D.I.Y. 200W CITIZEN COB LED BUILD

Hydro

PICK YOUR OWN
The finished product measures 20" x 20" and draws approximately 200W of dimmable LED light.

**DISCLAIMER** It is not a difficult build, but will require some basic mechanical and electrical abilities.
If you are not good at wiring or arent mechanically inclined, you may want to consider a premade light fixture.

PARTS LIST:
(4) Citizen CLU048 1212's (36V)
(4) 120mm Passive Pin Heatsinks
(1) Mean Well HLG 185H-C1400B Driver (dimmable)
(4) BJB COB Holders
(1) tube Arctic Silver Thermal Paste
(12) ft. 1" Aluminum Angle
(8) 1/2" nuts & bolts
(28) 1/4" M3 screws (usually standard size used for predrilled/tapped heatsinks)
(8') 18 gauge wire (solid & rated for 300V+)
(2) Waterproof Junction Boxes
(1) 100K Potentiometer
(1) 6' Power Cord with plug (3 wire grounded)
(4) Eye Bolts & nuts
(4') Small Chain
(2) wire nuts

THE BUILD:
Cut 4 pieces of the aluminum angle @ 20". Drill holes for the 1/2" bolts (as indicated by the red dots) to make a square frame as seen in the picture. Be sure to use the HeatSinks to give the proper space so they fit once assembled. You can now apply the thermal paste, then install the COBs and the BJB holders to the heatsinks with the M3 screws.
pic 1.png

Line up the heatsinks & drill holes in the frame so you can mount the pre-drilled and tapped heatsinks to the frame with the M3 screws (indicated by the purple dots in the pic).
pic 2.png

Be sure to leave the hole in the heatsinks available and accessible because this is the hole you will use to run the wires from the COBs back up through to the next COB and then to the driver so everything stays neat and tidy. I placed my heatsinks so that the hole is facing the corners of the aluminum frame.
Pic 2.5.png

Once the frame and heatsinks are assembled, now cut (2) pieces of aluminum angle at 12" each. These are going to be the "holder" for the driver and will be how you attach the driver to the frame. It will also add to the rigidity of the frame overall. You will need to notch out some of the edges of the aluminum angle to get it to fit how I have mine, but this will allow the driver supports to fit flush with the rest of the frame.
pic 3.png

Pic 3.5.png

Drill holes to affix the (2) 12" center rails as pictured. Drill holes to affix the driver to the now mounted rails using the M3 screws.
Drill and affix the (2) junction boxes on opposite sides of the frame (at each wired end of the driver) and wire the A/C side of the driver and the 6' power cord in one junction box
(as pictured).
Pic 4.png

As for the other junction box, you will drill a hole in the top of the junction box to install the potentiometer and wire it to the dimming wires from the driver (as pictured).
Pic 5.png

Run your wires from COB to COB in series & be sure to run the wires thru the holes in the HeatSinks then connect the pos & neg to the DC side of the driver.
Your light should be taking full shape by now and the wires should look something about like this:
Pic 7.png

You can now drill holes to attach the eye bolts on the 4 points as seen in the picture.
Pic 8.png

Attach the chain to the eye bolts. I used approx 24" of small black unwelded chain on each side.
I also used Kapton tape to keep the wires affixed to the inside edges of the aluminum angle which keeps everything tidy and free from being able to get snagged etc.

Your light is now finished and ready to grow some plants.

If you have questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to help to the best I can. Happy growing!!
 

Heisen

Dont Need One
Admin
The finished product measures 20" x 20" and draws approximately 200W of dimmable LED light.

**DISCLAIMER** It is not a difficult build, but will require some basic mechanical and electrical abilities.
If you are not good at wiring or arent mechanically inclined, you may want to consider a premade light fixture.

PARTS LIST:
(4) Citizen CLU048 1212's (36V)
(4) 120mm Passive Pin Heatsinks
(1) Mean Well HLG 185H-C1400B Driver (dimmable)
(4) BJB COB Holders
(1) tube Arctic Silver Thermal Paste
(12) ft. 1" Aluminum Angle
(8) 1/2" nuts & bolts
(28) 1/4" M3 screws (usually standard size used for predrilled/tapped heatsinks)
(8') 18 gauge wire (solid & rated for 300V+)
(2) Waterproof Junction Boxes
(1) 100K Potentiometer
(1) 6' Power Cord with plug (3 wire grounded)
(4) Eye Bolts & nuts
(4') Small Chain
(2) wire nuts

THE BUILD:
Cut 4 pieces of the aluminum angle @ 20". Drill holes for the 1/2" bolts (as indicated by the red dots) to make a square frame as seen in the picture. Be sure to use the HeatSinks to give the proper space so they fit once assembled. You can now apply the thermal paste to the Heatsinks, then install the COBs and the BJB holders with the M3 screws.
View attachment 784

Line up the heatsinks & drill holes in the frame so you can mount the pre-drilled and tapped heatsinks to the frame with the M3 screws (indicated by the purple dots in the pic).
View attachment 785

Be sure to leave the hole in the heatsinks available and accessible because this is the hole you will use to run the wires from the COBs back up through to the next COB and then to the driver so everything stays neat and tidy. I placed my heatsinks so that the hole is facing the corners of the aluminum frame.
View attachment 792

Once the frame and heatsinks are assembled, now cut (2) pieces of aluminum angle at 12" each. These are going to be the "holder" for the driver and will be how you attach the driver to the frame. It will also add to the rigidity of the frame overall. You will need to notch out some of the edges of the aluminum angle to get it to fit how I have mine, but this will allow the driver supports to fit flush with the rest of the frame.
View attachment 787

View attachment 793

Drill holes to affix the (2) 12" center rails as pictured. Drill holes to affix the driver to the now mounted rails using the M3 screws.
Drill and affix the (2) junction boxes on opposite sides of the frame (at each wired end of the driver) and wire the A/C side of the driver and the 6' power cord in one junction box
(as pictured).
View attachment 789

As for the other junction box, you will drill a hole in the top of the junction box to install the potentiometer and wire it to the dimming wires from the driver (as pictured).
View attachment 790

Run your wires from COB to COB in series & be sure to run the wires thru the holes in the HeatSinks then connect the pos & neg to the DC side of the driver.
Your light should be taking full shape by now and the wires should look something about like this:
View attachment 796

You can now drill holes to attach the eye bolts on the 4 points as seen in the picture.
View attachment 798

Attach the chain to the eye bolts. I used approx 24" of small black unwelded chain on each side.
I also used Kapton tape to keep the wires affixed to the inside edges of the aluminum angle which keeps everything tidy and free from being able to get snagged etc.

Your light is now finished and ready to grow some plants.

If you have questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to help to the best I can. Happy growing!!
This kind of stuff Is Invaluable Info. I remember making my DWC tutorial and than at the time not realizing how many people actually made the system. Now i see pics on other forums and shit of people running the system with big ass plants. pretty awesome
 

Hydro

PICK YOUR OWN
Nice!!! You make it look so easy!
Nice! Clean setup, great presentation!!
Thanks guys, I appreciate that! I hope this can serve to help some DIY'er like myself build an affordable LED light.

Priceless!! How much for this setup?
I had a few things on the list already like thermal paste,chain,harware,etc. but I was under $0.90 a watt for this build. I believe I had about $175 or so in it. You can even get away with not using waterproof junction boxes, or a potentiometer and do it even cheaper with Wago connectors or wire nuts.
 

TerpyTyrone

LED Recruiter
Thanks guys, I appreciate that! I hope this can serve to help some DIY'er like myself build an affordable LED light.


I had a few things on the list already like thermal paste,chain,harware,etc. but I was under $0.90 a watt for this build. I believe I had about $175 or so in it. You can even get away with not using waterproof junction boxes, or a potentiometer and do it even cheaper with Wago connectors or wire nuts.
Cobkits.com is the lowest price for the individual cobs with a quick search. The other link is ledgardener.com he is pretty good for the calculation end of things.
How did u learn about the voltage and Max current and so forth?
 

Hydro

PICK YOUR OWN
Cobkits.com is the lowest price for the individual cobs with a quick search. The other link is ledgardener.com he is pretty good for the calculation end of things.
How did u learn about the voltage and Max current and so forth?
Im still learning lol. My first learning/building experience was from Greengene on the "other site" in like early 2016.
This was my first 400W build with Cree CXB3070's:
20160502_221836 - Copy.jpg

20160502_222053 - Copy.jpg
 

Derbud

New Member
The finished product measures 20" x 20" and draws approximately 200W of dimmable LED light.

**DISCLAIMER** It is not a difficult build, but will require some basic mechanical and electrical abilities.
If you are not good at wiring or arent mechanically inclined, you may want to consider a premade light fixture.

PARTS LIST:
(4) Citizen CLU048 1212's (36V)
(4) 120mm Passive Pin Heatsinks
(1) Mean Well HLG 185H-C1400B Driver (dimmable)
(4) BJB COB Holders
(1) tube Arctic Silver Thermal Paste
(12) ft. 1" Aluminum Angle
(8) 1/2" nuts & bolts
(28) 1/4" M3 screws (usually standard size used for predrilled/tapped heatsinks)
(8') 18 gauge wire (solid & rated for 300V+)
(2) Waterproof Junction Boxes
(1) 100K Potentiometer
(1) 6' Power Cord with plug (3 wire grounded)
(4) Eye Bolts & nuts
(4') Small Chain
(2) wire nuts

THE BUILD:
Cut 4 pieces of the aluminum angle @ 20". Drill holes for the 1/2" bolts (as indicated by the red dots) to make a square frame as seen in the picture. Be sure to use the HeatSinks to give the proper space so they fit once assembled. You can now apply the thermal paste, then install the COBs and the BJB holders to the heatsinks with the M3 screws.
View attachment 784

Line up the heatsinks & drill holes in the frame so you can mount the pre-drilled and tapped heatsinks to the frame with the M3 screws (indicated by the purple dots in the pic).
View attachment 785

Be sure to leave the hole in the heatsinks available and accessible because this is the hole you will use to run the wires from the COBs back up through to the next COB and then to the driver so everything stays neat and tidy. I placed my heatsinks so that the hole is facing the corners of the aluminum frame.
View attachment 792

Once the frame and heatsinks are assembled, now cut (2) pieces of aluminum angle at 12" each. These are going to be the "holder" for the driver and will be how you attach the driver to the frame. It will also add to the rigidity of the frame overall. You will need to notch out some of the edges of the aluminum angle to get it to fit how I have mine, but this will allow the driver supports to fit flush with the rest of the frame.
View attachment 787

View attachment 793

Drill holes to affix the (2) 12" center rails as pictured. Drill holes to affix the driver to the now mounted rails using the M3 screws.
Drill and affix the (2) junction boxes on opposite sides of the frame (at each wired end of the driver) and wire the A/C side of the driver and the 6' power cord in one junction box
(as pictured).
View attachment 789

As for the other junction box, you will drill a hole in the top of the junction box to install the potentiometer and wire it to the dimming wires from the driver (as pictured).
View attachment 790

Run your wires from COB to COB in series & be sure to run the wires thru the holes in the HeatSinks then connect the pos & neg to the DC side of the driver.
Your light should be taking full shape by now and the wires should look something about like this:
View attachment 796

You can now drill holes to attach the eye bolts on the 4 points as seen in the picture.
View attachment 798

Attach the chain to the eye bolts. I used approx 24" of small black unwelded chain on each side.
I also used Kapton tape to keep the wires affixed to the inside edges of the aluminum angle which keeps everything tidy and free from being able to get snagged etc.

Your light is now finished and ready to grow some plants.

If you have questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to help to the best I can. Happy growing!!
All you guys rock. Gonna build this light. Thanks for posting hydro... love these kind of threads
 
Ok, quite the difference, I am constanly thinking about LED either DIY or store bought COB´s, but I have a lot of HPS lamps from previous years and well argument at the moment is, you get alot of juice "kwh" for HPS´ in comparison the price of LED´s...plus they then need "juice":)
 
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