Led strip Opinions pls

[slow drawl]

I just ordered 2 of the 288.2 LM301b boards with heat sinks and a Meanwell HLG-240H-54A delivered for $212 from this company, Atreum Lighting. Not sure if this fits what you really want since you inquired about strips but seems like a legit business.

 

[Gary77]

You may be over-complicating things by taking each individual diode into account.

Think of the strips as a single light source. One that requires 20 volts to run... that simple.

And yes, you're correct, the lower you drive them (amps) the more efficient they are.

So if youre going the DIY route, then get:

• 1x HLG-240H-C1050B Driver. (for this driver you'd be connecting them in series, the choice of version A or B is up to you. A comes with dimmers on the drivers, and B has the cables for you to add an external dimmer)

• 12 Strips

• heatsinks? Although i don't think they're necessary at 20W per strip

Hi. The number of diodes i was using as a guide for price . I appreciate it isnt that important .

What you said there about the hlg 240 1050 is in line with what im thinking . Perhaps the 1400ma version and build two lights .each with 8 strips each . I feel 11 run at 1050ma creating 220watts is a little low . If i get the 1400ma id have the option of turning the amps up or down to .

 

[Gary77]

I'll see if i can find anything about bin codes of the strips .

 

[Gary77]

Ive been given bin codes from the company selling the strips

Forward voltage bin AZ middle bin
Chromaticity bin. UA
Luminous flux bin. SK middle bin

 

[eyderbuddy]

What builds have you used that driver on? I haven't heard anything good about it

The LRS series is a good low-cost driver made by MeanWell. It's obviously not 96%+ efficient like the HLG series, in fact it's only 89-92% efficient, it's also an open body design, so it's not water proof... But for 1/4 of the price it's definitely worth it if you can deal with that.

 

[eyderbuddy]

Hi. The number of diodes i was using as a guide for price . I appreciate it isnt that important .

What you said there about the hlg 240 1050 is in line with what im thinking . Perhaps the 1400ma version and build two lights .each with 8 strips each . I feel 11 run at 1050ma creating 220watts is a little low . If i get the 1400ma id have the option of turning the amps up or down to .

Meanwell is known for understating the performance of their drivers. Usually they output at least 10% more than what they're rated for.

I just read the test-report for the HLG-240H-C1050 and they state a current range of between 0.4 and 1.281 amps. Meaning that if you crank it to the max, you should be getting over 300W from this driver alone. Anything over 300W is overkill for a 2x4 grow area... (unless you're running CO2, lol)

https://www.meanwell.com/webapp/product/search.aspx?prod=HLG-240H-C

You can see for yourself, in the CURRENT ADJ. RANGE part of the PDF.

I have a few HLG-185H and if i max the current and voltage they go up to 240W

 

[Ryante55]

The LRS series is a good low-cost driver made by MeanWell. It's obviously not 96%+ efficient like the HLG series, in fact it's only 89-92% efficient, it's also an open body design, so it's not water proof... But for 1/4 of the price it's definitely worth it if you can deal with that.

They are constant current right? I've seen a couple people have problems with them but it was probably user error still doesn't seem worth the cost savings. You could probably go with cheaper strips and a better driver for the same savings

 

[Gary77]

Meanwell is known for understating the performance of their drivers. Usually they output at least 10% more than what they're rated for.

I just read the test-report for the HLG-240H-C1050 and they state a current range of between 0.4 and 1.281 amps. Meaning that if you crank it to the max, you should be getting over 300W from this driver alone. Anything over 300W is overkill for a 2x4 grow area... (unless you're running CO2, lol)

https://www.meanwell.com/webapp/product/search.aspx?prod=HLG-240H-C

You can see for yourself, in the CURRENT ADJ. RANGE part of the PDF.

I have a few HLG-185H and if i max the current and voltage they go up to 240W

After taking in what everyones said and from my own opinion (for what its worth lol) i think im going with an hlg 320 1400 and running 11 strips . Either at 1050ma and around 220watts or at 1400ma and around 300watts.

Cost will be £320

 

[coreywebster]

Yeah Gary, if building your own, its usually to eek out that extra efficiency so it would makes sense to use a HLG which is that few percent higher efficiency.
The HLG 320 1400 and 11 strips sounds like a winner.
Look forward to seeing what you come up with.

 

[1212ham]

Ditto. I like the HLG Driver. Supplies like the LRS are intended to be inside an enclosure and we all know accidents happen. Or I make them happen. lol

Ryante, the LRS is constant voltage.

 

[Randomblame]

After taking in what everyones said and from my own opinion (for what its worth lol) i think im going with an hlg 320 1400 and running 11 strips . Either at 1050ma and around 220watts or at 1400ma and around 300watts.

Cost will be £320

Wire them strips in parallel, bro! Its 1oz copper boards are usually limited to 50v max. With 10 or 16 strips in series there would be a certain voltage droop and the driver has to compensate for that. In the worst case its possible that the maximum output is reduced.
Use the HLG-240H-20A or B and wire them all in parallel. From strip to Wago clamps you can use awg16 single core wires and to wire driver to Wagos/fixture you should use the same stranded awg14 wires comming out of the driver; especially when you plan to remote wire the driver and mount it outside of the tent. Small wires would add resistance a you would again get a certain voltage droop.
I've used 16 Sammy F-strips in series and got only 210w out of an HLG-240H-C700B, than switched to 10s2p and got 220w from an HLG-240H-C1050B. Now they are wired 5s4p and there is only a small droop the driver can handle without much loss in maximum output.
Do yourself a favor and wire them in parallel or wire only each 2 strips in series and then connect them in parallel. You could use the HLG-240H-42A with 12 strips and wire them in 2s6p for instance.
HLG-240H-20 is a CV/CC version but as long as the strip voltage is below 20v the driver would run in CC mode. Only above 20v it would switch to CV mode. There is a voltage regulator on A version drivers. B version is limited to 20v if the strip voltage is higher than that you would need the HLG-240H-24B to get it working. A version has a voltage adj. range between 18 and 23v or so(±3%}, B version is max. 20v with no voltage regulator. But since a half year you can find them as AB versions too which means they are externally dimmable plus have the internal vF and IF regulators.
LRS series can not work in CC mode, is less efficient, not IP67 rated and the voltage adj. range is smaller. It would work but need an additional driver housing when used in wet conditions. I would mount them outside of the tent to remove the additional heat and avoid building a driver case.

That's a screeny from H-influx series datasheet, insulation voltage is 50v and should not be exceeded.


Edit:
Have added a screeny from latest MW HLG series; they are now available in 6 different versions.

 

[Gary77]

Random Blame ,Thanks for the detailed reply , just when i thought i had it all worked out haha. I had moved on to researching filters and orca film versus diamond mylar .

I was originally put off from wiring in parallel from watching some you tube videos . It just seemed more complicated and i think im right in saying fuses etc should be wired in . I'll go back and look more in to wiring in parallel , i'll be back with questions once ive refreshed my memory about what put me off it .

Thanks again for everyones input in this thread . Its great to hear directly with people that k ow whats what

 

[Randomblame]

Random Blame ,Thanks for the detailed reply , just when i thought i had it all worked out haha. I had moved on to researching filters and orca film versus diamond mylar .

I was originally put off from wiring in parallel from watching some you tube videos . It just seemed more complicated and i think im right in saying fuses etc should be wired in . I'll go back and look more in to wiring in parallel , i'll be back with questions once ive refreshed my memory about what put me off it .

Thanks again for everyones input in this thread . Its great to hear directly with people that k ow whats what

You need no fuses if you use MW HLG/ELG drivers. Even when connected in parallel the driver would work in CC mode. They only work in CV mode if you set a higher voltage but therefor you would need the A version drivers. COB's are already connected in a series-parallel layout. Only with single diodes you need current limiting resistors on each string. With COB's there is no risk to get thermal runnaway because the current flow is limited by the drivers maximum voltage. With strips its the same. 2ft F-strips have strings of 8 diodes in series and 9 strings connected in parallel and they dont have resistors. If you use a 24v driver the strip can not exeed their maximum current. To run them at 1,8A you would need at least 25v or so.

 

[Randomblame]

At 24v one strips can only get up to 1,6amps but the driver current is divided by the number of strips. With 6 strips and a 6amp driver the strips would run with 1amp and therefor the voltage would be lower around 22,8v. Remember, voltage forward limits current flow and vice versa.
The maximum output of the driver depends on the circuit design of the connected LED's.
It you design the circuits the right way there is no risk for thermal runnaway.
If you have an HLG-240H-24 and you connect 9 2footers in parallel the strips would get ~1160mA and the voltage would be 23,1v. If you use only 7 strips in parallel each strip would get ~1,5amps and the voltage would be ~24v. To make it even more difficult case temps have also an effect on voltage. The higher the temps the lower the voltage and lower voltage also means lower current flow. For this reason you want a good cooling solution.