?they have a higher failure rate than 3 watt diodes, marginally I hear.
Do you have a link to these COB kits...?There are even COB DYI kits.
I feel you can make most LED's stable with correct heat management, safety management and awesome management...personally I feel the stability and cost effectiveness of 3 watt diodes is the sweet spot for LED these days.
Agreed, besides the fact that the Cree's are more efficient and will likely last longer than Chinese COB's. The COB's make it easy enough to put something together even if you haven't worked with anything like this before. I just ordered some 3070's and components to make my first 2 DIY panels, with solderless holders. The most difficult part for me will be seating them (flattening the surface, thermal paste, tapping a couple of screws per COB) as I've never done anything like that, the rest seems so simple I'm willing to dive into it. Thinking about connecting a bunch of 3w diodes seems like a nightmare and I wouldn't bother, whereas the COB's are doable for even me. It's a no brainer imo compared to working with 3w diodes.Have you ever heard the saying "you get what you pay for"? Those chinese COBs look tempting by their cheap price but thats because they are inefficient, poorly made, dim versions of good COBS like Cree Cxa's and Bridgelux Vero's. Quality parts will last unless they are not properly cooled.
@spazatak - Soldering 2-4 cobs or 50-100 "3 watters" what would you rather do? COBs make it easier for the entry level diy hobbyist.
Long story short...CXA and veros are not really cheaper in the end when you make them in a top performing situation. They are "cheaper"...not cheap, on a small DIY scale...but image putting an overhead cost on top of that, and start counting labor...and the ability to be cheaper than production of same quality and/or make a profit are basically gone...and then economies of scale start to mean a lot more.I think what you mean to ask is why aren't they making them with CXA's and VERO's?
There has been a shift to cob and/or multi chip panels. But nothing that is going to make the best smaller package chip panel makers scared.
The same reason you don't see a bunch of companies using xt-e's or nichia219...they cost more money ...a shit ton compared to un-named, unknown bins. And the major factories in china don't offer them as a part of the "custom" package ...
No one has ever stopped any company in the past from actually using top notch chips if they wanted to...but instead of actually investing and making a great product, they go for a "alternative" or better yet "proprietary" chip that for some weird coincidence, is cheaper too
EDIT: I might have read/taken the question the wrong way.
I don't know what some of the better pre made panel builders are. AT plays dumb with me on tech stuff sometimes, so they are hard to judge for me. But he knows what I am planning so maybe they will see something of value(for them...we all have seen the value).
And I don't know what they other top few have up their testing sleeves. Good question
I could see hans having one COB in the center and building his spectrum around it with smaller 3w/5w. He's not very whit focused but one cob could maybe add something better than what he has going on white wise.
Lol, not sure if that was a jab or joke, we get to pay more for everything here if that's any conciliationfuckin Canadians
Thanks, I figured they would be alright. We don't have a lot of options in Canada, Digikey seems to be the one that stocks the most and beyond that I'd be paying a lot more with duties and shipping from the US. They'll definitely outperform my Chinese panels in flowering, I'm pretty sure of thatAny 3070 can grow great buds. Z4 and AB bins put out 7.5% and 15% more lumens per Watt respectively but cost more and are harder to get. If you can get them they pay for themselves quickly. If you can't get them then growing buds now is worth a lot more than waiting weeks for better bins.
yeah,
Thanks, I figured they would be alright. We don't have a lot of options in Canada, Digikey seems to be the one that stocks the most and beyond that I'd be paying a lot more with duties and shipping from the US. They'll definitely outperform my Chinese panels in flowering, I'm pretty sure of that
Not heat sinks, there has to be some but haven't found one. Even with shipping though HSUSA is probably cheaper than buying them here. Bought the Meanwell drivers on e-bay, cheaper than anywhere and w/free shipping. Not really a save money project, but better quality/efficiency than most marketed panels, and you build what you want/need. You can buy custom like those BML's but then you're into bigger dollars again.Not only is our selection worse and more expensive here but anything we import comes with a tax /fees and exchange rate. My rw-150's will be much cheaper than my diy's when done. I got a deal on 8 AB's from another member on this forum and so did a few others. Those Z2's will work great though, have you found a canadian distributor for extruded heaksinks? The 5.886" from HSUSA cost as much to import/ship as it does to buy. Don't even get me started on the price of drivers in this country.
USA vs. Canada