DiY LEDs - How to Power Them

Barristan Whitebeard

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
joebutter said:
I'm running on 240VAC, so the ELG would be 240w , but what's the difference other than the price ? Specs seem about the same or am i missing something ?

I read it on conrad.nl a dutch electronics website. it states this as a warning on every page with a led driver:
google translation:

Important information! Do not choose your LED driver / LED transformer too small! Use one that has about 1/3 more power (watts). Decisive for the load of the LED driver is not the information about the watts of the LED manufacturer, but the actual power consumption (amps) of the LED. Also keep in mind that the inrush current is significantly higher.

Edit:
I read in the datasheet of the meanwell, Inrush current: 75A. Maybe this is the maximum current for the leds to draw when they start up ?
Click to expand...
Some of the main differences are a 5 year warranty compared to 7 years for the HLG line. ELG series all feature 0-10V(dim to off) dimming, while only 320+ watt HLG drivers have this feature(smaller wattage HLG B and AB models have 1-10V dimming). And there is also the power de-rating that @Rocket Soul mentioned with AC voltages 180 volts and under.

Thanks for the translation. I don't think the extra capacity is always necessary, but it can come down to preference. My driver's are oversized so they will run somewhat cooler because they are not maxed out. I am currently running on 120 VAC, and the HLG drivers that I have run just as efficiently with an 80% load as they would with a 100% load.
 
J

joebutter

New Member
Thanks a lot guys ! I think i'll be going with the HLG-240H-C1050B than.
It has a little more power than needed and i don't need the dim to off function. I rather go for the longer warranty/working hours.
 
dirtyoldb

dirtyoldb

Well-Known Member
Driver needed for running 12 Samsung
S02 strips.

Not 100% sure before I purchase.

Min 1.0a Max 1.6a

Min 10v Max 13v

Min 10w Max 13w

12 strips max power 156w



HLG 185 C1400 max 143v

HLG 240 C1400 max 173v

Any advice , If I want to add more strips at a later date , run in series or parallel.
Stick to constant current or use constant voltage.

My thoughts were 185 c1400b in series.?
 
Barristan Whitebeard

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
dirtyoldb said:
Driver needed for running 12 Samsung
S02 strips.

Not 100% sure before I purchase.

Min 1.0a Max 1.6a

Min 10v Max 13v

Min 10w Max 13w

12 strips max power 156w



HLG 185 C1400 max 143v

HLG 240 C1400 max 173v

Any advice , If I want to add more strips at a later date , run in series or parallel.
Stick to constant current or use constant voltage.

My thoughts were 185 c1400b in series.?
Click to expand...
dirtyoldb said:
Driver needed for running 12 Samsung
S02 strips.

Not 100% sure before I purchase.

Min 1.0a Max 1.6a

Min 10v Max 13v

Min 10w Max 13w

12 strips max power 156w



HLG 185 C1400 max 143v

HLG 240 C1400 max 173v

Any advice , If I want to add more strips at a later date , run in series or parallel.
Stick to constant current or use constant voltage.

My thoughts were 185 c1400b in series.?
Click to expand...
If you have a manufacturer part number for the Samsung strips, that would be helpful.

If you want to add more strips in the future, you will run out of voltage wiring in series with these constant current drivers. You can however add more strips using these drivers if you alter your wiring to a series parallel configuration.

Or you could find a suitable constant current/constant voltage driver(these drivers have the voltage at the end of the model name instead of the rated current) and wire your strips in parallel. You can theoretically add as many strips as you need to when wired in parallel with these drivers. It's worth noting that with this option, you will be working with significantly higher DC amperage.
 
GrassBurner

GrassBurner

Well-Known Member
Hey hows it going. I've got a dumb question. I've searched for a couple days on here and google, havent been able to find anything concrete. My bad if it's been discussed somewhere.
I've got an HLG-320H-C2800A driver that I'm planning on running @240 volts to power (4) QB120's. I'm in America if that makes a difference. My question is regarding wiring the plug to the driver. Ive got a 3 prong 240v plug. It will connect to a 15amp outlet, run on a 15Amp 2 pole breaker with 10 gauge wire. I called HLG today, but I always seem to get bad service on phone calls, and just wanted to clarify what I was told. Green w/yellow stripe to ground (cylindrical blade on plug) brown to 1 flat blade, and blue to second flat blade?
I've read the driver can sense 120/240, I just want to make sure I'm not sending power somewhere it doesn't need to go. Here is a picture of what I've got.
 

Attachments

dirtyoldb

dirtyoldb

Well-Known Member
Barristan Whitebeard said:
If you have a manufacturer part number for the Samsung strips, that would be helpful.

If you want to add more strips in the future, you will run out of voltage wiring in series with these constant current drivers. You can however add more strips using these drivers if you alter your wiring to a series parallel configuration.

Or you could find a suitable constant current/constant voltage driver(these drivers have the voltage at the end of the model name instead of the rated current) and wire your strips in parallel. You can theoretically add as many strips as you need to when wired in parallel with these drivers. It's worth noting that with this option, you will be working with significantly higher DC amperage.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your help and advice.
Much appreciated.

Here is the part number SL-B8V1N30LAWW

I'm happy to run these 12 strips just now.

Can add more once other parts arrive.
(like to control on a separate ballast)

Plus I would just be happy with the 12 strips run at best efficiency from your advice.

Once again thanks for the info. Been a lot of reading almost understanding it lol.
 

Attachments

Jdog666

Jdog666

Active Member
Greetings, all.

Just put in an order for a a mix of 3K, 4K and 5K strips from the Samsung SL-B8 series. Got lucky enough to see all 3 varieties drop to the $5 range on Arrow, which was cool (seemed like it happened after I clicked around on the site long enough - weird!) :)

Trying to wrap my head around what Driver I'll need for them. There will be 11x 3K, 3x 4K and 2x 5K. Will post a screenshot of the specs below.

I'm trying to do something similar to the Pacific Light Concepts 16-strip, 301b diode, 1000W De-Alternative build that's detailed on their site. For their take on this, they recommend 2x HLG-320H-C1400B drivers.

Not sure how similar the strips I got are to their flagship ones, though. Would these 2 drivers still be applicable? They seem to be standard in builds like this. Are 2 necessary? This is a lot of information to take in and try to make sense of, haha.

Thanks! Can't wait to get my first ever grow going!

Untitled-3.jpg
 
Barristan Whitebeard

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
dirtyoldb said:
Thank you for your help and advice.
Much appreciated.

Here is the part number SL-B8V1N30LAWW

I'm happy to run these 12 strips just now.

Can add more once other parts arrive.
(like to control on a separate ballast)

Plus I would just be happy with the 12 strips run at best efficiency from your advice.

Once again thanks for the info. Been a lot of reading almost understanding it lol.
Click to expand...
Either of your first two driver choices will work with 12 strips wired in series.

You are close to the voltage maximum on the HLG-185H-C1400B, but it will work, driving the strips a little higher than the test current.

HLG-240H-C1400 will work, it just won't be quite as efficient(12 strips max wattage according to datasheet: 156 watts) because the driver won't have a full load.

If you buy a "B" model, the driver has wires to wire a current dimmer(bought separately). If you cap the dimming wires without a dimmer, the driver will run at its full current potential.

If I was using these strips I would also consider the HLG-150H-24 (A,B, or AB depending on preference), or HLG-185H-24 with the strips wired in a 2 series, 6 parallel arrangement. The "A" and "AB" versions of these drivers offer internal voltage adjustment as well as internal current adjustment.
 
dirtyoldb

dirtyoldb

Well-Known Member
Thanks for your quick reply.

Going with your advice of capping.

Got the 185H C1400B

That way I can use this driver for the deep red far red leds I have coming next week.

Thanks for the other drivers. Will look into these and get one best suited for the 12 strip load.

On a guess probably be the
HLG-150H-24

Look at the numbers later tonight.

Only be using the 12 strips design, next light will be made similar

For one short plant and one big one

Ideally need a dimmer as height restriction.

Thanks for your time patience and wisdom.

Much appreciated
 
Barristan Whitebeard

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
dirtyoldb said:
Thanks for your quick reply.

Going with your advice of capping.

Got the 185H C1400B

That way I can use this driver for the deep red far red leds I have coming next week.

Thanks for the other drivers. Will look into these and get one best suited for the 12 strip load.

On a guess probably be the
HLG-150H-24

Look at the numbers later tonight.

Only be using the 12 strips design, next light will be made similar

For one short plant and one big one

Ideally need a dimmer as height restriction.

Thanks for your time patience and wisdom.

Much appreciated
Click to expand...
You're welcome man, happy to help.

I would recommend buying a current dimmer for your present build.

www.rapidled.com

Cased Potentiometer with Knob

.
www.rapidled.com www.rapidled.com

You may want to look into additional drivers for your deep red and far red LEDs, especially if you want to use the far red for End of Day (EOD) treatment.

Do you have a link to the deep red and far red LEDs you're getting?
 
Barristan Whitebeard

Barristan Whitebeard

Well-Known Member
dirtyoldb said:
Unfortunately the shipping costs where too high from rapid. Nice design, pity.
Click to expand...
I would still recommend a current dimmer with the HLG-185H-C1400B. The dimmer will enable you to increase/decrease light levels during certain parts of your grow cycle and also help conserve electricity (when dimmed).Also without one, you may be running your H Influx strips above their rated wattage. This rated wattage is 13 watts per strip according to the datasheet. The datasheet also says 1.6 amps maximum current. So 13 volts x 1.6 amps max current =20.8 watts per strip. You could contact Samsung about this discrepancy if you want to.

Your H Influx S02 strips each have 32 LM301B diodes. They are in a 4series, 8 parallel configuration. Running the strips at 1.2 amps total=150 mA per parallel string. Running the strips at 1.6amps total=200mA per parallel string. And 200mA is the maximum drive current of the LM301B. With these known numbers, it appears that the maximum wattage of each strip is about 20.8 watts and not 13 watts. So if you ever wanted to drive these strips at 1.6 amps each, you could, as long as you have sufficient heatsinks( a dedicated fan over the light blowing air down over them will also help cool the strips).

You can get cheap 100k ohm linear potentiometers from eBay or Amazon, just a little less reliable than the one I linked. You can check their resistance with a multimeter. You may need to solder on a 10k ohm resistor to ensure you can utilize the full current adjustment range of your driver.
 
Last edited:
dirtyoldb

dirtyoldb

Well-Known Member
Barristan Whitebeard said:
I would still recommend a current dimmer with the HLG-185H-C1400B. The dimmer will enable you to increase/decrease light levels during certain parts of your grow cycle and also help conserve electricity (when dimmed).Also without one, you may be running your H Influx strips above their rated wattage. This rated wattage is 13 watts per strip according to the datasheet. The datasheet also says 1.6 amps maximum current. So 13 volts x 1.6 amps max current =20.8 watts per strip. You could contact Samsung about this discrepancy if you want to.

Your H Influx S02 strips each have 32 LM301B diodes. They are in a 4series, 8 parallel configuration. Running the strips at 1.2 amps total=150 mA per parallel string. Running the strips at 1.6amps total=200mA per parallel string. And 200mA is the maximum drive current of the LM301B. With these known numbers, it appears that the maximum wattage of each strip is about 20.8 watts and not 13 watts. So if you ever wanted to drive these strips at 1.6 amps each, you could, as long as you have sufficient heatsinks( a dedicated fan over the light blowing air down over them will also help cool the strips).

You can get cheap 100k ohm linear potentiometers from eBay or Amazon, just a little less reliable than the one I linked. You can check their resistance with a multimeter. You may need to solder on a 10k ohm resistor to ensure you can utilize the full current adjustment range of your driver.
Click to expand...

You could contact Samsung about this discrepancy if you want to.... Lol..

Sorry I never even noticed or done the maths.

Just took their 13 watts per strip as it says.

Trying to get too many things at once and not really focused one the main thing power and heat.

Been trying to look for a decent passive heatsink for them. Best I found was China just the wait times etc.

Thanks for the info on how the strips run too. Just presumed they were 32 in series. Makes more sense if they are run series parallel.

Was just wanting to run them in series as I thought this would be most efficient way.

Probably could run series 6 parallel or 3 parallel would not be as bas as I first thought. Again I need to sit down and do the maths.

With your explanation I'm understanding ballast more.

So thanks for opening my eyes.
Sit down once I get all the parts, start doing some maths and not ask you guys all the time.

Have a 100k somewhere in my old tool box.
It's been a while, last I fixed a TV was about 30 year's ago.. some knowledge in the brain.
Like I said 30 years since I used ohms law and even a meter lol.

So thank you for the info and help.
This site is lucky to have you guys here.
 
Jdog666

Jdog666

Active Member
Jdog666 said:
Greetings, all.

Just put in an order for a a mix of 3K, 4K and 5K strips from the Samsung SL-B8 series, since they were cheap on Arrow.

I'll have 16 in total:
11x SL-B8V7N90L1WW

3x SL-B8T7N90L1WW

2x SL-B8R7N90L1WW

Trying to wrap my head around what Driver I'll need for them. Looking to run them in a 4x4. Product info / screenshot below.

Thanks! Can't wait to get my first ever grow going!

View attachment 4537184
Click to expand...
Addendum to this post -

Realized that all 3 of these strips are part of the inFlux_L09 series, which led me to this additional data, if it can help any further:
l09.jpg
 
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