COB efficiency Spreadsheets

REALSTYLES

Well-Known Member
The driver was rated from 35-72v @ 1400mA. 1/2 the driver most use for their 4 COB strings. So.. if you think he over ran his driver, then so's everybody else using their 144v drivers @ 1400mA.

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As for asking guru's.. I had an electrical engineer help me with my own diy drivers... someone who actually has his ticket. I used to mod some hack sites back in the d!shnet days, and he was a resident hardware specialist. I'd trust his word over a diy guy any day.

If you don't believe me.. ask any of your local electronics shops.. they usually hire people who know what the fuck they're talking about.
You don't understand all driver aren't alike but I done debating with you. I'll just build another light running them at the most efficiency lol. Why ask the guru's? the electronic shop guys would not even have a clue so precede on with your madness lol
 

Spuzzum

Well-Known Member
You don't understand all driver aren't alike but I done debating with you. I'll just build another light running them at the most efficiency lol. Why ask the guru's? the electronic shop guys would not even have a clue so precede on with your madness lol

You obviously have problems with math and reading spec sheets. Have fun.
 

Spuzzum

Well-Known Member
I think you're running into some skepticism because between all of us on these forums, we've been building lights with fully utilized drivers by the thousands for years now. You're describing a problem we just don't seem to have.
I pointed out a member here who's driver died already. RS said that was different.. because not all drivers are equal. Which actually adds to my case. Not all drivers will take running full blast. Not much of any electronics do. I also added that growmau5 himself has said he's had a Mean Well die on him.. I thought it was the tech talk ep #3, but it might have been ep #2. Ask him yourself.

edit: and the reason I said RS had issues with math.. is because 2 COBs at 36v maximum, is not overloading a 72v driver. It's no different than putting 4 COBs on a 144v 1400mA driver.. it's just twice the overall output.
 

SaltyNuts

Well-Known Member
It's true that not all power supplies or drivers will reliably pump out 100% claimed power. Nor are all stereo amps equal, watt for watt. That's just to say yes there's variability out there in the land of electronics and different products get labeled differently. My impression, based purely on others reports, are that the Meanwell drivers will reliably run at 100%. Maybe they beef it up a little, hardware-wise, and their ratings are conservative, instead of the other way around like when a shady manufacturer will rate something too high through some bullshit testing procedure just so they can make a quick buck. There's an expectation of transparency with the Meanwell product and I think it's rubbing off on other manufacturers who are trying to compete in that space. That's just my impression. Lately some other driver OEMs have been getting screen time on RIU with the DIY kits and PLC has their driver. The Meanwell HLG series has been the gold standard for a while, and the first question is naturally "is this driver as good as the comparable Meanwell driver?". Anyway. I'm just saying. From peoples anecdotes, and the little I know about electronics, it appears that if the good-quality driver is adequately ventilated and the led's are run within their temperature specs it makes for a stable load on the driver up to 100% rated wattage, if the rating is realistic. And it's common for people here to run their cobs way below temperature spec. The driver stability is generally taken for granted. But, of course, electronics do sometimes fail. Usually it's related to excess heat. There's been no large scale spate of complaints about dying Meanwell drivers, or the newer players either. That would become apparent pretty quick. Not saying it can't happen though.
 

BOBBY_G

Well-Known Member
It's true that not all power supplies or drivers will reliably pump out 100% claimed power. Nor are all stereo amps equal, watt for watt. That's just to say yes there's variability out there in the land of electronics and different products get labeled differently. My impression, based purely on others reports, are that the Meanwell drivers will reliably run at 100%.
of course they will, thats why their test reports for an hlg185 run out to 220W. they are pretty conservatively rated and until we hear of more than one failure (which was not at all proven to be attributable to running load btw), we will ahve to assume that running it at its rated wattage is fine. i dont need my drivers to last 30 years when they will be obsolete in 10
 

Spuzzum

Well-Known Member
It's true that not all power supplies or drivers will reliably pump out 100% claimed power. Nor are all stereo amps equal, watt for watt. That's just to say yes there's variability out there in the land of electronics and different products get labeled differently. My impression, based purely on others reports, are that the Meanwell drivers will reliably run at 100%. Maybe they beef it up a little, hardware-wise, and their ratings are conservative, instead of the other way around like when a shady manufacturer will rate something too high through some bullshit testing procedure just so they can make a quick buck. There's an expectation of transparency with the Meanwell product and I think it's rubbing off on other manufacturers who are trying to compete in that space. That's just my impression. Lately some other driver OEMs have been getting screen time on RIU with the DIY kits and PLC has their driver. The Meanwell HLG series has been the gold standard for a while, and the first question is naturally "is this driver as good as the comparable Meanwell driver?". Anyway. I'm just saying. From peoples anecdotes, and the little I know about electronics, it appears that if the good-quality driver is adequately ventilated and the led's are run within their temperature specs it makes for a stable load on the driver up to 100% rated wattage, if the rating is realistic. And it's common for people here to run their cobs way below temperature spec. The driver stability is generally taken for granted. But, of course, electronics do sometimes fail. Usually it's related to excess heat. There's been no large scale spate of complaints about dying Meanwell drivers, or the newer players either. That would become apparent pretty quick. Not saying it can't happen though.

The COBs have only been used for a few years.. how much data do you really have to compare? Even then.. how long have those drivers actually been in use? If this was 10 years down the line, ok.. that's data you can work with.

All I'm saying, is me... personally... would rather have that 20% headroom. It's a rule of thumb for a reason. No, it doesn't mean something's going to happen, but me.. personally... if it can go wrong, it does. I'd rather not give it the chance to begin with. I'd rather prevent it.
 

Spuzzum

Well-Known Member
of course they will, thats why their test reports for an hlg185 run out to 220W. they are pretty conservatively rated and until we hear of more than one failure (which was not at all proven to be attributable to running load btw), we will ahve to assume that running it at its rated wattage is fine. i dont need my drivers to last 30 years when they will be obsolete in 10
HLG-185-C1400 maxes out at 143v @ 1400mA. That's 200.2v. Current tolerance +/- 5%. So.. a 200w driver "may" be able to top out at 210w. But it may also cap off at 190w.
 

BOBBY_G

Well-Known Member
thats fine but youre making a grand assumption that a meanwell at 80% will last longer than a meanwell at 100%.... with absolutely nothing to back it up. yes heat kills but these things run pretty damn cool

its a good design philosophy but dont pass it off as a fact or anything
 

Spuzzum

Well-Known Member
You shit twisted dude just go ahead and be the forums newest fool lol. You are making yourself look really foolish right now. I'm being nice right now because you are new here and you think you are helping but you're not.

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Although I haven't been around for a few years, I'm not new here. I built my own drivers back in 2011.. I've researched more than you, I can tell you that. Your avatar says advertiser... do you sell panels? Is it your overhead you're worried about?
 

Spuzzum

Well-Known Member
thats fine but youre making a grand assumption that a meanwell at 80% will last longer than a meanwell at 100%.... with absolutely nothing to back it up. yes heat kills but these things run pretty damn cool

its a good design philosophy but dont pass it off as a fact or anything
Mean Well rates their life expectancy at 80% load.
 

REALSTYLES

Well-Known Member
Although I haven't been around for a few years, I'm not new here. I built my own drivers back in 2011.. I've researched more than you, I can tell you that. Your avatar says advertiser... do you sell panels? Is it your overhead you're worried about?
Not the same my dude. Can you power any cob with them? If so please explain and show some pics. No pics it didn't happen and a matter of fact you should see how many drivers I have hahahahahahha
 

Spuzzum

Well-Known Member
Not the same my dude. Can you power any cob with them? If so please explain and show some pics. No pics it didn't happen and a matter of fact you should see how many drivers I have hahahahahahha
The same rules apply to larger wattage drivers that apply to smaller wattaged drivers. Good grief.
 

BOBBY_G

Well-Known Member
HLG-185-C1400 maxes out at 143v @ 1400mA. That's 200.2v. Current tolerance +/- 5%. So.. a 200w driver "may" be able to top out at 210w. But it may also cap off at 190w.
theres no "may". every meanwell 185HLG that leaves the factory can push 220W, period. i just grabbed a new-in-the-box hlg-185h-48A and threw 2 cobs on it and maxed out the current. the two i grabbed were efficient but if i grabbed less efficient ones that ran at a higher voltage, they woulda maxed out the driver over 220W

upload_2016-7-14_21-49-54.png

note that the rated output = 3.9A
actual max output = 4.26A

theres your built in 10%
 
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Spuzzum

Well-Known Member
From Mean Well's own "faq" page.....

http://www.meanwell.com/faq.html

FAQ

A1. Notes on choosing a switching power supply?

Ans:
  1. To increase the reliability of the S.P.S., we suggest users choose a unit that has a rating of 30% more power than actual need. For example, if the system needs a 100W source, we suggest that users choose a S.P.S. with 130W of output power or more. By doing this, you can effectively boost the reliability of the S.P.S. in your system.
  2. We also need to consider about ambient temperature of the S.P.S. and whether there is additional device for dissipating the heat. If the S.P.S. is working in a high temperature environment, we need to make some derating to the output power. The derating curve of "ambient temperature" versus "output power" can be found on our spec sheets.
  3. Choosing functions based on your application:
    1. Protection function: Over Voltage Protection (OVP), Over Temperature Protection (OVP), Over Load Protection (OLP), and etc.
    2. Application function: Signaling Function (Power Good, Power Fail), Remote Control, Remote Sensing, and etc.
    3. Special function: Power Factor Correction (PFC), Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) function.
  4. Make sure that the model qualifies for the safety standards and EMC regulations you need.
 

SoOLED

Well-Known Member
really, we grow everything fails. you'alls are talking about the 90% of one of 100's problem of in your system.

you asking the wrong question: not how/if it fails but how fast you can fix/replace it. that's why we keep crappy spare lights/fans/parts around even if they are marshydro, shit fails you have to be prepared to deal with it. if you had the driver(any proper rated driver) on hand, I think you can change out a driver five minutes...or less.

clean more worry less....clean clean clean clean.
 
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