How would you keeo drivers outside a tent?

[1212ham]

Run 1 wire ground from the fixture/frame along with the other wires, and connect to the ground wire from the ac power cord. It should also connect to the housing of all the drivers. If the drivers are in a metal box, the ground could connect to that rather than each driver.

 

[nfhiggs]

So are you saying that I should ground a wire to the fixture and bring it along side all of the other drivers positive and negative wires and then in between the connector and the driver box split off into 5 grounds and connect that single line to each driver?

There does not need to be any "splitting off". The drivers should each have a ground wire on their AC power cords - that wire grounds the driver. The frame of the light assembly only needs one ground wire to properly ground it. That wire can be connected to any earth ground point.

 

[Aolelon]

Run 1 wire ground from the fixture/frame along with the other wires, and connect to the ground wire from the ac power cord, it should also connect to all the drivers. If the drivers are in a metal box, the ground could connect to that rather than each driver.

Arent the drivers all grounded already? From the AC side. So what would be the point connecting to all 5 drivers?

 

[1212ham]

Yeah, the Meanwell drivers have a ground wire in the AC power cord, not sure about the three smaller drivers, some of the cheap ones only have two AC power wires, rather than an AC power cord with three wires, two for power and one for ground. The Main power cord should have a ground wire that connects to the fixture and each driver, or a metal box containing the drivers.

 

[nfhiggs]

Yeah, the Meanwell drivers have a ground on the AC power cord, not sure about the three smaller drivers, some of the cheap ones only have two AC power wires, rather than an AC power cord with three wires, two for power and one for ground.

If they are plastic case drivers two wires is really all they need.

 

[1212ham]

If they are plastic case drivers two wires is really all they need.

Agreed, but some of the cheap ones have a metal case and only the two power wires.

 

[Airwalker16]

So confusing..

 

[Aolelon]

So confusing..

You just have to ground your fixture bro, If youre using the smaller plastic cased drivers, they don't need to be grounded. Your bigger drivers are already grounded from the AC side of the driver. So you can split off 1 of the AC ground wires, and run it to your fixture. Or you can take a separate wire, and run it to something that is grounded. A pipe going into the ground (preferably not gas or water) or anything else. I think you would have an easier time just splitting off 1 of the AC wires. If your putting the drivers inside a metal box or whatever, you can just run the wire from the fixture to the box, and run the AC ground to that same spot, and you will have grounded the driver box, the drivers, and the fixture.

 

[Airwalker16]

You just have to ground your fixture bro, If youre using the smaller plastic cased drivers, they don't need to be grounded. Your bigger drivers are already grounded from the AC side of the driver. So you can split off 1 of the AC ground wires, and run it to your fixture. Or you can take a separate wire, and run it to something that is grounded. A pipe going into the ground (preferably not gas or water) or anything else. I think you would have an easier time just splitting off 1 of the AC wires. If your putting the drivers inside a metal box or whatever, you can just run the wire from the fixture to the box, and run the AC ground to that same spot, and you will have grounded the driver box, the drivers, and the fixture.

OK. I was planning on a plastic project box but maybe I can find a metal one.

 

[Aolelon]

OK. I was planning on a plastic project box but maybe I can find a metal one.

Doing a plastic box will be fine, you wont have to ground it then. I was just stating that if you did use a metal box you should ground it as well.

 

[Airwalker16]

Yeah, the Meanwell drivers have a ground wire in the AC power cord, not sure about the three smaller drivers, some of the cheap ones only have two AC power wires, rather than an AC power cord with three wires, two for power and one for ground. The Main power cord should have a ground wire that connects to the fixture and each driver, or a metal box containing the drivers.

Pretty sure the cheap ones aren't grounded. Makes me almost wanna just swap the 3 out for an hlg 185-700

 

[Airwalker16]

Doing a plastic box will be fine, you wont have to ground it then. I was just stating that if you did use a metal box you should ground it as well.

So with a plastic box, I just need to have a wire from the main cord before the project box where the main cord splits to each driver, to the fixtures frame?

 

[1212ham]

Correct, but the AC connections should be IN the box, not before it.
Basically, any metal surfaces should be grounded if they can be touched.

 

[Aolelon]

So with a plastic box, I just need to have a wire from the main cord before the project box where the main cord splits to each driver, to the fixtures frame?

Yea, pretty much

 

[Aolelon]

Maybe make the box, and have these so you can just plug the AC cord directly in to the box? Screw these on one panel of the box, wires on the inside (where you can split the ground). I dunno just an idea. It would be something I would do, for cleanliness. Im not 100% sure how you're planning on wiring everything though, or if the box is 100% enclosed.

 

[Airwalker16]

Maybe make the box, and have these so you can just plug the AC cord directly in to the box? Screw these on one panel of the box, wires on the inside (where you can split the ground). I dunno just an idea. It would be something I would do, for cleanliness. Im not 100% sure how you're planning on wiring everything though, or if the box is 100% enclosed.
View attachment 4156477

Definitely a good idea.what do you mean split the ground

 

[Randomblame]

So those look alright but I don't tthink they come with both sides jacketed. Looks like just one? I like those blue and black ones.

No, you can get them in several versions. This are the ones where one side will be built in into a housing. You can get them too to connect two wire ends, for the same price.
Simply search for aviation connectors. 10pcs for 7$ was the cheapest I've seen.
These are on my watch list because I plan to hide wiring inside a small housing on the backside. I need it anyway for the T5 ballast(24w UVB) because you can not remote wire such bulbs(no more than 2m allowed between ballast and bulb sockets). But that's another story.
Fact is, they have the same specs but are a lot cheaper and I like their metall finish. But I would not use them with 15 connections. Imagine how thick a cable with 15x AWG18 lines would be, with 15x AWG 16 it would be probably as thick as an underground transmission line for a whole village, lol! Better use a few with only 2, 3, 4 or 5 pins(1 driver, 1 driver grounded, 2 drivers, 2 drivers grounded) You need only one wire to ground the whole light.

 

[Airwalker16]

Ya itd be best use the black and blue waterproof ones. Just 2 connections. 1 4-pin for the 2 HLG s and 1 6-pin for the 3 smaller drivers. And then I guess just some small male/female spade connection for the ground.

 

[Randomblame]

These AC input sockets are available in different versions for instance with on/off switch or with additional fuse. Below a few pics from the wiring. I've use Wago's and awg16 wires to splitt the main connection for different drivers and I've used a resetable bimettal switch for security. If the temps inside gets higher as 75°C the main connection will be switched off untill I press the reset button.
When built-in the Wago's are glued to the bottom of the housing and the AC driver wires are going into the N, L and ground Wago's. The bi-metal switch could be glued to one of the drivers or near to them. I'm using cheap thermal glue(1$/5g, ebay), it's easy removable.

All the parts are for cheap from e3ay, 1,70 for the switch, 0,80 for the bi-metal switch, Wago's are also cheap to get and awg16 wire plus heat shrink and a few connectors anyway.

 

[Airwalker16]

These AC input sockets are available in different versions for instance with on/off switch or with additional fuse. Below a few pics from the wiring. I've use Wago's and awg16 wires to splitt the main connection for different drivers and I've used a resetable bimettal switch for security. If the temps inside gets higher as 75°C the main connection will be switched off untill I press the reset button.
When built-in the Wago's are glued to the bottom of the housing and the AC driver wires are going into the N, L and ground Wago's. The bi-metal switch could be glued to one of the drivers or near to them. I'm using cheap thermal glue(1$/5g, ebay), it's easy removable.

All the parts are for cheap from e3ay, 1,70 for the switch, 0,80 for the bi-metal switch, Wago's are also cheap to get and awg16 wire plus heat shrink and a few connectors anyway.
View attachment 4156645 View attachment 4156646 View attachment 4156647 View attachment 4156648 View attachment 4156649 View attachment 4156651

I know this is a stupid question but if I have five drivers that I need to connect l&n to then how would I do that without having a six pole Wago?