Cutter Electronics: Complete DIY COB kits

Any chance of a cheaper 3070 kit? The cheaper mechatronix radials instead of pin sinks with 3070s at 50w each. Hard to justify over $2/w for a DIY light. The mechatronix radials are 1/2 the price of these pin sinks and I'm someone with no need for fancy angled cooling.

A no frills every man kit.

4 x 3070s ($34 US each) $136
4 x radials ($15 or less each retail) $60
1 x lgsu200 (no need for a 5 cob driver) $58
4 x solder less holders $8
Misc $10
$274 US, using cutters prices where I could(all but the radial heatsinks)

Tap some holes and you can sell it for $300 per and I'd buy one. $1.50/w is more like it for "some assembly required"

Or a higher wattage 3590 kit.

3 x 3590($55 each for holder, reflect, etc) $165
3 x mechatronix megas($20 each retail) $60
1 x 200w lcn 1.8A $55
Misc $10
$290


$420 for the high end 3590 kit (164lm/w)

$300 for the every man 3070 kit(154 lm/w)


I'd also be interested if cutter started carrying citizen leds. The $12 retail clu048s that pump out 152lm/w @ 37w each(3500k, 80cri) more specifically.

JorgeGonzales said:

And by the way, there are 60 degree Angelina reflectors, which would be a hell of a lot easier than adapting a lens if somebody wanted a narrower spread. But I think 90 is standard for a reason.

And @BobCajun what's interesting is that everything 60 degrees and below in the Angelina line is a metalized reflector, and the wider angles are translucent. Makes sense, now that I see it.

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Oh yeah, I didn't notice that. Considering that each COB is good for about 1-2 sq ft, and you're gonna want it at least a foot from the canopy to avoid bleaching, you have to figure out what size circle of light is that area and then what beam angle will produce that size circle at say 1-2 feet.

One sq ft is a circle of about 13.5 inches diameter, from my calculation. So with a 60 degree beam you would need the light to be about 1' away. At 18" away the circle would be about 20" diameter or about 2 sq ft. So anywhere between 12" and 18" away should be good. With a 90 degree beam a 13.5" circle would require a distance of 6.75". A 20" circle would need a distance of 10.39". So you'd have to have it pretty darn close. I guess overlapping beams would even it out eventually at a greater distance.

sinnamon said:

hi guys

i went out and bought myself a light meter today. not PAR, only lux but still. so i got my lights like 40 inches from the canopy and the meter reads 25000 lux. rigged up the old light (no brand chinese burple) and took a reading of it at the same distance. it read 9000 lux, and that was the closest i dared to have that piece of shit to my plants since they were exhibiting various signs of burn when it was closer.
i reckon im at like 40% on the potentiometer now, so question is whether or not i dare turn it up a bit more. using the same meter i took a reading outside. sunny day clear skies the meter read 25000 lux in the shade. what do you think fellas?

all good, db

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You would have to turn the brightness up gradually over several days. I went from 70% to 100% and got plenty of bleaching.

BuddyColas said:

Your flowering plants can take 50,000 LUX of warm cob photons easy...that's about 750 ppfd. I'm on my 3rd run of doing just that and the girls love it! What kind of reading are you getting say 12" below your cobs?

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man it would be a whole different game if they could use that much light. im like half way into flowering now...stoked! meter reads 39000 lux 12 inches below, and like i said the canopy is at like 25000. think i should try 50 out tomorrow for a couple of hours and see what they say?

BobCajun said:

You would have to turn the brightness up gradually over several days. I went from 70% to 100% and got plenty of bleaching.

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yeah i figure so too. put the lights in last saturday or so but i tell you, not claiming to be an expert or anything, especially at happiness, but them plants look way happier already. the buds are starting to swell up and though theyre due i ascribe it to the cobs. stoked

thx man, ill turn up the heat gradually and see how they fare.

sinnamon said:

man it would be a whole different game if they could use that much light. im like half way into flowering now...stoked! meter reads 39000 lux 12 inches below, and like i said the canopy is at like 25000. think i should try 50 out tomorrow for a couple of hours and see what they say?

Click to expand...

You'll hear a lot of conversion factors for lux to ppfd. But the simplest for me for warm cobs is lux in thousands times 15 equals ppfd. So 50k lux is 750 ppfd. 40k lux is 600 ppfd. You can experiment with panel height vs strength vs uniformity of lux readings. I haven't had a strain yet that doesn't like 750 ppfd...just my experience. Also 40k lux or 600 ppfd has been very productive for me as well.

sinnamon said:

yeah i figure so too. put the lights in last saturday or so but i tell you, not claiming to be an expert or anything, especially at happiness, but them plants look way happier already. the buds are starting to swell up and though theyre due i ascribe it to the cobs. stoked

thx man, ill turn up the heat gradually and see how they fare.

Click to expand...

That's why I went back to PWM dimming and took the potentiometer off. The pot is too imprecise, unless there's markings on it. Adjusting it was basically random, especially since I used a 500k pot.

Someone mentioned the MechaTronix heat sinks. Maybe Mark should try to become a distributor. Seems to be a shortage of distributors. Or for that matter, GM5 could order a container of them and become the kingpin.

BobCajun said:

Oh yeah, I didn't notice that. Considering that each COB is good for about 1-2 sq ft, and you're gonna want it at least a foot from the canopy to avoid bleaching, you have to figure out what size circle of light is that area and then what beam angle will produce that size circle at say 1-2 feet.

One sq ft is a circle of about 13.5 inches diameter, from my calculation. So with a 60 degree beam you would need the light to be about 1' away. At 18" away the circle would be about 20" diameter or about 2 sq ft. So anywhere between 12" and 18" away should be good. With a 90 degree beam a 13.5" circle would require a distance of 6.75". A 20" circle would need a distance of 10.39". So you'd have to have it pretty darn close. I guess overlapping beams would even it out eventually at a greater distance.

Click to expand...

Basically the way I'm thinking of it, at 12 inches of height you have a 24 inch circle at 90 degrees. My cobs are a foot apart, so thats 6 inches of overlap on each side at 12 inches above the canopy. Raise the lights to 18 inches and that's 12 inches of overlap, and if you look at robincnn's measurements and start adding the overlap up, that 12-18 inches above the canopy starts looking pretty even.

And I am nowhere near bleaching levels with my 35W a cob per sq ft.

Atulip said:

Any chance of a cheaper 3070 kit? The cheaper mechatronix radials instead of pin sinks with 3070s at 50w each. Hard to justify over $2/w for a DIY light. The mechatronix radials are 1/2 the price of these pin sinks and I'm someone with no need for fancy angled cooling.

A no frills every man kit.

4 x 3070s ($34 US each) $136
4 x radials ($15 or less each retail) $60
1 x lgsu200 (no need for a 5 cob driver) $58
4 x solder less holders $8
Misc $10
$274 US, using cutters prices where I could(all but the radial heatsinks)

Tap some holes and you can sell it for $300 per and I'd buy one. $1.50/w is more like it for "some assembly required"

Or a higher wattage 3590 kit.

3 x 3590($55 each for holder, reflect, etc) $165
3 x mechatronix megas($20 each retail) $60
1 x 200w lcn 1.8A $55
Misc $10
$290


$420 for the high end 3590 kit (164lm/w)

$300 for the every man 3070 kit(154 lm/w)


I'd also be interested if cutter started carrying citizen leds. The $12 retail clu048s that pump out 152lm/w @ 37w each(3500k, 80cri) more specifically.

Click to expand...

CDI could stock all of this if they knew there was demand. Shipping from the US, and Meanwell HLG-185 drivers for the same $58.

And honestly, the CLU048 is a great CXB3070 replacement for $25 in a budget build.

They also carry BJB holders for 99 cents, and Angelina reflectors, and have asked me more than once if I need them to order more of anything to stock due to future demands.

Hell, I just described my own build, and yeah. It was real cheap.

I should add that I am not running at 50W, however, and somebody would have to measure something like the 9980 or Mega lines at 50W with a CLU048 at 50W to see how it runs. It would be hotter than the 3590 with a 3070 or Citizen.

On the other hand, $10 9980 and a $12.50 CLU048-1212 running soft and you can really spread that light.

BobCajun said:

That's why I went back to PWM dimming and took the potentiometer off. The pot is too imprecise, unless there's markings on it. Adjusting it was basically random, especially since I used a 500k pot.

Someone mentioned the MechaTronix heat sinks. Maybe Mark should try to become a distributor. Seems to be a shortage of distributors. Or for that matter, GM5 could order a container of them and become the kingpin.

Click to expand...

Hi Bob
We are a distributor for Mechatronix
Cheers
Mark

JorgeGonzales said:

I should add that I am not running at 50W, however, and somebody would have to measure something like the 9980 or Mega lines at 50W with a CLU048 at 50W to see how it runs. It would be hotter than the 3590 with a 3070 or Citizen.

On the other hand, $10 9980 and a $12.50 CLU048-1212 running soft and you can really spread that light.

Click to expand...

So when we gonna see your CLU048 build?

BuddyColas said:

So when we gonna see your CLU048 build?

Click to expand...

Well, Fedex brings my BJB holders tomorrow!

welight said:

it would fit but would need drill and tap for assembly
Cheers
Mark

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Any chance of getting Angelina Stella lens with predrill and tap with the mau kit? Could be too much to ask since I'm probably the only one interested but figured I try
Cheers

JorgeGonzales said:

I should add that I am not running at 50W, however, and somebody would have to measure something like the 9980 or Mega lines at 50W with a CLU048 at 50W to see how it runs. It would be hotter than the 3590 with a 3070 or Citizen.

On the other hand, $10 9980 and a $12.50 CLU048-1212 running soft and you can really spread that light.

Click to expand...

They have a lot stocked but the clu048 3500k or 4000k 70/80cri. I emailed them about minimum order requirements and stock time but I haven't heard back yet. They stock the radial mechatronix to match the clu04 series also.


If it gets stocked somewhere, I think the price would be hard to beat.

6 x Clu048 ($12 each) $72
6 x holders ($2 ea) $12
6 x radials ($10 each) $60
Hlg185 36b(5.2A) $60
Misc $10
$214

Comes in right around $1.15/w for a 160 lm/w build.

anomolies said:

Any chance of getting Angelina Stella lens with predrill and tap with the mau kit? Could be too much to ask since I'm probably the only one interested but figured I try
Cheers

Click to expand...

A 60 degree reflector is ready go go right now with the kits. Might not look as cool but it would get the job done,

anomolies said:

Any chance of getting Angelina Stella lens with predrill and tap with the mau kit? Could be too much to ask since I'm probably the only one interested but figured I try
Cheers

Click to expand...

Happy to build one for you when heatsinks arrive just to see how it looks, the issue to consider here is the ideal holder is not going to sit under the stella?
Cheers
Mark

Great looking builds guys I'm chomping at the bit to get the kits I ordered and can't wait to get started! I'd like to add a few far reds to mine down the road for my 3x4 space that I'm building a 8 cob setup for can you suggest something from the cutter website that would work best I'd greatly appreciate it thanks again for everything

a general note on efficacy comparisons at 1400ma
CXB3070 BB 3500k 144.55 LPW, 48.61 watts
Vero29 best 80 CRI bin 3500k 120.42 LPW, 49.3 watts
Citizen CLU48 1812C 3500k 134.83 LPW, 74.47 watts( VF is 53.19)
Cheers
Mark

Humble grower said:

Great looking builds guys I'm chomping at the bit to get the kits I ordered and can't wait to get started! I'd like to add a few far reds to mine down the road for my 3x4 space that I'm building a 8 cob setup for can you suggest something from the cutter website that would work best I'd greatly appreciate it thanks again for everything

Click to expand...

You will probably find these easiest to use, solderless stars in Far Red

http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut2203
Cheers
Mark