Best LED for $400-$600?
- Thread starter SuperKush89
- Start date
apoulin
Well-Known Member
It is not hard at all, seems intimidating at first but it is all straight forward. There are TONS of guides on here, some of them are not step by step. The first LED I built was a single Cree CXA3070 3K on a CPU heatsink, it is in my signature. I took a more step-by-step approach.
You don't need many tools, and the tools your need aren't really expensive. I think your soldering iron might be the most expensive tool you need. A lot of the members on here are building their own panels for this very reason, a lot of the large manufacturers do not use the best equipment ATM. We buy the best LEDs for our needs and build them ourselves for a fraction of the cost and use BETTER parts and KNOW what everything is rated and tested at. There are plenty of members on here who can give you detailed analysis on individual COBs as well as entire panel/driver combos.
I have 4 CXB3070s and 1 CXA3070. 1 Meanwell HLG-185h-C1400B and 1 Meanwell LPC-60-1400 driver.
I spent about $185 on the (4)CXBs and the HLG driver, and another $60 on the CXA and LPC driver. This is used in a 3x3 area, and gives me ~12 PARW/ft^2 which is what our LED god Supra has running. I have all of the calculations including maybe the most important way to compare everything, equivalent average intensity (PPFD) in my "How many HPS equivalent Watts?" thread
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SuperKush89
Active Member
oh word how much?
REALSTYLES
Well-Known Member
You can make a panel for $600 no more than $700 and it will rock.
apoulin
Well-Known Member
$5 more than I will do
lol just kiddingNot sure if you were asking how much he would build you one for, or how much the panel is overpriced.
There are some members on here that will sell lights for people who would like them built if you are interested in that. The issue just comes down to the labor, honestly you should try it! You can get ahold of the same parts any other member on here can, you just need the info to put it all together. All info needed is in this sub-forum for sure!
apoulin
Well-Known Member
Also don't forget, unlike those pre-fab panels you can use a modular design. Add more as you can, if $600-$700 is too much for you at first (like it was for my broke college ass), you can build a DIY with the *expectation* that you will be adding more. $300 now and $300-$400 later is a little easier on the wallet, plus just be fairly warned, ONCE YOU GET THE DIY BUG YOU CAN'T GET RID OF IT lol
Positivity
Well-Known Member
Dude....
Get a artic 11, or i prefer the rosewill with flat bottom cpu cooler. $20
Get a low voltage driver that will fit. $10-$40
Get a cxa 3070 or vero 29. $40...?
Plug it all together and you got a 50w light. 4 would be a great start for your 4 x 4. Shit, push them to 80w and you got yourself 320w of actual led power.
That would be the shit my friend.
Get a artic 11, or i prefer the rosewill with flat bottom cpu cooler. $20
Get a low voltage driver that will fit. $10-$40
Get a cxa 3070 or vero 29. $40...?
Plug it all together and you got a 50w light. 4 would be a great start for your 4 x 4. Shit, push them to 80w and you got yourself 320w of actual led power.
That would be the shit my friend.
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apoulin
Well-Known Member
It's as easy as 1...2..3!
I did the
arctic CPU cooler ~$11
Meanwell LPC-60-1400 ~$18
CXA3070 ~$40
The driver runs @ 1.2A, so that is ~50w light for $68 when I bought it, might be a couple bucks cheaper now that the CXBs are out
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churchhaze
Well-Known Member
I think you'd want about 450W of cxb in a 4'x4'
apoulin
Well-Known Member
Exactly, just remember that building a 50w light is the same process as building a 450w light. If you can do one, you can do them all.
Positivity
Well-Known Member
@churchhaze
For a perfect environment maybe. To get started, more than enough
There are details beyond 1,2,3 steps. But once you get those parts in front of you, you'll figure it out.
For a perfect environment maybe. To get started, more than enough
There are details beyond 1,2,3 steps. But once you get those parts in front of you, you'll figure it out.
apoulin
Well-Known Member
Don't we ALL want a *perfect* environment
(especially if it is in budget) lol I agree though, nothing wrong with baby steps. Especially trying to figure something out, better you fry a $40 COB than a $200 string lol
greenghost420
Well-Known Member
http://www.mars-hydro.com/led-grow-light/mars-ii-series
this is doing good in a 4x4 so far. im bout to do my weekly peek n pics, ill know more then. ill be harvesting in few weeks and will determine if i like leds for flower then.
this is doing good in a 4x4 so far. im bout to do my weekly peek n pics, ill know more then. ill be harvesting in few weeks and will determine if i like leds for flower then.
alesh
Well-Known Member
Well ýou've chosen pretty bad light for determining whether you like LEDs.
greenghost420
Well-Known Member
can you explain why?
Positivity
Well-Known Member
Its like driving a yugo and than saying all cars are slow. You haven't been in a faster car yet..
SuperKush89
Active Member
I actually was wondering if maybe some he was willing to build one for me lol. Don't get me wrong, you guys are really getting me interested in buliding my own. I just really don't have the time right now. My mom is really sick. A lot of my free time is spent with her. One of the main reasons i even want to do this is for her. I wanna make some oil to see if it will help with her cancer.
JimmyIndica
Well-Known Member
U need 2 rw150s!!!!!
Skaumannen
Well-Known Member
Even if the vero29 is not the hottest cob out now, you can mount thos really easily using thermal glue. I used thermal glue for two of my vero29 and pico ez-mate connectors. So that made it solder free, and i didn't need any drill or tapping tools. The downside here is that if you want to remove the cob from the heatsink you will destroy the cob. I decided to go this route because i will only replace the cob if i break it, or if there is something alot better out on the market, so the old one would be discarded anyway.