HLG-185-C1400B runs 1.8A

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DocCox

Well-Known Member
Hello again , quick question.
I've built a couple of lights running 4x 36v cxb3590s each and I noticed the 2 I've built so far are pulling 1.8A each from the wall when attached to a potentiometer turned up, or sans potentiometer.

Don't want to hurt these new babies, is this normal? The input specifies 2.4A at 100-240vac, so I was expecting something closer to the 2.4A range.

Additionally, I don't want to run my drivers in tent, would a 10ft run of 14/3 romex be too much of an issues on the DC side?

Thanks guys!
 
CanadianONE

CanadianONE

Well-Known Member
DocCox said:
Hello again , quick question.
I've built a couple of lights running 4x 36v cxb3590s each and I noticed the 2 I've built so far are pulling 1.8A each from the wall when attached to a potentiometer turned up, or sans potentiometer.

Don't want to hurt these new babies, is this normal? The input specifies 2.4A at 100-240vac, so I was expecting something closer to the 2.4A range.

Additionally, I don't want to run my drivers in tent, would a 10ft run of 14/3 romex be too much of an issues on the DC side?

Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
14/3 is overkill for the DC side. You can use 16-18AWG without issue. See voltage drop calculator results attached based on 140VDC across 10 feet
 

Attachments

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doz

Well-Known Member
Yup, my 185-C1400 pull 1.8 @ 120v as well from the wall. That is normal. If you have 4 - 36v COBS wired up, they will draw 1.4A each.

You have to remember that you are powering them from the driver, not the wall. Power draw will be a bit different as the driver converts the power.
 
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DocCox

Well-Known Member
Fantastic, thank you all again!
Better safe than sorry I figured.
I see the driver doesn't offer a ground, is it okay to tap a ground into my heatsink and attach it to the mains ground? Would this interfear with the drivers built in protection or risk damage to COBs in the event a wire comes loose?
 
littlejacob

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
DocCox said:
Fantastic, thank you all again!
Better safe than sorry I figured.
I see the driver doesn't offer a ground, is it okay to tap a ground into my heatsink and attach it to the mains ground? Would this interfear with the drivers built in protection or risk damage to COBs in the event a wire comes loose?
Click to expand...
Bonjour
I believe that the hexagons (like my country...) under the driver are made for this,but I am not sure,but it is a good question
What is the best way to use those hexagons?Put it on a metal plate?
Have a great day™
 
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DocCox

Well-Known Member
The drivers are grounded from the mains, on my drivers it appears the entire external case is acting as ground. I placed my drivers on a control panel separate of my lights so I don't risk DC and AC intermingling, and the control panel is grounded aluminum (So yes, I went with drivers mounted on a grounded surface)
On the DC side of the circuit the V- acts as a ground?
Mean Well.jpg
If this is the case, adding a ground anywhere on the heat sink (or anywhere DC side) risks circumventing the designed OVP/OLP protection circuits?
I would really like to know if adding a ground DC side is appropriate or dangerous. Especially with the possibility a hand is placed between the beginning of the circuit and before the ground (like a hand knocks the cable out)
 
CanadianONE

CanadianONE

Well-Known Member
DocCox said:
The drivers are grounded from the mains, on my drivers it appears the entire external case is acting as ground. I placed my drivers on a control panel separate of my lights so I don't risk DC and AC intermingling, and the control panel is grounded aluminum (So yes, I went with drivers mounted on a grounded surface)
On the DC side of the circuit the V- acts as a ground?
View attachment 3490136
If this is the case, adding a ground anywhere on the heat sink (or anywhere DC side) risks circumventing the designed OVP/OLP protection circuits?
I would really like to know if adding a ground DC side is appropriate or dangerous. Especially with the possibility a hand is placed between the beginning of the circuit and before the ground (like a hand knocks the cable out)
Click to expand...
I would have to think the mains ground is attached to the case of the driver but the DC side would be simply grounded to the circuit board inside the case. I do not think you want AC-DC grounds attached at the same point they should be isolated from each other because the mains power tends to be noisy and could cause EMI issues with the DC circuitry
 
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DocCox

Well-Known Member
Excellent point about the noise.
So what's the safe bet?

If V- acts as earth, and becomes disconnected, there's a potential for a floating live heatsink right? Other than doing a great job securing wires, how do you go about making this idiot safe?
Attaching an independent DC side ground between heatsink s being run by seperate drivers?

Sorry, I'm on the new side of the fence still and unsure about safety with DC circuits. I always seem to splash water all over the place on accident too...
 
salmonetin

salmonetin

Well-Known Member
....are the led cob aislated electrically well from dc wires to heatsink?.... if yes no problem with dc side on a heatsink... normally better with good high ip connections protection...for wires and the entire electrical pads on cob leds...

...with a driver directly over the heatsink...are the heatsink well aislated from ac?...from my pov not... when we deal with ac near... better heatsink earthed.. and better too without ac side near the heatsink... just my pov....

...good reading... https://www.rollitup.org/t/new-200-watt-vero-29-build.880917/ ....2 good pages for my pov too...

e function desactived...thanks DC....

:peace:

Saludos
 
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DocCox

Well-Known Member
Thank you for the link, from what i understood,

if the driver is on the heatsink 100% of metal should be grounded and your forced to live with the AC noise

If the driver is remote, not touching your heatsink, don't ground the heatsink, it servers no purpose

Always ground anything metal that's near/touching any driver, and its advisable to ground at least 2 points to include the casing

The only problem I see is this statement (in bold and orange) conflicts with itself,
"stardustsailor, post: 11836764, member: 480983"]A tad of " generalisation" there,probably ...

If the driver(s) are encased in plastic case,then are "Class II " electronic devices .Double isolation ,no mains earth wire needed .Of course no heat sink "mains earthing " ....
(BTW- and not "grounding " since it has another meaning ...It means bringing
a circuit down low, to a "dynamic potentional " of zero Volts and mainly it is used on DC circuitry ..
"Earthed " (connected to ..planet Earth ) is the expression for AC ,not "Grounded" ( brought low to a "ground" level of 0 VDC ) which mainly is used in DC circuitry ...
Anyway ..Details ....


If now the drivers are not encased at all ( open frame boards ) or encased in a metallic case ( steel or aluminium ,usually )
they are ,most probabbly "Class I " .Single isolation.Needs earthing.

Now in that case ,there are two sub-cases ...
if the drivers are placed remote ,away from the heat sink,
and only the DC wiring ,which powers the LED /COBS goes to the heat sink ..
Then grounding the heat sink ,has no reason ...
Even if the DC wiring ,carries lots of Amps ,under a high dynamic difference ( > 100 VDC ) ,even if any of the DC wires shorts with the "earthed " heat sink ,nothing is going to happen ,which will affect severely the users safety ....


But from the other hand ...
If such driver(s) ( open frame or metal encased ) are placed on the heatsink or on any type of metallic structure
which conducts directly with the heatsink ,EVERYTHING made out of metal -and not just the heat sink - shouyld be mains "earthed" .Even the smallest screw or nut ...
In such case of placement ,AC circuitry is still isolated from any metal part of the structure .
BUt since it is placed within/on/in/at the structure ,there's always the danger ,that under the most weird situation - aka "shit happens " - where was I ? Oh ,yes ..under those weird situations( severe impacts cable/wiring isolation destruction /deterioration ) ,there's the danger of AC wiring to come in contact with any metallic part of the structure.
If it is "earthed" ,the mains fuses will trip ,either "LIVE/LINE " or "NEUTRAL" will contact "EARTH" .
The party is on at the fuse -box ....


Yeap..

I know too much blah -blah ....
MAybe even difficult to digest ,by the average stoner ...


Just keep in mind ....

"Open frame or metal encased LED drivers ,if are installed on /at / within /inside a metallic structure ...
(profile bars ,rods ,heat sink (s) , angles ,sheets ,screws ,bolts ,nuts ,washers ,cases , and more ),
then everything made out of metal ,should contact Earth ,the soil ,the planet .

"Mains Earthed."

Otherwise ....

....
Well...

Shit happens ...
....


Cheers.
:peace:
Click to expand...
How can the heatsink be earthed with just V+ and V- (and one shorted on the heatsink)?
 
salmonetin

salmonetin

Well-Known Member
....i cant see any conflict...

earthed...when deal with ac...(on ac side all metal "earthed" are connected to the earth ac wire aka Earth ... when deal with dc...(on dc side "grounded" is conected to the Minus side aka DC Ground aka COM side ...not conected to the earth...just my pov

...words from SDS...

Make also sure ,that DC Ground aka 0V aka Com (common Ground ) aka "minus side " ,
is not contacting any Earthed metallic part of the whole structure ...
Needless to state that the same also is true , for the +VDC aka "positive side / pole " of any DC circuitry involved on the light.

For Example : LED OUT + and LED OUT - should never contact and conduct any earthed metal parts ..
Heat sink ,incuded ...

...on your orange text...

if the drivers are placed remote ,away from the heat sink,
and only the DC wiring ,which powers the LED /COBS goes to the heat sink ..
Then grounding the heat sink ,has no reason ...

...sds here are talking about grounding the heatsink...not earthing the heatsink... and if the heatsink are well earthed... normally... you are on the "safe" side too...;)

...just my pov...

e function desactived...thanks again DC...;)

:peace:

Saludos
 
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littlejacob

littlejacob

Well-Known Member
Bonjour
What is the best material to put a driver on? Plastic? what are the geometric form under the hlg? They have a purpose?
Have a great day ★
 
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