VIPARSPECTRA led vs cob kit

mauricem00

Well-Known Member
the expensive LED makers use multi- band LEDs like viparspectra uses and many of these manufacturers claim that plants can only use 40% of the light produced by white LEDs. if this is true than that 165LPW that some COB boys claim only gives 66lpw of usable light to the plants. you can find grow journals here using every kind of light including viparspectra and COBs. review those grows to get an accurate picture of what each kind of light can do.in these grow journals I don't see much difference between these lights and have only tasted weed grown under 4 band leds (450,630.660nm and white leds)and the quality was not impressive. weed grown under HPS,CMH or even fluorescent had better flavor and effect.
 

greg nr

Well-Known Member
look up growmau5 on youtube. lots of tutorials and diy build examples.

If you go cobkits, look at the citizen 1212's ($13 each) with a meanwell driver (the 185h-cxxxx can run up to 5 36v cobs (4 if you want to be safe). the wattage will determine efficiency and brightness.

you will also need a carrier and heat sink for each cob.
 

greg nr

Well-Known Member
I have seen allot of people grow some nice bud under blurple lights,,, and many of us have purchased them before,,
but most of us end up making funny videos with them after we up grade,, i saw one guy use his old blurple in his office for house plants,, lol,,
my old mars panel is out in the barn collecting dust,,
You do know there is a simple hack to convert that old mars to cob right? It has everything you need from a fan/driver perspective. Just take out the led array and add back cobs......
 

Tim Fox

Well-Known Member
You do knwithithere is a simple hack to convert that old mars to cob right? It has everything you need from a fan/driver perspective. Just take out the led array and add back cobs......
It's more fun to get it out at Halloween and scare people with it hahaha
 

Hybridway

Well-Known Member
Might be a stupid question but have they been able to produce high CRI cobs or white diodes w/o sacrificing much efficiency /output yet?
I see some guys going high CRI which is what I'd do if I went w/ a white only light. Just wondering if they've reached that point yet?
 

Zbud94

Well-Known Member
Might be a stupid question but have they been able to produce high CRI cobs or white diodes w/o sacrificing much efficiency /output yet?
I see some guys going high CRI which is what I'd do if I went w/ a white only light. Just wondering if they've reached that point yet?
All the articles I have read recently state that 80cri had been the best for efficiency and growth. I'd like 90 Cri but not if the 80s are still better
 

MeGaKiLlErMaN

Well-Known Member
Might be a stupid question but have they been able to produce high CRI cobs or white diodes w/o sacrificing much efficiency /output yet?
I see some guys going high CRI which is what I'd do if I went w/ a white only light. Just wondering if they've reached that point yet?
The 90cri finish about a week early, the 80cri provide the best price to performance(perhaps 70cri will but we will have to wait Rahz results) but they take a bit longer in flower. Not sure about the quality/quantity yet
 
I'm planning out a 2 X 4 grow space and ordered a set of 8 cxb3590 plus ideal holders and a hlg185-700 to drive them low for under $400 including fees and shipping from kingbrite. Above your initial range and might be overkill for my space for now but based on what I have seen and the reliability and efficiency this seems the best way to go. Still trying to decide on heatsinks tho lol. GL man!
 

Hybridway

Well-Known Member
The 90cri finish about a week early, the 80cri provide the best price to performance(perhaps 70cri will but we will have to wait Rahz results) but they take a bit longer in flower. Not sure about the quality/quantity yet
I saw a pic of Olives 90 CRI next to his 80 n it looked so crisp n clean. @Olive Drab Green, do you notice differences in the growth or would you need 2 of the same strain side by side to notice? Maybe I'm on the wrong thread for this but it was on my mind.
 

mauricem00

Well-Known Member
the new bridgelux EB series strip lights look like an interesting alternative to COBs. high efficiency (165lpw) more uniform light distribution and inexpensive.LED makers have already abandoned horticultural lights and seem to be moving away from cobs towards arrays of SMDs like northern lights use in their grow lights.wounder it these SMDs last or fail quickly like corn cob lights from ebay
 

Olive Drab Green

Well-Known Member
I saw a pic of Olives 90 CRI next to his 80 n it looked so crisp n clean. @Olive Drab Green, do you notice differences in the growth or would you need 2 of the same strain side by side to notice? Maybe I'm on the wrong thread for this but it was on my mind.
Probably would need a side-by-side, but the 90CRI actually puts out more PPFD using less amperage/wattage. I also hear it puts out more IR than the 80CRI.

Here's one of two plants underneath 241w. Colorado Thunder Fuck by @RM3. Notice the 90CRI's beam in the middle.

IMG_4099.JPG IMG_4105.JPG IMG_4104.JPG
 

Hybridway

Well-Known Member
Probably would need a side-by-side, but the 90CRI actually puts out more PPFD using less amperage/wattage. I also hear it puts out more IR than the 80CRI.

Here's one of two plants underneath 241w. Colorado Thunder Fuck by @RM3. Notice the 90CRI's beam in the middle.

View attachment 3873777 View attachment 3873780 View attachment 3873781
Yeah, you can really see the difference in the beam. Almost like its 4k compared to the others but it's 35k too, right?
Looking good.
Next run, maybe consider some light duty side-lighting. Just a little bit will increase your yields by allot.
Very nice plants though. I bet your going to get great GPW on this & a hefty yield.
 

Olive Drab Green

Well-Known Member
Yeah, you can really see the difference in the beam. Almost like its 4k compared to the others but it's 35k too, right?
Looking good.
Next run, maybe consider some light duty side-lighting. Just a little bit will increase your yields by allot.
Very nice plants though. I bet your going to get great GPW on this & a hefty yield.
I have actually considered something like those cheap small diodes that GrowMau5 mentioned, or some Citis run at only about 700-1400mA each.
 

mauricem00

Well-Known Member

Olive Drab Green

Well-Known Member
These are 3500k, by the way.

The 90CRI is a Vero29C Gen 7 driven at 1670 by a Meanwell LPF-90D-54.

The 80CRI is a Cree CXB3590 CD/Top Bin driven at 2150mA by a Meanwell LPF-90D-42.
 

Budzbuddha

Well-Known Member
You do know there is a simple hack to convert that old mars to cob right? It has everything you need from a fan/driver perspective. Just take out the led array and add back cobs......
Everything you need to REFIT that old mars , is inside . All you have to do is SHITCAN the led array and add either COB or Quantum Board ... Like i did.
I gutted it of its drivers ... I kept the dual fans and driver .... Repainted case and installed Quantum Board .... Now it is a killer light.

image.jpg
 
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