DIY design build throwdown

[BOBBY_G]

I think we're talking about two different overheating situations. I'm being very specific about my desire to control excessive heat buildup in the fixture, at the COB itself, with the aim of protecting the equipment from overheating itself.

This can be the result of various causes, including the space overheating, but I'm looking for a way to control or eliminate the heat generated by the fixture by dimming it or shutting it down as needed, preferably automatically, without the need for a logic circuit.

Therefore, shutting down a chip at a time isn't a viable solution if they're all overheating; the ones left on will continue to overheat.

Dealing with overheating in a space is old hat; there are any number of thermal protection devices for spaces already on the market, just look up 'Chernobyl switch'. They work by being on a trigger cord and using a thermostat, shutting down the trigger cord if temps exceed a given limit.

so put your thermostat/thermocouple on the heatsink near a cob. same dealio

 

[Airwalker16]

i think thats for a heatmat for seedling trays

That is what I thought but I don't get why he posted it.

 

[SSGrower]

admittedly out of the loop on the current state of this thread, but is dimming even worth it considering the following:

-trend is to increase number of cobs and run them softer
-that results in less heat, in some cases so much less that its taking the plants out of the ideal temp range
-any array of N cobs can be dimmed in increments of 1/N by simple switching using cheapo temperature switches

Your input is always welcome hell I don't know the state of the thread or what topic is next, but switching cobs on and off to control heat has to be outside the box. Not faulting the logic just want to know how you got to a point of thinking about putting something on a light that lights up but only avoid overheating and not to provide additional light as a primary function - outside the box -

 

[SSGrower]

i think thats for a heatmat for seedling trays

Yep essentially a shutdown when it reaches set temp

 

[SSGrower]

What is this 1 step, 2 step, 3 step, 4 step, 5 step binning I see on Cree's website? It seems that the only difference is the Letter in the part # at the end? What is it exactly?

That's how many steps in the McAdams elipse are allowd as manufacturing variances. Higher number = more variance from advertised color

 

[BOBBY_G]

Your input is always welcome hell I don't know the state of the thread or what topic is next, but switching cobs on and off to control heat has to be outside the box. Not faulting the logic just want to know how you got to a point of thinking about putting something on a light that lights up but only avoid overheating and not to provide additional light as a primary function - outside the box -

bongdudebrah

 

[BOBBY_G]

howbout rip one of these apart and mount the temp sensor on on the heat sink. they heat and cool from adjustable setpoint

http://www.amazon.com/Suncourt-DS10...ermostat/dp/B0015RZX68?tag=duckduckgo-ffsb-20

 

[SSGrower]

howbout rip one of these apart and mount the temp sensor on on the heat sink. they heat and cool from adjustable setpoint

http://www.amazon.com/Suncourt-DS10...ermostat/dp/B0015RZX68?tag=duckduckgo-ffsb-20

I got a better idea (ok so I don't really know cause I haven't really looked) but what about haking the leds you can control with your phone?

 

[SSGrower]

howbout rip one of these apart and mount the temp sensor on on the heat sink. they heat and cool from adjustable setpoint

http://www.amazon.com/Suncourt-DS10...ermostat/dp/B0015RZX68?tag=duckduckgo-ffsb-20

Pretty sure you could get remote sensor as option on something similar but that's not in the diy spirit is it?

 

[SSGrower]

as an extension of this build a simple circuit on a B version of the meanwell that uses a few fixed resistors in parallel, some of the relays are triggered by relays to change from 100% to 70% current.

the 'logic' in this case could be as simple as a cheap bimetal wall thermostat

Bingo - then to make the extension that you could control any number of things based on this. Open a window, turn on a thermal well pump for aquaponics, again understanding that all of these things are available for direct purchase, to me there are often unnecessary or unused features on these comercialy available products.

 

[Abiqua]

I got a better idea (ok so I don't really know cause I haven't really looked) but what about haking the leds you can control with your phone?

I know I have posted a bunch of horseshit, but this is my current real deal avenue right now...there are many options out there to achieve this....

Right now I have two protocols, one is an ad hoc wifi network and the other is a bluetooth network, both useable by a smart phone [if you have wifi and an android phone]....both powered by Arduino gear...

I just have a $8 Ard Uno running the project. Android has several bluetooth capable controllers or code your own...The wifi would be straight forward if you have done any networking, but an ad hoc network just uses ad hoc compatible wifi gear to create your own wireless network, sans a central server.

 

[HydroRed]

How is everyone grounding their drivers properly? Would I be grounded by affixing the driver directly to the unanodized heatsink to prevent shock on the DC side or do I need to pigtail a ground from the AC input side to the heatsink? Both?

 

[Abiqua]

How is everyone grounding their drivers properly? Would I be grounded by affixing the driver directly to the unanodized heatsink to prevent shock on the DC side or do I need to pigtail a ground from the AC input side to the heatsink? Both?

Im not a working electrician, so you should consult your local code, but a true ground should have a local area ground and if possible running to the common [earth] ground as well.....essentially ground your device and then attach it altogether to the common earth ground at your location [if you have one!....some older shiite might not etc etc]

Just google grounding procedures and code... shouldn't take more than 15 mins to find the same info ^

 

[SSGrower]

How is everyone grounding their drivers properly? Would I be grounded by affixing the driver directly to the unanodized heatsink to prevent shock on the DC side or do I need to pigtail a ground from the AC input side to the heatsink? Both?

If you have a ground wire on the driver should be connected to earth as abiq stated, probably a good idea to ground the heatsink too since it's conductive and you're mounting driver to it.
Not only is my driver not grounded it came with a non-polarity plug, I'd be very interisted in additional comment on this, particularly in the case isolated heatsinks.

 

[SSGrower]

I know I have posted a bunch of horseshit, but this is my current real deal avenue right now...there are many options out there to achieve this....

Right now I have two protocols, one is an ad hoc wifi network and the other is a bluetooth network, both useable by a smart phone [if you have wifi and an android phone]....both powered by Arduino gear...

I just have a $8 Ard Uno running the project. Android has several bluetooth capable controllers or code your own...The wifi would be straight forward if you have done any networking, but an ad hoc network just uses ad hoc compatible wifi gear to create your own wireless network, sans a central server.

I'd like to focus on one, looks like WiFi android is the way so in addition to the microprocessor and WiFi adapter, what would you consider to be essential accessories and reference materials and what are some nice to have things?

 

[HydroRed]

Im not a working electrician, so you should consult your local code, but a true ground should have a local area ground and if possible running to the common [earth] ground as well.....essentially ground your device and then attach it altogether to the common earth ground at your location [if you have one!....some older shiite might not etc etc]

Just google grounding procedures and code... shouldn't take more than 15 mins to find the same info ^

I just figured it would have been common knowledge among diy builders as many as I see on this site building them.
I figured function/safety over form would be perfected first amongst the diy people. I dont want to get shocked or burn the spot down.
Well, I believe I have it figured out now. Im using the driver directly mounted to the heatsink so the driver is grounded to the heatsink and will "auto off" if a voltage leak or short is detected by the driver and remain that way until it is unplugged or reset according to the manufacturer. I will also have to ground from the AC end to the heatsink to properly ground it as well.

If you have a ground wire on the driver should be connected to earth as abiq stated, probably a good idea to ground the heatsink too since it's conductive and you're mounting driver to it.
Not only is my driver not grounded it came with a non-polarity plug, I'd be very interisted in additional comment on this, particularly in the case isolated heatsinks.

As for stand alone or isolated heatsinks, I would imagine just a ground from heatsink to heatsink from the AC ground would be sufficient on the ac side. The DC side would be protected (at least from a meanwell driver) from shorting out on the heatsink as long as the framework for your light is all connected and conductive(not anodized/painted on any of the mated building parts).

 

[SSGrower]

Red, I think your on track with one key exception....

I just figured it would have been common knowledge among diy builders as many as I see on this site building them.
I figured function/safety over form would be perfected first amongst the diy people.

Just cause you see something on riu youre not likely getting the whole story, case in point the firestorm of assumptions surrounding what the hell I was doing with the thermostat.

Safety is never perfected.

 

[HydroRed]

It just seemed like I had to look really hard to find any kind of definitive answers to my question regarding proper grounding. When you do a search or ask something as common among these builds as proper grounding- its crickets....
As for how to build an awesome frame, or what everyone is using as far as cobs or drivers, I could get 200 hits in under 5 characters in the RIU search bar haha.

 

[Abiqua]

It just seemed like I had to look really hard to find any kind of definitive answers to my question regarding proper grounding. When you do a search or ask something as common among these builds as proper grounding- its crickets....
As for how to build an awesome frame, or what everyone is using as far as cobs or drivers, I could get 200 hits in under 5 characters in the RIU search bar haha.

Hydro, I run two housings from each HLG1050 MW driver...each housing is grounded then joined together at the driver ground on the AC side and everybody is then attached to the house ground at the plug. GFCI plug and an AFCI plug isn't a bad idea either....

This follows code in my area...also technically you don't need to do a ground at all...seen a two prong plug? It was never grounded....and worked fine, just that if something did go wrong, you made sure you weren't in the path....There are lots of variations on the grounding theme, not just "one" way. Not even one "right" way either....

Also if you search a little farther back in time say 24 months, a lot of the DIY stuff was more in depth due to the newness and people helping out...now alot of those threads just died off over the last 6 months and never refreshed and nobody goes back far enough in their searches or something....


@SSGrower

have you ran across the Solid State Relay / Resettable Thermostatic Fan Switch for your operating needs?

I posted the diagram many times, I will see if I can dig it out again, really just a 12v solid state relay 15A [$4 on Ebay] ran in a loop with a thermostatic fan switch and your 12v fans....

Mine switches were set at 75C....and attached to the Heatsink in the hottest location I could find.....basically if the Fans cut out, the solid state relay will kill the driver....if the Heat rises above 75C it will turn off the Resettable ThermoSwitch and shut down the fans...You will need to reset the button manually in this example, but better than turning back on.....

 

[mc130p]

Hydro, I run two housings from each HLG1050 MW driver...each housing is grounded then joined together at the driver ground on the AC side and everybody is then attached to the house ground at the plug. GFCI plug and an AFCI plug isn't a bad idea either....

This follows code in my area...also technically you don't need to do a ground at all...seen a two prong plug? It was never grounded....and worked fine, just that if something did go wrong, you made sure you weren't in the path....There are lots of variations on the grounding theme, not just "one" way. Not even one "right" way either....

Also if you search a little farther back in time say 24 months, a lot of the DIY stuff was more in depth due to the newness and people helping out...now alot of those threads just died off over the last 6 months and never refreshed and nobody goes back far enough in their searches or something....


@SSGrower

have you ran across the Solid State Relay / Resettable Thermostatic Fan Switch for your operating needs?

I posted the diagram many times, I will see if I can dig it out again, really just a 12v solid state relay 15A [$4 on Ebay] ran in a loop with a thermostatic fan switch and your 12v fans....

Mine switches were set at 75C....and attached to the Heatsink in the hottest location I could find.....basically if the Fans cut out, the solid state relay will kill the driver....if the Heat rises above 75C it will turn off the Resettable ThermoSwitch and shut down the fans...You will need to reset the button manually in this example, but better than turning back on.....

i think that is better because then it brings the problem to your immediate attention. what if by bad luck, they're on when you look at them but later they're on and off many times due to over-heating.... man that would suck O_O