Cree Cobs+Samsung F Series Gen 3s strip build

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I also use Sonoffs. They are so cheap and handy and with the app you can control almost everything inside your groom. LED's, the far red trigger, UVB bulbs, ... Its like a central control center and far cheaper like the old Omnirex wall plug timers. All of them are still working and I had only 2 times issues when the server gets an update. But these usually takes a few hours and then its working again. The nice thing is they hold their programming even when switched of completely. When fired up again they still use the latest settings. Sad that the new ones have a closed bootloader and you can not use them with alternative firmwares anymore but I can life with it.

What is you prefered hanging height? With +12" a COB in each corner can help to getter better uniformity. If you plan to use it 4-8" above the tops there is no need for that and the Vestas would increase the brightness across the whole surface. I like their CRI90 spectrum and when you run them at half current you get almost comparable efficiency. LER is probably ~280lm/w and 140lm/w means already 50% efficient. Not too shabby...
Honestly it jus depends on how hard in pushing them. The other light built for flower is about 13" inches from the the canopy. I could dim it a bit and lower it. But I run multi-strain. And some stretch a good bit and some dont. So I use milk crate and empty paint cans to raise shorter plants. If need be.
 

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
Sanded the face where the thermal tape sticks. And cleaned it with 93% alcohol. The with denatured alcohol. Then applied my thermal tape. Poked my holes in the tape for the mounting screws for the strips.

20181204_135221.jpg

Peeled the back side of the tape. And stuck the strips on. And put the screws in.
20181204_140059.jpg 20181204_141721.jpg

As you can see the thermal tape is wider than both the strip and the mounting bar. I find it easier to use wider tape. Apply the strips and screws. Then trim the excess off. With an exacto Knife. 20181204_142711.jpg 20181204_142718.jpg 20181204_142725.jpg

All excess trimmed off. And mounted the cross bars on end.
20181204_200127.jpg

So I put the strips on 5" centers. And I made the frame 30" wide. So I could put them on each end then the middle. Then split each gap. So the strips are setting at 0", 5", 10", 15", 20", 25", and 30". I'm debating on using the 4k cobs inbetween with a 1750k chip. Two on each side of middle. Second gap from the ends. Or putting the Vesta Strips in the center of each gap. For a total of 6 Vesta strips.
 

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
Sanded the face where the thermal tape sticks. And cleaned it with 93% alcohol. The with denatured alcohol. Then applied my thermal tape. Poked my holes in the tape for the mounting screws for the strips.

View attachment 4243699

Peeled the back side of the tape. And stuck the strips on. And put the screws in.
View attachment 4243700 View attachment 4243701

As you can see the thermal tape is wider than both the strip and the mounting bar. I find it easier to use wider tape. Apply the strips and screws. Then trim the excess off. With an exacto Knife. View attachment 4243702 View attachment 4243703 View attachment 4243704

All excess trimmed off. And mounted the cross bars on end.
View attachment 4243706

So I put the strips on 5" centers. And I made the frame 30" wide. So I could put them on each end then the middle. Then split each gap. So the strips are setting at 0", 5", 10", 15", 20", 25", and 30". I'm debating on using the 4k cobs inbetween with a 1750k chip. Two on each side of middle. Second gap from the ends. Or putting the Vesta Strips in the center of each gap. For a total of 6 Vesta strips.

Hard to say, both have their own benefits!
The 1750°k COB's are more efficient and would add a hell lot of red/far-red but from 6 Vestas you would get more white CRI90 light and you could just use the 6 coolwhite strings for early vegging.
The six 2700°k/CRI90 strings would also add more red/far-red but the spectrum itself would still look white even when all strips run at max current. With the 1750°k COB's you would get pinkish spectrum which makes it neccessary to switch them off to inspect the plants (unless you are Ziggy Stardust and come from mars).

 

Ryante55

Well-Known Member
Sanded the face where the thermal tape sticks. And cleaned it with 93% alcohol. The with denatured alcohol. Then applied my thermal tape. Poked my holes in the tape for the mounting screws for the strips.

View attachment 4243699

Peeled the back side of the tape. And stuck the strips on. And put the screws in.
View attachment 4243700 View attachment 4243701

As you can see the thermal tape is wider than both the strip and the mounting bar. I find it easier to use wider tape. Apply the strips and screws. Then trim the excess off. With an exacto Knife. View attachment 4243702 View attachment 4243703 View attachment 4243704

All excess trimmed off. And mounted the cross bars on end.
View attachment 4243706

So I put the strips on 5" centers. And I made the frame 30" wide. So I could put them on each end then the middle. Then split each gap. So the strips are setting at 0", 5", 10", 15", 20", 25", and 30". I'm debating on using the 4k cobs inbetween with a 1750k chip. Two on each side of middle. Second gap from the ends. Or putting the Vesta Strips in the center of each gap. For a total of 6 Vesta strips.
Shouldn't you be using some nylon washers for those screws?
 

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
Shouldn't you be using some nylon washers for those screws?
Why would I need nylon washers? There not tight. Jus run down flush to the strip. The tape holds them. They are jus so if the tape would fail for some reason the strip doesnt fall off the U channel.
 

Ryante55

Well-Known Member
Why would I need nylon washers? There not tight. Jus run down flush to the strip. The tape holds them. They are jus so if the tape would fail for some reason the strip doesnt fall off the U channel.
If they are on pretty loose it should be fine it can short out the strip if it's too tight
 

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
If they are on pretty loose it should be fine it can short out the strip if it's too tight
Yeah they are jus barely finger tight. Jus for safety incase the tape would for fail for any reason. I'd rather spend 3 bucks on machine screws for peace of mind. Than lose my entire setup due to a fire bc a strip fell off and laid on something and possibly catch fire or pull out the wires when it falls and short out and cause a fire. 3 bucks for safety is worth it. In my book. I have alot tied up in lights and gear for all my tents to lose it all over something simple ya know.
 

Ryante55

Well-Known Member
Yeah they are jus barely finger tight. Jus for safety incase the tape would for fail for any reason. I'd rather spend 3 bucks on machine screws for peace of mind. Than lose my entire setup due to a fire bc a strip fell off and laid on something and possibly catch fire or pull out the wires when it falls and short out and cause a fire. 3 bucks for safety is worth it. In my book. I have alot tied up in lights and gear for all my tents to lose it all over something simple ya know.
Yeah it's good to be safe I just noticed you didn't screw in to the actual screw spot if the screw digs into the surface of the pcb it could short out. Your most likely fine
 

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
Yeah it's good to be safe I just noticed you didn't screw in to the actual screw spot if the screw digs into the surface of the pcb it could short out. Your most likely fine
Yeah I dont use the little tiny screw holes. I use the slots on the side. Bc theres no circuit material on the sides. That's why I use them instead of the tiny screw holes. I def appreciate you lookn out though. That's good info to have. Some people building a DIY may not know to not tighten them down.
 
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Ryante55

Well-Known Member
Yeah I dont use the little tiny screen holes. I use the slots on the side. Bc theres no circuit material on the sides. That's why I use them instead of the tiny screen holes.
Oh nice so you already thought about that...now that I zoomed in I see what you are talking about the whole edge should be good
 

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
Oh nice so you already thought about that...now that I zoomed in I see what you are talking about the whole edge should be good
Yeah I had some el cheapo strips back a few years ago. From e bay. That I used the holes and when I tightened them down they cracked. So when I started using the Sammy's. When I got them. I noticed the side slots. And I thought those will work instead of the little tiny holes. And theres no circuitry material on the sides. So I used them. Then did the same on this light as well.
 
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