CUTTER Strip build wiring questions

[Airwalker16]

I must elaborate I guess, I'm tired of not understanding it. Yes visualization is great, but even sometimes a picture don't help unless someone explains what your actually looking at. I have never wired anything like this before. Want to make sure I get it right.

Thanks for taking the time to reply and link me tho, appreciate it.

Serious? That pic shows exactly what you do... Connect 2 12-14awg wires to use to connect from the first wago to the driver, and to the next wago. Same thing for the rest of them but connecting from wago to wago. The other 3 unused slots you'll use standard 18awg to connect to each strip. One string will be for all the positives and the other for all the negatives. It's very simple my dude.

 

[diggs99]

Where on that pic does it tell you to use 12-14 awg wire? where in the parts list on the link provided do it say which wire to use? You just taught me something i didnt know and that pic DONT show. It dont explain how to begin the wiring, if it even matters. Your brief explanation in the above post helped me more than you know, i can put that info with the pic and make sense of it.

When i said i was new to wiring these types of lights, i wasnt lying lol

I'm here trying to learn bro, if I knew this shit I wouldn't need to ask...Yes im sure its simple to you guys, im a finish carpenter, im willing to bet i can do some shit thats simple to me and you may find difficult until you were taught or learned it.

This stuff has been like learning to speak a different language for me, sometimes you just need to speak slow lol

 

[diggs99]

i now see in the notes part at bottom of the article he says 18 awg wire for strips and 14awg for wago to wago.

not sure how many times ive went down that article, dont think i ever read that section about the wire.

i was just looking at parts lists and pictures.

 

[Frank Cannon]

Yeah I'm with the Rock on smaller frames (if you really want big frames, make 2 smaller and bolt together this way when you change your mind or new tech comes out you have more flexibility for change) I won't even start on the benefits of diff strains, heights, ppfd requirements etc.

I have gone from a 1200 x 1000 frame to 4 smaller versions for my next grow but off 2 drivers

FC

 

[Rocket Soul]

Yeah I'm with the Rock on smaller frames (if you really want big frames, make 2 smaller and bolt together this way when you change your mind or new tech comes out you have more flexibility for change) I won't even start on the benefits of diff strains, heights, ppfd requirements etc.

I have gone from a 1200 x 1000 frame to 4 smaller versions for my next grow but off 2 drivers

FC

I LOLed and LOLed at the Rock. Im more like that scrawny kid in That 70s show. But with more grey hair.

 

[diggs99]

Yeah I'm with the Rock on smaller frames (if you really want big frames, make 2 smaller and bolt together this way when you change your mind or new tech comes out you have more flexibility for change) I won't even start on the benefits of diff strains, heights, ppfd requirements etc.

I have gone from a 1200 x 1000 frame to 4 smaller versions for my next grow but off 2 drivers

FC

Thanks Frank, ya i liked Rockets idea aswell, it made sense to me, i wish we had this discussion before i ordered everything, i may have went that route for sure.

Took me too long to figure everything out and get it all ordered to size, most of it still isnt here yet, i dont have the patience to wait for more materials/parts and i really would prefer not having to cut up all the stuff i already have ordered to make it work lol.

I will be using 3 x 3` x 4` ebb and flow tables/sections connected to each other creating a 3x12 max footprint. So my thinking was building the lights to cover each table perfectly. If i decide to grow 1 table/section of a different strain, i can disconnect the table/section and move it away from the others if i want and i can raise or lower that light if needed, hitting proper lux and ppfd etc. I have enough space length ways in the room that i can disconnect and separate all 3 sections if i want/need to.

Whytewidow used the same framing material and heatsinks and says its insanely light to handle.

 

[Frank Cannon]

Sounds fair cuz, half the fun is in building these damned things anyway!

 

[diggs99]

Sounds fair cuz, half the fun is in building these damned things anyway!

Ya I expect the build will be the easy part, frame, sinks , all that stuff seems pretty straightforward . Wiring will be my main issue. I haven't had much fun trying to learn the wiring lol

Making progress tho.... I think

 

[Rocket Soul]

Id just go for a 10 way solution. Save yourself the trouble. You dont realize at first but the cabling creeps up on you. Loops and loops and knots of cables.

With a 10 way wago or similar you will be cutting and peeling 120 wires just for the first step and it gets old real fast. The other solutions is even more.

 

[diggs99]

Id just go for a 10 way solution. Save yourself the trouble. You dont realize at first but the cabling creeps up on you. Loops and loops and knots of cables.

With a 10 way wago or similar you will be cutting and peeling 120 wires just for the first step and it gets old real fast. The other solutions is even more.

Ya the ones that bro linked us to earlier seem like they would work. Not sure how I could install or house them on the framing in a clean way. But same goes for 25 wagos lol

Whytewidow soldered everything, maybe I should just take the extra time and do that.

 

[Airwalker16]

Id just go for a 10 way solution. Save yourself the trouble. You dont realize at first but the cabling creeps up on you. Loops and loops and knots of cables.

With a 10 way wago or similar you will be cutting and peeling 120 wires just for the first step and it gets old real fast. The other solutions is even more.

Stripping wires isn't even difficult.

 

[Rocket Soul]

No, but time consuming. I dont know how big your grow is but when you have a lot it and little time it gets old. One of the reason i like those FoTops

 

[Ryante55]

Hey, getting ready to build these lights, want to have everything ready when the strips show up.

I plan to run 18 strips per 480w driver ( 3x4 fixture) i will be building 3 of them.
So 9 x 48" heatsinks per fixture, I was originally gonna solder my wiring, but now thinking i may just go with wagos with it being my first time.

Question one. which wagos do i need for this build? 5 ports? using 18g sold core wire. I think running everything in parallel.

I will be using the 1p68 waterproof connectors and junction boxes for ac/dc connects and remote dimmer if i go that route. May just go with the A drivers.

Are these power cords sufficient to buy/use? https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B003OQVGP0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1

Last question, is there any good articles/diagrams/youtube videos that that could help show me how i will be wiring these strips in prallel?. I think i got the general idea, but would like to study and confirm i know wtf im doing before i start building.

I think the idea is all black (-) are tied together via a run(s) back to the - on driver
All red (+) tied together on a run(s) back to + on driver

Hopefully we can fill this thread with a bunch of good info so many newbs coming after me can utilize it.

With the wagos I prefer using smaller ones and putting 2 wires per port took me a few builds to think of that but it works just fine with the 18 gauge

 

[Ryante55]

Stripping wires isn't even difficult.

My grandpa tough me a trick for stripping wires when I was young. Burn the tip with a lighter then pull the melted plastic off. Thanks for bringing back an old memory I haven't used that method in years

 

[Ryante55]

Ya the ones that bro linked us to earlier seem like they would work. Not sure how I could install or house them on the framing in a clean way. But same goes for 25 wagos lol

Whytewidow soldered everything, maybe I should just take the extra time and do that.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/carlon-gray-weatherproof-pvc-new-work-old-work-junction-box/3127463?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-rpe-_-google-_-lia-_-206-_-conduitandfittings-_-3127463-_-0&kpid&store_code=1019&k_clickID=go_1793722707_69617671352_346785529167_pla-372695027976_m_9031954&gclid=Cj0KCQjwla7nBRDxARIsADll0kCdFaX-2w1GNCg2giv9QMRR8DzC3QeSWHMmvj-uoAPHAB8qfY97vBUaAqYjEALw_wcB

Boxes like this clean everything up run all the wires into it and make sure you get some little rubber gromets for the holes you need to cut in the box.

Edit: They have little metal boxes too that look nicer just Google project box. Or junction box

 

[Airwalker16]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/carlon-gray-weatherproof-pvc-new-work-old-work-junction-box/3127463?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-rpe-_-google-_-lia-_-206-_-conduitandfittings-_-3127463-_-0&kpid&store_code=1019&k_clickID=go_1793722707_69617671352_346785529167_pla-372695027976_m_9031954&gclid=Cj0KCQjwla7nBRDxARIsADll0kCdFaX-2w1GNCg2giv9QMRR8DzC3QeSWHMmvj-uoAPHAB8qfY97vBUaAqYjEALw_wcB

Boxes like this clean everything up run all the wires into it and make sure you get some little rubber gromets for the holes you need to cut in the box.

Edit: They have little metal boxes too that look nicer just Google project box. Or junction box

Even better, google ABS project box.

 

[Airwalker16]

My grandpa tough me a trick for stripping wires when I was young. Burn the tip with a lighter then pull the melted plastic off. Thanks for bringing back an old memory I haven't used that method in years

Exactly, that's gonna take maybe 3 seconds?

 

[diggs99]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/carlon-gray-weatherproof-pvc-new-work-old-work-junction-box/3127463?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-rpe-_-google-_-lia-_-206-_-conduitandfittings-_-3127463-_-0&kpid&store_code=1019&k_clickID=go_1793722707_69617671352_346785529167_pla-372695027976_m_9031954&gclid=Cj0KCQjwla7nBRDxARIsADll0kCdFaX-2w1GNCg2giv9QMRR8DzC3QeSWHMmvj-uoAPHAB8qfY97vBUaAqYjEALw_wcB

Boxes like this clean everything up run all the wires into it and make sure you get some little rubber gromets for the holes you need to cut in the box.

Edit: They have little metal boxes too that look nicer just Google project box. Or junction box

Thanks bud, I got a few junction boxes coming with everything else. Will def help clean stuff up.

 

[diggs99]

Exactly, that's gonna take maybe 3 seconds?

Who exactly are you arguing with? When did Anyone in this thread ever say stripping wire was difficult?

I get it bro, I'm not in your level of expertise, it's ok. I'm fine with that. This is so I can build a fkn grow light, it's not effecting my real life much so i dont care that im no natural. Just need to get the lights built and functioning. Thats it

Not sure what the problem is

 

[1212ham]

Its a 3x12 table full of clones,they will be strictly flowering lights, week or two of veg each run max.

I used @whytewidow latest builds as the template. Using parts from tnutz for frame and ordering my heatsinks from heatsinkusa

I planned to run the strips the 12` way. 3 fixtures equaling 12`... rough layout below.

I====I====I I====I====I I====I====I
I====I====I I====I====I I====I====I
I====I====I I====I====I I====I====I

Maybe i should consider making them smaller, if it means being easier to build. Being my first time ever really messing with diy builds, maybe i should go the easiest route possible lol. Only thing i dont have ordered yet is the drivers.

FWIW, I think your plan is fine, along with the AC cord you linked. Multiple wires can be used in each port of Wagos and other connectors, though I suggest they be twisted together before insertion. Four 18Ga. wires can be twisted together and still fit in one Wago port. The din rail terminals are an interesting idea, but a little bulky IMO.

These Terminal Blocks could also be used and you can easily get two wires under each screw. Use one block for positive and one for neg.

This buss bar is another option. The ports are 5mm diameter, so several wires could/should be used per port.