ilovereggae
Well-Known Member
I think HLG says a max of 5 boards in series. I would check with them but heres an idea. Get 10 boards and run 5 each off a 240w. That will give you @ 48W per board and should be ok with no heatsinks.
DIY with Quantum Boards
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Chip Green
Well-Known Member
Dammit....
I've been secretly ashamed of my ignorance on this matter for some time now.
Barristan Whitebeard
Well-Known Member
The HLG-120H-54AB will give you internal current and voltage dimming and also dimming leads to attach a potentiometer for current dimming. The HLG-120H-54A only has an internal current and voltage adjustment.
fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
care to elaborate on the CV/CC question?
all of the HLG line are CC but some have the option to manually adjust the voltage which technically makes them CC and CV
all of the HLG line are CC but some have the option to manually adjust the voltage which technically makes them CC and CV
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
I dunno. I understand how they both work and how to use them for any application. But I've always been confused by people stating that drivers can be both, when I don't ubderstand how. The CV drivers, you add another say "strip" and the current goes down for every strip including the added one. They all go to the same current.
Barristan Whitebeard
Well-Known Member
Interestingly an exception to this is the HLG-320H-54AB. It is identified as a constant current/constant voltage driver, however according to the datasheet, only current is adjustable on this driver.
And the plot thickens.
fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
Its always seemed kind of redundant from my understanding of them too. Though I think its just a terminology and technicality thing here. The CC drivers self-adjust their voltage as needed based on their load. As soon as you make a manual adjustment of the voltage its no longer variable voltage and considered constant at that voltage you set.
True constant voltage drivers are usually 12v or 24v and usually drive diodes designed to only operate at that voltage with minor variances.
To me, it seems like it would only be useful to have both when dealing with things that werent specifically designed to be run by the drivers we commonly all use. Shit with really weird voltage requirements that arent covered by the ranges we typically use, a fixture that cant handle pwm dimming, or for someone wanting to fine tune for efficiency.
I believe its the A and AB versions that have the ability to internally adjust the voltage output so all of those versions are considered cc drivers + cv capability.
The PWM dimmer pulses the output to modulate current down to less, but the driver itself is still outputting 54v/5.95a to start with.
I think the simple answer here is that not all LEDs are dimmable so sometimes you do need to be exact with both voltage and current.
I spent a lot of time trying to get a good grasp on these things last year and this is my understanding, but as always I smoke everyday from when I get up until when I go to bed so I could be totally talking out of my ass here.
True constant voltage drivers are usually 12v or 24v and usually drive diodes designed to only operate at that voltage with minor variances.
To me, it seems like it would only be useful to have both when dealing with things that werent specifically designed to be run by the drivers we commonly all use. Shit with really weird voltage requirements that arent covered by the ranges we typically use, a fixture that cant handle pwm dimming, or for someone wanting to fine tune for efficiency.
I believe its the A and AB versions that have the ability to internally adjust the voltage output so all of those versions are considered cc drivers + cv capability.
That one is one of the only true CC/CV ive seen from meanwell its locked at 54v and 5.95 internally and has a PWM dimmer on the output like the other B and AB versions.
The PWM dimmer pulses the output to modulate current down to less, but the driver itself is still outputting 54v/5.95a to start with.
I think the simple answer here is that not all LEDs are dimmable so sometimes you do need to be exact with both voltage and current.
I spent a lot of time trying to get a good grasp on these things last year and this is my understanding, but as always I smoke everyday from when I get up until when I go to bed so I could be totally talking out of my ass here.
Barristan Whitebeard
Well-Known Member
The BSpec boards are maximum current 3000mA @ 54 volts DC just like the RSpec boards
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fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
Yep, would be a direct swap, but do not mix and match boards on the same driver.
Barristan Whitebeard
Well-Known Member
You can drive the boards harder with sufficient heatsinking, but if you are happy with that current level, it will work fine.
shimbob
Well-Known Member
I don't think that's right. The Vo pot adjusts the maximum voltage that the driver will output. But if the LEDs require a lower voltage than what you set it to, the driver will still provide that lower voltage, it won't provide more voltage because Vo is set higher.
fragileassassin
Well-Known Member
Yeah thats why I think its just a terminology thing in how theyre wording things. If you keep adjusting that max down into the operating range of your fixture you can provide a constant lower voltage than what the driver would want to provide otherwise in that situation.
Moflow
Well-Known Member
If I don't know I have to say. Gotta be honest.
Some people would tell untruths lol
@Randomblame was talking about it one year ago in the 4 x 4 build questions thread with you and gave a great explanation of it so you've probably just forgot ....
He is one Smart Cookie who was always on hand to answer the hard questions. Wish him well.
Everyone should read it
4x4 Build Questions
Hey Everyone, I have been creeping these forums as well as ledgardener and reddit and have decided to take the plunge into doing my own EB Gen2 Strip build. I just purchased a 4x4 tent and would like to build something to light it up, so I've come to you fine folks for a bit of help . I...
www.rollitup.org
Now, if you need to know about PAR Maps well that's a different kettle of fish!
Chip Green
Well-Known Member
I actually do recall that. I also recall, that is the exact moment the shame of my ignorance began, after asking Random, yet still having uncertainty!!!
Evidently, I do understand, I just don't know why or how!
Until today it remained in the, "never to be discussed" folder in my mind.
Evidently, I do understand, I just don't know why or how!
Until today it remained in the, "never to be discussed" folder in my mind.
Chip Green
Well-Known Member
Oh, also, since I posted in this thread after all this time, I now have a full obligation to buy DIY QB parts. Right? I don't have a choice.
TWest65
Well-Known Member
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
I sure do miss Randomblames knowledge here. It's just not the same with him gone lately.
The a-type versus b-type is also very well explained in an ledgardener video. *One key difference is the dimming options. a-type have a built in potentiometer (dimmer) that you put a screw driver in and turn to dim. b-type have a lead/cable with wire and provide different options for dimming. There are other differences in these types. ab-type is newer, and HLG is now including them in most if not all of their kits that come with drivers as far as I understand. the ab-type has the best of both worlds as far as dimming is concerned (at least); an internal pot, and the dimming lead.
There are other differences too I think, like the characteristics of a b-type change some functional aspects of a constant current driver in a way that's different to how they'd change functions of a constant voltage driver.
There's too much, hah. Correct me if I'm wrong.
LarsVegasNirvana
Well-Known Member
I already have four V2 boards that should be the same voltage, so I could just use them together and then get 4 more boards for my other driver. That way I could upgrade to V3 boards for the new one.
I might actually just get new drivers anyway because 1500 PAR across a 5x5 is not the worst thing in the world.