand of COBs (I'm thinking Bridgelux here)
Brand of drivers (I'm thinking MeanWell here)
What nominal CCT should I use for just flowering
Do I need any other colors like red for flowering

What does everyone recommend?

I'm very handy so building this is not intimidating for me.

Thanks

Hi All,
Sorry if something like this has been posted before but my eyes are crossed from reading all the COB posts and getting even more confused then I was before...

I'm a new farmer and I'm vegging and flowering in the same 4x4 tent with a platinum p600 light over a 2 x 3 6-bucket rdwc system. I realize now that the turnaround time using only one tent is too long and when the light to closer to the plants for flowering it doesn't have the same coverage so I decided to start slowly investing into a veg only tent(using my current setup) and a 2x3 6-bucket flowering tent to shorten up the turnaround time and get better light coverage. I was thinking of using a 4x8 flowering tent for the added spread out room.

What I'm looking for is an optimal COBs setup (spacing and nominal CCT) for the 4 x 8 (32 sqft) area.

I would like to not use fans, I've looked at the square heatsinks from northern grow lights(currently sold out). I don't mind spending a little extra for high quality parts if they are more energy efficient or lasts longer. I'll probably just use HomeDepot aluminum L-channel stock for the frames. I was thinking of multiple separate frames so I can individually adjust the height is needed.

so I'm looking for:

number of COBs needed to fill the area
number of drivers needed for the given number of COBs needed
Brand of COBs (I'm thinking Bridgelux here)
Brand of drivers (I'm thinking MeanWell here)
What nominal CCT should I use for just flowering
Do I need any other colors like red for flowering

What does everyone recommend?

I'm very handy so building this is not intimidating for me.

Thanks

Hi All,
Sorry if something like this has been posted before but my eyes are crossed from reading all the COB posts and getting even more confused then I was before...

I'm a new farmer and I'm vegging and flowering in the same 4x4 tent with a platinum p600 light over a 2 x 3 6-bucket rdwc system. I realize now that the turnaround time using only one tent is too long and when the light to closer to the plants for flowering it doesn't have the same coverage so I decided to start slowly investing into a veg only tent(using my current setup) and a 2x3 6-bucket flowering tent to shorten up the turnaround time and get better light coverage. I was thinking of using a 4x8 flowering tent for the added spread out room.

What I'm looking for is an optimal COBs setup (spacing and nominal CCT) for the 4 x 8 (32 sqft) area.

I would like to not use fans, I've looked at the square heatsinks from northern grow lights(currently sold out). I don't mind spending a little extra for high quality parts if they are more energy efficient or lasts longer. I'll probably just use HomeDepot aluminum L-channel stock for the frames. I was thinking of multiple separate frames so I can individually adjust the height is needed.

so I'm looking for:

number of COBs needed to fill the area
number of drivers needed for the given number of COBs needed
Brand of COBs (I'm thinking Bridgelux here)
Brand of drivers (I'm thinking MeanWell here)
What nominal CCT should I use for just flowering
Do I need any other colors like red for flowering

What does everyone recommend?

I'm very handy so building this is not intimidating for me.

Thanks

Hi there. I agree with six string and dr. Mcscunkins 3000 and 2700k would be a good combo. And you would probably be better off just to straight out by them rather than build. Unless you're the kind of guy that would really enjoy the build. Although you could go with some older chips and save quite a bit of money you will probably just wind up wishing you got the cxb 3590. Okay so this is where it gets a little crazy. Thinking Out of the Box. For a veg room if you could possibly find some natural sunlight you would need a lot less artificial lighting. I built a room around a window one time on a Southside using those 4 by 8 sheets of foil back foam but it was in a position where my junk wasn't out there for everyone to see. An enclosed patio with Windows or sunroofs work pretty well also.

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

I ended up using 3000K 90 CRI which has a bit more red in the spectrum than the 80CRI... I could always add more photo and far red later... What the hell, it's only money ;-)

 

[dnewsome2]

I ended up using 3000K 90 CRI which has a bit more red in the spectrum than the 80CRI... I could always add more photo and far red later... What the hell, it's only money ;-)

Very nice! I don't see how you could go wrong with that. Enjoy it man I wish I had the time and money to do it LOL

 

[sixstring]

i think its gunna be bright as hell in there looking at the layout you have going.3000k is perfect bro.:cool:

 

[dnewsome2]

i think its gunna be bright as hell in there looking at the layout you have going.3000k is perfect bro.:cool:

You guys all have such killer setups. All I got is a couple of crappy old cxa3070s and some beat-up old galaxy hydros. And look at this light I pulled out of my garage what a hack LOL but it actually is giving me pretty good results.http://www.homedepot.com/p/PowerSmi...d-Work-Light-with-Tripod-PWL21100TS/206137389

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

You guys all have such killer setups. All I got is a couple of crappy old cxa3070s and some beat-up old galaxy hydros. And look at this light I pulled out of my garage what a hack LOL but it actually is giving me pretty good results.http://www.homedepot.com/p/PowerSmi...d-Work-Light-with-Tripod-PWL21100TS/206137389

if your "crappy old cxa3070s and some beat-up old galaxy hydros" work and give decent yield, then who's winning... Right now, my credit card company is winning };-)

 

[dnewsome2]

if your "crappy old cxa3070s and some beat-up old galaxy hydros" work and give decent yield, then who's winning... Right now, my credit card company is winning };-)

It actually works out standing LOL I'm getting unbelievable results. It's like it's some kind of secret lighting formula lol.

 

[dnewsome2]

Having a light on a tripod is actually pretty nice. I am able to position the light in places I never could before. Not a bad idea to put some good cobs on one of these tripods.

 

[h4ppyf4rmer]

Update: frames are all COBed and wired and back hanging in the tent again.

ordered my dimmer 100K potentiometers so I can dim the array if I want.

 

[dnewsome2]

Update: frames are all COBed and wired and back hanging in the tent again.

ordered my dimmer 100K potentiometers so I can dim the array if I want.

That's going to be just straight-up fun to mess with I wouldn't go without that LOL