Did i wire my QBs wrong?

[PopeyeSpinach]

I have a meanwhile HLG 320h-c1400b

2 - 2700k 304
2- 3000k 304

I wired them in parallel-series


When i crank them all the way up its maxed out at 268 watts according to the killowatt meter.

I thought this driver put out a max of 320 watts...

So why am i stuck at 268?

 

[shimbob]

The driver can provide a maximum of 320watts when your load consumes the full 229volts that the driver can provide. 229v * 1.4a = 320w.

But the QB don't require all the volts available. The QB 304 only requires ~105volts at 0.7A, so 4 boards wired in 2s2p will consume ~(105v*2)*1.4a = 294w. You're short a few watts, is the dimmer turned all the way up?

 

[shimbob]

Additionally, since you have the B version, have you checked that your dimmer potentiometer is truly 100ohms? Try running it with the DIM wires unconnected.

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

Hmm, i have a 4 extras, ill ohm it w my meter when i get home.

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

Ok so finally checked the pots, but have not unhooked the dimmer wires from the pot.

This is what I'm using, is this not the right one? I've got it soldered to the wire so if I unhook it I'm going to have to get the soldering iron back out to get my light going again. And I'm the middle of flowering...i probably dont need many more watts but what would it hurt lol
"Uxcell a12022200ux0324 100K Ohm Linear Dual Taper Rotary Potentiometer"
Just like this

 

[Rahz]

If you get more wattage without the pot this indicates the pot isn't hitting 100k ohms. I've always recommended 110-120k ohms because even the expensive ones run at +-2%. The cheap ones will be +-5 or even +-10%

Aside from purchasing a new pot you have a couple options. A switch can be added to the dim circuit (fancy), or some kind of quick connect (less fancy) or Wago. Turn the dimmer off when you want to run the lamp at max.

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

So my plants got light burn yesterday.

Had a pretty big bonfire party here last night so I wanted to make sure I had a fresh scrubber to take care of any smell.

I had to unhook my light and move it out of the grow to drop my scrubber down and repack the carbon.

I got done with that and hooked the light back up just the way it was hooked up before. Turned the potentiometer all the way up like it was, closed the door and didn't check it till today.

Open up the door and immediately realized something was wrong. My first thought was that I didn't set my height above my plants properly, it was a little bit lower but not enough to cause that much damage.

When I looked up the kilowatt meter the lights were pulling 211 Watts. What....the....fu**????

 

[captainmorgan]

Size of area and distance from plants?

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

Its a 36x32, 14-20 inches depending on canopy, but if you read previous posts i couldnt get more than 168 watts and all was well. But why after unhooking and hooking the light back up, does it go to 210w now?

 

[captainmorgan]

These lights put out a ton of photons but should not burn anything at that distance and power level. Is it maybe light shock,if they were in low light levels before going under the QBs they could be shocked.

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

they went from 168 watts to 210 watts

14-20 is where it's at now. It was 12 to 18" when they burned, and really only the taller colas got burned. The lower canopies pretty much okay....

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

I'm not asking why I burned my plants, I'm asking why the light will go up to 210 Watts now, when before I couldn't get it higher than 168... and everything is the same as it was before

 

[captainmorgan]

Helped someone last week with a similar problem, turned out to be a defective Meanwell driver that he had to call and send in for warranty.

 

[Krytend]

I'm not asking why I burned my plants, I'm asking why the light will go up to 210 Watts now, when before I couldn't get it higher than 168... and everything is the same as it was before

Run the light without the pot hooked up to see if you're getting the right about of watts. Also those boards are bright I've burnt and light stressed so many plants under Cti 1212 a 36v cob and your output is way more.

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

Ok so had a busy last few days and the lights were working fine

Today they wont go over 120ish watts.... houston we have a problem

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

Unhooked the pot and plugged it in... 332 watts!!!

So im thinking i need a new potentiometer

 

[PopeyeSpinach]

Yep, good thing i bought a 5 pack of Pots...hooked a different one up and now she will go to all the way up to 311 watts.

Probably going to look into a bigger better pot