COB/LED Upgrade

I currently have a 600W Viparspectra LED for veg, and I add another 300W Viparspectra during flower.

I'm interesting in upgrading to something stronger, possibly COB's. But I'm a but confused on what to get, and how to set them up. Could use some input, what do you guys all find works best?

What size is the grow area? Height? Soil?
Scrog? I ask to help understand coverage, penetration, watts per sq ft. Req/needs.

Actual wattage of your vipars?

TintEastwood said:

What size is the grow area? Height? Soil?
Scrog? I ask to help understand coverage, penetration, watts per sq ft. Req/needs.

Actual wattage of your vipars?

Click to expand...

Sorry, I meant to include this info.

It’s a 3x3’ area, tent is 6’ tall, so I don’t want to have to place them too far from the canopy.

It’s a soil grow, organic no till in a 30”x30x16” bed, around 65 gallons.

The vipars are around 260 and 140 actual watts. I know both together are just under 400w actual draw.

a 320W driver with 4 cobs would do that area fine, ~$250

^^^
or 320w of good light strips or boards.

CobKits said:

a 320W driver with 4 cobs would do that area fine, ~$250

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GBAUTO said:

^^^
or 320w of good light strips or boards.

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Where would I look into getting these? I'm in Canada, if that makes a difference.

Super interested in the high CRI values of the COB. Which lights are recommended though, 3500k?

Thanks again


EDIT: I found these CREE COB's on amazon, price seems high though... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XPX281Y/ref=twister_B07DCM7RP4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This light was one I was leaning towards, I've heard the combination of COB/regular LED's is a good route. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07MZ1QHKC/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza?th=1#customerReviews

Also looking at this one. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07MZ1QHKC/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza?th=1#customerReviews


EDIT #2: These ones have really good reviews, what does everyone think? https://www.amazon.ca/Optic-LED-Light-3000k-5000k/dp/B0786TRHYX/ref=pd_sbs_86_2/136-5406079-7733325?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0786TRHYX&pd_rd_r=0fc92ad9-da0d-4a0f-8a57-1b1a5769fc94&pd_rd_w=Nib2r&pd_rd_wg=uiXK5&pf_rd_p=4cf4f791-afd4-44de-a643-8ab281642d0c&pf_rd_r=4W0F5F5BAJ12690ZCMVM&psc=1&refRID=4W0F5F5BAJ12690ZCMVM

HLG Canada https://www.horticulturelightinggroup.ca/collections/all
You will get much higher efficiency and quality with these fixtures compared t what you are looking at.

GBAUTO said:

HLG Canada https://www.horticulturelightinggroup.ca/collections/all
You will get much higher efficiency and quality with these fixtures compared t what you are looking at.

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So what would you recommend for a 3'x3' area?

https://www.horticulturelightinggroup.ca/collections/all/products/260w-qb-v2-led-kit
or
https://www.horticulturelightinggroup.ca/collections/all/products/260w-qb-v2-rspec-led-kit

Also, what is the difference between these two, and what type of light is this putting out?

Thanks.

GBAUTO said:

HLG Canada https://www.horticulturelightinggroup.ca/collections/all
You will get much higher efficiency and quality with these fixtures compared t what you are looking at.

Click to expand...

And aren't the CREE COB's supposed to be the top of the line? Also, should I be adding any supplemental blue, red, IR, and/or UV light when using COBS?

Groat21 said:

And aren't the CREE COB's supposed to be the top of the line? Also, should I be adding any supplemental blue, red, IR, and/or UV light when using COBS?

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Depends how you define top of the line.

Cree are top of the line. Lumens latest chips are indeed more efficient. There are many top of the line.

For your situation, I think bourds may be better suited. Cobs have powerful penetration. Better for bigger plants. Bourds better for short plants.


I personally use cobs. But I grow trees

Porky101 said:

Depends how you define top of the line.

Cree are top of the line. Lumens latest chips are indeed more efficient. There are many top of the line.

For your situation, I think bourds may be better suited. Cobs have powerful penetration. Better for bigger plants. Bourds better for short plants.


I personally use cobs. But I grow trees

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Ok, so what type of board would be able to be closest to the canopy? With 20” from the lights, I can grow roughly 3 foot plants, which is good enough for me

COBs are my choice. If considering QBs, personally, I would do a Youtube search for HLG QBs, or Quantum Boards cannabis. See how the QBs perform and under what circumstances. Your thinking is in the right direction...COBs/QBs.
Just a thought.
Cheers.
Success w/ya grow!!!

Either way, Cobs or bourd your good.

Good question on how close the bourd can be. Get a dimmable one then you can decide?

Porky101 said:

Either way, Cobs or bourd your good.

Good question on how close the bourd can be. Get a dimmable one then you can decide?

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The lower wattage per board the closer you can keep them. Hlg have a few boards that run with no heatsink, i think theyre called qb132 or something.

Or you can get 6 china boards from alibaba (25-30$ each) and a lrs350 to drive them.

Porky101 said:

Either way, Cobs or bourd your good.

Good question on how close the bourd can be. Get a dimmable one then you can decide?

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Only problem is when I'm going to be running out of room, dimming the light doesn't seem like an option, since it will be during flower when I start to run out of space. And dimming the lights in flower seems all wrong!

Groat21 said:

Only problem is when I'm going to be running out of room, dimming the light doesn't seem like an option, since it will be during flower when I start to run out of space. And dimming the lights in flower seems all wrong!

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You can substitute distance and dimming the light.

If you are too close to the light, you dim it and then the plant gets the correct amount of light.

Why would dimming the light be wrong? LEDS suffer virtually zero spectrum shift and they are fully designed to be dimmed. Why not use the features these lights have, they only help you....?

If you are saying your plant will be almost touching the LED, then you can drive them very low and you will have an efficient grow. That is a good thing for you!

Porky101 said:

You can substitute distance and dimming the light.

If you are too close to the light, you dim it and then the plant gets the correct amount of light.

Why would dimming the light be wrong? LEDS suffer virtually zero spectrum shift and they are fully designed to be dimmed. Why not use the features these lights have, they only help you....?

If you are saying your plant will be almost touching the LED, then you can drive them very low and you will have an efficient grow. That is a good thing for you!

Click to expand...

My main concern with dimming them would be the coverage, and was thinking I may need to add in a second one. Again, I could be entirely wrong, that's why I'm asking on here!

The CREE COB fixture is completely dimmable. My main concern now is whether or not I need to add some type of UV and IR lighting, but that's a separate issue.

Groat21 said:

My main concern with dimming them would be the coverage, and was thinking I may need to add in a second one. Again, I could be entirely wrong, that's why I'm asking on here!

The CREE COB fixture is completely dimmable. My main concern now is whether or not I need to add some type of UV and IR lighting, but that's a separate issue.

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IR for what? plants don't use IR to photosynthesize. Heat is needed for biological processes. IR gives the heat that is needed or you can add a heater, same thing. IR = Heat. Generally we don't want heat. Heat is usually wasted energy somewhere. With LEDs in a cold place, you will need extra heat, either IR or a heater.

The closer you go to the light, the less the coverage. Dimming the light keeps the coverage the same, just less light on the same surface area. The closer you are to the light, the less the coverage. This applies to all known forms of lighting except lasers. The Only way around this is lenses I would think.

LEDs don't put out any UV. Tests have shown increased oil production under UV light. Trichomes act as sunblock for the plants. So yes, UV would be beneficial. But not really needed. The biggest determining factor with Trichome development is genetics, not UV lighting.

Sorry if I'm repeating myself, I'm pretty baked right now

Porky101 said:

IR for what? plants don't use IR to photosynthesize. Heat is needed for biological processes. IR gives the heat that is needed or you can add a heater, same thing. IR = Heat. Generally we don't want heat. Heat is usually wasted energy somewhere. With LEDs in a cold place, you will need extra heat, either IR or a heater.

The closer you go to the light, the less the coverage. Dimming the light keeps the coverage the same, just less light on the same surface area. The closer you are to the light, the less the coverage. This applies to all known forms of lighting except lasers. The Only way around this is lenses I would think.

Sorry if I'm repeating myself, I'm pretty baked right now

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Makes sense, I just thought it wouldn't spread as far out. Then again, I've never owned a dimmable light anyways.

I'm not sure why, but I always thought there was some benefit to using IR and UV.

This is the light I have right now, and it uses 5 pieces of IR. No UV, but from a quick google search it seems like UV is only really good for seedlings. ViparSpectra claims that the far infrared is good for plant blooming... again a quick google search tells me that it helps the plant grow taller, but not necessarily more biomass (pointless?). It also is supposed to help induce flowering though.

So... IR is no good for a small grow tent?

Groat21 said:

Makes sense, I just thought it wouldn't spread as far out. Then again, I've never owned a dimmable light anyways.

I'm not sure why, but I always thought there was some benefit to using IR and UV.

This is the light I have right now, and it uses 5 pieces of IR. No UV, but from a quick google search it seems like UV is only really good for seedlings. ViparSpectra claims that the far infrared is good for plant blooming... again a quick google search tells me that it helps the plant grow taller, but not necessarily more biomass (pointless?). It also is supposed to help induce flowering though.

So... IR is no good for a small grow tent?

Click to expand...

Far red and Infrared are different. Far red helps the plants wake up and start budding earlier. It seems the plants Photosystem II is especially sensitive to Far red light.