Have any of you DIY COB Growers finished a crop under 1000W DE HPS? - POLL

Have any of you DIY COB Growers have actually finished a crop under 1000W DE HPS?

  • Yes

    Votes: 32 29.1%

  • No

    Votes: 78 70.9%
  • Total voters
    110
GreenSanta

GreenSanta

Well-Known Member
wietefras said:
A COB fixture is a lot more expensive though. Even when built myself it was more than twice as expensive "per umol" than my Gavita. In my case the energy savings will take many many years to earn back that price difference and I don't delude myself that I ever will.

Still, it's a hobby and I like growing with COBs a whole lot better. People who see the results are quickly convinced it's worth the extra expense.
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it really depends on how long will the COB fixtures last, if you get the 10 years of 12/12, you are laughing, but what if the light is still nearly as good 15 years later? granted other lights will be way more efficient by then but what grows great weed today will grow great weed tomorrow.
 
GreenSanta

GreenSanta

Well-Known Member
since1991 said:
This is EXACTLY my line of thinking? I run a few gavita 6/750 's for a little over a year now. Now this cob diy comes along and iam considering getting into them. I just know absolutely nothing about them. All these numbers and drivers and shit. Its confusing as hell. I been growing for a very long time....i feel like a rookie with this cob lighting. Is it worth it? How much money and time and tools and shit? I want to grow dope not build space age new lights.
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if you look at greengene vids, its pretty straightforward, is it worth it? I am not sure, I think buying from one of the guys that were the pioneers of DIY COBs like johnson or plc or tasty ... is probably a better option if you dont have the time. I know for me that was the annoying part, I had all the parts but I was intimidated with the built and didnt have the time ...so the parts just sat there for a while. Now they are finally hanging in the grow room, it wasnt all that painful and I am stoked!! badass fixtures considering they are only drawing 200 watts. If I was to do it again, the DIY savings would have to be greater otherwise I would order prebuilt. I have grown with A51 w90s (which are vero 29 I think) and I got great results (personal best yield per sq.ft per watts)
 
wietefras

wietefras

Well-Known Member
GreenSanta said:
it really depends on how long will the COB fixtures last, if you get the 10 years of 12/12, you are laughing, but what if the light is still nearly as good 15 years later? granted other lights will be way more efficient by then but what grows great weed today will grow great weed tomorrow.
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I doubt they will last that long though. It's a bit of a harsh environment and I leave them unprotected.

Besides, in 10 years time 300lm/W COBs might be common and then it would make sense to upgrade anyway.

Or suppose 200lm/W is available at a reasonable price level in a few years. People now claim they can recoup their led investment which, when run at 1.4A, is like a 20 to 30% improvement over HPS. How about 40% more light from newer COBs per Watt?
 
CaliWorthington

CaliWorthington

Well-Known Member
swagslayer420 said:
I run a Sun System AC/DE 8" with 1000w Ushio 2100umol in a 4x4 and 7 area 51 w90's 3k in another 4x4 haven't got around to doing a side by side. The DE will get the most yield out of the genetics you place under it. The led's will give you better resin production, tch, terps and colors I have grown under area 51 rw150's, xgs 190 and w90's. I like both and will continue to use both, in veg I use a horti 400w, 198 watts of t-5 and 125w cfl. My next light will be a SS CMH 630 3100k.
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What is your distance to canopy with that AC/DE? I read that even with the air cooling, you still need 3-5'. BGH doesn't recommend the AC/DE for 8' ceilings, even if your plants are on the floor, unless they only get 2' high. And they sell them. Here is the page I'm referring to. Scroll down to read their little article.

http://www.bghydro.com/ac-de-air-cooled-double-ended-reflector-8.html

I've grown bushes, trees, and scrog with the CXA3070 COB system Supra built for me. GG is correct, when you have enough COBs the penetration is excellent. But I still don't see COB replacing DE HPS in large warehouse grows anytime soon. DE lumenaires placed high above the canopy, to get a large footprint, seem more suited to that style of growing. And of course the cost. I'm sure someone will do it though. A huge COB room or warehouse would be awesome to behold, no doubt.

Looks like it's gonna be a hot summer. In a 4x10 space where I currently have 20 COBs, think I'm gonna try (3 or 4) of the Phantom 315w CMH systems with lens/air cooling kits. They have the low frequency square wave ballast (I hate RF) and a nice looking reflector. I might supplement with a couple 100w red ufo style leds, since I already have one.

I bought a 1-ton mini split so I can put all 40 COBs in a tent, but I still haven't hooked it up.
 
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nevergoodenuf

nevergoodenuf

Well-Known Member
My COBs are running between 200 watts to 350 watts each. I keep mine 24" to 30"+ off the canopy. I can also get you a 2400 COB if you have a tall ceiling:bigjoint:
 
frica

frica

Well-Known Member
CaliWorthington said:
I've grown bushes, trees, and scrog with the CXA3070 COB system Supra built for me. GG is correct, when you have enough COBs the penetration is excellent. But I still don't see COB replacing DE HPS in large warehouse grows anytime soon. DE lumenaires placed high above the canopy, to get a large footprint, seem more suited to that style of growing. And of course the cost. I'm sure someone will do it though. A huge COB room or warehouse would be awesome to behold, no doubt.
.
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Citileds produces very high power COBs that can replace DE HPS in large warehouses.
Their flagship CLU550 goes up to 500 something watts with efficiency around Vero levels.
 
nevergoodenuf

nevergoodenuf

Well-Known Member
Tomorrow I will be building a 500 watt 4000K fixture with 2 CLU550. I also will be trying 2 of the new CLU058 @ 105 watts it is 161 lumen. Veg light.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
CaliWorthington said:
What is your distance to canopy with that AC/DE? I read that even with the air cooling, you still need 3-5'. BGH doesn't recommend the AC/DE for 8' ceilings, even if your plants are on the floor, unless they only get 2' high. And they sell them. Here is the page I'm referring to. Scroll down to read their little article.

http://www.bghydro.com/ac-de-air-cooled-double-ended-reflector-8.html

I've grown bushes, trees, and scrog with the CXA3070 COB system Supra built for me. GG is correct, when you have enough COBs the penetration is excellent. But I still don't see COB replacing DE HPS in large warehouse grows anytime soon. DE lumenaires placed high above the canopy, to get a large footprint, seem more suited to that style of growing. And of course the cost. I'm sure someone will do it though. A huge COB room or warehouse would be awesome to behold, no doubt.

Looks like it's gonna be a hot summer. In a 4x10 space where I currently have 20 COBs, think I'm gonna try (3 or 4) of the Phantom 315w CMH systems with lens/air cooling kits. They have the low frequency square wave ballast (I hate RF) and a nice looking reflector. I might supplement with a couple 100w red ufo style leds, since I already have one.

I bought a 1-ton mini split so I can put all 40 COBs in a tent, but I still haven't hooked it up.
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First you say you don't think COB LED would be good for larger grows, then you say you're going to cram 40 into a tent, lol

I'm putting almost 100 in a small room and I think your assertion about COB LED's lack of suitability for commercial use is incorrect. Not only can they be used this way, they will be, soon, in mass numbers. The economics of the industry demand it.

Chips are getting better and less expensive all the time. Want bright? Up to 2400W! Advertised RIGHT HERE on RIU! want efficient? Guys on here have already built 70% efficient panels and they'll only get cheaper and more accessible as chips keep getting brighter and cheaper.

Two years and it will be hard to sell HID lighting. Five years and you can't give it away.

EDIT: me and my wordiness made me late to this dogpile, lol
 
a mongo frog

a mongo frog

Well-Known Member
CaliWorthington said:
What is your distance to canopy with that AC/DE? I read that even with the air cooling, you still need 3-5'. BGH doesn't recommend the AC/DE for 8' ceilings, even if your plants are on the floor, unless they only get 2' high. And they sell them. Here is the page I'm referring to. Scroll down to read their little article.

http://www.bghydro.com/ac-de-air-cooled-double-ended-reflector-8.html

I've grown bushes, trees, and scrog with the CXA3070 COB system Supra built for me. GG is correct, when you have enough COBs the penetration is excellent. But I still don't see COB replacing DE HPS in large warehouse grows anytime soon. DE lumenaires placed high above the canopy, to get a large footprint, seem more suited to that style of growing. And of course the cost. I'm sure someone will do it though. A huge COB room or warehouse would be awesome to behold, no doubt.

Looks like it's gonna be a hot summer. In a 4x10 space where I currently have 20 COBs, think I'm gonna try (3 or 4) of the Phantom 315w CMH systems with lens/air cooling kits. They have the low frequency square wave ballast (I hate RF) and a nice looking reflector. I might supplement with a couple 100w red ufo style leds, since I already have one.

I bought a 1-ton mini split so I can put all 40 COBs in a tent, but I still haven't hooked it up.
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But the build on these cobs are coming out to 5x5 foot prints at 24 inches. Thats plenty of ware house spread and now your managing light as well. Something most of us do with air cooled 1000 watters, Moving tons of air through the hood and were able to drop them to 16-18 inches but we are only getting a 4x4 foot print. So my question is if your cob build takes you too a 5x5 foot print at 24 inches using 800 watts isn't that a better value then using 1150 watts of DE at 36-60 inches? Just a thought i had is all.
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
a mongo frog said:
But the build on these cobs are coming out to 5x5 foot prints at 24 inches. Thats plenty of ware house spread and now your managing light as well. Something most of us do with air cooled 1000 watters, Moving tons of air through the hood and were able to drop them to 16-18 inches but we are only getting a 4x4 foot print. So my question is if your cob build takes you too a 5x5 foot print at 24 inches using 800 watts isn't that a better value then using 1150 watts of DE at 36-60 inches? Just a thought i had is all.
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Definitely.
 
swagslayer420

swagslayer420

Well-Known Member
CaliWorthington said:
What is your distance to canopy with that AC/DE? I read that even with the air cooling, you still need 3-5'. BGH doesn't recommend the AC/DE for 8' ceilings, even if your plants are on the floor, unless they only get 2' high. And they sell them. Here is the page I'm referring to. Scroll down to read their little article.

http://www.bghydro.com/ac-de-air-cooled-double-ended-reflector-8.html
.
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I got about 2.5 ft and its stays 76-85f/ 30-55RH in a 4x4 tent my hood is aircooled with with 6' fan exhausted out of room no a/c running right now and getting amazing results. I use all technology for my own study to draw my own conclusion on my results and methods used, I am not afraid to try anything once in this industry but if I get screwed ill never use it again.
 
swagslayer420

swagslayer420

Well-Known Member
a mongo frog said:
But the build on these cobs are coming out to 5x5 foot prints at 24 inches. Thats plenty of ware house spread and now your managing light as well. Something most of us do with air cooled 1000 watters, Moving tons of air through the hood and were able to drop them to 16-18 inches but we are only getting a 4x4 foot print. So my question is if your cob build takes you too a 5x5 foot print at 24 inches using 800 watts isn't that a better value then using 1150 watts of DE at 36-60 inches? Just a thought i had is all.
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DE I run is only using 985w at 1000w setting DE actually uses less energy than SE at same wattage but you can boost the DE but ive have found that to increase heat
 
ttystikk

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
swagslayer420 said:
you run one?
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I read the specifications and had long conversations with gavita employees when it was first introduced; the whole point of the DE tech is to run the lamp hotter, which improves its efficiency.

The reason it's in the fixture the way you see it is to ensure the bulb remains in its optimal temperature range for best performance.

This is also why they don't want you to blow air over it as in air cooled hoods, and also why they don't want you to run it vertically.
 
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