COB Spacing for triangle pattern?

Right now, I'm planning to build a 4 COB panel using Vero 18s in a "triangle" pattern with 1 in the center. This will be a light for 1 plant. Forgive my awesome SketchUp skills, but it will be laid out like the picture bellow:



With the As all being equal, what are your thoughts on spacing from center? Sketched out on paper, 6-8" just "looks" right.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Yo looks good, but no size? ...lol

vostok said:

Yo looks good, but no size? ...lol

Click to expand...

Haha. The size/spacing is what I was looking for advice on.

Why not make it adjustable?
There are too many variables to know exactly what the "perfect spacing" should be.
Thing to be considered; Light dispersion and penetration at different drive currents, height above plant, size of plant, stage of growth, lenses/no lenses, heat sink design and efficiency, just to name a few...

I like the idea of mounting chips on flexible arms, like the ones you often see on clip lights.

I'd say you need some more numbers to plug into your math...

i.e. what is your target height above the canopy?
i.e. what angle reflectors?

Given those 2 data points you should be able to determine how much coverage each Vero gives at a given height/reflector angle... then you want to have some overlap of each footprint... that will tell you your spacing...

Right? I'm no geometry/math person so I just know there IS an equation... I have no clue WTF it would be...

Each COB on its own heatsink?

This is all from my micro-cab mounting - your mileage is def gonna vary

My impression of the Vero is they don't spread as much as I initially hoped. Perhaps I was optimistic looking at the 115degree spread in the data sheet, but the real "guts" seems way more narrowly directed. But yeah - this is my first time playing with LEDs, learned that the directionality of them is definitely a thing if you've only used bulbs in the past.

I'm actually going to remount the LEDs a little wider on the heat sink to try and get another couple of inches of real gutsy illumination either side of the canopy.

Go wide if possible - perhaps with adjustable tilt?

SupraSPL said:

Each COB on its own heatsink?

Click to expand...

Heatsink and fan for each COB.

Maybe I need to get the "panel" thought out of my head. I have a small tent with a 2'x4' footprint and will never be growing more than 3 plants.

For coverage of the "panel" I sketched out, I would be trying to cover a 2'x2' area.

Gotcha, so you could hang each one so they can be height adjustable and arrange in a staggered pattern for even coverage?

More than likely trying to cover an 18"x18" scrog. I would like the distance to be < 24" from the canopy because of tent height (5').

I plan to initially drive each Vero 18 at 40w.

That should be no problem. Some of mine are only a few inches from the canopy and never more than 12"

SupraSPL said:

Gotcha, so you could hang each one so they can be height adjustable and arrange in a staggered pattern for even coverage?

Click to expand...

I would prefer a "panel" array. For me, that would make it easier for mounting, wire management, and height adjustment.

Since my thought is to grow using "scrog" I'm hoping my canopy is fairly level.