MA(ssachussetts) Newbie COB Build/Grow Thread.

[cupofnestor]

INTRO

Hi all. I'm a relatively inexperienced grower, but I'm a big LED nerd so when I discovered the COB CXB3690 threads here, I got really excited. I had been growing with hardware store CFLs, and was looking for a way to up my photons cheaply. I had been wanting to build a 10w array for years to replace my ridiculous CFL setup, boy am I glad I waited until I discovered this LED family.

GOAL

As of 12/15 I live in a legal state. As such, my grow does not need to be ephemeral and secretive any longer. I will now attempt to grow 12mo/year. Energy is not getting any cheaper and 50% of growing your own is frugality, ain't it?

BUILD

(Now) standard stuff, really -

• 2ea 15" 4.6" serrated heatsinks from HsUSA
• 2ea (8 pictured) CXB3590 CD Bin in 3500k from Cutter
• 1ea HLG-185H-C1400B
• Various connectors/hardware and silicon insulated 16awg

I plan on spacing the COBs 12" on center on the 'sinks. Going to go with thermal grease and kapton tape for the time being, if I like the size and spacing I'll invest some $$ in holders and more time in drilling/tapping.

Many thanks to Supra, GrowMau5, and Greengenes, among the many others on the LED thread who have offered so much to this DIY community!

GROW

As of my last grow, I'm giving up on DWC and going with Coco and Aurora Soul. I've got 4ea 1gal pots fermenting a mix of coco, perlite, mykos, blood meal, LAB meal, oat flour, molasses, azomite and cal/mag.

4ea ten-day-olds in rockwool waiting to be transplanted this weekend.

Wish me luck and please feel free to tell me what I'm doing wrong.

 

[licoricetree]

Looking good man out here in maine--started with 3590cxb building a couple cxm22 bars. If you need help im here and close

 

[Worcester]

INTRO

Hi all. I'm a relatively inexperienced grower, but I'm a big LED nerd so when I discovered the COB CXB3690 threads here, I got really excited. I had been growing with hardware store CFLs, and was looking for a way to up my photons cheaply. I had been wanting to build a 10w array for years to replace my ridiculous CFL setup, boy am I glad I waited until I discovered this LED family.

GOAL

As of 12/15 I live in a legal state. As such, my grow does not need to be ephemeral and secretive any longer. I will now attempt to grow 12mo/year. Energy is not getting any cheaper and 50% of growing your own is frugality, ain't it?

BUILD

(Now) standard stuff, really -

View attachment 3868537

• 2ea 15" 4.6" serrated heatsinks from HsUSA
• 2ea (8 pictured) CXB3590 CD Bin in 3500k from Cutter
• 1ea HLG-185H-C1400B
• Various connectors/hardware and silicon insulated 16awg

I plan on spacing the COBs 12" on center on the 'sinks. Going to go with thermal grease and kapton tape for the time being, if I like the size and spacing I'll invest some $$ in holders and more time in drilling/tapping.

Many thanks to Supra, GrowMau5, and Greengenes, among the many others on the LED thread who have offered so much to this DIY community!

GROW

As of my last grow, I'm giving up on DWC and going with Coco and Aurora Soul. I've got 4ea 1gal pots fermenting a mix of coco, perlite, mykos, blood meal, LAB meal, oat flour, molasses, azomite and cal/mag.

4ea ten-day-olds in rockwool waiting to be transplanted this weekend.
View attachment 3868920
Wish me luck and please feel free to tell me what I'm doing wrong.

Enjoy yourself... The addiction begins...

 

[cupofnestor]

DAY 1
MACHINING


I cut a few 'ears' out of 1/8" soft aluminum 1 1/2" angle. These will be screwed down to the sink and provide hang points and strain relief locations.


ripped some 1/2" spacers on the bandsaw. The bs came in handy for slicing up the angle as well.


Clamped up the ears, spacers, and heatsink for drilling my tap holes. It was at this point I realized how glad I was to be working with only 15" of heatsink. Anything longer and I would not have been able to use my drill press without some sort of outfeed or support.


Drilled hang points and cut a notch to give me a little more room to work around the COBS. Adding the ears and bolts has the added benefit that if I ever need to flip the module over to work on the other side, it will not be resting on the bare LEDs.

 

[cupofnestor]

DAY 2
Electronics

First, I cleaned the surface of the heatsink with solvent. Then, skimmed the back of 2 cobs with Arctic Silver (#pcmasterrace).

COB stuck down ±12" apart on center. Held on with thermal grease and k-tape. At this point, they are ready to be tinned and soldered. I skipped taking photos of that - it went so quickly and was ugly as sin. I need to purchase some higher quality flux for the next batch... or just cough up some more $$ for the solderless holders.


Finished - module notice the GROUND SCREW. This is one thing I did not see mentioned on a lot of builds, but is 100% necessary. If anything goes wrong with this module and driver you stand a chance of having a giant electrode floating at > 100VDC right at head height... no thanks. The green wire is crimped and soldered to a ring connector, screwed into the heatsink and will be grounded at the outlet. Driver +- connections are on crimped connectors.

 

[bseeds]

good work you will notice a big difference when you grow with them