First grow, first post

@Covertgrower how much that COB setup set u back?

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This includes the additional $190 bracket, and $100 to ship to AK. @VelcroThumb

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@Covertgrower not too bad! Looking forward to your results!

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You and I both @VelcroThumb! The clones will be the first to go under the lights.

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Very Very Very Nice. I would be jealous but I have good lights too. Don’t know what you had before but what ever it was this will beat it. Congrads.

If you need any help let me or @dbrn32 know and we can help you out.

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Hey thanks @MAXHeadRoom so far, not really too many concerns. I had a hang up on the potentiometer watched a video and I was correct in the way it should connected, it just didn’t feel right.
However, on the driver positive lead you connect to the positive lead on the led, wire them in a series, then the last one you connect the negative on the driver correct? Just verifying.
My last concern was how to clean up the wiring a bit maybe. Wire loom would have been nice, but I suppose it’s not necessary. I also have to consider how to actually mount the potentiometer to the frame rail instead of just dangling. Zip ties maybe? Also @dbrn32

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Wiring sounds right. Pos lead from driver to positive terminal on first led in string. Then, you take negative terminal from first led and wire it to positive terminal on second led. Continue that until you’re left with just the negative terminal on last led, and wire that to dc negative lead from driver.

As far as potentiometer goes, you can do it a few ways fairly easily. Most come with a small nut that fits over the knob. If you remove the nut, you can drill a hole in your frame just large enough for the knob housing to fit through, then install nut to hold it to the frame. Another option is to get a small project box(available on amazon) and just do the same process there and mount the box to your frame.

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Thanks @dbrn32 I’ll take a look on there and see if I can find a box. Yeah for some reason, I had difficulty understanding the directions the website offered, but understood the way it was supposed to be. Probably a wording thing. I should have these wired tonight! Leftovers for dinner, so that leaves me time to play! Lol. (I usually cook) Might be late for you closer to the east coast, but you’ll see the results tomorrow. :wink:

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I’m still on Vegas time lol, arrived home from airport about 3:30am and slept til noon. So I could very well be up.

The project boxes are nice to keep things neat and tidy, but not necessary. If you’re not completely against just mounting it through the frame, you can use cable tie mounts. Home Depot, Lowe’s, menards, and most hardware stores will have them. Just peel tape off and stick wherever you need them. Then you fit cable tie through the mount and tighten around your wiring. Here’s a pic for reference. The flex loom is good to use with these, but not necessary if you’re looking to save a few bucks.

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I’ll have to see what the local true value may have. @dbrn32 they may not have something like that, and may have to just go for the Amazon thing.

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No problem. Was just trying to offer quick solutions. I’m sure there are plenty of ways you can get there.

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Can you say where you purchased from? Maybe you did but I missed it (went back to check but couldn’t find it) Also, I think I remember your tent is 4x4? Is that the actual size? Mine ended up being an extra 7" on all 3 sides. I miss the extra space it takes up in that little room but it’s nice and roomy in the tent.
Oh, and what kind of light are you replacing with the new setup?

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@GreenThunder my tent is a 4X8 and this light is to add to my lighting. I purchased this from rapidled dot com. They offer several sized kits. I will probably get another one of these for the three side. This light covers 4x4. I’m replacing the Morsen MAX 12 from Amazon. Those will still be present on the sides, and I’ll be installing this in the middle until I can get another. I finished the wiring for two rows. All I can say is extremely bright. Look forward to what this can grow.

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@bob31 @Screwauger @Donaldj @MAXHeadRoom @rodri59 @Wishingilivedina420state @VelcroThumb @Countryboyjvd1971 @Sirsmokes @BIGE
I was able to assemble two strings of lights. I ended up being about 2ft short on the wire because I left so much slack on the other lights. I left so much slack for maximum adjustability. No big deal, I’ll pick up some extra wire tomorrow. Here’s the progress! Also would just like to add, the potentiometer(the dimmer thingy) both fixtures were dimmed to the LOWEST setting for the picture because otherwise the camera wouldn’t focus, and neither could I. Lol

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what’s wrong with this picture? oh yeah no plants under the lights yet :stuck_out_tongue:

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@Donaldj soon, very soon.

I’m disappointed, no tag lol… so what do you think?

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Sorry about that @dbrn32 I think they’re extremely bright even dimmed and will be a positive end result. I highly recommend the upgraded driver. Not that I would have been disappointed, but feel it’ll be perfect for the last few weeks of flowering when you really need the extra lumens. The fixture ran for 10 minutes and I still felt no heat from the top. I’ll be purchasing another fixture for the other side. Over all I’m pleased. But I’m not certain the rails are necessary for the additional cost. Unless I plan adding even more lights to the same rails. Which can be done easily, because of the way they’re engineered.
Now on to the complaints…
The power cord provided is too short, and I hacked up a power cord I just threw away the other day. The WAGO connectors work, but kind of leave the fixture a less than professional look. I installed all of the drivers on the end. If anyone else purchases this i would change the driver location to the middle so it’s more balanced. This is my design flaw though.
Edit: the third row I ran out of wire, and I gave the other two extra wire so I have the ability to slide all the led’s To one end if I wanted. I knew I ran the risk of running out of wire, but I know where to get more.

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I could’ve probably helped you out with a few those ahead of time. But I took break from the internet while I was on vacation. Well, they don’t exactly like you have phone out at tables either haha. Sorry about that!

The Wago’s do seem a little cheesy from that respect, but they’re much nicer than wire nuts and much easier than terminal strips. If you grab some of those cable tie mounts we talked about either, you should be able to tie them up nicely and inconspicuously.

$190 is pretty steep, but not so bad when you consider the options. If you were to hang individually, you’d get tired of the mess of wiring quickly. If you sourced the aluminum to build your own frame, it would probably be $100. By the time you consider all the hardware and labor, probably not saving much. Especially when you consider the amount of adjustability you have with that particular frame.

Either way, it looks like you did a good job of getting it together! Assuming they sent something like 18 awg solid with the kit? It was kind of a hassle for me to find locally, so maybe be ready for that. Amazon had some reasonably priced stuff if you run into any issues there.

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Yeah, having a phone out on tables is a big no no. No worries, the frame was pretty easy. I like the fact that if I purchase more LED’s seperatly they could fit right into the channels. I’ve been considering that while assembling. I thought about sourcing the frame separately, and came to the same conclusion you did. It’s probably just easier and costs about the same. A few zip ties should bring all the wiring under control, and I think it will be fine. I appreciated the WAGO’s for what they are, easier than soldering. I’ll look for some 18 guage tomorrow, it should be in town. Large boating community with lots of electronics to go with it. @dbrn32
I noticed you had the same heat sinks in your picture, were you able to source the same fancy shaped brackets that are just like the ones that came in my kit? Try menari lighting. They were the ones that manufactured my brackets I figured out. Dunno if they sell directly though. Also highly recommend getting my drivers if you go the Cree route.

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