DiY LEDs - How to Power Them

JACQO · Feb 24, 2018

Hi guys long time since i was on here. Anyway i want to make a 5x50watt cob light and a 6x50watt cob light. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/High-Power-LED-chip-100-Bridgelux-45mil-Warm-Natural-Pure-Cool-White-Watt-5W-10W-20W/32795970598.html?spm=a2g0s.13010208.99999999.267.XJKhsv
Thats the cobs, i can source the heatsinks and fans but what driver would i use? Can i use 1 driver or is more better and can i run 3000k, 4000k and 6000k on same driver or dosent that matter.

Canadain Closet Gardener · Mar 1, 2018

Silly question.
My driver has two outputs? I'm running strips in parallel.

Do I power half my strips with one output and the other half with the other?
Cheers
CCG

GBAUTO · Mar 1, 2018

Looking at Meanwells website, it looks like they do this on the 480W drivers that output under 48V. I think that your driver has two outputs because the current would be more than the single cable could transmit safely. I couldn't find a definitive answer but I'd suspect that the two outputs are just tied together on an output bus from the driver-just connect the strips like you planned.

Canadain Closet Gardener · Mar 1, 2018

GBAUTO said:
Looking at Meanwells website, it looks like they do this on the 480W drivers that output under 48V. I think that your driver has two outputs because the current would be more than the single cable could transmit safely. I couldn't find a definitive answer but I'd suspect that the two outputs are just tied together on an output bus from the driver-just connect the strips like you planned.

My drivers is going to be outside of my grow area. Does this mean I run 4 wires to my light instead of two?
Do I plug the two positive together into a wago and two negatives into the other wago?
Sorry I'm just really confused and I can't find anything on this.
Cheers
CCG

GBAUTO · Mar 1, 2018

What I believe it means is that the two output pairs are connected inside the driver-they have to use two cords because of the current output. A single cord would need to use a higher gauge. Just try to divide the load you expect the driver to see so that each cord has approx. the same current. You could connect the cords together to allow a single pair into the tent-just make sure it's capable of handling the current flow.

Canadain Closet Gardener · Mar 3, 2018

Thank you I got it working

Cheers
CCG

GBAUTO · Mar 3, 2018

Now that's a 'wall' of light!

justsmokedope · Mar 7, 2018

welight said:
50 ma above spec is not a major issue if your well heat sinked, XPEPHR-L1-0000-00901 is Deep Red(Photo red) other Cree leds have different spec ie XPG white are 1.5amp drive. but 1050ma is pretty safe
Cheers
Mark

im just finnishing off my light thats based on the cree hort design but im running at about 950ma only because i have 3 x 36v 2.7a drivers laying arround i mught get some 1050ma drivers in the future though ive added some royal blue xp g3s and some 625/630nm reds in too as i felt that it was too red heavey

boilingoil · Mar 15, 2018

What driver do you suggest to run 4 of these XM-L2's.
http://www.cree.com/led-components/products/xlamp-leds-discrete/xlamp-xm-l2

GBAUTO · Mar 15, 2018

I just used a Meanwell APC driver-APC35-700. It should power about 15 of those diodes in series.

whytewidow · Mar 15, 2018

Got my light finished and up and running.

10 F562b Samsung Strips and 4 custom built red leds. 120 leds per strip. 4 strips. 60 HE red and 60 Deep red diodes. Setup mixed up of every other type. Alternated between the two. To mix the coverage evenly. Dual row. Light is only used for flower. Both run wirelessly with Sonoff wireless network switch. Both channels dimmable. Turned way down for pic. Just barely fit in my 2x4 tent.

boilingoil · Mar 15, 2018

GBAUTO said:
I just used a Meanwell APC driver-APC35-700. It should power about 15 of those diodes in series.

Thanks, but I don't think a 36 watt power supply could run 15-10 watt diodes. I'm not the smartest person when it come to LED's. but basic math tells me they would only be running @ 2.4 watts each max

boilingoil · Mar 15, 2018

whytewidow said:
Got my light finished and up and running.

10 F562b Samsung Strips and 4 custom built red leds. 120 leds per strip. 4 strips. 60 HE red and 60 Deep red diodes. Setup mixed up of every other type. Alternated between the two. To mix the coverage evenly. Dual row. Light is only used for flower. Both run wirelessly with Sonoff wireless network switch. Both channels dimmable. Turned way down for pic. Just barely fit in my 2x4 tent.

View attachment 4105975

Excellent ! Got a link to your build.

PurpleBuz · Mar 15, 2018

boilingoil said:
Thanks, but I don't think a 36 watt power supply could run 15-10 watt diodes. I'm not the smartest person when it come to LED's. but basic math tells me they would only be running @ 2.4 watts each max

actually it can run more than 15 of the xml2s maybe 17.

boilingoil · Mar 15, 2018

PurpleBuz said:
actually it can run more than 15 of the xml2s maybe 17.

Yes, at 2.4 watts each, I understand driving them softer can give you better efficiency but at 1/4 the power capability I can't see that as efficient.

welight · Mar 17, 2018

PurpleBuz said:
actually it can run more than 15 of the xml2s maybe 17.

but only 700ma max, so 3 watts per led at best, you need min 1amp driver to get best from XML, you can go to 2Amp but will need to heatsink the shit out of them
Cheers
Mark

PurpleBuz · Mar 17, 2018

welight said:
but only 700ma max, so 3 watts per led at best, you need min 1amp driver to get best from XML, you can go to 2Amp but will need to heatsink the shit out of them
Cheers
Mark

true I wouldn't run xml2 below 1 amp. i was just confirming how many can run
at 700 ma, since @boilingoil did not think the apc-700 power supply could run 15 diodes

boilingoil said:
Thanks, but I don't think a 36 watt power supply could run 15-10 watt diodes. I'm not the smartest person when it come to LED's. but basic math tells me they would only be running @ 2.4 watts each max

boilingoil · Mar 18, 2018

PurpleBuz said:
true I wouldn't run xml2 below 1 amp. i was just confirming how many can run
at 700 ma, since @boilingoil did not think the apc-700 power supply could run 15 diodes

Sorry , still trying to wrap my head around this LED tech, A lot of it doesn't make sense to me.

boilingoil · Mar 18, 2018

welight said:
but only 700ma max, so 3 watts per led at best, you need min 1amp driver to get best from XML, you can go to 2Amp but will need to heatsink the shit out of them
Cheers
Mark

Thanks, this is part of the answer I was looking for. At what mA range do the chips perform best at. Part of my mistake was that I bought a 3300 mA driver since the chips said up to that mA draw.

welight · Mar 18, 2018

boilingoil said:
Thanks, this is part of the answer I was looking for. At what mA range do the chips perform best at. Part of my mistake was that I bought a 3300 mA driver since the chips said up to that mA draw.

Typically you will hit a diminishing return over around 1.5-2.0 Amp, you still get more light but the need for power increases, known as droop and you then need greater expenditure on cooling. I would parallel out the driver x 3 and run at 1100ma per string, not sure on your driver how that plays re voltage but that would give you plenty of light and remain efficient
Cheers
Mark

DiY LEDs - How to Power Them

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