Vero 10 5000k Veg Light: diy step-by-step build

hey gang....

If you ever though about getting into building your own led light, follow along....I took a bunch of photos as I put together a veg light for a 1x2' space with maybe 27" of height or so...this should cover it well...
Specs
21" Long x 5" wide by 2" high.....
2x Vero 10 5k @ 6-7watts each = 13 watt
5v fan power supply [5v x .5amps] = 2.5 watts
Roughly a 15w fixture, could almost cover 4 sq. ft.....@ 24-18"







It is about a 13w light...I am using a 280mA driver to run two cobs in a series.....I am still running over 40% efficiency direct to the canopy, that competes or beats out per watt ANY high end commercial light!

as you can see, if I was running @ 280ma I would be slightly below 42% efficiency and using almost 7 watts for each cob at about 140 lumens per watt....more important the PAR wattage

Par Wattage is [Efficiency % x Wattage]
Each Vero is [.42 x 6.39= 2.68 watts]

for comparison.......Consider a 26w 5k CFL is probably 15% efficiency so..[.15x26 = 3.9 par watts]
......but, a LED cobs emit light in a 120 degree + arc, downward from the light source...meaning very little light is lost like the omnidirectional light that emits from a cfl.....in the best mounting position for downard lighting, the cfl may only be delivering 50% of its PAR on its BEST day....meaning 1.95 par watts for every 26 watt CFL....
Also...the cfl is 65-70 lumens/per watt, while the LED is double that 140+ lumens per watt....

Build

LED drivers are almost always Constant Current...the exceptions are the RGB strip lights...
P Equation Watts = Volts x Amps [current]
Each Vero 10 is 25.57 volts @250 milliamps of current [25.7 x .25= 6.3925 watts]

• 2x Bridgelux Vero 10 5000k 80cri diodes [Led Cob aka chip on board]
  • http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/BXRC-50E1000-B-04/976-1193-ND/4747499
• Molex wire adaptors [one for each cob]
  • http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/0688014146/WM9591-ND/388
• 25w LED Driver 110AC - 24-80volts DC @ 280mA [these will do up to 3x Vero 10's in a series..
  • http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/6454680822.html?orderId=65487750032110

Heatsinks/Fan/Driver Mounting



1 heatsink I had laying around from LEDSupply [75 grams]...Another is an unknown that weighs 59grams and is using a recycled Playstation 2, 60mm 7v dc cooling fan...The other 50mm .125 12v fan was from a 400w inverter case....
Fan Power Supply: 5v 700ma AC/DC phone charger...Nokia

Rule of thumb: for every 25cm2 of heatsink using active cooling [fans] assume cooling for 1watt of led disapation....for passive cooling assume 75cm2 for every 1w.

The 3rd heatsink is also harvested from a Playstation 2 and was meant for a 3rd Vero led, but I decided to use it as a heat extractor for the driver....[these things can get hot and make your ambient temps [Ta] rise a little.....More so in much bigger builds, but still the concept remains...
Parts / Assembly



Really, I had everything left over from past builds or wrong orders....Wago wire connectors [224-412's] are a must.
Using Prolimatech PK1 paste to mount the cobs and a little laser thermal temperatur gauge is super handy for monitoring temps during the 1st testing...

Also had some left over driver cases that I made into Wago junctions boxes to hide all my wiring connections

to be continued.......

build continued......


wago connectors inside little Led Driver blank cases...wrong size I had ordered in the past..also wiring the AC mains into these little black project boxes I also got off Ebay in a 5 pack, very handy, for all kinds of stoof...:joint.

Mounting the cob.....

I follow the SupraSPL kapton tape mounting method for these small cobs....

1st
apply a little drop of Pk1 prolimatech thermal compound PASTE....on the mounting plate on the back of the LED.....


A little paste goes a long way, it will spread out as you mount the LED.....flip it over and hold it down firmly...I like to gently rub a star pattern to smooth the paste on the cob...then hold firmly in one place for 30 seconds and wait.....

If all goes well, the cob will stick with vacuum pressure [Trust me, they won't fall off!!!!] then the last step is to add some Kapton tape, just to make sure they stay secured to the heatsink.....and then both LEDs and we are ready to turn it on...

I hope a lot of people read this. I have a build I will soon be posting on here. For what we spend on these things by the beginning of the second month our investment has paid for itself, either by not having to pay an absurd electric bill or by not paying $1000-2000 for a led panel made by company such and such. Actually I'm gunna dig out my other builds too. Some of which that for $70 outperform any UFO on the market by at least 50%.

ya, pretty sure ill be making the switch to these ASAP. i kept saying i dont want another project and just needed to get growing... but its just dumb not to go this route with my grow box. Cabinet space is 45x32x20 inches. This little DIY is just what i needed to read, thanks!

NorthernHize said:

I hope a lot of people read this. I have a build I will soon be posting on here. For what we spend on these things by the beginning of the second month our investment has paid for itself, either by not having to pay an absurd electric bill or by not paying $1000-2000 for a led panel made by company such and such. Actually I'm gunna dig out my other builds too. Some of which that for $70 outperform any UFO on the market by at least 50%.

Click to expand...

I will be on the lookout for your build Hize, thats awesome, another one bites the dust....No doubt about absorbent front loaded costs and ticky tacky claims by all but a few LED builders, what a shame it has become....

I started working on this because my main project has been derailed for the moment [Don't F around with cheap drivers, not worth the time waiting, let alone the hassle]

Zoltan32 said:

ya, pretty sure ill be making the switch to these ASAP. i kept saying i dont want another project and just needed to get growing... but its just dumb not to go this route with my grow box. Cabinet space is 45x32x20 inches. This little DIY is just what i needed to read, thanks!

Click to expand...

Agree zoltan and if you have any questions, I know some things I left out, but realistically most COB led's available, are all generically mounted this way....they will kick some series ass in your box...

I am 4 diy fixtures into LED, plus my time spent buying bulbs for the last year too...I am hooked

Back in the lab 2nite, doing a burn in and monitoring the junction temperature [Tc].....


Here are my wiring diagrams:

I just wanted to know how you incorporated the cry baby into the build, dimmer?

NorthernHize said:

I just wanted to know how you incorporated the cry baby into the build, dimmer?

Click to expand...

It is actually just eye candy....it was left out, I was picking it over for pieces, thinking about using it with an Arduino for a "smart" pedal....Bass too!

Is that wattage listed for veg or flower? I currently have 7 vero 10 at 300mA. My 8th wasn't fastened well and burnt up.

I was using them over a 2 x 4 table not enclosed for veggie seed starting and then growing mint.

Would 8 of them flower a 2 x 4 tent?

Derp I missed where you said veg light

@Voidling

Bummer about the 8th diode.....was it wiring or thermal paste related?

I think that 1x Vero 10 @ 300mA / per sq ft....is a really good ratio, only leaves you with about 275-300 PPFD but that is good enough for seed starting and herb veggies....


If I was going to flower, I would probably have to do at least 3x Vero 10 per sq. ft.....

Bonjour
@Abiqua what do you think about 12 vero13 @350mA (hlg-120-350b) for 11sq/ft (105x105x135cm) to vegg. Or maybe 16 @250mA...I am sure 9 @500mA would do the job but I am not against a bit more efficiency!
I was on the way to buy the V10 but it is hard to find driver under 250mA if I want to drive them softer in the future so V13 it is!...
I was thinking V18 but since I do not have much height I prefer lower w and mA.
Have a great day ★

littlejacob said:

Bonjour
@Abiqua what do you think about 12 vero13 @350mA (hlg-120-350b) for 11sq/ft (105x105x135cm) to vegg. Or maybe 16 @250mA...I am sure 9 @500mA would do the job but I am not against a bit more efficiency!
I was on the way to buy the V10 but it is hard to find driver under 250mA if I want to drive them softer in the future so V13 it is!...
I was thinking V18 but since I do not have much height I prefer lower w and mA.
Have a great day ★

Click to expand...

The HLG/ 12x Vero combo....would be awesome...1x would be great coverage for each 25-30cm^2
250mA or even 200mA is a size I like as well, but like you said, limited availability....at least at a reasonable price....


Depending on the final size of your plants, the V13's also allow you a bigger plant in veg, than what I work with.....
My maximum distance above the plants is 12"...

I also prefer to spread out diodes if I can too....So if I get to choose:.....I pick the 12x vs the 9x....and PPFD would still probably be 400+

Thanks
I would like 1 foot plant max and 8 inches between plant and cob, 10 maxi...I only have 30 inches height
CU

I have to figure how many watts are the V13 @350mA...and I am pretty confident that 12 would fit on it...than upgrade to 16 @250 or 175 mA (4x4) to upgrade everything, spread, efficiency, lifetime...
CU

Abiqua said:

@Voidling

Bummer about the 8th diode.....was it wiring or thermal paste related?

I think that 1x Vero 10 @ 300mA / per sq ft....is a really good ratio, only leaves you with about 275-300 PPFD but that is good enough for seed starting and herb veggies....


If I was going to flower, I would probably have to do at least 3x Vero 10 per sq. ft.....

Click to expand...

I had used the kapton tape method and didn't get the tape good and the arctic silver didn't hold it on.

Maybe I didn't have the lights close enough or didn't transplant soon enough but I seem to remember my veggies stretching.

Thanks for the number

Nice yveg light

....my offtopic post... ...curious test..... i like...






...diy pvc way ehhh...not my prefered way...i hear bad comments with some gass emitions under HPS and they using more pvc than you and you are using leds without uv or infrared... and for my pov we move a lot of air with intraction and extractions... and maybe its a fake or similar bs... anyway ...its other economic diy way... ...



Saludos

Abiqua said:

The HLG/ 12x Vero combo....would be awesome...1x would be great coverage for each 25-30cm^2
250mA or even 200mA is a size I like as well, but like you said, limited availability....at least at a reasonable price....


Depending on the final size of your plants, the V13's also allow you a bigger plant in veg, than what I work with.....
My maximum distance above the plants is 12"...

I also prefer to spread out diodes if I can too....So if I get to choose:.....I pick the 12x vs the 9x....and PPFD would still probably be 400+

Click to expand...

According to the spreadsheet only about 223PPFD

Bonjour
So, maybe 16 V13 would be better...only for vegging!
On the hlg-120-350b...or 16 is too much? I don't have 120-350 data sheet!
CU