Lighting DIY Mars to Cree Cob conversion

[Ripper]

Also did you order new heat sinks to attach your COB's to?

 

[brokencage]

I have a mars 700W I will be doing next month. I will be using 12 Vero 18's.Three per driver. I cant afford the Cree's, and the vero 29's like to be driven harder than these drivers are capable of. I should actually pull a few more lumens as well. cant wait summer is coming,my hps must be put away soon!!

 

[Ripper]

I have a mars 700W I will be doing next month. I will be using 12 Vero 18's.Three per driver. I cant afford the Cree's, and the vero 29's like to be driven harder than these drivers are capable of. I should actually pull a few more lumens as well. cant wait summer is coming,my hps must be put away soon!!

I am sure it is an upgrade no matter what COB's you go with.. Good luck on the build and if you have any questions post Em up bud..

 

[brokencage]

I am sure it is an upgrade no matter what COB's you go with.. Good luck on the build and if you have any questions post Em up bud..

Ya. the light worked well the first grow less the second and the buds are all air now. The lenses are now smoked on a lot of the leds as well. No the mars was not as good a light as I had hoped but it will make a bomb case for the vero's.

What I really like is the thought of being able to replace a bad led as easy as changing a bulb on a hps. I just have to be careful though, planning the build for this is a bit addictive and im broke!

 

[Ripper]

Ya. the light worked well the first grow less the second and the buds are all air now. The lenses are now smoked on a lot of the leds as well. No the mars was not as good a light as I had hoped but it will make a bomb case for the vero's.

What I really like is the thought of being able to replace a bad led as easy as changing a bulb on a hps. I just have to be careful though, planning the build for this is a bit addictive and im broke!

Buy the ones listed above and then go to a more expensive one later.. The ones pops are using are only 7 bucks

 

[brokencage]

Well I rebuilt my light. 16 vero 18's in a mars 700w here's a few pics. the plants are crystal meth x robocrop f1's. Thought id re hit this thread.

 

[striving4greatness]

Hey @Atulip, I'm a new grower and fairly new member, So we've never crossed paths but I see you know your stuff. I myself would like to dive into the Diy wave although I want to build my own soon, I really like the conversion you've done and I already have 2 panels that I feel can be upgraded, I kinda need a helping hand with your expertise if you don't mind. What would you do to 2 Mars 96x5 reflector series, aiming for the best spectrum and biggest footprint possible?

 

[Atulip]

You'd have to pop it open but I'd assume 3 Mars drivers in it at around 50-100v and ~.7A.

Couple of these per driver is probably the best bang for your buck for mars conversions.
http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut2827

Or a pair of cxa/b3070 3500k 80cri generally for your all purpose spectrum. A single 72v cxa/b3590 can be ran on them, or 2 36v for higher efficiency. But if you want to push the higher efficiencies, not much point in leaving them on Mars drivers(they're 86% efficient iirc)

Footprint is limited by beam angle and height above canopy. Beam of unreflected Cree cobs is 115°, so a 12" hanging height means at 19" from the center light is about half the amount of light the center receives. This can be calculated.

Side a being the height above canopy, angle beta being 1/2 the beam angle(57.5° for bare cobs, 45° in 90° reflectors) and side b being the distance from source where 1/2 the light would be.

http://www.mathportal.org/calculators/plane-geometry-calculators/right-triangle-calculator.php


Samsung strips might be a nice way to get a little more oomph outta the driver(if 100v drivers, and if they'd fit in the case) they're ~24v per at .7A drive current.(I believe there right at 160lm/watt at this current)

https://www.verical.com/pd/samsung-misc-products-sib8t341560ww-904038

 

[striving4greatness]

You'd have to pop it open but I'd assume 3 Mars drivers in it at around 50-100v and ~.7A.

Couple of these per driver is probably the best bang for your buck for mars conversions.
http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut2827

Or a pair of cxa/b3070 3500k 80cri generally for your all purpose spectrum. A single 72v cxa/b3590 can be ran on them, or 2 36v for higher efficiency. But if you want to push the higher efficiencies, not much point in leaving them on Mars drivers(they're 86% efficient iirc)

Footprint is limited by beam angle and height above canopy. Beam of unreflected Cree cobs is 115°, so a 12" hanging height means at 19" from the center light is about half the amount of light the center receives. This can be calculated.

Side a being the height above canopy, angle beta being 1/2 the beam angle(57.5° for bare cobs, 45° in 90° reflectors) and side b being the distance from source where 1/2 the light would be.

http://www.mathportal.org/calculators/plane-geometry-calculators/right-triangle-calculator.php


Samsung strips might be a nice way to get a little more oomph outta the driver(if 100v drivers, and if they'd fit in the case) they're ~24v per at .7A drive current.(I believe there right at 160lm/watt at this current)

https://www.verical.com/pd/samsung-misc-products-sib8t341560ww-904038

Ok, What if I was willing to upgrade drivers?

 

[striving4greatness]

Ok, What if I was willing to upgrade drivers?

I'm interested in the 72v cxb3590 3500k