Is this overkill or best possible?

JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
I've just started learning about COBs and was figuring out how much I want to invest.

In a 4x4, a would 16 cxb3590s (4 per plant) be too much? I've been watching the YouTube vids and know I can piece everything together, but I thought getting either 3 or 4 of these would be easier...

http://timbergrowlights.com/200-watt-cree-cxb3590-4-cob-grow-light-kit/

It's basically 600w or 800w at the wall and $1200 or $1600 at the wallet.

I was looking at 3500k COBs, but with that many, would I want to go half 3000k?
 
HydoDan

HydoDan

Well-Known Member
I went with the Timber 6 cob 300 watt kit for my 2 x 4.5 tent . It seems to be more than adequate..
I think if you doubled it you would do quite well.. Dan at Timber is a good guy to deal with.. very knowledgeable.
I did have a problem (dimmer) with my first driver and had a replacement in 48 hrs. Customer service is top rate.. I don't think a 16 cob 800 watt is over kill at all... quite a few guys running a cob per square ft..
 
Strainhunters

Strainhunters

Member
There's more brands of cobs out there which perform (near) equal to the cxa/cxb's but are much cheaper. Dont stare too much at specs on paper, but do some research and check real world results.
Citizen has some pretty great cobs, also Bridgelux seems a pretty awesome brand with the Vero's, and of course Cree has a great reputation (but comes with a price).
I also prefer to run more cobs at lower wattage than instead running fewer cobs and running them higher watts.

I replace 2x gavita 1000W hps with a total of 40 Citizen cobs run at 50W each, so a total of 2000W on 30~40square foot above a total of 40 plants in my hydro tent.
 
dandyrandy

dandyrandy

Well-Known Member
Strainhunters said:
There's more brands of cobs out there which perform (near) equal to the cxa/cxb's but are much cheaper. Dont stare too much at specs on paper, but do some research and check real world results.
Citizen has some pretty great cobs, also Bridgelux seems a pretty awesome brand with the Vero's, and of course Cree has a great reputation (but comes with a price).
I also prefer to run more cobs at lower wattage than instead running fewer cobs and running them higher watts.

I replace 2x gavita 1000W hps with a total of 40 Citizen cobs run at 50W each, so a total of 2000W on 30~40square foot above a total of 40 plants in my hydro tent.
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Exactly. I expect to replace these with the new vero 29's. In a few years. By then they may be down to $20 a pop.
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
Strainhunters said:
There's more brands of cobs out there which perform (near) equal to the cxa/cxb's but are much cheaper. Dont stare too much at specs on paper, but do some research and check real world results.
Citizen has some pretty great cobs, also Bridgelux seems a pretty awesome brand with the Vero's, and of course Cree has a great reputation (but comes with a price).
I also prefer to run more cobs at lower wattage than instead running fewer cobs and running them higher watts.

I replace 2x gavita 1000W hps with a total of 40 Citizen cobs run at 50W each, so a total of 2000W on 30~40square foot above a total of 40 plants in my hydro tent.
Click to expand...
Thanks a lot! I'm going to check out those alternatives.

I think I'm leaning towards 16x3500k COBs at 1400mA. I'm also leaning towards active cooling. Being an electronics/computer geek, I know the downsides of heat stress. I'm probably going to build my own as I'm sure it'll save me money.
 
Strainhunters

Strainhunters

Member
JSB99 said:
Thanks a lot! I'm going to check out those alternatives.

I think I'm leaning towards 16x3500k COBs at 1400mA. I'm also leaning towards active cooling. Being an electronics/computer geek, I know the downsides of heat stress. I'm probably going to build my own as I'm sure it'll save me money.
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Sounds good. Do some more research before you order stuff tho, check out Growmau5 @ youtube if you havent done already.
 
CobKits

CobKits

Well-Known Member
JSB99 said:
Thanks!

Yeah, Growmau5 rocks! Those vids he put together are really helpful! Watching one right now :-)

I'm still a couple months out and just started reading up on this yesterday.
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buy your chips last.. your design will prob change many times and the most economical chip a few months from now may be entirely different
 
Trippyness

Trippyness

Well-Known Member
If you have a good budget then here is an optimal setup with numbers:
3590 3500k at 1.4A x 16 ( 1 COB a SQ/f) is 1234PPFD AVG with 782 COB watts.
3590 3500k at 1.05A x 16 is 982PPFD with 586 COB Watts.
Both are ideal setups, however 1.05A is less wattage and still perfectly ideal PPFD.
I would go with that as after 900PPFD you diminish returns.
 
JSB99

JSB99

Well-Known Member
Trippyness said:
If you have a good budget then here is an optimal setup with numbers:
3590 3500k at 1.4A x 16 ( 1 COB a SQ/f) is 1234PPFD AVG with 782 COB watts.
3590 3500k at 1.05A x 16 is 982PPFD with 586 COB Watts.
Both are ideal setups, however 1.05A is less wattage and still perfectly ideal PPFD.
I would go with that as after 900PPFD you diminish returns.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the feedback!

After thinking about it last night I decided to go with 16 3590 COBs @ 3500k, 1.05mA. That seems like a good balance between power and coverage. Glad to see someone was thinking the same.
 
Trippyness

Trippyness

Well-Known Member
JSB99 said:
Thanks for the feedback!

After thinking about it last night I decided to go with 16 3590 COBs @ 3500k, 1.05mA. That seems like a good balance between power and coverage. Glad to see someone was thinking the same.
Click to expand...
Agreed! Gald to help.
Hope to see a grow of this bad boy your building!
 
Trippyness

Trippyness

Well-Known Member
V

VegasWinner

Well-Known Member
JSB99 said:
I've just started learning about COBs and was figuring out how much I want to invest.

In a 4x4, a would 16 cxb3590s (4 per plant) be too much? I've been watching the YouTube vids and know I can piece everything together, but I thought getting either 3 or 4 of these would be easier...

http://timbergrowlights.com/200-watt-cree-cxb3590-4-cob-grow-light-kit/

It's basically 600w or 800w at the wall and $1200 or $1600 at the wallet.

I was looking at 3500k COBs, but with that many, would I want to go half 3000k?
Click to expand...
You got it on the money. Peace
 
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