COB build flickering again..

Measure voltages and post them here. After turn the light off and do the same thing but unplug your light and check the resistance of each one. It's the omega symbol on your multimeter.

You need a 100K pot to get the dimming function working. They are very cheap on ebay. If you go without a POT (dimming wires should not be touching) you will get full current ~1.1A.

Skipping each COB/holder one at a time might uncover the problem and probably the next logical step. You can run a single CXA3070 on this driver for testing but I do not recommend it because the driver can push at 190V and if there is an intermittent connection the overvoltage can kill a healthy COB instantly. I killed a CXA3070 testing it by itself on an HLG-185H-C1050A before I understood that.

I got zapped at 286V from an HLG-185H-C700B that was powered off. No harm done but that is how I learned how the drivers push as hard as they can when they dont see a load. It takes 15-30 seconds for that voltage to fall back down when there is no load and even after the power is switched off. As you can imagine, sudden exposure to 190V would be bad for a 36V COB.

SupraSPL said:

You need a 100K pot to get the dimming function working. They are very cheap on ebay. If you go without a POT (dimming wires should not be touching) you will get full current ~1.1A.

Skipping each COB/holder one at a time might uncover the problem and probably the next logical step. You can run a single CXA3070 on this driver for testing but I do not recommend it because the driver can push at 190V and if there is an intermittent connection the overvoltage can kill a healthy COB instantly. I killed a CXA3070 testing it by itself on an HLG-185H-C1050A before I understood that.

I got zapped at 286V from an HLG-185H-C700B that was powered off. No harm done but that is how I learned how the drivers push as hard as they can when they dont see a load. It takes 15-30 seconds for that voltage to fall back down when there is no load and even after the power is switched off. As you can imagine, sudden exposure to 190V would be bad for a 36V COB.

Click to expand...

Understood, and well stated. Thanks a million. I've learned a lot today, that is for surely a positive.

Turned light on, checked voltage with meter set to V-200 and took readings at the +/- of each cob as well as the first - from the driver and the first + from the driver.

Each cob read 31.0
The string read 157.0

Then I switched to the ohm setting @200k and the reading went off the chart. So I bumped the meter to the next level which was 2M. The readings went up above 800 for each cob and kept rising but much much more slowly after 700-800.

So that proves that it is not in overvoltage mode. What are the dimmer wires doing are they separated?

SupraSPL said:

So that proves that it is not in overvoltage mode. What are the dimmer wires doing are they separated?

Click to expand...

Yes they are separated. I just picked up this 100k pot from RadioShack.

I don't know which is +/-

SupraSPL said:

View attachment 3508795

Click to expand...

Thanks brotha!

Hmm. Seems good on that end. Sounds like your driver is putting out low current. Which would explain your voltage being so low on each cob. What is your meter rated for current wise? Should have a rating in A. If it's around 5A I would try and do a current reading of your string. This would prove your having driver issues

...10 A...looking her pic...



...you measured volt ...time now for amps... follow the supra words... or other bro... my english its too bad and short for large technical help...

...maybe if your driver are B model... needs ajust the the cc or cv with internal pots... maybe somebody play with her pots a bit... rare but possible...

...the other option are a bad connector (suspect principal on this crime)... in your case the holder/s... bad electrical connection with cob... or bad conection the wire with the holder...

...the other option its a bad connection with the wires from driver... for testing proposes i test only the driver without fans or other connection on ac side... you can alimentate separately the driver and fans from ac just for tests...

...better with a friend with more experienced on your zone an her multimeter too better 2 diferent readings... ...he can see things you dont... and you can learn from him ...faster than a forum... ...and your lamp look a aquarium lamp...

...my pov... first solve the problem... when solved you can go on dimming with pot...

...pot on hand?... lol...borg?....



Saludos

Getgrowingson said:

Hmm. Seems good on that end. Sounds like your driver is putting out low current. Which would explain your voltage being so low on each cob. What is your meter rated for current wise? Should have a rating in A. If it's around 5A I would try and do a current reading of your string. This would prove your having driver issues

Click to expand...

So put the meter on the 10A and read from the positive and negative points closest to the driver?

Measuring Current

Reading current is one of the trickiest and most insightful readings in the world of embedded electronics.
It’s tricky because you have to measure current in series.
Where voltage is measure by poking at VCC and GND (in parallel), to measure current you have to physically interrupt the flow of current and put the meter in-line.

...from...

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-a-multimeter

.............................

Measuring Current

• Current (amps) is the flow of electrical charge though a component or conductor
• Current is measured in amps or amperes
• Disconnect power source before testing
• Disconnect completed circuit at end of circuit
• Place multimeter in series with circuit
• Reconnect power source and turn ON
• Select highest current setting and work your way down

...from...

http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/cal/PDF/MulltimeterUse.pdf

...maybe a pic helps you a bit... ...in spanish ...sorry



pd...maybe this vid helps a bit...




Saludos

Careful, measuring current can cause a short circuit if you connect the probes incorrectly. To measure current the meter has to be in series with the circuit, at any point in the circuit. But at this point we already know you current is very low the question is why that might be.

salmonetin said:

Measuring Current
Reading current is one of the trickiest and most insightful readings in the world of embedded electronics. It’s tricky because you have to measure current in series. Where voltage is measure by poking at VCC and GND (in parallel), to measure current you have to physically interrupt the flow of current and put the meter in-line.

Click to expand...

@SupraSPL or @Getgrowingson or anybody that can explain this to a caveman like myself?

Alright, from what I read on measuring current. @SupraSPL

All I have to do is snip a wire in between cobs,

(I have plenty of wire and I will replace all the wires with new rigid wire once I have fixed the issue)

Once I have snipped the wire I will attach the positive lead on the side where the positive wire is coming and the negative to the other.

(My understanding is that even if I get this part backwards it will still work, just show a negative readout on the meter...)

Once I have effectively placed the meter in the series taking precaution that the leads are attached nice and tight and the series is complete using the meter leads, I turn the meter to 10A and then turn the light on and take a reading?

Yes that is correct

Getgrowingson said:

Yes that is correct

Click to expand...

Word. Looks like I am learning!

Headed to the store to grab some alligator clips and then I'll be pressing forward.