Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
2 together in series, voltage is combined.Damn, man I wish you guys would explain these responses just a wee bit more. Why would I want to run an 18v strip on a 40ish v driver?
2 together in series, voltage is combined.Damn, man I wish you guys would explain these responses just a wee bit more. Why would I want to run an 18v strip on a 40ish v driver?
He's meaning wire 2 of your 19.5v strips together in series for a 40V sum, and treat it as a whole to be wired in parallel to the driver by connecting the open Pos+ terminal on the first strip and the open Neg- terminal of the second. Repeat this with 8 more strips to make 4 more.
Sorry op, I'm really new to all the DIY stuff myself so feel like we are in the same boat, but these two quotes really clicked for me as far as series and parallel wiring combined. I took away that wiring in combination like they explained keeps things from running things with either a high voltage OR current. It kind of puts you in the middle ground instead of having either high voltage or current by only applying one wiring method, which in the big picture actually simplifies things kind of. Again, just my two cents and appreciate you posting this thread as I'm learning right along with you.i explained terible, my fault.
just ment what airwalker explained in much more detail above.
one other thought, may take one 4000k and one 3000k in this described series pair.
if there is as voltage dif. (which idk), you would be on the safe side.
lets say the 4000k pull 0.1V then the 3000k (which again, idk!) having them evenly distributed in this series/parallel mix should be the safest way to my opinion.
problem is, this way you cant play around with the color temps, that would need 2 drivers then, which puts you in the XLG 200 or XLG 240 section.
So maybe one XLG 200 or 240 for each color temp, then 2 strips of the smae color in series of course.
there are quite some option, may dig in to their datasheets, youre quite free to configure whatever makes sense for you.
"ease the load" just ment that it halves the needed ampere and you can get away with thinner cables and/or have less losses on these.
Otherwise nice combination of strips, let us hear your results..
Shoot man I apologize. That was a for instance. That calculation won't apply to your build. I'll try to edit so you can follow betterI'm confused, do I need two HLG-240-1050b, like you said in first post or just one?
Actually the strips have a minimum forward voltage of 17.8, so you can't run them at 12v per strip.
They are all great points. Just for reference here is a link to the document: https://www.bridgelux.com/sites/default/files/resource_media/ENEC-02768_EB Series.pdf@4ftRoots going in series with the leds is the clean way and also my prefered one.
just going over 60v cause quite some discussion here.
one argument is that the bridgelux strips have a 60V limit in their fineprint, which is to my opinion caused by the fact that they sell bareboards printed with a CE/FCC on them, doesnt mean much in the real world.
They have to state this, its still just a FR4 PCB (glassfibre) and usual solderstop paint, rated for normally up to 1KV.
One other thought, going above the main voltage means having the driver working in step up mode, normally step down is a tiny bit more efficient. to what i know, not 100% sure.
opnions? dont get me wrong.
Interesting paper of voltage classifications: https://www.generac.com/Industrial/getmedia/808407b3-dca4-45ae-adc2-cc22ed9bde74/Generac-Industrial-Power_Whitepaper_Medium-Voltage-On-Site-Generation.aspxThey are all great points. Just for reference here is a link to the document: https://www.bridgelux.com/sites/default/files/resource_media/ENEC-02768_EB Series.pdf
I agree with you they are labeled that way for CE/FCC. They want the strips listed as a low voltage 48V device for consumer use. If it was high voltage that would be much harder.
I don't know if I agree with step up vs step down. A lot has been down in the electrical field. They are probably the same efficiency. Interesting to note, the HLG-240-1050b has higher efficiency than any of the constant voltage drivers.
Here are the sheets:
HLG-240H: https://www.meanwell.com/webapp/product/search.aspx?prod=HLG-240H
HLG-240H-C: https://www.meanwell.com/webapp/product/search.aspx?prod=HLG-240H-C
When Randomblame suggested I use the CC/CV drivers, this is what he said.0-49 is low voltage classification covered by 250.20(A). Whatever that means lol
So maybe 49 volts and under "can not travel the skin." I don't know.45v can not travel the skin which makes it the safer solution and it's also more fail safe because when one strip fails the other 2 would still running. With a series circuit the whole fixture would switch off
Yes you can put them 12" from the canopy, no problem. I've run DE HPS too. Unless you have higher than average ceilings, they cook your colas.My only concern is that I'm a bit under powered. Especially considering the 1000w DE HPS I have now. But what I was wondering is, with these LEDs being low power and low temperature could I hang them like 12" from the canopy. The 1000w DE can barely be 3ft from canopy and even that is really too hot.
You're way underpowered. You'll need two such fixtures to replace a DE. You'll have impressive GPW numbers though.Ok thank. I didn't mean to be snarky, I'm just getting a bit frustrated because if feels like the more I learn the more indecisive I become.
I just got off the phone with a Meanwell tech support guy. The Bridge Gen 3 are constant current LEDs and as such need a constant current driver. He said people will often run those in series because if the LEDs are not stable, like they are cheaply made, and there is a heat issue, there is a potential for thermal runaway. He said with quality LEDs like Samsung, Brigelux, and Cree, although there can be some slight variation in voltage, thermal runaway should not be an issue and so wiring in parallel is perfectly fine. He also said there is no efficiency gain by using one type of driver over another as long as you are running the driver between 50-100% of rated power.
Anyway, I'm more clear about what to do, and I've let go of the idea I need to make the perfect LED light.
I'm going to do:
Strips: 24 x 2 ft Bridgelux Gen 3 - this will be a mix of 18 x 3000k 80 CRI and 6 x 4000k 90 CRI.
Driver: HLG-320H-42A - specs: Current=7.65A, voltage range=21v-42v, rated power 321w.
Wiring: 12 sets of 2 series. BTW- is there any difference doing this by taking 12 strips and paralleling them together, doing that 2x and then taking those 2 set of 12 and series them together?
This configuration with that driver would give: 7.65A/12=637mA (this is the current for each series pair), voltage per pair=37.6v. Total power output is 37.6*.637=24w * 12 = 287w
Is this correct?
My only concern is that I'm a bit under powered. Especially considering the 1000w DE HPS I have now. But what I was wondering is, with these LEDs being low power and low temperature could I hang them like 12" from the canopy. The 1000w DE can barely be 3ft from canopy and even that is really too hot.
Great to hear your experience with failed strips, what was the before and after current? That could have been what saved your LEDs. Definitely could have hurt the life, but luckily nothing bad happened.When Randomblame suggested I use the CC/CV drivers, this is what he said.
So maybe 49 volts and under "can not travel the skin." I don't know.
What he considers "more fail safe" is what you consider more dangerous (to strips if they fail when wired in parallel). I had one strip fail because the hot wire snapped off. I had enough headroom so the other two strips were fine. Had I been running them hotter, that could have fried the other two strips. The likelihood of multiple strips failing at once is pretty low, and if it does happen, the ones that didn't fail may already be compromised. But you do make a good point about using CV drivers instead of CC. I'm using all CC/CV, they work for me.
Yeah way to low. shoot for at least 30w per sqft if your going to move the leds with the plants. higher if static at top of tent. You're at 18w per sqft right now.Ok thank. I didn't mean to be snarky, I'm just getting a bit frustrated because if feels like the more I learn the more indecisive I become.
I just got off the phone with a Meanwell tech support guy. The Bridge Gen 3 are constant current LEDs and as such need a constant current driver. He said people will often run those in series because if the LEDs are not stable, like they are cheaply made, and there is a heat issue, there is a potential for thermal runaway. He said with quality LEDs like Samsung, Brigelux, and Cree, although there can be some slight variation in voltage, thermal runaway should not be an issue and so wiring in parallel is perfectly fine. He also said there is no efficiency gain by using one type of driver over another as long as you are running the driver between 50-100% of rated power.
Anyway, I'm more clear about what to do, and I've let go of the idea I need to make the perfect LED light.
Current plan:
Strips: 24 x 2 ft Bridgelux Gen 3 - this will be a mix of 18 x 3000k 80 CRI and 6 x 4000k 90 CRI.
Driver: HLG-320H-42A - specs: Current=7.65A, voltage range=21v-42v, rated power 321w.
Wiring: 12 sets of 2 series. BTW- is there any difference doing this by taking 12 strips and paralleling them together, doing that 2x and then taking those 2 set of 12 and series them together?
This configuration with that driver would give: 7.65A/12=637mA (this is the current for each series pair), voltage per pair=37.6v. Total power output is 37.6*.637=24w * 12 = 287w
Is this correct?
My only concern is that I'm a bit under powered. Especially considering the 1000w DE HPS I have now. But what I was wondering is, with these LEDs being low power and low temperature could I hang them like 12" from the canopy. The 1000w DE can barely be 3ft from canopy and even that is really too hot.
I was running 6 strips on an HLG-240H-48B. These are the now obsolete $5 L-09 strips that aren't F or H series. Their max current is 1.38 amps. It's a 5 amp driver, so they were running at 0.83 amps per strip. With one strip missing, they were running at 1 amp. Even if two strips cut out, it would still be only 1.25 amps per strip, so no problem.Great to hear your experience with failed strips, what was the before and after current? That could have been what saved your LEDs. Definitely could have hurt the life, but luckily nothing bad happened.