Can 700 watts of LED strips grow trees???

interesting, This is what Ive had problems with for weeks.

so, i guess they say 49 volts on the strip @.900ma ( i dont know the data sheets on this strip)

this driver is 48volts, but still, lets assume it was 48.

With this driver, it will run 20 strips 23 watts each, or 460 watts. ?? even tho its 10 amp driver, and just 48 volts?

So, in parallel, it just needs to see 48 volts PERIOD, even tho there are 20? So then, we just make sure the watts fits the bill? WOuldnt i still need 16 amps? .900ma x 20 = 16amps or what am i missing?

So, if one strip goes out, they all go out?

What if i used a boost converter to boost the volts, and be able to control amps?

what are the dangers?

Sorry for asking these, but Im looking to do this, but seriously confused with drivers. I figured, if its 23 watts, i need a driver that has 460 watts, + .20% = 552 watts. so need two drives for this set-up. But think boost converter fixes all that.

running in parallel makes it cheaper too, lol.

I know exactly where you are coming from. My only DIY lighting experience prior to theses strips was building a conversation setup with all 4 cobs in series. Then I read nfhiggs DIY light setup and he told me the same thing I just told you.

With a constant voltage power supply like I linked, you just connect all of the positives of your strips to the + terminal on your power supply, and all the negative wires of your strips to the - terminal on the power supply. The power supply will typically have an adjustment to vary the voltage output.

For example, my strips are ~24v each. When I adjust the voltage of my power supply down to say 22 volts, it only puts out around 2 amps which is evenly split amongst my 15 strips. If I cranked my voltage up to 27 volts, it cranks out 18 amps.

I have installed these on each of my power supplies so I can monitor output voltage, current, and watts. Pretty slick!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017FSED9I/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This way I can dial in whatever wattage I want going to each light setup. Super easy to adjust.

So with the power supply I linked, you can adjust it down to provide less than the 10 amps it's listed at, or crank it up as needed.

One possible negative is that the constant voltage drivers are not quite as efficient as meanwell constant current drivers (86% Vs 93%). Even meanwell constant voltage drivers are in the mid 80% efficiency.

Now, if you lose a strip when in series, you lose all light. If they are wired in parallel, you would only lose light out of the one strip while all the others would still be lit.

If you have any more questions, just ask.

Edit addon: also, I feel the cv drivers are safer since you only have at most ~48 volts anywhere on your light, no 960 volts!

Something doesn't add up with those strips. Remember watts = volts x amps.

So, if those strips are 49 volts x .9 amps, they would be 44.1 watts each. Not the 23 watts you said. It sounds like they may be 24 volt strips? Do you have a link to the strips?

Yeah, like i said, not much info on the interwebs about them,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5x-TCI-Linear-LED-strip-board-23W-4000K-3540lm-154lm-W-CRI80-Drivers-included-/222366306121?hash=item33c6108f49:g:BmYAAOSw2xRYa8YX

Oh, yeahh, i like that meter. Its exactly what I was lookin for.

On those strips, thats what is confusing, adding all the LEDs up, they listed as only using .23 of a watt each.

they are 5630 leds, needs 2.4 volts, at 150ma, ( from another sight making comparables to different leds)
that would be 230 volts, LOL.. but if it was parrelelle, wouldnt it just need 2.4 volts, plus, the 14 amps ( .150 x 96 leds)



So, this is why my brain is like, WTH dude.

think they might be 24 volts a side, so they are actually running at .5 volts each.

Well, those should be super easy. Just connect power to each of the included driver then connect each driver to each strip. Done. You don't wire them in series.

yeah. But i was leaning to something different so i can adjust/dim manually. maybe even different strips, because i can drastically cut price doing it different then the included strips, so just getting different strips but still like we talked above.

and thanks for your help with this man, much appreciated for your valuable time bud.

No problemo. I enjoy building new things like this and help where I can. Search for acuity led strips on eBay. There are a couple sellers with new strips taken from damaged light fixtures that sell cheap. The ones I have worked with are 24v, so i bought 24v 15 amp (360 watt) power supplies from amazon for $20 each. I tend to get a little obsessive with my hobbies so now own 60- 22" strips and have 45- 46" strips being shipped! I need to give a shout out to @nfhiggs for his DIY light thread that explained it to me.

The 49vf and 900mA on the TCM strips are absolute max. ratings. And there are also MeanWell CV drivers in the 93-94% range like the HLG-150H-48A. This babies have two internal poti's, one for vf(43-53v) and one for current regulation(60-100%). Screenie below is the 1st. part of the datasheet.

Which brand are the led tubes you get the 46" strips from?
I'll order some pink marbled meat tubes/1850°k to do the same. Unfortunately the most no-name tubes use only epistar smd2835 diodes driven with 60mA, only 120-130lm/w and the pink one are most likely only 75-90lm/w. But I want the pinkish strips to do some testings, maybe they are good as spectrum extension in bloom. They are also availabe in 2400°k for fresh meat.
2-ft. tubes are 4,25$US/alibaba.com and you get get as much samples as you want.
https://m.alibaba.com/product/60288446119/2ft-3ft-4ft-5ft-Pink-led.html?s=p&spm=a2706.7843299.1998817009.21.4gm1tC

This is what the seller replies:
Glad to got your inquiry.This is Jessie.

Of course you can buy 12pcs 2ft pink tubes as samples.
Led tube for marbled meat, LEDs details: 1850K±100K, voltage bins divided by 0.5V, 2.85-3.0Vf, 60mA.
Led tube for fresh meat,LEDs details: 2410K±100K, voltage bins divided by 0.5V, 2.85-3.0Vf, 60mA.

The price is US$4.62/pc.
TP-T8SMD48-10W, 602mm, 2835SMD, G13 bi-pin, internal isolated driver, AC85-265V

XXXX XXXX,do you prefer clear/frosted lens?Two ended/single ended power?Need i make a PI for you now?
Kindly please let me know if you have any question.
Looking forward to hearing from you.

The brand of the strips I bought are unknown. They will be driven easy, probably 500 mA or less so hopefully they will be fairly efficient. I am not sure yet what voltage the strips require. I will start out at 22 volts and start cranking them up to see what they do.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Super-Long-46-High-Power-Strip-SMD-4000K-77-LED-replacement-15-strip-PACK/253040879963?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

I've seen them also!
Yes, vf needs to be figured out, but 77 LED's per strip does not leave much play for series-parallel circuits. Either 7s11p(~21v), 11s7p(~33v) or simple 77s(~230v). LED's looks like 2835's..
In any case, the 0-96v sound misleading in the description.

Yeah, that 0-94V is actually a UL rating the seller hasn't figured out.

Big Green Thumb said:

No problemo. I enjoy building new things like this and help where I can. Search for acuity led strips on eBay. There are a couple sellers with new strips taken from damaged light fixtures that sell cheap. The ones I have worked with are 24v, so i bought 24v 15 amp (360 watt) power supplies from amazon for $20 each. I tend to get a little obsessive with my hobbies so now own 60- 22" strips and have 45- 46" strips being shipped! I need to give a shout out to @nfhiggs for his DIY light thread that explained it to me.

Click to expand...

very awesome!

Man, your going to be busy, LOL..

Randomblame said:

I've seen them also!
Yes, vf needs to be figured out, but 77 LED's per strip does not leave much play for series-parallel circuits. Either 7s11p(~21v), 11s7p(~33v) or simple 77s(~230v). LED's looks like 2835's..
In any case, the 0-96v sound misleading in the description.

Click to expand...

Good call on the voltage. My 24v power supply would not light a strip until I cranked it up as high as it would go, which was 30.8 volts and was putting out a whopping 179 mA. So I assume they are 33 volt strips. I just ordered a 36 volt power supply that should be adjustable down to at least 32 volts. Time to start building side lighting fixtures.

Big Green Thumb said:

Good call on the voltage. My 24v power supply would not light a strip until I cranked it up as high as it would go, which was 30.8 volts and was putting out a whopping 179 mA. So I assume they are 33 volt strips. I just ordered a 36 volt power supply that should be adjustable down to at least 32 volts. Time to start building side lighting fixtures.

Click to expand...

Side lighting away!!!

Big Green Thumb said:

The brand of the strips I bought are unknown. They will be driven easy, probably 500 mA or less so hopefully they will be fairly efficient. I am not sure yet what voltage the strips require. I will start out at 22 volts and start cranking them up to see what they do.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Super-Long-46-High-Power-Strip-SMD-4000K-77-LED-replacement-15-strip-PACK/253040879963?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Click to expand...

These are the ones im getting next week, 40 of them, for a 2x2, will give me about 110,000 lumens. SHould be ok on light, lol.. Plus, they are both 6500k and 3000k mix looks like.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5m-10x-50cm-72leds-SMD-5630-Double-Row-Rigid-Bar-Hard-LED-Strip-Light-DC12V-New-/371913808613?var=&hash=item5697ca5ae5:m:mm5e3Vqfzxlq7WFL0A0_MUQ

InTheValley said:

These are the ones im getting next week, 40 of them, for a 2x2, will give me about 110,000 lumens. SHould be ok on light, lol.. Plus, they are both 6500k and 3000k mix looks like.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5m-10x-50cm-72leds-SMD-5630-Double-Row-Rigid-Bar-Hard-LED-Strip-Light-DC12V-New-/371913808613?var=&hash=item5697ca5ae5:m:mm5e3Vqfzxlq7WFL0A0_MUQ

Click to expand...

Nice! How many watts are you planning to run with those? The strips are rated at 12V, so what power supply are you going to use? Generic 12V 30 amp drivers are $20 for 360 watts.
https://www.amazon.com/eTopxizu-Universal-Regulated-Switching-Computer/dp/B00D7CWSCG/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1502908596&sr=1-1&keywords=12+volt+power+supply+30+amp

Or a Meanwell for $48
https://www.amazon.com/eTopxizu-Universal-Regulated-Switching-Computer/dp/B00D7CWSCG/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1502908596&sr=1-1&keywords=12+volt+power+supply+30+amp

Are you located in the US?