Lighting DIY Mars to Cree Cob conversion

[cotum3]

Today I converted my dying Mars ii 700 to cobs on the cheap. all thanks to the information I found here, I would like to thank you all.

i have 5 drivers in the Mars, 55v-86v @ .63-.65A

I converted to 10 Citizen Clu048 1212 V6, Very cheap from Estonia via ebay Eur50 x 5.

2x 2700k, 2x 5000k, 6x 3500k.

Removed the glass, removed the heat sinks from the Led plate, dropped the two heat sinks to the glass shelf. (i used to be ok at soldering, learned today that I am out of practice in a big way, should have bought the holders)

connected the 2x 2700k to the Bloom driver. all the overs to the veg connection.

I could have probably used other cobs, but to be honest, this was just a cheap easy to get option.

anyway, again I would just like thank all you guys who throw your work on the net for people like me use.

 

[Ripper]

Today I converted my dying Mars ii 700 to cobs on the cheap. all thanks to the information I found here, I would like to thank you all.

i have 5 drivers in the Mars, 55v-86v @ .63-.65A

I converted to 10 Citizen Glu048 1212 V6, Very cheap from Estonia via ebay Eur50 x 5.

2x 2700k, 2x 5000k, 6x 3500k.

Removed the glass, removed the heat sinks from the Led plate, dropped the two heat sinks to the glass shelf. (i used to be ok at soldering, learned today that I am out of practice in a big way, should have bought the holders)

connected the 2x 2700k to the Bloom driver. all the overs to the veg connection.

I could have probably used other cobs, but to be honest, this was just a cheap easy to get option.

anyway, again I would just like thank all you guys who throw your work on the net for people like me use.

View attachment 1096792 View attachment 1096793 View attachment 1096792 View attachment 1096793

Great job

 

[cotum3]

Thanks a lot, i probably would not have tried without this web site, 1st thought was to replace the dying LEDs, but when Mars said 30 were going out, I figured it was time for some soldering fun.

 

[Proph]

Today I converted my dying Mars ii 700 to cobs on the cheap. all thanks to the information I found here, I would like to thank you all.

i have 5 drivers in the Mars, 55v-86v @ .63-.65A

I converted to 10 Citizen Glu048 1212 V6, Very cheap from Estonia via ebay Eur50 x 5.

2x 2700k, 2x 5000k, 6x 3500k.

Removed the glass, removed the heat sinks from the Led plate, dropped the two heat sinks to the glass shelf. (i used to be ok at soldering, learned today that I am out of practice in a big way, should have bought the holders)

connected the 2x 2700k to the Bloom driver. all the overs to the veg connection.

I could have probably used other cobs, but to be honest, this was just a cheap easy to get option.

anyway, again I would just like thank all you guys who throw your work on the net for people like me use.

View attachment 1096792 View attachment 1096793 View attachment 1096792 View attachment 1096793

My conversion is pretty similar. I converted a Mars 900 into 16 cree cobs.. It has 9 drivers.. The veg switch is 4 cobs @5k and 4 cobs @4k (235w).. The bloom switch is 4 cobs @4k and 4 cobs @3k(235w)... 16 cobs running at about 30w a piece, and about 475w total. Here's a pic at full power in a 3x3x7 tent.

 

[Dudeski]

My conversion is pretty similar. I converted a Mars 900 into 16 cree cobs.. It has 9 drivers.. The veg switch is 4 cobs @5k and 4 cobs @4k (235w).. The bloom switch is 4 cobs @4k and 4 cobs @3k(235w)... 16 cobs running at about 30w a piece, and about 475w total. Here's a pic at full power in a 3x3x7 tent.
View attachment 1096825

That's a bunch of cobs! Nice job

 

[cotum3]

My conversion is pretty similar. I converted a Mars 900 into 16 cree cobs.. It has 9 drivers.. The veg switch is 4 cobs @5k and 4 cobs @4k (235w).. The bloom switch is 4 cobs @4k and 4 cobs @3k(235w)... 16 cobs running at about 30w a piece, and about 475w total. Here's a pic at full power in a 3x3x7 tent.
View attachment 1096825

That looks like a lot of grow power in one tent, 1 question, does it not get hot inside the lamp with the glass in place? even at 30W.. nice clean work you have done there.

 

[Proph]

That looks like a lot of grow power in one tent, 1 question, does it not get hot inside the lamp with the glass in place? even at 30W.. nice clean work you have done there.

No heat issue what so ever. Even with both switches on. And I'm using the original fans that came with the Mars. Running the cobs at 30w definitely helps with that. Plus I only use one switch at a time (235w) for now. That's more than enough for a 3x3. But I will eventually upgrade the tent size, so having the added power will come in handy. The original mars set up ran much hotter than the cob conversion.

 

[cotum3]

No heat issue what so ever. Even with both switches on. And I'm using the original fans that came with the Mars. Running the cobs at 30w definitely helps with that. Plus I only use one switch at a time (235w) for now. That's more than enough for a 3x3. But I will eventually upgrade the tent size, so having the added power will come in handy. The original mars set up ran much hotter than the cob conversion.

Indeed the Mars ran hotter, I dropped a thermometer on my heat sinks, earlier its measures at 29.5 after been on the whole day, still have the two mars fans blowing which helps a little I guess.

 

[cotum3]

I am now thinking of updating the drivers to 1050mA, from the current 0.63+/- mA

1x HLG-320H-C1050A - Led PSU CC. 152-305V/1050mA, IP65

for the 6x 3500k + 2x 5000k in series = 36.8v (max) @ 1050mA = 39Wpc x 8 = 312W +/-


2x 2700k = 36.8v (max) @ (2x0.63mA) 1.26mA +/- = 93W (use 2 current Mars drivers in parallel) can I use the mars drivers in parallel?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated, I am not 100% certain it would be workable.

I believe that this would be pretty efficient overall.

 

[BigSm0]

I am now thinking of updating the drivers to 1050mA, from the current 0.63+/- mA

1x HLG-320H-C1050A - Led PSU CC. 152-305V/1050mA, IP65

for the 6x 3500k + 2x 5000k in series = 36.8v (max) @ 1050mA = 39Wpc x 8 = 312W +/-


2x 2700k = 36.8v (max) @ (2x0.63mA) 1.26mA +/- = 93W (use 2 current Mars drivers in parallel) can I use the mars drivers in parallel?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated, I am not 100% certain it would be workable.

I believe that this would be pretty efficient overall.

I think you would be better to run smaller drivers to each set/spectrum of cobs. It has been done and also done by myself but it’s not recommended to run cobs of a different forward voltage in the same line. The driver would be a huge upgrade over those 88% bargain basement drivers though.

Another thing and it won’t be exact but if for example you take a lower temp and a higher temp and mix them together you basically end up with what the 3500 gives you.
You’d just have more red or more blue in the coverage area of the specific cob. You won’t necessarily achieve a wider spectrum if you mix them. What I recommend to people is the 3500k as the base and if you felt you wanted more of a color add it on top of the 3500k.