QB, strip LEDs or COBs?

Hello Rollers.

I've got another question... Or questions.
I didnt really know where to put this. So I started a new thread.

My current grow space has an area off the side that's a foot wide. And about a foot and a half deep. Height wise it's about 2.5-3 feet.

I want to make that space into a germination to sapling chamber. Something to start my next rounds. Before moving them to the bigger area.

I've tried the Blurples. I'm playing with two new 3500k Vero 29C in a kit I picked the parts for. And have a few household grade cfl's in a space bucket. But that's all my experience with lights right there.

My question is- what light should I use in this space? I'm an Aussie so some options are out.

I'm wanting more uniform light. Hence why I'm asking about quantum boards and other forms of LES. Preferably in the 3500-5000k spectrum.

Or should I just go with a single low powered cob?

Any suggestions?

Screw in led with the dome removed.

I am designing a new fixture for my veg and cloning using Samsung strips of 3500K 90cri and 5000k 80cri. I am using one right now and waiting for more strips. I used to use COB's prior to that HPS. I have retired all of those. I am using Chilledled growlights for bloom; love them for lower power higher performance;, and I have designed a new pcb board that has 3500k 90cri with 5000k 80cri lm561c S6 bin with 384 diodes on two channels driving the diodes at 160mA vice 200mA for 200lm/w. I think this is the future. I am hoping to CO-OP for the 13 boards, I want four and there are nine more available for 13/$800 cost plus S&H, just sharing, no profits or markup just an opportunity to get something DIY cheap.

If you go for the strips, I life the flexible only you have minimum purchase levels 40m and a one time 5m 'sample'. 40m will cost about $300 a reel. lm561c chips cost about $150/reel for 2500 on a reel. You can buy pcb's and reflow your own diodes, like Vitaly at chilledled does or pay a company to do it for you, like I plan. Some folks are flocking for QB boards, and that is fine. I think there are many options out there. DIY is one of them, with China willing and able.
namaste

I would go with led strips. Try arrow (cheaper than digikey) to find bridgelux eb strips. Or with any kind of the samsung lm561c leds vegas mentioned. Samsung themself have some strips too (H-series, F-serise; H will be more uniform, F will be more powerful). It's pretty easy to make some diy boards with led strips, and the biggest advantage is, that you have a way more uniform light, than with QB!

Hmmm. I'm not keen on resoldering several hundred leds as I have somewhat shaky hands.

Ah... no wonder I couldnt find those samsung strips. I was putting in lmc651 not lm561c. Speaking of which. How do they compare to the Bridgelux EB strips?

I'd prefer the least dicking around if possible.

Bridgelux EB series has 160lm/W, 15W, 2' = 48 LEDs ($)
Samsung F series has 170lm/W, 26W, 2' = 72 LEDs ($$)
Samsung H series has 180lm/W, 11W, 2' = 48 LEDs ($$$)

https://www.bridgelux.com/products/eb-series
http://www.samsung.com/global/business/led/products/led-engine/ambient-light-engine

Vegas mentioned some china strips, which are flexible, you can cut them every few inches, as you need, but you have to solder, and they are avaible in CRI 80+90. The above mentioned strips are not flexible, not cuttable, avaible in 1', 2' and 4' (F series has also some double rows) , have connectors (no soldering necessary, but possible), and are only avaible with CRI 80.

For the most uniform lightning you have to go with the Samsung H series, EB series is cheaper to buy, but less efficient. Personlally I don't see any reason to take the Samsung F series (too much power on one strip > less uniform lightning).

You can drive the EB strip up to 1400mA and get 33.6 watts per strip (560mm)

I appreciate the input fellas.

canadian1969 said:

You can drive the EB strip up to 1400mA and get 33.6 watts per strip (560mm)

Click to expand...

Sure... but when you run them harder, you loose some of the advantages, like the uniform lightning. Higher power = less LEDs resulting in less uniformity! If you want high power, just go with COBs...

The Samsung strips are too long. Great efficacy. Just a bit longer than what I've got room for. And I don't really want to be putting them up the walls.

I've just found Cutter has some EB strips. Just need to figure out which driver and how many strips to run.

I could do a cob again. It'll be easier this time round. Since I've already cut my teeth on the previous build.

Nugachino said:

The Samsung strips are too long. Great efficacy. Just a bit longer than what I've got room for. And I don't really want to be putting them up the walls.

I've just found Cutter has some EB strips. Just need to figure out which driver and how many strips to run.

I could do a cob again. It'll be easier this time round. Since I've already cut my teeth on the previous build.

Click to expand...

I found 23w strips on EBay from Estonia that use Samsung diodes. 5ct strips for 50$ USD. They're 16" long and 1.7" wide. Comes with a driver that has a built in dimmer. Needs to be mounted to 2" u channel. However, you would have to ask about the input voltage. I don't know if it is self adjusting to higher input voltages

High efficacy, up to 159 lm/W and wide lumen range with 2x overdrive capability
common drive currents
http://imgur.com/goiNy9z

What you loose is Lm/watt efficacy , all I am saying is you have a range of drive currents , 700mA does give you the 156lm/watt number. The best Lm/watt performance is 200mA@ 168Lm/watt but only 4 watts. With dimmable drivers that all basically cost the same regardless of amps and the spec sheet saying it has a 2x overdrive capacity, just design your light accordingly to your rooms requirements. The other thing, is you may get away with buying fewer strips and lowering your overall cost to about $0.82/watt depending on how many strip, but my calcs came up with roughly 72 to 82 cents per watt @1400mA. At 700mA you are doubling your strip cost, obv.

there are guys around here that have driven at 1050 and 700, I'm just saying there is a range of possible drive currents and since its all DIY, do whatever ya want.

No idea what you are talking about on this part though..
"Higher power = less LEDs resulting in less uniformity!" huh? If you are saying it because you are using fewer strips, than again I disagree as again, this would be a design element taking hieght and span both into consideration to achieve your ppfd of whatever (600-1000). If I get you right its like the Spyder grow light that everyone complained was like a window blind.

canadian1969 said:

High efficacy, up to 159 lm/W and wide lumen range with 2x overdrive capability
common drive currents
http://imgur.com/goiNy9z

What you loose is Lm/watt efficacy , all I am saying is you have a range of drive currents , 700mA does give you the best Lm/watt performance, yes. With dimmable drivers that all basically cost the same regardless of amps and the spec sheet saying it has a 2x overdrive capacity, just design your light accordingly to your rooms requirements. The other thing, is you may get away with buying fewer strips and lowering your overall cost to about $0.82/watt depending on how many strip, but my calcs came up with roughly 72 to 82 cents per watt @1400mA. At 700mA you are doubling your strip cost, obv.

there are guys around here that have driven at 1050 and 700, I'm just saying there is a range of possible drive currents and since its all DIY, do whatever ya want.

No idea what you are talking about on this part though..
"Higher power = less LEDs resulting in less uniformity!" huh?

Click to expand...

Lol yea that thing about led uniformity doesn't make squat for sense.

Nugachino said:

Hmmm. I'm not keen on resoldering several hundred leds as I have somewhat shaky hands.

Ah... no wonder I couldnt find those samsung strips. I was putting in lmc651 not lm561c. Speaking of which. How do they compare to the Bridgelux EB strips?

I'd prefer the least dicking around if possible.

Click to expand...

Mufue technology on alibaba Roget is the contact for the strips

Nugachino said:

The Samsung strips are too long. Great efficacy. Just a bit longer than what I've got room for. And I don't really want to be putting them up the walls.

I've just found Cutter has some EB strips. Just need to figure out which driver and how many strips to run.

I could do a cob again. It'll be easier this time round. Since I've already cut my teeth on the previous build.

Click to expand...

Get the flexible ones you can cut them every 4"

Okay. So if I went the EB route. How many strips would I need to effectively cover that area. At either the 700mA current. Or whatever is most optimal?

With the flexible samsung strips you can set up series parallel design to drive diodes around 150 to160mA preferred capacity for highest luminosity.

Nugachino said:

Okay. So if I went the EB route. How many strips would I need to effectively cover that area. At either the 700mA current. Or whatever is most optimal?

Click to expand...

Thats the thing, read the spec sheet, many diff currents and efficiencies. 700 is most common as highlighted in the spec sheet. So how many watts do you want to put in a single square foot of space ;-P

Numbers were never my forte. I get lost looking at things like data sheets with all that. I'm surprised I even managed to put my cobs together without frying them.

Cutter has the highest price I ever saw!
Check it out: https://octopart.com/bxeb-l0560z-35e2000-c-a3-bridgelux-76371633
I dont know Newark, but Arrow has free shipping costs.