1200W Viparspectra LED versus Darkstar cooled 600W HPS

I was given a 1200w viparspectra dimmable LED by a friend who has recently invested in some top end boards. I think the actual draw at the wall is around 560w.

I am having trouble keeping my grow tent warm enough, and I am buying a radiator to put in my grow tent. However after researching on forums, most serious growers seems to argue air cooled HPS is superior to LED. Macrogrowers seem to prefer it and all my relatives who grow fruits and veggies use HPS or CMH or whatever it is called.

I am considering trading my 1200w viparspectra LED in for this model cooled HPS:


I have a large fan and extraction tubing at a mates he said I can have, I think it is an a1 fan.

My tent is 1.2 x 1.2 x 2. I have 5 inch extraction fan with carbon filter and a 4 inch 13w intake fan.

My tents are around 15-20 at lights on and can get as low as 5c. Obviously I will be getting a radiator so I can adress that issue regardless of light.

CANNABISCOOPERATIVE said:

... However after researching on forums, most serious growers seems to argue air cooled HPS is superior to LED ...

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Not all LED's. But there's no question the HPS will out-perform the DS 1200's blurples during flower. The Viparspectra's are very good for vegging but not as good for blooming. I have two of the Viparspectra DS 600's ( I think they are a combined 520 true watt units) and will pull about .70 g/w. With HPS, that yield doubles. If you can replace the 1200's with HPS ... do it.

By the summer of 2020, I hope to have those DS 600's out and one of the HLG 320w XL V2 units in their place.

I was given a vipar 1200 as well I think it pulls 520 w. I would like to replace the blurple chips with cobs on their drivers & heatsinks if I can

horribleherk said:

... I was given a vipar 1200 as well I think it pulls 520 w. I would like to replace the blurple chips with cobs on their drivers & heatsinks if I can ...

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Yeah ... the DS 1200 is 520 true watts. Your DS 1200 is two of my DS 600's - only difference is yours is in one housing.

Modifying these lights? I'd check with them before you do anything cause I read that Viparspectra are pretty helpful if you are technically and mechanically inclined. Personally, I would just prefer to replace the whole shebang with the QB's.

I'll probably never use it I've seen citizen cobs swapped into the anjeet Chinese cobs might pull the cover to see what the drivers are all about

horribleherk said:

I'll probably never use it I've seen citizen cobs swapped into the anjeet Chinese cobs might pull the cover to see what the drivers are all about

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Probably a lot of small drivers, something similar to these.....

I've 2x citizen 1212 cobs and 3x citizen 1212 cobs attached to those drivers. And 2x Cree 3590s too.
Around 50 watts at the wall. They're not the most efficient drivers but its good to tinker around with.
Handy for dropping in an extra bit of light in the corners or I'll sometimes use as side lighting.

Moflow said:

Probably a lot of small drivers, something similar to these.....
View attachment 4441719
I've 2x citizen 1212 cobs and 3x citizen 1212 cobs attached to those drivers. And 2x Cree 3590s too.
Around 50 watts at the wall. They're not the most efficient drivers but its good to tinker around with.
Handy for dropping in an extra bit of light in the corners or I'll sometimes use as side lighting.

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so there is hope ! just looking through the outer housing I can see 5 of them

Moflow said:

Probably a lot of small drivers, something similar to these.....
View attachment 4441719
I've 2x citizen 1212 cobs and 3x citizen 1212 cobs attached to those drivers. And 2x Cree 3590s too.
Around 50 watts at the wall. They're not the most efficient drivers but its good to tinker around with.
Handy for dropping in an extra bit of light in the corners or I'll sometimes use as side lighting.

Click to expand...

What about the voltage of the cobs matching the drivers? Possibly 48v cobs?

horribleherk said:

What about the voltage of the cobs matching the drivers? Possibly 48v cobs?

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You'll need to open it up, see what drivers are in it.
Which 48v cobs are you talking about, veros, big citizens ?
I just pulled the burples completely apart, saved the heatsinks, drivers and fans. Scrapped the big, brocky case.
Depending on the dimension of heatsink you might even be able to use led strips.

Moflow said:

You'll need to open it up, see what drivers are in it.
Which 48v cobs are you talking about, veros, big citizens ?
I just pulled the burples completely apart, saved the heatsinks, drivers and fans. Scrapped the big, brocky case.
Depending on the dimension of heatsink you might even be able to use led strips.

Click to expand...

without a doubt I'll have to open it up I just saw your driver was 50 volt &was wondering if voltage has to be exact I'm thinking your driver 50v.@120v. Input ??? Looking at most economic way to get this up for my 3x3 p

It has 5 of these , not sure what would be compatible

Looks like your voltage range is 100-140v.
Amps is 700mA or 0.7 amps.
So your cobs volts are added together to fit higher than 100v and just less than 140v.
As an example:
You should be able to to fit 4 x citizen 1212s on that driver.

Look at the current on the left column above, Curent (mA) ~700mA
Voltage is 33.9V per cob at 700mA.
140V max on driver.
4 x cobs = 4 x 33.9v = 135.6 V. It's more than the min - 100V and less than 140V max.
So ~ 23 watts per cob.

The chart above is for mk5 citizens from ~ 2016, the mk6 is a tad more efficient .
But it gives you an idea of what to do

I rest my case.......