Mean Well drivers power standards and modified sine wave inverter

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weareone

Active Member
Hello people, my first post here, wonderful forum, I've been recently diving deep in the DIY COB word, digging the high-end CREE models and I'm getting a couple of 'Mean Well HLG-185H-C1400A' drivers for my setup.

I'm interested in knowing about the effect of running the drivers on an inverter which isn't pure sinewave (some type of modified sinewave, should be the good kind cause it's custom-made and the manufacturer says he put in some type of corrector unit); it turns as a backup only a couple of minutes per day, or rarely for more time.

So, does anyone think the inverter may hurt my driver or COBs, also knowing that the power isn't uninterrupted (APS), so we'll have:
-shutdown
-startup (APS kicks in)
-shutdown (power back on) I don't think the automatic transfer switch makes this seamlessly
-startup (power back on)

Based on input, I can figure out if I urgently need an expensive UPS or not.

And... I'll also throw this question, hoping someone can answer: I've heard about running 4 CXB3590 COBs each 36V on this driver, which has a 1.4A constant current range of '71V~143V', but how does that work since 4 COBs should be pulling 144V and thus overload the driver. I know I'm probably wrong since this setup is so common, but I'd love to have an answer to get to know the science behind it.

Much Thanks!!
 
Last edited:
nogod_

nogod_

Well-Known Member
If you run a 36v 3590 @50w, the voltage is actually 34.84v

This is a handy tool.

No idea about the rest but goodluck!

weareone said:
Hello people, my first post here, wonderful forum, I've been recently diving deep in the DIY COB word, digging the high-end CREE models and I'm getting a couple of 'Mean Well HLG-185H-C1400A' drivers for my setup.

I'm interested in knowing about the effect of running the drivers on an inverter which isn't pure sinewave (some type of modified sinewave, should be the good kind cause it's custom-made and the manufacturer says he put in some type of corrector unit); it turns as a backup only a couple of minutes per day, or rarely for more time.

So, does anyone think the inverter may hurt my driver or COBs, also knowing that the power isn't uninterrupted (APS), so we'll have:
-shutdown
-startup (APS kicks in)
-shutdown (power back on) I don't think the automatic transfer switch makes this seamlessly
-startup (power back on)

Based on input, I can figure out if I urgently need an expensive UPS or not.

And... I'll also throw this question, hoping someone can answer: I've heard about running 4 CXB3590 COBs each 36V on this driver, which has a 1.4A constant current range of '71V~143V', but how does that work since 4 COBs should be pulling 144V and thus overload the driver. I know I'm probably wrong since this setup is so common, but I'd love to have an answer to get to know the science behind it.

Much Thanks!!
Click to expand...
 
W

weareone

Active Member
nogod_ said:
If you run a 36v 3590 @50w, the voltage is actually 34.84v

This is a handy tool.

No idea about the rest but goodluck!
Click to expand...
Thanks! Things make better sense now, I thought Vf (forward voltage, the minimum to run the COB) is 36V, turns out it's actually lower; I guess they mean 'typical' Vf, the most common voltage to run the COB, and not the actual minimum voltage.
 
W

weareone

Active Member
I ended up buying a pure sinewave inverter.

In a nutshell, a non sinewave current will damage your driver on the long run, and the sinewave one is actually affordable.
 
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