DiY LEDs - How to Power Them

JACQO

JACQO

Well-Known Member
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
Looking at Meanwells website, it looks like they do this on the 480W drivers that output under 48V. I think that your driver has two outputs because the current would be more than the single cable could transmit safely. I couldn't find a definitive answer but I'd suspect that the two outputs are just tied together on an output bus from the driver-just connect the strips like you planned.
 
Canadain Closet Gardener

Canadain Closet Gardener

Well-Known Member
GBAUTO said:
Looking at Meanwells website, it looks like they do this on the 480W drivers that output under 48V. I think that your driver has two outputs because the current would be more than the single cable could transmit safely. I couldn't find a definitive answer but I'd suspect that the two outputs are just tied together on an output bus from the driver-just connect the strips like you planned.
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My drivers is going to be outside of my grow area. Does this mean I run 4 wires to my light instead of two?
Do I plug the two positive together into a wago and two negatives into the other wago?
Sorry I'm just really confused and I can't find anything on this.
Cheers
CCG
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
What I believe it means is that the two output pairs are connected inside the driver-they have to use two cords because of the current output. A single cord would need to use a higher gauge. Just try to divide the load you expect the driver to see so that each cord has approx. the same current. You could connect the cords together to allow a single pair into the tent-just make sure it's capable of handling the current flow.
 
justsmokedope

justsmokedope

Well-Known Member
welight said:
50 ma above spec is not a major issue if your well heat sinked, XPEPHR-L1-0000-00901 is Deep Red(Photo red) other Cree leds have different spec ie XPG white are 1.5amp drive. but 1050ma is pretty safe
Cheers
Mark
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im just finnishing off my light thats based on the cree hort design but im running at about 950ma only because i have 3 x 36v 2.7a drivers laying arround i mught get some 1050ma drivers in the future though ive added some royal blue xp g3s and some 625/630nm reds in too as i felt that it was too red heavey
 
whytewidow

whytewidow

Well-Known Member
Got my light finished and up and running.

10 F562b Samsung Strips and 4 custom built red leds. 120 leds per strip. 4 strips. 60 HE red and 60 Deep red diodes. Setup mixed up of every other type. Alternated between the two. To mix the coverage evenly. Dual row. Light is only used for flower. Both run wirelessly with Sonoff wireless network switch. Both channels dimmable. Turned way down for pic. Just barely fit in my 2x4 tent.

mir_20180314_163619.jpg
 
boilingoil

boilingoil

Well-Known Member
GBAUTO said:
I just used a Meanwell APC driver-APC35-700. It should power about 15 of those diodes in series.
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Thanks, but I don't think a 36 watt power supply could run 15-10 watt diodes. I'm not the smartest person when it come to LED's. but basic math tells me they would only be running @ 2.4 watts each max
 
boilingoil

boilingoil

Well-Known Member
whytewidow said:
Got my light finished and up and running.

10 F562b Samsung Strips and 4 custom built red leds. 120 leds per strip. 4 strips. 60 HE red and 60 Deep red diodes. Setup mixed up of every other type. Alternated between the two. To mix the coverage evenly. Dual row. Light is only used for flower. Both run wirelessly with Sonoff wireless network switch. Both channels dimmable. Turned way down for pic. Just barely fit in my 2x4 tent.

View attachment 4105975
Click to expand...
Excellent ! Got a link to your build.
 
P

PurpleBuz

Well-Known Member
welight said:
but only 700ma max, so 3 watts per led at best, you need min 1amp driver to get best from XML, you can go to 2Amp but will need to heatsink the shit out of them
Cheers
Mark
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true I wouldn't run xml2 below 1 amp. i was just confirming how many can run
at 700 ma, since @boilingoil did not think the apc-700 power supply could run 15 diodes

boilingoil said:
Thanks, but I don't think a 36 watt power supply could run 15-10 watt diodes. I'm not the smartest person when it come to LED's. but basic math tells me they would only be running @ 2.4 watts each max
Click to expand...
 
boilingoil

boilingoil

Well-Known Member
welight said:
but only 700ma max, so 3 watts per led at best, you need min 1amp driver to get best from XML, you can go to 2Amp but will need to heatsink the shit out of them
Cheers
Mark
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Thanks, this is part of the answer I was looking for. At what mA range do the chips perform best at. Part of my mistake was that I bought a 3300 mA driver since the chips said up to that mA draw.
 
welight

welight

Well-Known Member
boilingoil said:
Thanks, this is part of the answer I was looking for. At what mA range do the chips perform best at. Part of my mistake was that I bought a 3300 mA driver since the chips said up to that mA draw.
Click to expand...
Typically you will hit a diminishing return over around 1.5-2.0 Amp, you still get more light but the need for power increases, known as droop and you then need greater expenditure on cooling. I would parallel out the driver x 3 and run at 1100ma per string, not sure on your driver how that plays re voltage but that would give you plenty of light and remain efficient
Cheers
Mark
 
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