Help with DIY cob build

Pdubadank

New Member
So I am in the process of getting all the info I can about cobs, drivers and heatsinks to design and build a cob system in my 2x4x5 tent

I have been looking around trying to find info about calculating or finding test info regarding the ppf of different cobs from cree and bridgelux to try and get the most bang for my buck.

If anyone could help..... I've been watching a lot of the YouTube stuff Growmau5 has posted but all the new info is a bit overwhelming....
 

canadian1969

Well-Known Member
Brew yourself a BIG pot of coffee and sit down and start reading all the relevant active threads here on RIU. There are many threads that directly answer your questions.
 

key4

Well-Known Member
8x Citizen 1212 on 2x hlg-185h-c1400.

4x vero29 type c on 2x hlg-185h-c1400

6x luminums cxm22 on 2xhlg-185h-48a

These 3 setups would be what id go for, all around the same price. Some will have better efficacy and some should have more even ppfd. All the info is around buried in the shitfests they call threads here.

But if money isnt a problem just use more chips at a lower current.

Timber has info on most of them on there site, you can use that as a rough guide.
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
So I am in the process of getting all the info I can about cobs, drivers and heatsinks to design and build a cob system in my 2x4x5 tent

I have been looking around trying to find info about calculating or finding test info regarding the ppf of different cobs from cree and bridgelux to try and get the most bang for my buck.

If anyone could help..... I've been watching a lot of the YouTube stuff Growmau5 has posted but all the new info is a bit overwhelming....
There is a thread on here called DIY COB Calculator, you can download 2 small apps (for pc) from the guys signature at the end of any of his posts. One is for cree, vero and some others (although last generation not new ones) The other is for citizen chips.
You can input your desired cob count and amperes and space and it will tell you the PPFD as well as efficiency.

It looks like this (using one of Key4s Examples)


1212 3500K80Min 8 COBS @1400 mA ON 1.813 PROFILE HEATSINK
8 SQ.FT. CANOPY 95% EFFICIENT DRIVER @11 CENTS PER KWH
Total power watts at the wall: 428.17
Cobs power watts: 406.76
Total voltage forward: 290.55
Total lumens: 61364.59
Total PAR watts assuming 10% loss: 164.86
Total PPF: 881.09
PPFD based on canopy area: 1185.49
PAR watts per sq.ft.: 20.61
Cob efficiency: 45.03%
Power watts per sq.ft.: 50.85
Voltage forward per cob: 36.32
Lumens per watt: 150.86
Heatsink riser thickness / number of fins / fin's length: 0.3in/6/0.95in
Heatsink area per inch: 100.94 cm^2
Total heat watts: 223.72
umol/s/W: 2.17 LER: 335.00 QER: 4.81
Heatsink length passive cooling @120cm^2/heatwatt: 266 inches
Heatsink length active cooling @40cm^2/heatwatt: 89 inches
COB cost dollar per PAR watt: $0.58
Electric cost @12/12 in 30 days: $16.96
Electric cost @18/6 in 30 days: $25.43
Cost per cob: $12.0
Heatsink cost per inch cut: $0.66
Total cobs cost: $96.0
Total heatsink passive cooling cost: $175.56
Total heatsink active cooling cost: $58.74

For what its worth you can run them softer than that.
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
@coreywebster Is there a simulator for the veros about? I know theres a spreadsheet to use but i like that tool.
The original COB calc has veros on there but they are last gen, that's the only one I know of.
Unfortunately the guy behind the cob calc hasn't updated it for some time and the original data was based on SupraSPL 's spread sheets I believe. It gives a rough idea which you can estimate improvements in newer chip gen.

https://www.rollitup.org/t/diy-cob-led-calculator.890214/
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Not sure on any other simulators though key4, I have newer gone down the vero rabbit hole so not needed to do much research on them. There may be more info in the thread "all things vero"
 

KonopCh

Well-Known Member
Those calculators are little off...
I have 6 Citizen 1212, driven at 1.05A (220W). But kill-a-watt shows me 280W. And driver is 94% efficient Meanwell in even more "friendly" 230V.

So no way you get from 406W COBs, 428W total power.
 

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Those calculators are little off...
I have 6 Citizen 1212, driven at 1.05A (220W). But kill-a-watt shows me 280W. And driver is 94% efficient Meanwell in even more "friendly" 230V.

So no way you get from 406W COBs, 428W total power.
doesn't surprise me they are off, they are only based on spread sheets and I just filled in willy nilly to give an example. That's a big difference though.
 
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