Bridgelux EB Gen 3 High Output 4ft Strips
- Thread starter MidnightSun72
- Start date
NukaKola
Well-Known Member
Remington Industries 18UL1007SLDBLA UL1007 18 AWG Gauge Solid Hook-Up Wire, 300V, 0.0403" Diameter, 100' Length, Black: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
Remington Industries 18UL1007SLDBLA UL1007 18 AWG Gauge Solid Hook-Up Wire, 300V, 0.0403" Diameter, 100' Length, Black: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
www.amazon.com
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
I think it's M3 screws but you know they are just notches. I am only using the tape because it's better than having an air gap from a thermal standpoint and it will makes assembly easier/faster since the strips will be heals in place while I screw them. Instead of slidy plastic on smooth aluminum.
1.5mm radius on the screw notches.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
The blux slims have a slightly smaller connector than average, try it before.you buy it
Also you shouldnt put more than 300V thru them im pretty sure that is over their rating.
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
I keep hearing that they are rated for 60V only which means any time you put them into series (which is the only way I've seen recommended in bridgelux paperwork) if you are using 2 4 footers you already need 80+ V.... The blux slims have a slightly smaller connector than average, try it before.you buy it
Also you shouldnt put more than 300V thru them im pretty sure that is over their rating.
Thanks for the tip on the wire. Dunno why the slims gotta be so dam difficult. LolI wonder is it just as good if I use normal stranded wire and tin the ends? I hate the way single strand can just break when bending it around.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Were im at you cant get solid core so i just used normal standed. Realized 1mm wont work so bought .75mm. these wouldnt work cause the strands were flimsy and i couldnt push them in. So i had to regauge the standard 1mm with a tool and use them as slightly dodgy smaller gauge. With 8x16 strips this gets old real quick. The notches instead of holes, the flimsiness of the strips and the tendency to bend and lift the ends; and having some nice alustrips which presented none of the problems: this is what turned me off blux slims. I did the slims with approx 72V base (4 in series) which seems to work well. I just would want a setup with high amps and volts at the same time cause they are so flimsy, and doing manynof them means upping the risk of problems with every connectionI keep hearing that they are rated for 60V only which means any time you put them into series (which is the only way I've seen recommended in bridgelux paperwork) if you are using 2 4 footers you already need 80+ V....
I wonder is it just as good if I use normal stranded wire and tin the ends? I hate the way single strand can just break when bending it around.
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
Man I can't thank you enough for convincing me to do some kind of backing. Even for normal strips I would need them knowing me I'd stick my head through the fixture while watering the plants lmao. I wanted to cheap out a bit. But I know the first time I smashed a strip I'd regret trying to save those dollars.
I am hoping the adhesive keeps the strips nice and steady on the aluminum. Then I'll screw each strip down with 8 screws. 8x224 strips. This is gonna be great fun. Lol.
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
Adhesive and then screws on the ends should be enough. If you do them in pairs then one wide adhesive and 1 screw each end in the hole that 2 notches create. Dont screw too tight, wrist strength is all you need, if you feel youre using shoulder or upper body force your going to far.
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
I saw a guy on ledgardener put them side to side and use 1 screw. But I got my self so psyched out about the thermal situation that I want them to be as spread as possible regardless of the labour. I am planning on putting holes near the connectors to run the wire out the back of the aluminum so it's hidden from view. Does anyone make covers to hide connectors or anything? I want these lights to look OEM AF.
UpstateRecGrower
Well-Known Member
You can just use tape, that’s how I do it.. a disk why anyone would run strips in a series but that’s just me..
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
Ordered some of these jacks
So I could test out dimming control from the Trolmaster Hydro-X system. If you hook it up with their LMA-14 adapter you can control something like 20-30 lights off 1 LMA adapter. So all you do is connect all your RJ12 ports to the LMA14 and then you should be able to control any 0-10v protocol light. I confirmed it on the phone with the Trolmaster technicians and they said any standard 0-10v protcol controllable drive rand specifically mentioned meanwell. My TRP drivers are dimmable this way so will test out.
Gonna hook them up using this sweet schematic that user Oxyrhina posted earlier in this thread.
So I could test out dimming control from the Trolmaster Hydro-X system. If you hook it up with their LMA-14 adapter you can control something like 20-30 lights off 1 LMA adapter. So all you do is connect all your RJ12 ports to the LMA14 and then you should be able to control any 0-10v protocol light. I confirmed it on the phone with the Trolmaster technicians and they said any standard 0-10v protcol controllable drive rand specifically mentioned meanwell. My TRP drivers are dimmable this way so will test out.
Gonna hook them up using this sweet schematic that user Oxyrhina posted earlier in this thread.
UpstateRecGrower
Well-Known Member
That was supposed to say "IDK" why anyone would run strips in a series..
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
If you read this document by Bridgelux (the manufacturer of the strips). They recommend the use of constant current power sources, and also while they do show you how to connect in either series or parallel, they specifically recommend trying to limit the number of strips ran in parallel. Also if you run strips in parallel you gotta make sure they are on the same heatsink this prevents current hogging from different strips having different temperatures and thus different forward voltages. A small rise in forward voltage can lead to a large rise in forward current, and it's temperature dependent. So hot day? Ac failure, anything can cause a fixture failure. Anyways it's enough for me that bridgelux recommends wiring in series. I will try that first.
UpstateRecGrower
Well-Known Member
Idk.. I guess.. I run 96 strips in sets of 8 in parallel
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
really tempted to just do adhesive only and maybe just screws at the ends for first fixture before I go crazy drilling holes. What's everyones experiences using thermal adhesive alone? MY adhesive is rated for 1.6kg/in working range up to 120*C. So I wonder if the strips will be fine. Gonna do a trial tomorrow night and see with just 7 strips 2 heat sinks and 1 driver. They will be running a total of 189W I'll see how warm it gets if it doesn't get very warm i'll reduce the number of screw points. Also if I use just one side of the screw holes will the strip have problems fixing down evenly even with the tape?
TintEastwood
Well-Known Member
If it's like the thermal tape I used.....
You will not need screws.
I call it....
Tape from hell.
Lol
Just wait til you try to remove 1.
No fun.
You will not need screws.
I call it....
Tape from hell.
Lol
Just wait til you try to remove 1.
No fun.
UpstateRecGrower
Well-Known Member
I only use tape, no screws, the tape is permanent..
Rocket Soul
Well-Known Member
It kinda depends on the tape. Ive had great tape (3M but cant find it no more) and shity tape. One thing about those slims and similar plastic strips: if they ve been kept stored outside their box they have a tendency to bend and lift the ends. Theytape may have a "hardening" time during which youll need to press down the ends, "lifting" is the one direction that the tape has problem with.
Sorry but I disagree. Thermal runaway is an often mentioned theory but experience shows us that it's not a problem with grow lights. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I've never seen it here or anywhere else. Check this out....
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
Disagree all you want lol. I am just following the manufacturer's instructions. If the system fails because it's in series I'll let everyone know. Otherwise I am going to stick with the recommendations in their design document.
Anyway assembled 7 strips together (thats what 1 driver maxes out at) and it works. I couldn't be more pleased. I can't believe how much I stressed about the heat sink. They didn't heat up at all..... blinding brightness at roughly 189W for 7 strips.
