DIY 100w Simple Stealth LED light

[sammyz2646]

You could have used 24g wire even at full power.

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Yes, thank you very much. Smaller wire of maybe 20 - 24 gauge is what I am seeing used. I just used some old speaker wire that is obviously too big. I just wanted to ensure that I could have a a decent distance between my driver array and the actual chips.

What do you all think that the distance would be that would be too far away, from driver to chip , to consider avoiding any power weaknesses with say--- a 24 gauge wire as a conduit? 20 feet? I would only need ~ 20 feet at a MAX scenario from my control board area. I am no electrician, but there has to be an easy way to verify current and understand that your wire and distance is is the tolerable zone. Kill - a - watt?? IDK

 

[StoopheadFred]

Wow thank you guys for building these, never thought leds could be so simple.

Looks like CPU heatsinks would be useful here. Would be REALLY interesting to see someone use a closed loop liquid cooling system! But since you guys are using just these passive heatsinks to cool that may be overkill.

 

[nephrosis]

OMG i need to build this!!!!! WHAT chip would you suggest and is it really 100w?

Would this work?? http://www.ledsupply.com/leds/cree-xml-cool-white-high-power-led

Or is the chip you suggest better? just trying to figure out options because i can almost build this right now!!! i need a light asap for my 3 plants i threw in a backyard pot

 

[Dr.Nonagon]

It's really hard to find fault with a $7 100w chip.

 

[StoopheadFred]

OMG i need to build this!!!!! WHAT chip would you suggest and is it really 100w?

Would this work?? http://www.ledsupply.com/leds/cree-xml-cool-white-high-power-led

Or is the chip you suggest better? just trying to figure out options because i can almost build this right now!!! i need a light asap for my 3 plants i threw in a backyard pot

Read about COB leds. The one you linked is an old style and will require a lot more work on your part to get running.

 

[sammyz2646]

It's really hard to find fault with a $7 100w chip.

Well said!


Here is the link to the cheap Chinese 100 watt LED I'm testing----

The Ebay prices fluctuate so keep your eyes open.. I have seen them even go for ~ $5-$6

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/e1140...tem=360767420688&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:3160

 

[nephrosis]

duuuuuude! thats insain!!!! i need to get this asap! id pay 20$ for one or even 30$ if i HAD to... 100w for a single diode. imagine using 20!!!!

 

[3dDream]

I paid $30 for my chip. A cree cob can have 100 leds in it. Some of those chinese ones have 1/3 of that and magically claim more lumens.

I would not buy anything unless I knew the binning. If you are in the usa digikey and mouser are nice places to get leds with known qualities.

To each their own.

I think that all the extra power and wiring, along with additional power supplies, that the little benefit you get from those silly little fans,

sammyz2646 - That's why I avoided it. A big hunk of aluminum never fails and uses no power.

 

[nephrosis]

yea i was going to use digikey myself.... I MUST OBTAIN THIS!

 

[Firebrand]

This thread is hot, great info.

Can you fellas put up some matching part numbers for chip/ballast combinations?

Buy this number chip from Digi.....
Buy this matching driver from Mouser....

Thanks in advance, regards, FB

 

[nephrosis]

This thread is hot, great info.

Can you fellas put up some matching part numbers for chip/ballast combinations?

Buy this number chip from Digi.....
Buy this matching driver from Mouser....

Thanks in advance, regards, FB

great idea! ill post once i try. hopefully soon. i have 3 babies that need some extra light!!! idk if the sun will be enough (apartment building)

 

[3dDream]

Ok, i ruined my light. I plugged it in the other day and I heard a snap, crackle, pop. I unplugged it between the led and the driver and not from the wall. This is a no-no. New rule: always unplug from the wall! Don't leave the driver plugged into the wall! I replaced the cob with a cxa3070 which is 51% stronger than the previous cob. Removing a cob attached with thermal adhesive is a pain in the ass. Freezing the whole heatsink for a few hours and chipping away with a screwdriver and hammer worked best. The base of the original cob was made from ceramics and had to be broken in pieces. If you use adhesive don't expect to recover the cob.

nephrosis - Good luck w/ your light!

 

[StoopheadFred]

Bummer about losing the LED! I'm sitting here with my components besides thermal adhesive. I saw thermal compound as well and thought about getting that but was unsure if it would hold the LED in place for very long.

Any ideas for removable mounting with this next one?

 

[3dDream]

StoopheadFred - I was only down for 2 days, but yeah, it was a bummer. I glued the new one on too. There are mounts for these cobs. I did not want to take the time to drill the holes. The thermal adhesive keeps it simple.

 

[StoopheadFred]

Cool I got ya. I guess the only time I would be removing the LED is if it was dead anyways so it's not a big deal to destroy it.

I'm just going with cheap no name Chinese cobs anyways, and at less than $5 per chip there's no point in caring too much.

 

[3dDream]

A little update:

Well I am on my 3rd grow with a single led. I am not running the cob at 100%, I have it dimmed to about 70-80%. Too high will bleach/yellow the plants that are too close. I also like the idea of the heatsink being warm to the touch where I can hold my finger forever. I don't have to fear a fan failing and a cob/wires melting on plants. I am very happy I went with a fanless design, but then again I have nice airflow in my little space so there is that.

I still have no plans on adding any more leds. The 3000k led is giving me purple plants. I think this is a good thing. In the past it has normally taken intense light to get some to blue up. I was using a 250w hps before.

Some of the bigger plants from the first grow from seed. They are in tiny 2.25" pots. I had too many crammed in a tiny space.

 

[Loollo]

---

 

[Loollo]

All that weed with a 100w 3000k? How much do you harvest in the first two grow? I have done a diy led 140w red/blue/white (see here) and in a box 60x60x110 i harvest only 2 plants for about 60gr. Only white could make so much better ?? You can see here

 

[3dDream]

Hi, Loollo! Yeah, with one cob.

How much do you harvest in the first two grow?

I don't know. I only measured some of the top plants to see what I could get per plant as a best case scenario. Keep in mind these were in tiny pots: I got 10 grams off some of the larger plants and was able to squeeze 13 females in there. Only a few were in the 10 gram territory. Still though, I have to imagine I was close to 60g and prob a little more.

I have done a diy led 140w red/blue/white (see here) and in a box 60x60x110 i harvest only 2 plants for about 60gr. Only white could make so much better ??

The intensity makes it better than single colored leds...i think... The cob is used for street lights.

I also have a nice air exchange and feed in a hydro way. It all plays a part I think.

 

[Loollo]

Hi Bro ! I think the issue is simple...the POWER ! Now i'll try the dark side of leds...the CHEAP EBAY LEDS ! I think that the difference respect to QUALITY leds is the power, in the china leds the real power often is 1/3 of the nominal power, in the quality leds the real power it's near the nominal.....the quality of the emitted light i think it's the same...

And more, i saw this video and i didn't understand for my bad english and for the noise..i'm curios to know why they have two level, one with white leds and one with blue/red..