TokenBlackGuyIC
Member
Has anyone made or sold a Flipbox that can let a grower use one LED driver (something like a $150-200 HLG-600H-XX) to power two flower areas. I have seen flip boxes for ballast but not LED drivers. Thanks
Flipbox for Meanwell LED Drivers?
- Thread starter TokenBlackGuyIC
- Start date
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
What do you mean exactly?
a mongo frog
Well-Known Member
2 rooms same drivers dunce. Come on dude, really?
Greengenes707
Well-Known Member
There is nothing off the self that I know of. But it "could" be done. With a switch and a timed relay for right before and after the switch.
The issue would be that when in the switching process, when the one circuit breaks(during the flip), it goes wide open(full voltage/amps)...and then when the second circuit gets connected...it gets all the voltage and amperage really quickly before it can adjust back to what it wants...which could blow your leds if wide open is above their operating specs. Essentially hot swapping, which meanwell and led manufactures do not recommend.
But if you had the relay cut the power...then the switch flips, and relay power back on...you're good to go.
Little arduino or ras pie module would do it for sure.
he's not the sharpest tool in the box if you haven't noticed so far
Airwalker16
Well-Known Member
Sethimus fuck you. Gonna come at me for asking a god damn question.
CobKits
Well-Known Member
if you werent into programming it could be done mechanically pretty easily as well, there are all kind of interval timers to cut the power, a simple setup could use a cheap dial timer and run each flower cycle for 11:45 instead of 12 (say 00:00-11:45 and 12:00-23:45)
a DPDT relay (double pole, double throw, w/120V coil) could have its coil energized from a second cheap timer and be set to energize at 11:55 which would switch the two poles from the non energized state (flower room 1) to the energized state (flower room 2)
there are all kind of delay timers as well, photocells, etc, and as GG said if youre into programming it would be simple logic with an arduino,
OLD MOTHER SATIVA
Well-Known Member
that is techy heresay GG..i can only speak from hands on experience..
flip boxes work great for leds..and i have had zero problems in two years...
using flips on the dc side
and that is "hardstart" too
any relay that works for hps will work for led
but by all means listen to meanwell..and its only "my" first hand experience
and not meant for encouragement
...you are welcome
Isawthelight
Well-Known Member
I believe @Greengenes707 is describing the action of a constant current driver. I think a constant voltage driver (not operating in constant current mode) output voltage would not spike when switching between flower room LED loads.
Greengenes707
Well-Known Member
This is why I don't participate in fourms anymore. Not one sing;e productive answer in this thread. Juts bitching, and attempts to find a loop hole out of context or putting words in others mouth.
So keep it up man...maybe if you used enough leds you would blow a few. I have. But you seem to be such an expert...change the game bro.
God for bid you post the actual thing your using like what the OP was actually asking for.
If you had an LED/string/cob go out, and the driver had extra volts overhead(say like 49v chip/cobs on 54v driver...that may even put out 56v wide open) and were paralleled so the amperage is divided...if a chip or multiple goes out all of a sudden your out of spec for the chips amperage, even if the voltage spike is small to nothing. The extra voltage will cause more current draw...which depending on your OPERATING PARAMETERS, may take you build over it's limits. And in a parallel build could cost you more than one LED if one blows...again depending on operating specs of the build...which was never stated by the OP, but everyone has just assumed things about it.
Do you think I have never hot swapped. Did you miss the "could" in nearly every part of my statement, and just jump to putting words in my mouth? Facts is...neither company recommends it. I was very very clear and said "could" dude.
So keep it up man...maybe if you used enough leds you would blow a few. I have. But you seem to be such an expert...change the game bro.
God for bid you post the actual thing your using like what the OP was actually asking for.
Why are you quoting me then? Seems you're talking to the OP?
Only if you circuit can take all the voltage of the driver. And as long as the voltage bump doesn't correlate to out of specs amp draw. All depends on your build parameters. Read my post dude...VVV
If it's out of spec...it could be bad. Period. That is what was said. And that is what could happen. Nothing more was said...nothing less in that regard.
If you had an LED/string/cob go out, and the driver had extra volts overhead(say like 49v chip/cobs on 54v driver...that may even put out 56v wide open) and were paralleled so the amperage is divided...if a chip or multiple goes out all of a sudden your out of spec for the chips amperage, even if the voltage spike is small to nothing. The extra voltage will cause more current draw...which depending on your OPERATING PARAMETERS, may take you build over it's limits. And in a parallel build could cost you more than one LED if one blows...again depending on operating specs of the build...which was never stated by the OP, but everyone has just assumed things about it.
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CobKits
Well-Known Member
settle down dude. i meant to quote that to offer a suggestion that was in contrast to the arduino. no reason to jump on my shit for contributing to the thread
Greengenes707
Well-Known Member
Didn't say it could only be an arduino or micro processor. First part says timer and relay. Read and reply correctly dude.
TokenBlackGuyIC
Member
Thanks for the information. Probably easiest to just buy another driver but if i could make the flipbox for less than $50-75, i would be for it
whytewidow
Well-Known Member
Jesus what cluster fuck of a thread. I run 1 driver split over two tents for years. Running cobs. Two flower tents. 32x32 with 6 cobs in each. On a hlg320h24a driver. And I did how @CobKits said. And @OLD MOTHER SATIVA I broke the dc side with a relay. Using sonoff controllers. Just left a 10 minute window between the 12 hour cycle between the tents. I bought the dc relay from radio shack for 11 bucks. Included a box to mount it in. And two terminal strips. Easy peasy.
OLD MOTHER SATIVA
Well-Known Member
"Greengenes707, post: 14658954, member: 749428"]This is why I don't participate in fourms anymore. Not one sing;e productive answer in this thread. Juts bitching, and attempts to find a loop hole out of context or putting words in others mouth.
Do you think I have never hot swapped. Did you miss the "could" in nearly every part of my statement, and just jump to putting words in my mouth? Facts is...neither company recommends it. I was very very clear and said "could" dude.
So keep it up man...maybe if you used enough leds you would blow a few. I have. But you seem to be such an expert...change the game bro.
God for bid you post the actual thing your using like what the OP was actually asking for.
Why are you quoting me then? Seems you're talking to the OP?
>i saw your reply i replied..
>i agree with cobkits..settle down bro i was not attacking you
i am no expert..like you
just a consumer who prefers to use half the drivers by using flip boxes
and am sure you have blown leds without flip boxes too..
a simple "oh cool that it works for you" would do
ps..any decent flip box will do..
disclaimer:
i just posted my results..DO NOT listen to me..on any subject
listen to the real expert..well ..when he settles down .
Do you think I have never hot swapped. Did you miss the "could" in nearly every part of my statement, and just jump to putting words in my mouth? Facts is...neither company recommends it. I was very very clear and said "could" dude.
So keep it up man...maybe if you used enough leds you would blow a few. I have. But you seem to be such an expert...change the game bro.
God for bid you post the actual thing your using like what the OP was actually asking for.
Why are you quoting me then? Seems you're talking to the OP?
>i saw your reply i replied..
>i agree with cobkits..settle down bro i was not attacking you
i am no expert..like you
just a consumer who prefers to use half the drivers by using flip boxes
and am sure you have blown leds without flip boxes too..
a simple "oh cool that it works for you" would do
ps..any decent flip box will do..
disclaimer:
i just posted my results..DO NOT listen to me..on any subject
listen to the real expert..well ..when he settles down .
OLD MOTHER SATIVA
Well-Known Member
soft start! good job..
i do hard start and its ok but soft start is better
Greengenes707
Well-Known Member
And still no link or actual name of what flip box your using, just more bitching. Ya you're super constructive...Not. Why did you even come to this thread if you aren't going to help the OP?
TokenBlackGuyIC
Member
Is this the dc relay you are talking about?
whytewidow
Well-Known Member
Not exactly that one. But something like that. Same principle. Idk if that one is normally open or normally closed. You want normally open. Then split you output one to each relay. Then use a dc timer. That sends 12v to the contact of the relay. When timer kicks on it closes the relay. Connecting the circuit. Sending power through to the cobs. That's how I did it.
So I run 12v power supply through a timer. Then output of timer to the normally open contact side of relay. Put the relay inline on the driver output. That's split. One to 1 light one to the other light. With a 15 minute window between the light on and off cycles. Between the two lights. Timer kicks off. Kills 12v signal to the relay opening contacts killer power to the light. Of you know how work with audrino and stuff like that. Its simpler. But if not. Two 12v relays and a 12v power source to each relay is all you would need.
Make sure if your in series wiring on your light that your relay can handle the voltage and current. Easier when wired in parallel. Bc relays are cheaper for 36-48vdc than one rated for 240 volts dc if your in series.