LEDs/COBs - what is the best appliance

[HotWaterKarl]

Is Timber the best? I'm looking at 17-1800$ to get 800 true watts in the vero 7 chips. I see all kinds of stuff online but don't have a clue what the best VALUE for the money is. I see from vero 7/HPS side by side that the LEDs add 30% weight. But what is the best LED light for the money?

 

[smokebros]

I posted this in another thread, but here is a solid shopping list for a 470W Vero29 COB build. You could assemble a frame for under $100 and double up the shopping list to mount all 10 COB's & the two drivers.

Approx 940W @ $900~

I'm by no means an expert, there are several other people on this forum who can provide more insightful information.

If you want something you can plug and play out of the box then I recommend your idea of purchasing from Timber Grow Lights - solid company. @RainDan is pretty active on RIU.

 

[HotWaterKarl]

Thanks dude! I am lazy and looking for a prefab though, so maybe Timber$$

 

[smokebros]

Thanks dude! I am lazy and looking for a prefab though, so maybe Timber$$

Right on, man. One thing I want to mention is the setup I'm showing you is a solder free setup. The COB's are poke-in and the thermal pads are easy to apply, no thermal paste involved. Simply purchase 1/8'' aluminum angle bar and use M3 screws to mount the heatsinks to the frame.

Not sure how good you are with a drill but all you'd need to do is drill the holes in the frame to screw in the COB's.

I'm more of a DIY type person who will always DIY if I can do it myself. Some people don't have time for all that rigmarole and there's nothing wrong with purchasing something that's all ready to do. I've heard only positive things about Timber row Lights.

On a side note, have you considered a Quantum Board from HLG?

https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/collections/lamps/products/hlg-550

That is a 515W light and it would be great for a 4x4. Double that up and you'd kill it in a 4x8 room.

I've got more experience with QB's than COB's which is why I bring it up.

 

[HotWaterKarl]

Right on, man. One thing I want to mention is the setup I'm showing you is a solder free setup. The COB's are poke-in and the thermal pads are easy to apply, no thermal paste involved. Simply purchase 1/8'' aluminum angle bar and use M3 screws to mount the heatsinks to the frame.

Not sure how good you are with a drill but all you'd need to do is drill the holes in the frame to screw in the COB's.

I'm more of a DIY type person who will always DIY if I can do it myself. Some people don't have time for all that rigmarole and there's nothing wrong with purchasing something that's all ready to do. I've heard only positive things about Timber row Lights.

On a side note, have you considered a Quantum Board from HLG?

https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/collections/lamps/products/hlg-550

That is a 515W light and it would be great for a 4x4. Double that up and you'd kill it in a 4x8 room.

I've got more experience with QB's than COB's which is why I bring it up.

Holy shit that is awesome! You rock bro!

 

[HotWaterKarl]

I posted this in another thread, but here is a solid shopping list for a 470W Vero29 COB build. You could assemble a frame for under $100 and double up the shopping list to mount all 10 COB's & the two drivers.

Approx 940W @ $900~

I'm by no means an expert, there are several other people on this forum who can provide more insightful information.

If you want something you can plug and play out of the box then I recommend your idea of purchasing from Timber Grow Lights - solid company. @RainDan is pretty active on RIU.






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Question, what do you use for a reflector? The Timber lights and kits come with the white reflectors for each COB that kind of "direct" the light.

 

[smokebros]

Question, what do you use for a reflector? The Timber lights and kits come with the white reflectors for each COB that kind of "direct" the light.

I personally don't, but many others are all for them. if they fit in your budget then definitely add them.

 

[HotWaterKarl]

I personally don't, but many others are all for them. if they fit in your budget then definitely add them.

Interesting...do you find you can place the LEDs closer that way?

 

[smokebros]

Right now I'm using quantum boards, see attached link in my signature. I don't use any optics because I'm satisfied with the production i'm getting out of my current setup. my lights are actually dimmed down to 200W/each.

see the attached link as it'll help you understand what the reflectors and optics do.
https://www.rollitup.org/t/lens-and-reflector-optics-for-cob.893660/

 

[smokebros]

Interesting...do you find you can place the LEDs closer that way?

I keep my Quantum Boards 18'' above the canopy. Here is the PPFD chart at 18'' & 24''

 

[HotWaterKarl]

Fuck....if those are your buds from the Q boards...hola. Those are amazing colas man!

You're killing it! I like Q boards but man 2k+ USD for my room...I might go the DIY COB route..thanks for all the info man you have been super helpful!!

 

[smokebros]

Fuck....if those are your buds from the Q boards...hola. Those are amazing colas man!

You're killing it! I like Q boards but man 2k+ USD for my room...I might go the DIY COB route..thanks for all the info man you have been super helpful!!

No problem my dude, I'm always glad to help out others when I can. One other thing I need to mention is that for the majority of my grow in my journal I only used two QB 288 boards on one slate 2 heatsink + a 134W Chinese LED. I recently added the second unit to replace the Chinese LED after waiting a few weeks for parts to come back in stock. So the results you are seeing are mainly from one QB288 kit ($325-$350).

Instead of buying the 4 board HLG550 that I linked earlier, you can buy 2 QB288 KITS at $700 instead of $1,000. So it would be $1,400 instead of 2k if you went that direction

holy shit, just checked HLG website to see when the QB288 kits come back in stock and they show another site that stocks them @ growerslights.com

https://growerslights.com/collections/horticulture-lighting-group-quantum-board-led-kits/products/horticulture-lighting-group-260-watt-quantum-board-led-kit

there you go my friend, buy 4 of those and be done with it. done and done!

 

[GrowRock]

I have a timber cree kit and just ordered there 200 watt citizen fixture. Love the customer service Dan at timber provides and his fixtures are top notch.

 

[johny sunset]

I don’t know much about led lights but, I’ve been watching the Grand master level show and he’s doing a side by side right now using quantum boards vs hps.

The boards he’s using seeme to be killing it. So I’ve really been considereing upgrading to one of HLG’s DIY kits.

https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/collections/diy

I’ve got a 4x4 tent so thinking two of the 260W xl qb kits would rock that space.....currently I’ve got 3 x100w closet cases and they seem to do a decent enough job, but If i could start pulling a pound out of there that be even better

 

[smokebros]

I don’t know much about led lights but, I’ve been watching the Grand master level show and he’s doing a side by side right now using quantum boards vs hps.

The boards he’s using seeme to be killing it. So I’ve really been considereing upgrading to one of HLG’s DIY kits.

https://horticulturelightinggroup.com/collections/diy

I’ve got a 4x4 tent so thinking two of the 260W xl qb kits would rock that space.....currently I’ve got 3 x100w closet cases and they seem to do a decent enough job, but If i could start pulling a pound out of there that be even better

Two 260W QB kits would indeed rock a 4x4 tent. The biggest challenge is getting an order placed when they have inventory. Seems like the demand has caused them to run out of stock the same day their inventory comes in.

Truth is the quantum boards are a great value that provide top of the line performance. I feel the biggest performance factor that separates QB's from COB's is the light spread. They are floodier than the COBS when it comes to throwing light. I may build a custom fixture down the road where I incorporate QB's & COBS together to get the best of both worlds.

 

[Flash63]

The hlg 550’s are on sale 20% off,till the end of the month...

 

[johny sunset]

Two 260W QB kits would indeed rock a 4x4 tent. The biggest challenge is getting an order placed when they have inventory. Seems like the demand has caused them to run out of stock the same day their inventory comes in.

Truth is the quantum boards are a great value that provide top of the line performance. I feel the biggest performance factor that separates QB's from COB's is the light spread. They are floodier than the COBS when it comes to throwing light. I may build a custom fixture down the road where I incorporate QB's & COBS together to get the best of both worlds.

Ya, they have a spot on their webpage where you can put your email to be notified when the item is back in stock......they pretty much went out of stock on the 260 qb’s within 24 hours last time. Gotta be quick. I’m just not sure what kinda duty I would have to pay on those.....I inquired with hlg and they said they would declare the two lights at $49 each. So does that mean I only need to pay the duty on $100???

 

[Flash63]

Ya, they have a spot on their webpage where you can put your email to be notified when the item is back in stock......they pretty much went out of stock on the 260 qb’s within 24 hours last time. Gotta be quick. I’m just not sure what kinda duty I would have to pay on those.....I inquired with hlg and they said they would declare the two lights at $49 each. So does that mean I only need to pay the duty on $100???

I’ll let you know...I have 4 of the 260w kits on the way.

 

[johny sunset]

I’ll let you know...I have 4 of the 260w kits on the way.

Much appreciated. From what I’ve read you pay the duty on whatever the shipper declared it at......in the case of the 260 w qb that would be $49 each

 

[smokebros]

Ya, they have a spot on their webpage where you can put your email to be notified when the item is back in stock......they pretty much went out of stock on the 260 qb’s within 24 hours last time. Gotta be quick. I’m just not sure what kinda duty I would have to pay on those.....I inquired with hlg and they said they would declare the two lights at $49 each. So does that mean I only need to pay the duty on $100???

You must be outside of the US I presume?