COB build flickering again..
- Thread starter Al Yamoni
- Start date
CanadianONE
Well-Known Member
Beauty glad you got it up and running. I had a feeling after everything I had you test that it was definitely a bad driver.
salmonetin
Well-Known Member
...now ...the pot for dimming?... resistor and pot?... or only a pot?...
..just for my curiosity...
...maybe a vid testing voltage on your cobs... or amperage on your string...
...or continuity tests...for help others...
... lol... im dreaming again...
...i know wilson... other bet?...
...
Saludos
..just for my curiosity...
...maybe a vid testing voltage on your cobs... or amperage on your string...
...or continuity tests...for help others...
... lol... im dreaming again......i know wilson... other bet?...
...Saludos
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Al Yamoni
Well-Known Member
100k pot soldered, no resistor. Since the light is already hung and plants are using it happily the tests will have to wait. I am building another and I would be happy to make any specific videos that you would suggest at that time. I definitely feel like giving back to the community that has helped me soo much!...now ...the pot for dimming?... resistor and pot?... or only a pot?...
..just for my curiosity...
...maybe a vid testing voltage on your cobs... or amperage on your string...
...or continuity tests...for help others...
...i know wilson... other bet?...
Saludos
pardon me for being dumb, but what was the actual problem and how did you get it working ?
Al Yamoni
Well-Known Member
After all the testing (which im grateful for because I learned a lot) in the end I just swapped out the driver and that was the problem. Driver failure. Apparently it happens, even to Mean Well products.
I have contacted Mean Well and they said to contact the distributor I purchased from (Jameco Electronics) to start the RMA process. I have already received a prompt response with a telephone number from them. I'm about to call now.
EDIT: my wife bought this driver for me for Xmas.. Long story short it wasn't from jameco., and she can't remember the website she ordered from..
EDIT: found it, online components!
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After all the testing (which im grateful for because I learned a lot) in the end I just swapped out the driver and that was the problem. Driver failure. Apparently it happens, even to Mean Well products.
I have contacted Mean Well and they said to contact the distributor I purchased from (Jameco Electronics) to start the RMA process. I have already received a prompt response with a telephone number from them. I'm about to call now.
EDIT: my wife bought this driver for me for Xmas.. Long story short it wasn't from jameco., and she can't remember the website she ordered from..
EDIT: found it, online components!
ok I get it. give your wife a kiss for the xmas present, despite everything she deserves a little extra!
Al Yamoni
Well-Known Member
Oh for sure! That was never meant as me expressing frustration towards my wife, She is the bees knees to me, regardless of any of this electronic phooey! I was just frustrated that the warranty process wasn't going as smoothly as I had hoped for. It's well on its way now though! Thanks for the support!
gk skunky
Well-Known Member
One thing i would suggest is maybe consider remounting or placing the driver on something other than the pvc as an insulator to the pvc. Just the driver is going to be the warmest operating component other than the emitting surface of the diode. That pvc will off gas some from the heat but it may melt over time. I know my drivers are about 35-40*F warmer than the heatsinks.
Al Yamoni
Well-Known Member
What would you suggest? I could mount something to the PVC and mount the driver to that.. But what?
CanadianONE
Well-Known Member
Maybe a piece of aluminum plate would aid in cooling also but maybe still get too warm not 100% sure.
Al Yamoni
Well-Known Member
I'll probably leave it as it is. Right now its barely touching the PVC, it's mostly held in place by the zip ties pulled tightly in each direction. Thanks for the heads up.
Al Yamoni
Well-Known Member
I have been monitoring it for a few days now 18/6 and I can squeeze my hand around the driver in any spot and while it is the hottest thing on the build, I wouldn't say that it gets hot but rather warm. Quite cozy acutally.Mount it remote
You remove the weight from the light, heat from the driver getting in the tent, and can put your switch and POT outside where it's easily reached. You also (from what I understand) wouldn't have to worry about grounding the fixture, just the AC side.
Al Yamoni
Well-Known Member
So, onlinecomponents.com dragged their feet all of last week and still hasn't decided to give me an RMA #. I have emailed, called, and filled out all of the forms, and they have been submitted. I was told that they would sort me out by end of business Friday and didn't get a call back.. I called them this morning and told them that I needed to know whats going on by this afternoon and that I have been patient for long enough.
They have always been polite and always answer the phone, I have just not been able to get any sort of cut and clear timeline. Anyways, I talked to a fella Richard and told him my situation and he told me to scrap the driver I have and he'll just send me a new one.. Fingers crossed for that to actually happen.
Next point is I want to try my hand at diagnosing this driver to see if I can salvage it. Good idea, or no?
They have always been polite and always answer the phone, I have just not been able to get any sort of cut and clear timeline. Anyways, I talked to a fella Richard and told him my situation and he told me to scrap the driver I have and he'll just send me a new one.. Fingers crossed for that to actually happen.
Next point is I want to try my hand at diagnosing this driver to see if I can salvage it. Good idea, or no?
FranJan
Well-Known Member
If they're an authorized MeanWell reseller complain, politely, to MeanWell. Could get the ball rolling on onlinecomponents end.
It's not impossible to fix a driver. Faulty capacitors that can't hold a charge are very likely the culprit for flicker but MeanWells are probably made by robots or under perfect conditions so repairing them would probably take quite a bit of skill and technique. Power supplies are a big subject too. And if they're potted like sj says, well only attempt that if your OCD
.
Click this link and see if you're comfortable with the table of contents. Holy you know what
!
http://www.amazon.com/Switching-Power-Supplies-Second-Edition/dp/0123865336/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_z
It's not impossible to fix a driver. Faulty capacitors that can't hold a charge are very likely the culprit for flicker but MeanWells are probably made by robots or under perfect conditions so repairing them would probably take quite a bit of skill and technique. Power supplies are a big subject too. And if they're potted like sj says, well only attempt that if your OCD
.Click this link and see if you're comfortable with the table of contents. Holy you know what
!http://www.amazon.com/Switching-Power-Supplies-Second-Edition/dp/0123865336/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_z
CanadianONE
Well-Known Member
I'm sure it will be replaced because the HLG's are potted. I can't find it now but I watched a YouTube video of someone opening one up to see the insides but there was nothing to see lol
Al Yamoni
Well-Known Member
So, potted means that the electronics are covered in a non-conductive dark goo?