PC Power Supply and 12V Boost Converters

analog1961

analog1961

Well-Known Member
visajoe1 said:
this topic as been discussed previously. the expert opinion is, yes technically the 12v and booster setup will work, but isnt dependable for daily usage.. much better to just spend the extra few bucks on a cv/cc driver.
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Thanks I'll connect my platinum 93% power supply to a quality converter with a load and do an automated test of the circuit. I'm curious about stability. The power supply is rock solid, a seasonic 1200W. If it's stable I might use it, I'm in no hurry to build a conventional light I do electrical projects as a hobby.
 
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OLD MOTHER SATIVA

OLD MOTHER SATIVA

Well-Known Member
analog1961 said:
The 1200W 20A/60V DC High Current Programmable Digitally Controlled Power Supply TTL is capable of 1200W when both the current and the voltage are at their maximum. In general P=VI in a DC resistive circuit where P is power V is voltage and I is current. Maximum power is then 1200VA=60V*20A or 1200W. The maximum voltage drop across an led would be 60V so 2 36V leds in series would possibly exceed the limit if the current was set too high. I plan to use multiple smaller converters one for each cob so for each converter if the pc power supply had 4 12V rails you could use one rail per cob and have 4 separate outputs. It would be like 4 300W separate power supplies. Each of the 4 outputs could be adjusted for a constant current corresponding to the current you plan to drive the cob. I'm specifically not looking for higher voltage systems that can power multiple cobs in series. If you add more cobs to one rail just don't exceed the maximum current per rail.

Have you had physics or any engineering courses?
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not even close to being a tech..i can do equations if i have them..

and i have absorbed a fair bit here

**could i use that 1200 PS for 43-55vf multiple panels strips in parallel?**
 
analog1961

analog1961

Well-Known Member
OLD MOTHER SATIVA said:
**could i use that 1200 PS for 43-55vf multiple panels strips in parallel?**
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Sure but from what I gather (I'm completely new to lighting, my engineering degree is over 30 yrs. old and I was never an engineer) commercial led power supplies are superior to the type of system I'm looking at. I'm doing this because I'm interested in electronics again decades after serious study.
 
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1212ham

Well-Known Member
I just tried powering a $5, 250 watt boost converter with some switching supplies, the load is three citizen 1212's. I get strobing with the Nintendo, xbox and 12v, 6A LCD supplies. The fault light strobes on the xbox supply. It seems they don't like to power up the converter under load, but all work normally if the cobs are connected after the supply and converter are powered up. An easy work around could be a relay to connect the load after power on, possibly on a delay timer.

I also tried a 36v, 360W supply with the voltage trimmed to about 32V, no issues.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-400W-36V-10A-AC-to-DC-Single-Output-Switch-Power-Supply-For-LED-Strip-Light-/172552406569?hash=item282cecc629:g:1NoAAOSwCU1YtBVl
 
analog1961

analog1961

Well-Known Member
OLD MOTHER SATIVA said:
"commercial led power supplies are superior to the type of system"

yes..and only advantage is price..
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I'll experiment with these circuits but I'm really not inclined to leave one powered when I leave the house. Considering safety, portability and resale value for permanent lighting I'll use properly engineered devices.
 
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1212ham

Well-Known Member
analog1961 said:
PC heat sinks with with fans are about $10, maybe a little more depending on power levels. For a high power vero 29 has anyone used pc heat sinks?
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Many have used CPU heatsinks. They do the job, but the fans can be noisy and draw a few hundred mA. I like these, very quiet with low current draw. https://led.cdiweb.com/ProductDetail/ICELED550--mechatronix/573531/
They are more open around the fins so they have good convection flow and are still quite effective if a fan fails. I don't understand why more people don't use them, better cooling than passive and most people run one or more fans in the tent anyway.
 
analog1961

analog1961

Well-Known Member
1212ham said:
I just tried powering a $5, 250 watt boost converter with some switching supplies, the load is three citizen 1212's. I get strobing with the Nintendo, xbox and 12v, 6A LCD supplies. The fault light strobes on the xbox supply. It seems they don't like to power up the converter under load, but all work normally if the cobs are connected after the supply and converter are powered up. An easy work around could be a relay to connect the load after power on, possibly on a delay timer.

I also tried a 36v, 360W supply with the voltage trimmed to about 32V, no issues.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-400W-36V-10A-AC-to-DC-Single-Output-Switch-Power-Supply-For-LED-Strip-Light-/172552406569?hash=item282cecc629:g:1NoAAOSwCU1YtBVl
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Thanks I just ordered a variety of $5 converters to try with various power sources and loads.
 
OLD MOTHER SATIVA

OLD MOTHER SATIVA

Well-Known Member
i have cpu fans on my 3590's.they are pretty quiet but i amhalf deaf and are not in my bedroom lol
personally i like fans/tiny heatsink better than passive because they circulate air and make for cooler cobs
 
analog1961

analog1961

Well-Known Member
This is off topic but since I started this thread....I got grief for stating hyperbolically in the newbie section that I preferred the leaf from BF critical kush 6 wk teens to some mid dispensary bud. The taste was vastly superior to a lot crap I've inadvertently been saddled with at dispensaries not harsh and a good aftertaste and I felt a bit of a buzz . Anyone have similar experiences?
 
nfhiggs

nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
analog1961 said:
Has anyone used a pc power supply and boost converters? I have high quality pc power supplies I adapted for use as bench power supplies. 12V boost converters are inexpensive roughly $5 for 150W. One supply I could use has 4 18A 12V rails for a total of 680W. PC heat sinks with with fans are about $10, maybe a little more depending on power levels. I'm thinking this could power 4 high power cobs. I have spools of wire, connectors, etc. All I need is a mounting system for a 2x4 space. Any suggestions for cobs? I'm thinking vero 29.

For a high power vero 29 has anyone used pc heat sinks?
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If you are referring to these boost modules:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/182339992097
Don't bother. For one, they will only boost a couple of volts above your input voltage, and they just don't have much reliability. I found they would just quit boosting after a few days of use.

I would suggest something more like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/232304462432

I've used CPU coolers on some of my cobs - they work great.
 
nfhiggs

nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
analog1961 said:
This is off topic but since I started this thread....I got grief for stating hyperbolically in the newbie section that I preferred the leaf from BF critical kush 6 wk teens to some mid dispensary bud. The taste was vastly superior to a lot crap I've inadvertently been saddled with at dispensaries not harsh and a good aftertaste and I felt a bit of a buzz . Anyone have similar experiences?
Click to expand...
I remember smoking some leaf trim on a few occasions when I was young and getting a good buzz from it. When I was 14 some college guys gave us a big handful of leaf trim and that stuff was potent as anything I'd smoked - not that I had a heck of a lot experience at that age, but we sure as hell weren't complaining about it. I'm sure its not anything like the flower we are growing today.
 
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nfhiggs

nfhiggs

Well-Known Member
1212ham said:
I just tried powering a $5, 250 watt boost converter with some switching supplies, the load is three citizen 1212's. I get strobing with the Nintendo, xbox and 12v, 6A LCD supplies. The fault light strobes on the xbox supply. It seems they don't like to power up the converter under load, but all work normally if the cobs are connected after the supply and converter are powered up. An easy work around could be a relay to connect the load after power on, possibly on a delay timer.

I also tried a 36v, 360W supply with the voltage trimmed to about 32V, no issues.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-400W-36V-10A-AC-to-DC-Single-Output-Switch-Power-Supply-For-LED-Strip-Light-/172552406569?hash=item282cecc629:g:1NoAAOSwCU1YtBVl
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That's the same supplies I got.
 
analog1961

analog1961

Well-Known Member
nfhiggs said:
I remember smoking some leaf trim on a few occasions when I was young and getting a good buzz from it. When I was 14 some college guys gave us a big handful of leaf trim and that stuff was potent as anything I'd smoked - not that I had a heck of a lot experience at that age, but we sure as hell weren't complaining about it. I'm sure its not anything like the flower we are growing today.
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Yeah no comparison, any good mid from deliveries or dispensaries is much stronger and can be a lot better tasting. It's just that I've never grown indoors with an intense source and a verified good genetic base and I was surprised the leaf from my young preflowering plants tastes good, not great but acceptable.
 
John buettner

John buettner

Member
I mistakenly bought a constant voltage driver to power 2 100w Chinese cob leds. It's a meanwell lpv 100 12. Do I need a boost controller for this?
 
Randomblame

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
John buettner said:
I mistakenly bought a constant voltage driver to power 2 100w Chinese cob leds. It's a meanwell lpv 100 12. Do I need a boost controller for this?
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I would return it and take a lpv-100-36 for constant voltage or better a lpv-100-1400 for constant current.
It's not very efficient to boost but if you still want, take 2 meanwell ldd 1500..
 
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