First build! Rapid LED 3 COB Vero build and review

Been wanting to get my feet wet with a diy cob build for a wile now. Designed a decent build for a 4x4 but decided to start with a kit. Went with the Rapid LED 3 cob vero 29 kit with a 2100ma driver. Gotta say its a really decent kit and fuck all bright! I knew these were powerful but i gotta say i was blown away with how much light these put out! Will start working on making my own reflectors tomorrow out of some 6"x6" pieces of aluminum flashing. I purchased 2 kits and will eventually build the light i desgned and use the 3 to light a 4x8. My design in the middle and a kit light on each end. Imo a great consideration for people looking to get into LED lighting though i will say it benefits from a little planning and some extra bits/hardware for securing wires. I used all of the hardware from the second kit as well as a hardy dose of zip ties and wire tie downs. Gotta make a run to the hardware store and pick up some more nuts n bolts so i can finish the second build. Needless to say, im not a fan of wires wiggling. Tie them shits down!
I give this kit a 9 out of 10. Value and quality are there. Fast shipping, excellent packing. A handful of doo dads to properly route and secure wiring is the only thing holding back the 10

Using a 6"x6" piece of aluminum ill only have to make 4 cuts (and nip off the corners as result of the bends). A 2.5" hole saw for the middle and rivets to join the corners. Debating on sanding/polishing for a bare finish or using a flat white high temp paint. I was messing around yesterday and got a pretty good finish on some pretty ugly reflectors from a cfl reptile fixture wet sanding 500, 1000, 1200, 3,000 5,000 then finishing with a buffing pad on my finish sander with blue magic metal polish. The right side is where i polished.

Where'd you put the driver? I'm curious about getting the heatsink package and putting my own vero's on there. I want to put two 70 watt and one 95 watt chip on it. Just emailed rapidled to see if they think it might work. Seems like a pretty clean setup over going separate heatsink/fans like I did on my last build. Curious about those reflectors too, I have some aluminum that I might try to do something similar with. Not sure how reflective or pure mine is though. Might just end up losing a lot of light to heat so I'm hesitant.

Halfandhalf said:

Where'd you put the driver? I'm curious about getting the heatsink package and putting my own vero's on there. I want to put two 70 watt and one 95 watt chip on it. Just emailed rapidled to see if they think it might work. Seems like a pretty clean setup over going separate heatsink/fans like I did on my last build. Curious about those reflectors too, I have some aluminum that I might try to do something similar with. Not sure how reflective or pure mine is though. Might just end up losing a lot of light to heat so I'm hesitant.

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The driver is remote. Im testing one of the units out now wile i revanmp the light i use for veg. I have a sort of tent i built into my closet. I used pieces of shelving as the roof, i do my cloning up top with super sprouter humidomes and lights. I screwed the driver into the under side of the shelf. The enclosure kit comes with a piece of plexi 1/8" thick. I would think that or the plastic angelina reflectors would create alot more heat than really thin aluminum bolted to an aluminum heatsink. Also without reflectors your photon loss is going to be pretty significant up top, light just shooting out in all directions, nothing to guid it to your canopy. Nobody wants rogue photons!

I was gonna get an angelina reflector but I have the vero se's which apparently don't play nice with them. Not sure if I can just tape them in place with some kapton or something though. Definitely would like to build my own though still, where did you get your aluminum, anything special with it?

Halfandhalf said:

I was gonna get an angelina reflector but I have the vero se's which apparently don't play nice with them. Not sure if I can just tape them in place with some kapton or something though. Definitely would like to build my own though still, where did you get your aluminum, anything special with it?

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Donation from a buddy! Just cheap thin flashing, any hardware store should have it. Very easy to work with. You can hand bend it. For cutting it i found that a scribe line followed by a once or twice over with a utility knife gives you a nice seam that breaks fairly clean with a little bending. Tin snips and scissors leave a nasty edge and are just a pain in the ass. Ledil makes a nice silicone lense that i believe fits over the se if you want to save some work. Im cheap and love making things myself if i can. Even if i scrap it and buy what i was trying to make i always learn something!

Nice setup. I have been getting parts from them too. I have a 250 watt cree setup going that I am going to bump to 350 after this run. I love the 2 day delivery time with them so far. Also don't might the growmau5 discount code they have.

Halfandhalf said:

I was gonna get an angelina reflector but I have the vero se's which apparently don't play nice with them. Not sure if I can just tape them in place with some kapton or something though. Definitely would like to build my own though still, where did you get your aluminum, anything special with it?

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Dont listen to that rubish, they fit and work well.. I got alot of stuff from rapid as well and was told the reflectors wont fit.. They will, just need longer screws. I went with m4/10s and they worked just fine..
Cheers

Strainbane said:

Nice setup. I have been getting parts from them too. I have a 250 watt cree setup going that I am going to bump to 350 after this run. I love the 2 day delivery time with them so far. Also don't might the growmau5 discount code they have.

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I took advantage of that! Didnt know if there was one or not, typed growmau5 into the coupon code slot and got dayum i saved 22$!

Jimmyclone42 said:

Dont listen to that rubish, they fit and work well.. I got alot of stuff from rapid as well and was told the reflectors wont fit.. They will, just need longer screws. I went with m4/10s and they worked just fine..
Cheers

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Whats the fit n finish end up like with that setup? Pic would be cool. This is good info!

Ill take one when i get home... Looks good..

Jimmyclone42 said:

Ill take one when i get home... Looks good..

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Right arm. Thanks!

Cletus clem said:

Whats the fit n finish end up like with that setup? Pic would be cool. This is good info!

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i love these kits gettin ready to fire up this 4x4 with two of the vero kits got the 3500 k @240/1400 ma over 500watts led im gonna say is definitely killing a 600 watt hid.

Nick42 said:

View attachment 3950799 i love these kits gettin ready to fire up this 4x4 with two of the vero kits got the 3500 k @ 1400 ma over 500watts led im gonna say is definitely killing a 600 watt hid.

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Not over 500 unless you have another cob build too. Those should be 210 max each. 50v x 1.4a x 3 x 2 = 420 watts
Perfect number though

36v x 1.4a x 3 x 2 = 300w

Nick42 said:

View attachment 3950799 i love these kits gettin ready to fire up this 4x4 with two of the vero kits got the 3500 k @ 1400 ma over 500watts led im gonna say is definitely killing a 600 watt hid.

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Halfandhalf said:

Not over 500 unless you have another cob build too. Those should be 210 max each. 50v x 1.4a x 3 x 2 = 420 watts
Perfect number though

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Or are you both wrong???? If these are the gen 7 that come in the rapid kit they are actually about 37 volts. The 1400ma kit is about 156 watts. The 2100ma kit is 240, but pulls about 260 from the wall. Either way, i believe the vero is 36v or 70v. No 50. Luminous or citizens come in 50 volts. Cree and vero are 36 and 70/72

Halfandhalf said:

Not over 500 unless you have another cob build too. Those should be 210 max each. 50v x 1.4a x 3 x 2 = 420 watts
Perfect number though

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haha thats cool. But i was just quoting the wattage draw on rapids spread sheet. I know that you lose wattage on the driver and heat. But man these mfrs are still bright!!! Wow they will blind u cranked all the way up!!!! It is like looking at the sun no bs!! And i plan to add three more veros and switch to longer heatsinks with more fans when i flip!!!

Jimmyclone42 said:

36v x 1.4a x 3 x 2 = 300w

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got the 240 drivers. Unless my maths wrong thats def more than 36v to each cob. Sorry had to edit my reply didnt specify the driver voltage. Might still be wrong but i do know these mfrs kick ass!!

Cletus clem said:

Or are you both wrong???? If these are the gen 7 that come in the rapid kit they are actually about 37 volts. The 1400ma kit is about 156 watts. The 2100ma kit is 240, but pulls about 260 from the wall. Either way, i believe the vero is 36v or 70v. No 50. Luminous or citizens come in 50 volts. Cree and vero are 36 and 70/72

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If im correct the 240/1400 ma driver is putting out like 180v in series it divides that voltage by three cobs thats 60v a piece actually comes out to 252watts times two thats just over 500. If im running them with the dimming leads open the driver is putting out like 105% if you look at the bridgelux spec sheet on this cob Max reverse voltage is like 65 volts.

Jimmyclone42 said:

36v x 1.4a x 3 x 2 = 300w

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The 240/1400ma driver puts out like 180v. In series divided by 3 thats like 60 volts a piece