So I received my metal today. I also got the rounded cornered Aluminum for cheap so I can make a second light.
So originally I was going to go with 18 one foot strips now 24
View attachment 4055061
but now I'm thinking 27 strips
View attachment 4055063
I still can't figure out the math on how to chose the drivers with these 1 foot strips. I've been told what drivers i need but i want to learn the math.
Could someone write out an equation?
Cheer
CCG
How long are these tubes and how much strips per tube. This looks more like 2ft(~60cm) instead like 1ft.(~30cm) tubes.
How much total power watt do you want to have?
To choose a matching driver one need to know which strips you use(part-#, link), how many and how hard you want to drive them.
If one strip is 19,5v and 350mA and you connect 9 in series you need a driver with a Vf of more than 175,5v and 350mA. A HLG-60H-C350B would match and delivers 61,5w net. and 67,5w total(wall watts). If you like to drive them hard, say we at 700mA, you need a driver with min. 178,5v but with 700mA. In this case a HLG-120H-C700 would match and delivers up-to 125w net. and 135w at the wall.
Series circuits: Add up the forward Voltage for each strip in your build to get your total forward voltage (e.g. 10 strips at 23 volts = 230 total volts). Find a driver that has an upper voltage limit that is greater than your total forward voltage and a lower voltage limit that is lower than your total voltage at the current you want to run at (a Meanwell HLG-240H-C1050 would work for this example...pull up the datasheet to confirm). Series circuits, you add the voltages and the current remains the same through each strip. EQ: Vtotal = #strips * V forward of each strip. Current total = Current strip
Parallel circuit: Multiply the current you will be running each each strip by the number of strips to obtain the total current needed. Confirm the voltage drop of a single strip against the current you will be running in the datasheet sheet (there should be a voltage v. current graph) and look at the typical and max voltage in one of the tables in the datasheet. Find a driver that supplies more than the forward Voltage required (I would use the max voltage) and at least the total current required (e.g. for 10 strips @ 1 A, if Vf of one strip=23v, then a driver that produces 20-26v and supplies at least 10 A would be a match). Parallel circuits are like a manifold, you add the currents of the strips and the voltage across each strip remains generally the same. EQ: Vtotal = Vstrip. Current total = # strips * Current strip
Certainly Par numbers would be good...Okay, now let's have a look at parallel wiring.
You could also take a HLG-240 or 320 or 480H-20A, these all are 20v drivers with different current, and connect all the strips in parallel.
A HLG-320H-20A delivers up to 15A, with 30strips in parallel each strip would get 500mA(15A:30strips=0,5A). Vf @500mA is ~20v, so each strip would run at 10w for ~300-320w.
With a HLG-240H-20A(12,5A) and 24 strips it would be about the same 10w per strip, a tiny bit more(12,5A:24strips=520mAx 20V=10,4w), so ~250w total.
A HLG-480H-20A delivers 24Amps, with 27 strips in parallel each would get 888mA(24:30=88which is already too much. You need at least 34 strips in parallel to run each strip at ~700mA(24A:34strips=705mA per strip, 700mA is maximum for the 1footers).
At 500mA the gen.2 strips run at ~170lm/w(best price performance area, IMO ) with a HLG-320 you would get ~51.000lm. This is enough for a 3x 3' and fits perfect in a 2x 4' tent.
I do not know if it blinds you, but you certainly need sunglasses ...
Here is the post you replied to, I had deleted it as I thought I had some incorrect numbers. I was looking at the F-Series, I now see you are referring to H-Series.
I'm planning the same build for the same tent. Digikey shows 12/23 ship date.
What part numbers are you comparing? I see 175 lm/W for EB gen 2 and 171 lm/W for the F-Series, both at 3500K.
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/bridgelux/BXEB-L0280Z-35E1000-C-B3/976-1736-ND/7907665
https://www.digikey.com/product-det...-inc/SI-B8U261280WW/SI-B8U261280WW-ND/7649215
My tent is an iPower 36"x20"x62". I just measured and it's actually 63" tall. BTW, you could probably cut the poles of your tent 1/2" and make it fit.
Also, I use this thermal tape for fast, easy, effective mounting.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BCP-1roll-...162616247963?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10
Certainly Par numbers would be good...