Looking to replace my 650w for 3x3. 1212, 1218 or Vero or...?

Nameless'

Nameless'

Active Member
Currently using a 400W + 250W HPS and pulling around 400-450gr dried each harvest, but heat is kind of hard to manage especially with summer coming.

So I'm looking to replace this with a COB setup where I could match my current harvest, or even better, outperform it.

I'm still learning this world so I'm looking for some advices. I was thinking of putting 8 Citizen 1212 or 6 1818/Vero but still not sure what would be the best and at which current I should run them to get the best efficienty.

My budget is a bit limited at around 300-400euros max, so I'm discarding cree chips.
 
R

Raging Stalk

Active Member
I went with C version Vero SE 29s in 3000k 80 and 90 cri. They won out in my opinion for the following reasons:

1. Best performance per cob in the Vero series at any given wattage.
2. Run happily with drivers that provide a 62-72v range with 700ma landing you at around 45w per cob.
3. Have push in connectors perfect for 18g solid wire and don't require a holder needing only 2 m3 sized fasteners.
4. Were available at a good price.
5. Work well for my environment.

I saved costs by reusing an old chinese led panel which allowed me to buy more cobs. The conversion was fairly straightforward to do and I am able to run more cobs at lower power for even more efficiency.

At 20w the 3000k 80 cri hits 240lm/w, and 192lm/w when run at 46w. Lots of light and barely any heat.
 
CobKits

CobKits

Well-Known Member
for a 3x3 9 cobs works best

using 35W/SF rule of thumb thats 315W

you run 600 which is on the upper end so lets say 40W/SF or 360 cob W

360/9 = 40 watts per cob

citi 1212 is prob the best bang for the buck in this range and you can make your design to dial them up to 50W max if you need to go ballz out for a bit. above 50W cxm22 or 1818 or vero29B or D are all good calls
 
Nameless'

Nameless'

Active Member
Ok so I'm thinking of going with 9 citi 1212 then, price is fine, and if I'm correct it's better to have more LED at lower wattage thant fewer at higher. Not sure if I'm just gonna go with 3500K or some 4000K also.
But still not sure about the driver. What's best ? One driver to run everything or split it with 2 or 3 drivers ? I was thinking of doing 3 bars x 3 cobs.
Playing a little bit with the DIY calculator, if I run them @ 1.05A this gives me a PPFD of around 813 if I'm correct, which I guess is fine ?

But still don't know which driver I should go with.
 
klx

klx

Well-Known Member
Nameless' said:
Ok so I'm thinking of going with 9 citi 1212 then, price is fine, and if I'm correct it's better to have more LED at lower wattage thant fewer at higher. Not sure if I'm just gonna go with 3500K or some 4000K also.
Click to expand...
It sure is better....for the vendors :lol:
 
CobKits

CobKits

Well-Known Member
its a cost factor. if youre going to be heating your space in the winter cob efficiency aint all that important. some people like on hawaii pay 60 cents a KWH and its a big deal
 
majins

majins

Well-Known Member
Iv always gotten 1g or slightly over per watt since I changed over to Cree 3070 a few years back.
So if you aim for 400W of quality Cobs you should get equal or better then your 650W HPS.

Now there are 3 ways you can go about it.
Less up front cost and buy less Cobs but drive them harder and only be in the 40% efficiency range. (still better then HPS 12-22%) (Would only need 4-5 cobs)
Drive them at a medium current, Usually the best way to go and will get you around 50% efficiency. (Would need 6-7)
Or under drive them which will have the most cost up front but youll be in high 50%s for efficiency, (Need around 9-10)
 
Nameless'

Nameless'

Active Member
citi 1212 are at 10$ each so the cost is not that much for me. I need to run them quite cool so I can try to run a grow in the summer, so that's why I also think it's better to me to have more cobs.

I'm thinking of doing 3 bars with 3 cobs each. I'd like to make one bar independant, that I could maybe use in another tent later.

So I tought going with these drivers, is that ok, too much or not enough ?

HLG-120H-C1400A x 1 for 3 1212 between 700 and 1400mA
HLG-320H-C1400A x 1 for 6 1212 between 700 and 1400mA

Regarding 1212, I was thinking of going with

3 CLU048-1212C4-353H6K2 3500K CRI 90
6 CLU048-1212C4-403M2K1 4000K CRI 80

So 2 4000k and 1 3500k / bar

I'm more interested in a spectrum toward flowering tho, but 4000K as more lm/W. Or maybe should I do the reverse, 2 3500K and 1 4000K ?

So many options :eyesmoke:
 
topcat

topcat

Well-Known Member
IMG_0334.JPG
Nameless' said:
citi 1212 are at 10$ each so the cost is not that much for me. I need to run them quite cool so I can try to run a grow in the summer, so that's why I also think it's better to me to have more cobs.

I'm thinking of doing 3 bars with 3 cobs each. I'd like to make one bar independant, that I could maybe use in another tent later.

So I tought going with these drivers, is that ok, too much or not enough ?

HLG-120H-C1400A x 1 for 3 1212 between 700 and 1400mA
HLG-320H-C1400A x 1 for 6 1212 between 700 and 1400mA

Regarding 1212, I was thinking of going with

3 CLU048-1212C4-353H6K2 3500K CRI 90
6 CLU048-1212C4-403M2K1 4000K CRI 80

So 2 4000k and 1 3500k / bar

I'm more interested in a spectrum toward flowering tho, but 4000K as more lm/W. Or maybe should I do the reverse, 2 3500K and 1 4000K ?

So many options :eyesmoke:
Click to expand...
I went with that idea, too. I wanted more versatility, even if it meant more money, I have 3 stand-alone lamps that I can use in other applications and not be stuck with the square configuration. Each has on/off, dimming and can be adjusted independently. I copied TastyLED, since I bought one of @Rahz art works, with my own style. I couldn't fabricate the shroud. I'm using smaller tents (2x4 & 3x3). These use CLU048-1212 3000K CRI 70 at the moment. Drivers are HLG-120H-C1400B. I have the reflectors and diffusers on now. I'm experimenting on my own. I have a set of 1212s in CRI 90 to swap out later.
 
visajoe1

visajoe1

Well-Known Member
topcat said:
View attachment 3904607


I went with that idea, too. I wanted more versatility, even if it meant more money, I have 3 stand-alone lamps that I can use in other applications and not be stuck with the square configuration. Each has on/off, dimming and can be adjusted independently. I copied TastyLED, since I bought one of @Rahz art works, with my own style. I couldn't fabricate the shroud. I'm using smaller tents (2x4 & 3x3). These use CLU048-1212 3000K CRI 70 at the moment. Drivers are HLG-120H-C1400B. I have the reflectors and diffusers on now. I'm experimenting on my own. I have a set of 1212s in CRI 90 to swap out later.
Click to expand...
Clean build!
 
Jimmyclone42

Jimmyclone42

Well-Known Member
topcat said:
View attachment 3904607


I went with that idea, too. I wanted more versatility, even if it meant more money, I have 3 stand-alone lamps that I can use in other applications and not be stuck with the square configuration. Each has on/off, dimming and can be adjusted independently. I copied TastyLED, since I bought one of @Rahz art works, with my own style. I couldn't fabricate the shroud. I'm using smaller tents (2x4 & 3x3). These use CLU048-1212 3000K CRI 70 at the moment. Drivers are HLG-120H-C1400B. I have the reflectors and diffusers on now. I'm experimenting on my own. I have a set of 1212s in CRI 90 to swap out later.
Click to expand...
Very nice unit buddy..
 
Nameless'

Nameless'

Active Member
topcat said:
View attachment 3904607


I went with that idea, too. I wanted more versatility, even if it meant more money, I have 3 stand-alone lamps that I can use in other applications and not be stuck with the square configuration. Each has on/off, dimming and can be adjusted independently. I copied TastyLED, since I bought one of @Rahz art works, with my own style. I couldn't fabricate the shroud. I'm using smaller tents (2x4 & 3x3). These use CLU048-1212 3000K CRI 70 at the moment. Drivers are HLG-120H-C1400B. I have the reflectors and diffusers on now. I'm experimenting on my own. I have a set of 1212s in CRI 90 to swap out later.
Click to expand...
Looks very nice ! Any reason you went with 3000K 70CRI ? Did you finished an harvest with this setup yet ?
 
topcat

topcat

Well-Known Member
Nameless' said:
Looks very nice ! Any reason you went with 3000K 70CRI ? Did you finished an harvest with this setup yet ?
Click to expand...
I have one tent for vegetables and I was guessing that 70 would be better for them. The low cost of the 1212s made it easier to experiment. I'm an outdoor grower who just came back to indoor last year. I'm still dialing in the process. It's been up only 2.5 months, so no harvest, yet. I've had a lot of fun with the lamp building. It reminds me of my youth, building and racing slot cars. That was the most soldering experience I'd had, until recently. I just moved the veggies to another lamp. IMG_0339.JPG Here's some youngsters.
 
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Nameless'

Nameless'

Active Member
I'm still having a hard time deciding with which COB I should go with...

Here are the options I've came up so far with the DIY Calculator :


1212 :

x 9 = 90euros + 100euros Heatsink = 190euros - PPFD = 813 @ 1.05A = 355w

1825 :

x 4 = 140euros for COB + 40euros Heatsink = 180euros - PPFD = 744 @ 1.4A = 304W
x 6 = 210euros for COB + 60euros Heatsink. = 270euros - PPFD = 848 @ 1.05A = 337W

1818 :

x6 = 115euros for COB + 60euros Heatsink = 175euros - PPFD = 796 @ 1.05A = 344W

Vero :

x 4 = 84 euros + 40euros Heatsink = 124euros =
x 6 = 126 euros + 60 Heatsink = 180euros - PPFD = 674 @ 1.4A = 333w

I guess my best options are either 1818 or 1212, but not sure which option would be the best regarding efficiency and weight I can pull from those setups.

Any opinions ?
 
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