DiY LEDs - How to Power Them

alesh said:

Large drivers are (much) cheaper (per watt) and usually have higher efficiency and offer full set of features and protections.

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Wonderful answers alesh, much appreciated. I know a lot of folks just want a link to a driver, but I have to know why things coincide. Just how I roll.
Remove financial barriers, would one still choose the mean well driver, or are there "better" brands out there. Phillips, etc.

Organja said:

Wonderful answers alesh, much appreciated. I know a lot of folks just want a link to a driver, but I have to know why things coincide. Just how I roll.
Remove financial barriers, would one still choose the mean well driver, or are there "better" brands out there. Phillips, etc.

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I guess that a lot of companies makes good drivers but I've used only MW because they're affordable and available.

alesh said:

I guess that a lot of companies makes good drivers but I've used only MW because they're affordable and available.

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Is it hard to add a potentiator myself? Or am I better to get the one with build in dimming?

Also installing switches, I feel I read somewhere to switch on the AC side, not the DC side. Correct? So much of this goes against my common household electrical knowledge. Electronics are interesting...

Organja said:

Is it hard to add a potentiator myself? Or am I better to get the one with build in dimming?

Also installing switches, I feel I read somewhere to switch on the AC side, not the DC side. Correct? So much of this goes against my common household electrical knowledge. Electronics are interesting...

Click to expand...

Switch the AC side (if you switched the DC side, the driver would produce the highest voltage it can and once you switch it back on...)!
MW drivers with an internal pot can be dimmed only to 50%. With an external one you can dim to 10%. It also allows you to dim multiple drivers at once.

So if I wanted different color spectrums to be switched on off, or dim able at different stages in the came, each zone would require a driver to make this easy. Drive my 3000Ks on one driver with Dimmer and switches, then I can control each color zone independently, correct? Sorry I am kind of processing this out loud as well. But this is all great info for people wanting to understand it all. Sweet! It's falling in place...

lemmy714 said:

The Meanwell HLG-185-c1050 says 95v-190v at 199.5 watts. The vero 29 CRI 80 says 36.8 volts. So is this the one I want to power 4 vero 29's?

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Did you find out if 4 of the vero 29's would run nicely on that driver?

Anyone else, who knows, I'm going to start ordering a few pieces to assemble a 4 led light or 5 led light of the vero 29's and was wondering what driver would best to get them powered.

alesh said:

Switch the AC side (if you switched the DC side, the driver would produce the highest voltage it can and once you switch it back on...)!
MW drivers with an internal pot can be dimmed only to 50%. With an external one you can dim to 10%. It also allows you to dim multiple drivers at once.

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Switch goes on AC side.
I assume ACL aka AC line and not the ACN ?
Or with AC it does not matter as long as i dont put switch on ground and put it on ACL or ACN?

Also with switch on AC side there is zero no load power consumption.

Does anyone have any knowledge about running 4 X vero29 v2 3000K on an the inventronic 2.1A 320W 152V part # EUC-320S210DT. Would this give you about 80W/ light?

Ah, so higher voltage uses less MA, meaning you can drive more higher V cobs in a series than lower. 36 vs 72 for example.
Am I right in this thinking?

Does anyone else worry that some questions about doing a DIY build suggest a need for a better basic understanding of electrical principals and wiring practices than that which can be achieved by answering this or that discreet question? Do you worry that well-intentioned but ill-informed posters may get a few issues figured out with help from those more experienced yet still lack enough knowledge to safely and effectively do a build? Of course making an LED lamp isn't nuclear physics, but it isn't making brownies either.

I hope I offend no one.

robincnn said:

Switch goes on AC side.
I assume ACL aka AC line and not the ACN ?
Or with AC it does not matter as long as i dont put switch on ground and put it on ACL or ACN?

Also with switch on AC side there is zero no load power consumption.

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...i prefer switch both wires... (L+N) (bipolar switch with light on board)... (maybe with light on board for show on-off states better)...



...earth apart....dont switch the earth wires....

pd... Wilson ...my inexpert pov....why not hot swap cob?...i think its the same reason why you dont put a switch on driver dc side... its only my opinion...

pd1....on switch with light there are a bit of consume off course ....not zero but only a bit...

saludos

salmonetin said:

...i prefer switch both wires... (L+N) (bipolar switch with light on board)... (maybe with light on board for show on-off states better)...

...earth apart....dont switch the earth wires....

pd... Wilson ...my inexpert pov....why not hot swap cob?...i think its the same reason why you dont put a switch on driver dc side... its only my opinion...

pd1....on switch with light there are a bit of consume off course ....not zero but only a bit...

saludos

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I wanted to put one bipolar switch for each COB. 1 pole for Cob and the other pole for fan power supply.

If i have 2 bi polar switch and 2 cob. Is there any way to start fans when either of 2 switches is On?

robincnn said:

I wanted to put one bipolar switch for each COB. 1 pole for Cob and the other pole for fan power supply. ...for my pov...not.... for these proposes you better go with a switch with double outputs... one switch to control complete ac side for two devices ...

....with one bipolar switch with light and double independents ouputs (for two independent devices)... you can cut (L+N) for both devices at same time...

If i have 2 bi polar switch and 2 cob. Is there any way to start fans when either of 2 switches is On?

...with two bipolar switches with light and double independent ouputs you can control the cobs and the fan at the same time...

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...lot of posiblities (lot of models) with switches, conmutators, independents or per groups... or both..

....for my pov manual control all idependient...
...one switch for 1 driver (cob / s)
...one switch for 1 driver or cpu (fan / s)...

pd...its hard to me help you further with my short english...sorry

...si Wilson creo que no entendio el concepto de cortar ambos cables por seguridad... pero por lo menos lo intente... ...muchas veces el neutro solo ....te da unas terribles sorpresas... incluso el de tierra si es de un edificio de varias plantas....

saludos

robincnn said:

Is there any way to start fans when either of 2 switches is On?

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Yes, using a pair of relays. Here's a wiring diagram for a 120V set-up where the relays feed a 12V power supply ("F" in this diagram) which, in turn, is wired to the fans. This diagram shows single pole switches, not double pole (or bipolar as you say).

HydroDC said:

Yes, using a pair of relays. Here's a wiring diagram for a 120V set-up where the relays feed a 12V power supply ("F" in this diagram) which, in turn, is wired to the fans. This diagram shows single pole switches, not double pole (or bipolar as you say).

View attachment 3449779

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Thank you for sharing the wiring diagram. If i use 2 pole DPST then no need relay right ? I want to avoid relay to make design simple. Extra relay component will introduce another possible point of failure to critical cooling fans.

Is this a good design ?

...im talking using bipolar switch to cut both wires (L) and (N) wires ... on this pic you can substitute the lamp with the driver for a lamp... or with the driver or psu for a fan... or both (connected in paralel conection)...

...there are models with double outputs connectors terminals ... one switch to control two devices at the same time,...

...you can use an bipolar switch with only one output combo (L and N terminals) and conect two devices (driver+cob and psu+fan) too... in paralel conection (Lcob with Lfan) (Ncob with Nfan) on respectives outputs (L or N switch terminals... (i prefer models with double outputs)...(independient terminal conector for independent wires...)

...i hope you catch better the idea...

...im too bad on paint ... sorry....

pd... im talking switches normally rated for 16 A on 220 v (AC) normally...

pd1...driver + cob + psu + fan ... its less the 16 A... ...Normally...

....normally i prefer check the consumes values for (drivers + cobs) and / or (psu + fan) too... ... but its only my opinion...

pd2....pay extreme attention when deal or work with live AC ...

...first a good auxiliar power box with a diferential switch (sorry i dont know her name on english) .... better search models with high sensivity... 10 mA...



...this is the 0,030 A version or model... im talking about the 0,010 A versions or models...The sensibility for the "diferential" on the principal box normally are 0, 300 A ... for these reason i prefer one more sensibility for our auxiliary power box...

...and for the magnetotermics... i prefer change the C curves models by the Z curves models... same reason ... more sensiblity than principal box models...



...this models are C curve version or models (C16 and C20)... im talking about Z curve versions or models (Z16 ... Z20...etc)

...sorry i cant saw pics on google for better examples....

saludos

salmonetin said:

View attachment 3449885
...im talking using bipolar switch to cut both wires (L) and (N) wires ... on this pic you can substitute the lamp with the driver for a lamp... or with the driver or psu for a fan... or both (connected in paralel conection)...
...you can use an bipolar switch with only one output combo (L and N terminals) and conect two devices (driver+cob and psu+fan) too... in paralel conection (Lcob with Lfan) (Ncob with Nfan) on respectives outputs (L or N switch terminals... (i prefer models with double outputs)...(independient terminal conector for independent wires...)
saludos

Click to expand...

I need only small switch to fix on top of my LED light.
Please see the attached photo to understand my problem.


Bipolar on Line and Neutral. Circuit has Current flow problem.

In this design fan always on. Even when both switch 'Off' position.


I could not find switch type 'double outputs connectors terminals'. I will try again.

saludos

ok... i see your pov rc....

...first pic ...

...2 switches for independent control for two drivers for cob / s...
...why not 3 switches?... 2 switches for drivers for cobs and 1 switch for the psu for fans...

...2nd pic...

...you can connect driver for cob + psu for fans only on one switch... not on 2 switches... (you maybe need separate psu for fans and then you can use only two switches...one switch per control one drive for cob / s and one psu for fan / s)...and the second switch per control other one drive for cob / s and other one psu for fan / s)...

...3rd pic...

...for my pov ...off course the psu for fan needs an independent switch... but its only my opinion...

pd... maybe for connect two female faston connectors (example the L wires side) (one female connector for L wire per driver for cob / s and other female connector for L wire per driver or psu for fan / s) on one male output switch (L) terminal connector...

...this connectors helps a bit too... ..you need others for the N wires side too...

or

...yeah... this versions needs plastic protection...

...maybe with "thermoplastic" way protections...



...pics are only for examples or ideas...

....Wilson.... nos ganamos esa infusion y el postre...... back to the cavern...

saludos

Hi everyone,

I have got a little problem with my DIY panel, it's a 8* Vero29 v2 drived by two HLG-185H-b (1050mA). It should use 310W more or less from the wall (+ all the fans).

I moved it from my little tent to my big tent, i didn't modified it in any way. Before i moved it i plugged it to a killawatt to check the real consumption, it was: 240V @ 50hz, 1.56amp, 340W.

After i installed it and plugged it in my big tent, i tested it with the killawatt again and the readings were not the same at all. It now use about 140V @ 50hz, 1.34amp, 202W. I did a double check on every single electrical connexions and they're all seems to be ok to me, no loose cable. I tested it with and without the potentiometer for the dimming option.
I still need to try with another electrical strip but the current one is fairly new and it's a decent one.

If you have any idea, feel free to share it with me.

Again, sorry for my poor english. and thanks in advance for any help.

Peace

Is it both drivers or just one?
I dunno the datasheet but you should be getting (4 * ~36V) 142V output per driver.
I would do these things;

Is your new socket on the same circuit as the previous socket? If not I would run an extension and double check that the fitting is faulty on both supplys. then..

a) unplug 1 driver at a time, if both give you 340W then individually they should give you 170W. Is it both drivers or just one?
b) if both seem low (100W) each would d/c dimmer from the circuit. chop it out in case its gone short or stuck on.

c) not sure. tell us what you find! I'm sure we can sus it out.