DIY design build throwdown

ttystikk

Well-Known Member
has anyone here ran one of these larger drivers this way yet? i dont like what you said about having to adjust volts to match cobs?sounds scary haha.
This driver is the backbone for Johnson Grow Light's 'Maximizer', if I'm not mistaken. It's been going up against single ended HPS thouies in tests and stomping on them. It's also been whupping on some very expensive competition.
 

BOBBY_G

Well-Known Member
2.05 x 36 = 73.8W, the B version runs 8% over when the dimming leads are open, would that help?
possibly. remember bumping current by 8% bumps voltage by a lesser percentage

guessing the 36B would top out between 2.05 and 2.2A but would need to be field tested. i have a 600H-36B but im still a little ways away from firing it up
 

BOBBY_G

Well-Known Member
has anyone here ran one of these larger drivers this way yet? i dont like what you said about having to adjust volts to match cobs?sounds scary haha.
only if youre using it outside of its typical range (37-38.5V). below 37V cob is just gonna pull what it can at a given voltage
 

BOBBY_G

Well-Known Member
This driver is the backbone for Johnson Grow Light's 'Maximizer', if I'm not mistaken. It's been going up against single ended HPS thouies in tests and stomping on them. It's also been whupping on some very expensive competition.
well it should, particularly if you get efficient with it

thats the beauty, its flexibility.

buy 8 cobs and run them at 75W ea
when you feel like it buy 4 more and run them at 50W ea
buy 4 more and run at 38W ea

etc

people cream all over themselves to squeeze a few more percentages of efficiency out of their cobs. meanwhile this driver is 2-5% more efficient than the smaller ones out of the box.
 

SSGrower

Well-Known Member
only if youre using it outside of its typical range (37-38.5V). below 37V cob is just gonna pull what it can at a given voltage
so my eyes have gone blurry trying to figure out how to gleam this info out. Is it just intrinsic knowledge that the "A" version can push more caus its an internal pot and the factory "detunes" the b version with what a set resistor?
 

BOBBY_G

Well-Known Member
so my eyes have gone blurry trying to figure out how to gleam this info out. Is it just intrinsic knowledge that the "A" version can push more caus its an internal pot and the factory "detunes" the b version with what a set resistor?
datasheet
note 6
pg 1
 

roym

Member
Hey everyone,
I have bought the hlg240-c1400b with 5 x cxb3590 at kingbrite with the lenses from there.
For mounting the lens I'm thinking of putting it directly on the heatsink like everyone is doing or mount it on the enclosure which is easier but then the distance between the lens and the cob is about 8mm.
Is that a big no no and should I just mount it directly on the heatsink, or can I get away with it and mount it on the enclosure?
 

roym

Member
Okay cool, I will mount them directly on the heatsinks then :)
It'll up my routing skills as I'm actually working with wood for my fixture.

For the heatsinks I will use them passively (fischer elektronik sk 47 0.53 K/W ) :)
 

MasterpieceNutes

Well-Known Member
Couple of cheap lights I hobbled together as proof of concept. (Prove to myself I could make these, lol.) Blew out a Vero 18 within 1 minute of running live voltage, lol. -Always secure to heatsinks...

The lights are simple: Bridgelux Vero 18's x4.

-Sourced from newark. One had a big black oily thumbprint across the lens. :( Otherwise the rest of the chips were air-sealed pristine. But seriously, get your shit together newark.

Chinese drivers 20-39v 1500ma (<$10 ea, free ship. 14 day deliver. Ebay.).

Active cooling is from an awesome little recycling place: imagine a 5' sq. box filled with heatsinks from mass computer and equipment teardowns.. Oh so many heatsinks. Got 12HS+fans for $60. Check out your local recycling places! Going back today before they send it all to melt..

2 frame prototypes. One is Vinyl fence..4" sq. The other is simple Aluminum L bracket.

The Vinyl is cool, but needs more fans to do the same thing. Also, there's no way getting around having to run all that heat over Heatsinks in a closed configuration. Vinyl was scrapped.

Aluminum is easy to work with, the heatsinks I use have base screws already, so it's a simple, if ugly design. Basically L-stock with holes drilled, drop in HS, and fasten.. Don't need crossbraces. The HS are structural, lol. Then zip tie on Drivers and wire.

I'll rework the wiring a lot tighter for future builds. Maybe get a real breakout box..

Can't say I'm thrilled with either design.. Trying to KISStoner. But still retain some aesthetic, and efficiency.
A nice breakout box would bring it all together I think, and a single driver would be hella less work.

Have a dozen vero 18, 6 29's and 8 cree 3590's to build.. I'll keep you guys posted.

Only one tap bit and vero 18 were hurt in the production of this story (so far).
 

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SSGrower

Well-Known Member
My phone is having trouble navigating the site but I think yes. Keep in mind that the aluminium will tend to clog the pores of anything with a set grit, but since the use a paste I think your ok.
Although glass is technically a liquid, it can be manufactured fairly flat, this combined with the fluidity of a grinding paste makes it work. The bigger problem is wearing out the glass.
 

SSGrower

Well-Known Member
Couple of cheap lights I hobbled together as proof of concept. (Prove to myself I could make these, lol.) Blew out a Vero 18 within 1 minute of running live voltage, lol. -Always secure to heatsinks...

The lights are simple: Bridgelux Vero 18's x4.

-Sourced from newark. One had a big black oily thumbprint across the lens. :( Otherwise the rest of the chips were air-sealed pristine. But seriously, get your shit together newark.

Chinese drivers 20-39v 1500ma (<$10 ea, free ship. 14 day deliver. Ebay.).

Active cooling is from an awesome little recycling place: imagine a 5' sq. box filled with heatsinks from mass computer and equipment teardowns.. Oh so many heatsinks. Got 12HS+fans for $60. Check out your local recycling places! Going back today before they send it all to melt..

2 frame prototypes. One is Vinyl fence..4" sq. The other is simple Aluminum L bracket.

The Vinyl is cool, but needs more fans to do the same thing. Also, there's no way getting around having to run all that heat over Heatsinks in a closed configuration. Vinyl was scrapped.

Aluminum is easy to work with, the heatsinks I use have base screws already, so it's a simple, if ugly design. Basically L-stock with holes drilled, drop in HS, and fasten.. Don't need crossbraces. The HS are structural, lol. Then zip tie on Drivers and wire.

I'll rework the wiring a lot tighter for future builds. Maybe get a real breakout box..

Can't say I'm thrilled with either design.. Trying to KISStoner. But still retain some aesthetic, and efficiency.
A nice breakout box would bring it all together I think, and a single driver would be hella less work.

Have a dozen vero 18, 6 29's and 8 cree 3590's to build.. I'll keep you guys posted.

Only one tap bit and vero 18 were hurt in the production of this story (so far).
You and kmog get together? He took the mailbox you took the fence post ?

Certainly a kludge job but loving the way you thought to contain the pc coolers, what about replacing fence post with extruded al?

What about that street light out in front of your neighbors house, isn't it rectangular?

Glad someone using leds other than crees has found this thread, I don't have the capacity currently to give them their just consideration.
Also can you clarify what it is you did to blow the vero18?
 
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MasterpieceNutes

Well-Known Member
Also can you clarify what it is you did to blow the vero18?
Just kinda 'affixed' them to heatsinks. Wanted to check wiring and a few Chinese drivers.. Well, a bit of handling and one of the series came 'un-affixed'.. Oh yes, it lit. Brightly. And then the magic smoke came out.. lol. Chip literally unsoldered itself from the plastic round. Four points of contact under there btw. See pic ;) It's a good luck charm now. LED itself is rather unharmed, it bubbled a little.. Would prob still light, but I value being alive, so I won't try..

Unrelated: If anyone knows if that driver is good for anything, please elaborate. Theres 28 THOUSAND of them about to get recycled..
 

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