DiY LEDs - How to Power Them

graying.geek

Well-Known Member
I want to build a veg light for a 1-ft x 4-ft space using bridgelux strips, and it’s been a while since I’ve learned how to match everything up so would appreciate experiential input.

Wish I could get the gen 2 version, but lead time is months so I assume the next best option is the gen 3 slims. I’d like to run the 1120mm at close to nominal levels:

mAmps Volts Watts
700 38.2 26.8

so 3 of them at a total of 116 volts would give 80 watts which I think should be sufficient for the first 4 weeks of veg. My intention is to start with 4000k strips, and if I choose to do flowering in this room I can just add 3 of the 5700k strips and I should be good, right?

To drive 3 of the strips in series I believe an HLG-80H-C700A would work. It’s Constant Current at 700 mA with a voltage range of 64-129V. Here’s the data sheet:

https://www.meanwell.com/Upload/PDF/HLG-80H-C/HLG-80H-C-SPEC.PDF

1) Is 4000’K and 5700’k good choices, or would it be better/more practical to mix in some 3500K or just go with all 4000s?

2) Is my driver choice correct?

TIA.
 

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
I want to build a veg light for a 1-ft x 4-ft space using bridgelux strips, and it’s been a while since I’ve learned how to match everything up so would appreciate experiential input.

Wish I could get the gen 2 version, but lead time is months so I assume the next best option is the gen 3 slims. I’d like to run the 1120mm at close to nominal levels:

mAmps Volts Watts
700 38.2 26.8

so 3 of them at a total of 116 volts would give 80 watts which I think should be sufficient for the first 4 weeks of veg. My intention is to start with 4000k strips, and if I choose to do flowering in this room I can just add 3 of the 5700k strips and I should be good, right?

To drive 3 of the strips in series I believe an HLG-80H-C700A would work. It’s Constant Current at 700 mA with a voltage range of 64-129V. Here’s the data sheet:

https://www.meanwell.com/Upload/PDF/HLG-80H-C/HLG-80H-C-SPEC.PDF

1) Is 4000’K and 5700’k good choices, or would it be better/more practical to mix in some 3500K or just go with all 4000s?

2) Is my driver choice correct?

TIA.
I'd say that 80 watts should work well vegging 4 sq ft.
I like to use 4000k in my veg tent, it's a nice mix of blue and red in the spectrum.
Your math looks correct and that driver should be perfect.
 

Vonkins

Well-Known Member
I need to upgrade my setup. Been running the same 20 cxb3690s for 4 yrs now. 4 cobs on a 6x48 inch heat sink with 2 cooling fans pushed by an hlg 240-1750B driver. Dimmed of course! Thinking of replacing my cree cobs with citizens. What do u guys think about the clu 048 1212?
 

Canadain Closet Gardener

Well-Known Member
Has anyone had any experience with ERP LED Drivers?
I keep ordering cheap parts off of Arrow late at night. It's worse than ordering seeds lol.
I ordered 4 of these at CA$18.39 each (looks like the price went back up CA$108.93 )

and 5 of these for CA$15.90 each

For a total of 2340 w for $153.06 CND or less than $120 US
It should go well with the 31cent strips from an earlier purchase :rolleyes:
 

Canadain Closet Gardener

Well-Known Member
So you can program the ERP drivers with out power just using a usb cable.
Programed to 350 mA
erp4.JPG





All the PDW 260W-1300-280 drivers seems to have 7 hours of testing on them with temp and line events.
Programed to 700 mA
erp 3.JPG
cheers
CCG
 
Hello!

I tried to run a QB288 quantum board with a MeanWell LRS-75-48 driver but all the board does is constant flashing.
Faulty board or just wrong driver?

lrs driver.png
DescriptionAC-DC Single output enclosed power supply; Universal AC input; Output 48Vdc at 1.6A; Up to 5G vibration; 1U low profile
ApplicationHousehold EN 60335
IT AV EN/UL/IEC 62368-1
TechnologyAC/DC
Power FormatBox Type - Enclosed
Output Power (W)75
Output Voltage (V)48
Output Current (A)1.6
Input Voltage (V)85 - 264
Universal Input 110/230V
 

Sinfor

Well-Known Member
Hello!

I tried to run a QB288 quantum board with a MeanWell LRS-75-48 driver but all the board does is constant flashing.
Faulty board or just wrong driver?
Your power supply is going in protection mode(overload), that's why is flashing(hiccup).
Next to the green LED there is a potentiometer to adjust the output Voltage. Turn it anticlockwise to reduce the Voltage.
 
Your power supply is going in protection mode(overload), that's why is flashing(hiccup).
Next to the green LED there is a potentiometer to adjust the output Voltage. Turn it anticlockwise to reduce the Voltage.
Tried reducing the voltage but it still flashes. Guess I'll have to order a HLG series driver. Thanks for your answer!
 

ilovereggae

Well-Known Member
Hello!

I tried to run a QB288 quantum board with a MeanWell LRS-75-48 driver but all the board does is constant flashing.
Faulty board or just wrong driver?

View attachment 4790833
DescriptionAC-DC Single output enclosed power supply; Universal AC input; Output 48Vdc at 1.6A; Up to 5G vibration; 1U low profile
ApplicationHousehold EN 60335
IT AV EN/UL/IEC 62368-1
TechnologyAC/DC
Power FormatBox Type - Enclosed
Output Power (W)75
Output Voltage (V)48
Output Current (A)1.6
Input Voltage (V)85 - 264
Universal Input 110/230V
what generation qb288 are you using? V2 boards will be cutting it super close but feel like it should work, but v1 boards pull @ 50V at 1.6A.

also is it an HLG board or a Chinese brand?
 
It's a Chinese brand, qb288 V2/16S18P/48V/1000-2700mA. LM301b with 660nm chips (epistar I think).

Your power supply is going in protection mode(overload), that's why is flashing(hiccup).
Next to the green LED there is a potentiometer to adjust the output Voltage. Turn it anticlockwise to reduce the Voltage.
Update: I tried one more time reducing the voltage of the driver to the very minimum and now it works! thanks everyone :)
 
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shimbob

Well-Known Member
I tried to run a QB288 quantum board with a MeanWell LRS-75-48 driver but all the board does is constant flashing.
Faulty board or just wrong driver?
Wrong driver. This is a regular power supply, not a led driver. It's unable to regulate the current output and thus the strip is drawing way more current than the driver is designed for and it's trippin'.
 

GrOwThMoNgeR

Well-Known Member
I just built an led light from a security light but it is not meant to run at full blast all the time, can I wire a potentiometer or is it no good and I should return it. Gets so hot as emergency precaution It's set for very short intervals.
 

GrOwThMoNgeR

Well-Known Member
Post some pics or give more info.
Not all drivers have the resistive dimming function and potentiometers are not designed to handle much current.
It's a Strühm Kroma LED 100w 4500k. It really blasts the leds so my idea is if I cannot modify it to lower current I could put a cpu heatsink with water-cooling if necessary, but I don't believe the life is long on the leds then. I found a brand that has 30w cobs (replacement cobs are 7eur so decent price) in it but I would need to order a 36v ps to run them and it's tricky in these parts. I would like to wire what I have available to be more resourceful and economical. Is it possible to mod these security lights or should I return it and get something shitty to keep my tomatoes alive because I stole their led for another tent.

The light already has a wire coming from the device pos/neg/ground, and I wired it as they instructed at the hardware store straight into a power source (maybe terrible advice?) and it gets very hot, far far too hot to touch and the exhaust is straight above it but still I worry.

I have light turning on for short intervals 12 min and it gets hella hot but then it shuts off for the same amount of time. Essentially worried about fire. But it hasn't reached hotter than 100c on the top of the heatsink.

I have an old magnetic ballast that also runs hella hot but doesn't burn and ppl all over the world use them, so these led security lights, are they a no-no? Am I making a noob mistake attempting this? I used to live in a place impossible to get parts and we used to cannibalize and build lights from outdoor security lights (hps/mh), this light I was thinking would be in the same spirit.
 
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