Getting Bridgelux EB Gen 3 strips today. Wiring question

These ste the L0560s size.

What ballasts would you recommend?

Im trying to light up a 4x4 area with them. Keeping wattage around 40w/sq. Ft.

Was told to use 3 XLG 240H vs my original plan to use 2 HLG 320H-700A with 18 strips per driver wired in simple series. 12 per with the XLG-240H-A

The 3 240H will need to be dimmed since 45w/sw. Ft. Is a bit overkill for the space. Also i was told these would need to be series-parallel which ive never done before.

The reasoning for XLG was 3 cost 120 vs 170 for 2 HLG

Do not use the 320c700: its over 300V which is more than the connectors and way above what is recommended for a grow situation. High voltage dc zap is dangerous.
The xlg drivers will work.

With that driver you should make every parallel string 2 strips in series, for about 38ish volt. The driver will adapt to voltage but only so far down as 27V iirc.

Rocket Soul said:

Do not use the 320c700: its over 300V which is more than the connectors and way above what is recommended for a grow situation. High voltage dc zap is dangerous.
The xlg drivers will work.

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But its series wiring?

Thats what I was told. Wire to strips in series and wire each series parallel with the XLG

I plan on using liquid electrical tape to cover the solder contacts

I would like to hang these ballasts remotely using 18/3 cable. Whats the max distance I can span without voltage drop?

@Rocket Soul

a 240W driver is 5A load at 48V.
i wont go much longer then 8 feet, thats about 1% percent burned on the cables.
16 feet would be allready 2% and about a volt dropped of the 48V.

cobshopgrow said:

Voltage Drop Calculator

This free voltage drop calculator estimates the voltage drop of an electrical circuit based on the wire size, distance, and anticipated load current.

www.calculator.net

a 240W driver is 5A load at 48V.
i wont go much longer then 8 feet, thats about 1% percent burned on the cables.
16 feet would be allready 2% and about a volt dropped of the 48V.

Click to expand...

I believe these will be 38V at 6000ma im told. Still not sure how I was told 6000ma.

If I have 12 strips and 6 parallel loops of 2 strips wired in series. Thats 700ma and 38V for each series loop. 700 x 6 is 4200ma at 38V.

Am i missing something?

at 38V it should be a good 6A, youre on the right track.
numbers are similar, lil worse drop wise at 38V of course.

cobshopgrow said:

at 38V it should be a good 6A, youre on the right track.
numbers are similar, lil worse drop wise at 38V of course.

Click to expand...

I dont get the math though
What am I missing?

Is it 240w/38V=6315ma?

you got the math.
you can take that as a guideline, yes 6315mA.

cobshopgrow said:

you got the math.
you can take that as a guideline, yes 6315mA.

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So does that mean each board is getting 1052ma? Since its parallel-series wiring?

youre spot on.
6 in parallel means current divided by 6, so about 1A for your case.

That is pretty high current, you will need heat sinks or your efficiency and lux will drop. The nice this about the Gen 3 is that Bridelux states you do not need heat sinks if you run them at the nominal current of 700mA. The strips are relatively cheap so it makes more sense to use more strips and lower the current. You'll save money by not having to use heat sinks.

BTW- where did you find the Gen 3, I cannot find them anywhere? Or are these the slim you are talking about?

i would take twice the strips also.

tilopa said:

where did you find the Gen 3

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Octopart.

Good price on 20 packs here.

I think ill be fine without the heatsinks. I got them from future electronics. 60 of them for $330 shipped

These came yesterday.

All i need are plugs and my 3 pin waterproof connectors and wagos which should be here tomorrow. Gives me all weekend to setup.

Lots of drilling ahead of me. Thinking of using sheet metal screws to save time.

My build progress so far.

Going to wire this weekend and add some liquid electrical tape to the solder on connections.

Any update on wiring. I’m about to do the same