Or the red spectrum I should say.
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Ya I can see that, I switched power chords and it’s ok now. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me
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Just weird cause when veg Is on old one new red comes threw but the new one on veg has red white and blue but both have identical lights on flower.
@dbrn32 read through this when it was still at around 41xx posts and then started to re-read. I think I have a loose grasp on this now but I for sure have some questions.
I was looking at Digi-Key and doing a bunch of oggling of the Bridgelux line. I am really thinking my build is going to amount to Vero SE series lights and EB strips to fill some gaps.
Now for the questions part.
Why do I see 4 different Fv listed for the Se 29 for instance: 36.6 | 50.7 | 68.1 | 68.4 and what are the differences / benefits of going bigger over smaller or vice versa?
Can one mix and match differing Fv so long as they all are cumulatively under the driver output rating?
I swear I read that we can figure how many COBs | strips we can run by taking the driver output / Fv of COB | strip to equal max it will light up. But then I see in a data sheet Fv increases as we increase current?
Also any input on the Blx Vesta line of strips, looks like adjustable color spectrum possible.
Thanks in advance!
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Ya, if I miss something here just point it out.
The vero 29 is available in 3 different voltage configurations. Nominally 36v, 50v, and 69v. As you pointed out actual forward voltage will depend on operating current.
So if you go with constant current driver wired in series, you can run whatever configuration of different voltage leds you want. So long as the voltage total of the circuit is between the minimum and maximum voltages required for the driver to remain in constant current mode. All of those specs available via data sheets, and I’d be happy to help you decipher what will and won’t work.
The vesta strips are neat. It’s two different color temps that have their own channels. Provided you wire them to independent dimming circuits you can dim one or the other to blend intensity of each. Which would absolutely change the final cct of light produced.
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In the Vero example does that differing nominal voltage simply make them a more powerful COB so to speak with potential output per COB?
Also would I need to figure my Fv from the data sheet, based on how hard I plan to run a set of lights and then work backward to calculate that all are under the driver output?
I’m not exactly sure what the maximum current of each is, but we don’t really run any of them at max current. I’m almost positive the the 69v is the most efficient of the three through. So if you ran them all at 50 watts the 69v version would produce the most of the three. If that helps any?
Pretty much on sizing the driver. There are a couple other things you have to take into account like voltage and current ratings of connectors, cob holders, and just generally making sure all of your components mesh well together.
What kind of build are you trying to do?
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You almost never want to mix different voltage configuration COBs. Each configuration has nearly the same number of LEDs, so the high voltage version uses a low current, and vice versa. If you create a series string of different configuration COBs, you have to run the lower voltage one at a much lower current than you would like, just so you don’t burn up the higher voltage COB with too much current. For example, two 100 watt COBS but you only get 50 watts out of the low voltage one.
On the other hand, if you have some different COBs (like one white and one red), and they both take 1 amp, then you can run them in series even though one might drop 70 volts and the other 30 volts.
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That’s not true. For example vero 29b 50 volt, vero 29c 69 volt could all be ran on same constant current driver say 1400ma or less. The 29c may require a little larger heatsink at 1400ma, but electrically there’s no problem at all with doing it. 1050ma is another common meanwell drive current and probably makes more sense than 1400ma. Here’s a prime example of where that may be a good idea… hlg-185h-c1050 won’t fit three vero 29c, but it will fit two vero 29c and one vero 29b in series. That would give you two 70 watt cobs and a 50 watt cob, all of which would run fine on 140mm pin sink. I personally wouldn’t go out and purchase those items intending to run them that way. But in an instance of making some stuff work that was laying around, no problem at all with doing it.
maybe it’s the vape, but this cracked me up. You are one of few who has that kind off stuff laying around. Lmao.
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Too much of it sometimes.
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Right now trying to get up to speed on how this all works together.
If all goes as planned I’ll be clearing out a dedicated grow space with two sections I could run lights in.
Both are approx 4x4. Each is a tad longer than 4’ one direction but I’m using that as a guide for now. The entire space is connected and totals something like 4.x’ X ~16-17’. There is a door more or less centered on one of the long walls with power on the other long wall. Height is about 8 feet so I have plenty of room
I’ve been looking at Veros since around post 460ish I saw someone mentioning they had come into a crap ton of pc cpu heatsinks and fans. I have many of the same type stuff sitting here in my office.
One thing leads to another and I find the heat sink mounting surface is larger than the Vero29 thermal mounting surface. Starting to look to me like I just stumbled into a handful of actively cooled heatsinks.
Fast forward some more and I’m pretty sold on the idea of mixing some EB strips in along with several COBs. But very open to all ideas. I have yet to set any sort of budget so I can keep my options open for now since I know so little.
What led me to the question relating to differing Fv was I see some strips and COB are running different voltages for separate colors. Seems the higher k spectrum stuff was in a separate voltage than the 3500k for instance.
Ideally I’d like to build a full spectrum light I can run for the entire grow. However I am open to the idea of a separate veg light and dedicated flowering light.
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Most lights are full spectrum lights. A dedicated veg light or a dedicated flower light is still full spectrum, all that means is that it covers the PAR range. I dont know about the whole higher CCT is a different fV I havent heard that. It must have been a different chip.
You can easily build a multipurpose light using 3000k or 3500k, no real reason to build a veg or flower light, unless you have a dedicated veg or flower room. Even still 3000k-4000k both veg and flower very well.
If you decide on what you’re looking for theres plenty of products on the market to make it happen, and at a cost effective solution as well.
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I think it’s the CCT range I’m referring to incorrectly
Seems like the further toward the 4000-5000k range you go into you can veg better and avoid excess stretch but you start to seems to get weaker on the red spectrum.
But 3500k is noted as a solid all around range.
Maybe I’m over thinking it but it seems like it would be ideal to get some farther blue spectrum and some farther red along with something right in the middle (3500-4000k).
That is usually the case with the red andblue, and the slight stretching, but with a CCT like 3500k or around that, it’s not very prevelant, or noticable, either way you can still build a dedicated veg or flower light. Most people just find it more versatile to build one that can do both.
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I’d rather keep it all easy and build a single light and work up from the for the additional space as needed.
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Something to consider when setting up your lights is the plants generally need much less light during veg than during flower. Having the ability to regulate the amount of light is extremely beneficial. Most of us don’t like to use more electricity than we have to.
If you are going to do a perpetual grow with a dedicated veg and flower space, you may want to consider running 2 different spectra based on the use for each space.
Canopy penetration has to be something to consider too: having an 8 foot height does not mean you can grow a tall plant indoors FYI. That is going to be dependent on your lighting.
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Dimming seems like the simple option for regulating intensity, no?
If I’m not mistaken all the Mean Well drivers ive seems are either internal or external dimming. Is there a big difference in one dimming more than another?
I’ve also just considered running only EB strips for veg and lighting up the COBs for the flip. At this point nothing is firm and I’m simply planning it all out before I make any purchases.
And I’d rather not have giant plants in there. The height is rather a note that I won’t be height limited as some are in tents.
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You sound organized! (Way more than I was haha)
The -A- drivers have a built in pot that dims to 50%. The -B- drivers have a pigtail you can install a pot on that allows you to dim from 0 to 105% or so IIRC.
I am using 3,000K EB strips for my flowering space and love them. I’m running them at 600 watts (about 75% output) for a 24 square foot space. I like short plants and normally SCROG them to fit the space better. Yields between 8 and 12 oz per plant. BUT! My veg space is lit with a couple of cheap blurple lights and more than half of that is under only 150 plug watts. Just to point out the difference.
Generally you want to get down close for any kind of penetration. You can really get close; like 5 or 6 inches if you want.
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My mistake. I should have said “I would never…” It doesn’t do any harm to run some of your COBs at medium current and others at low current, if you just want to cobble together something out of spare parts. It’s kind of like driving your silver car around with a blue junkyard replacement door and never painting it. Inelegant, but functional. I would never design such a light.
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