DiY LEDs - How to Power Them

[HydroDC]

The controller is CAP MLC-4XT hard wired to 220v and uses a 110v plug in to trigger the relays. It powers my digital ballast with 220v. I want to take the 110 cord off my driver and use 220v instead. Here is my controller:
View attachment 3410926

Then your good to go.

 

[Sxott]

Thank you but how does the cord connect to the driver? My multimeter reads 2 loads. (115v per leg.)

 

[Darth Vapour]

Cool thread only down fall i see in anyone making there own DIY led unit is cost and most importantly warranty ..
With the drops in prices from companies when i decide to take the jump or try LED i am guessing its going to be the Mars led units there prices are really good and from looking on the tube appears to do the job pretty good

 

[Greengenes707]

The controller is CAP MLC-4XT hard wired to 220v and uses a 110v plug in to trigger the relays. It powers my digital ballast with 220v. I want to take the 110 cord off my driver and use 220v instead. Here is my controller:
View attachment 3410926

You can just plug the 120v cord that is already wired to your driver...into that controller and it will feed 240v through it. The neutral of a 120 becomes an other hot when plugged into 240v, ground is always ground...and those controllers allow you to plug a either cord(120 or 240) into them and whatever it is wired at(240 in your case) will flow out. I have the same controller, and just use 120 cords for everything casue I have more of them...but 240v is flowing through all them. Perfectly safe(rated 300v or 600v plus is cutting the amps in half).The driver automatically recognizes it what is coming in and does what it needs.

 

[HydroDC]

Thank you but how does the cord connect to the driver? My multimeter reads 2 loads. (115v per leg.)

Sorry, but I don't have one of these controllers.

I'm assuming your reading the outlets on the CAP, yes? If it's wired into a 240V circuit, that's exactly what you should get. But this is not where you plug in the trigger cable.

Looking at the instructions, you are expected to make-up a power cord that is hard wired to your 240V LED driver on one end and plugged into the CAP 240V plug at the other. If I understood the instructions correctly, the 120V trigger cable is simply plugged into 120V outlet and powers the timer OR is plugged into another CAP device such as this one.

The instructions also say that if you don't understand the instructions, your advised to consult an electrician. Perhaps good advice in this case.

 

[Sxott]

I understand that the controller trigger plugs into the wall. What I dont understand is how to connect the cord that will be plugged into the controller outlet to the driver at the other side of the cord. The driver has a load, netraul and, ground connection. (It does not have 2 loads and a ground labeled on the driver)

 

[Sxott]

You can just plug the 120v cord that is already wired to your driver...into that controller and it will feed 240v through it. The neutral of a 120 becomes an other hot when plugged into 240v, ground is always ground...and those controllers allow you to plug a either cord(120 or 240) into them and whatever it is wired at(240 in your case) will flow out. I have the same controller, and just use 120 cords for everything casue I have more of them...but 240v is flowing through all them. Perfectly safe(rated 300v or 600v plus is cutting the amps in half).The driver automatically recognizes it what is coming in and does what it needs.

I just now spotted this reply. Thank you.
So from I understand the neutral just becomes anther hot leg?

1 load to Brown
1 Load to Blue
Ground to Green

Right?

 

[HydroDC]

I understand that the controller trigger plugs into the wall. What I dont understand is how to connect the cord that will be plugged into the controller outlet to the driver at the other side of the cord. The driver has a load, netraul and, ground connection. (It does not have 2 loads and a ground labeled on the driver)
View attachment 3410968

Cut off the female plug from your cord and wire it the driver. If you really don't get this, I think it best to call in an electrician.

 

[Sxott]

Ill be damn. I did not notice that I could plug a 120v cord into the 220V outlet on the CAP. Just never thought about doing it. Just tried it and the lights came right on. This is awesome. Thanks a million dude.

 

[Greengenes707]

Ill be damn. I did not notice that I could plug a 120v cord into the 220V outlet on the CAP. Just never thought about doing it. Just tried it and the lights came right on. This is awesome. Thanks a million dude.

Yep...quite convenient huh.
And yes the neutral becomes the hot as you have already figured out.

 

[HydroDC]

Ill be damn. I did not notice that I could plug a 120v cord into the 220V outlet on the CAP. Just never thought about doing it. Just tried it and the lights came right on. This is awesome. Thanks a million dude.

You're killing me. Look again at the blades on the cord in your picture (which I finally realized a few posts ago was indeed what this was all about), you'll not see that plug into any 120V outlet. Perhaps Mr. Greengenes may have thought that the cord in your picture was already wired to your LED drivers and may have been confused by this as I was.

 

[Greengenes707]

You're killing me. Look again at the blades on the cord in your picture (which I finally realized a few posts ago was indeed what this was all about), you'll not see that plug into any 120V outlet. Perhaps Mr. Greengenes may have thought that the cord in your picture was already wired to your LED drivers and may have been confused by this as I was.

The driver doesn't know the difference between what plug is being used, only what voltage is being supplied. And when using a controller like his with "X" plugs, they will take both 120v and 240v plugs, and then supply what ever the controller is wired up to. Usually 240v like in this case. So what ever you plug into that controller will be supplied 240v. In htis case of a driver capable from 90-300v, it works fines. Plug a 120v fan into it...and burn baby burn.

Here is a pic of my "X" plugs to make it more clear...

My controller here is wired to 240v(like sxott's)...so what ever I/we plug into this, will be getting 240v not matter what typ power cord is used. And makes it nice to not have to rewire or switch plugs of switchable(120/240) devices(ballast, drivers, indagros420's).

 

[GFS_Nic]

Hi all,

I just buy 2* Vero 29 COB (BXRC-40G10K0-L-23), and i would like to build a little COB panel. My goal is a (+-) 150W panel to use in combination with my Hans panels (i have 4 of them).
I choose to make a very simple setup, CPU heatsink with 92mm fan powered by a 12V adaptator, one for each COB.
Now, i need to choose a good driver, what do you think about this one ?: Mean-Well / HLG-185H-C700B
I would like to drive the COB to a good 75W each, can i do this with a single driver ?
Sorry if what i say is a total heresy, it's really my first step in the DIY world.
Ho, i live in Europe (Belgium), i think everything is 220V here, don't know if that's important...

Thank you in advance.

 

[pudgewack]

@GFS_Nic,
The Meanwell HLG-185h-c700B is a great driver, but you will not be able to get the results you are looking for with 2 Vero29 and the HLG-185h-c700B. The HLG-185h-c700B runs at 700ma. @ 700ma, each Vero29 will run 24.57 watts, so about 50 watts for two Vero29s. However, you can fit 8 vero29s on one HLG-185h-c700B, which will result in 196.56W at 47.97% efficient.

To get 150W from two vero29s, you would need a driver running at 2.1 amps. I am not too familiar with drivers that run at such a high wattage.

I am a noob, so have a lot to learn, but I try to run low wattage to increase efficiency. I currently am running 10 CXA3070 ABs @ 1.05amps, which result in about 400w total.

Hope that helps!

 

[GFS_Nic]

Hi pudgewack,

Thank you for your answer, it's helping a lot. I think i'm starting to get it.

So, if i choose this one: HLG-185H-C1050B, it's a 1.05amp driver for a total of maximum 199W. If i get it right, i can drive a maximum of 5 Vero29 @ 38.2W with only one driver. I will most likely aim to get 4 Vero29 on it.

Thanks again.

 

[orangeade5]

I pulled the trigger on 4xCXB3070 and an hlg-185-1400b driver and I would like to know what is the best route for throwing a dimmer on, and is there a way I can just bypass and leave the dimming function open? I will eventually be using 3 of these drivers per fixture so if there's a way I can wire up one dimmer to control them per fixture that would be ideal. Wishing I hadn't gone with the b dimming option at this point.

 

[mar1o]

Now we're getting somewhere. For such space you'd need to run them at about 1.8 A. You can use Meanwell HLN-80H-42 or HLP-80H-42. Or any driver with Vf > 40V
Or buy another 5 and them on 2 MW HLG-185H-C1050. This would get you higher intensity and also higher efficiency.

Thank you for your help.HLN and HLP are out of stock can i use this driver

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mean-Well/CEN-75-42/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtcidiSkZ6c9rBbUzHLpUoF

 

[thecrabdude]

I have a question I just built a led light tested it at my house with all the outlets worked on all of them, took it to my friends house and it only works on one particular outlet. It wont work on any other outlet

• CXA3070
• Generic China LED DRIVER 50W (100-240)VAC input

 

[alesh]

Thank you for your help.HLN and HLP are out of stock can i use this driver

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mean-Well/CEN-75-42/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtcidiSkZ6c9rBbUzHLpUoF

Yes, you can.

 

[alesh]

I have a question I just built a led light tested it at my house with all the outlets worked on all of them, took it to my friends house and it only works on one particular outlet. It wont work on any other outlet

• CXA3070
• Generic China LED DRIVER 50W (100-240)VAC input

Perhaps your friend's houe has nonstandardly wired outlets?