HLG-550 V2 clone with Mean Well HLG-480h-c2800AB driver

Randomblame

Well-Known Member
I fuckin KNEW IT WOULD WORK. Fuck all y'all who gave me shit!

LMFAO! Bahaha! Give it to them..

It's a bit confusing with open circuit voltage and constant current region. The longer you look at the driving methods drawing in the datasheet the more complex seems it to work. You can get these AB models in CC and CV/CC this means CC model has only a current limiter + dimmer wires and CV/CC model has both, voltage and current regulator + dimming wires. They all have the same 3 dimming methods.
But to be honest, one should stay within the CC region cause LED modules usually want CC. It works because its anyway a series-parallel connection but there is for sure slightly uneven current flow and less stable current does not make it any better. But its also far from being dangerous cause the driver would just switch off in case it did. As long as the boards can handle the 2,8A is should be okay.
 

Airwalker16

Well-Known Member
LMFAO! Bahaha! Give it to them..

It's a bit confusing with open circuit voltage and constant current region. The longer you look at the driving methods drawing in the datasheet the more complex seems it to work. You can get these AB models in CC and CV/CC this means CC model has only a current limiter + dimmer wires and CV/CC model has both, voltage and current regulator + dimming wires. They all have the same 3 dimming methods.
But to be honest, one should stay within the CC region cause LED modules usually want CC. It works because its anyway a series-parallel connection but there is for sure slightly uneven current flow and less stable current does not make it any better. But its also far from being dangerous cause the driver would just switch off in case it did. As long as the boards can handle the 2,8A is should be okay.
Ya, I would even recommend 4x 160mm PC fans running on top of center on each heatsink area.(you could use 2 meanwell apv-12-12's to run 2 fans each.) Just use some kind of spacer to elevate the blades off the flat surface.
Or at the very least, dedicate a small 6-10" fan to oscillate over it at all times it's on.
That's only when you've got it all the way turned up on the wired pot or you aren't using it. I would recommend a 110K potentiometer and a 10K resistor in series on the dim + wire, just so you get Max output, but you wanna use that dimmer since it's there. Be nice to be able to turn it down to the 2100MA for early flower and then boost it up towards the middle.
 

ChiefRunningPhist

Well-Known Member
but that's just a guess cause I've not used them till now. But it pretty obvious to me
Lol, I haven't used one either. Which POT supercedes which? Which limits which?

I've asked you the same before about the over voltage protection cutoff as useable voltage but at that time it was explained that I wouldn't be able to use the 185h 1400 overvoltage as useable (only 1v or 2v) you must have you've changed your mind?

550w... If able to use V/I over what it's rated I could see that...

You must use different numbers when sizing your drivers other than the data sheets? The 480 2800 is what you'd reccomend?
 
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diyled

Well-Known Member
Its just a B version with build in dimmer "and" dimmer wires. No other differences! There is only a built in current regulator like with A series and dimmer wires like with B version. You can probably set a current limit with the built in poti and the external dimmer can only dimm within the set range but that's just a guess cause I've not used them till now. But it pretty obvious to me cuz it makes the most sense.
Well that parts quite obvious but do they interact with each other? Does using a 110k pot on the leads allow the full current output. I know some B types will go 108% anyways but most don't.

Lots of unanswered questions that need testing.
 

TEKNIK

Well-Known Member
Well that parts quite obvious but do they interact with each other? Does using a 110k pot on the leads allow the full current output. I know some B types will go 108% anyways but most don't.

Lots of unanswered questions that need testing.
I have an hlg600-36AB series on a customers light they sent to me for testing but haven't picked up yet, I am not sure of the forward voltage of the chips used in thier light so I can not check to see if the forward voltage increases beyond 100% but I should be able to check if the screw terminal overrides the dim wires for current regulation.
 

TEKNIK

Well-Known Member
The constant voltage drivers are actually just constant current drivers. You can adjust the maximum voltage but you would usually leave this alone, the current you would adjust if needed. Voltage will automatically adjust to suit the current applied.
 

TEKNIK

Well-Known Member
It's always best to match a driver to the lights regarding forward voltage and currents, you want to keep a driver performance at its maximum rather than have to adjust anything to suit the light. As soon as you lower the current from its maximum output the efficiency of the driver drops. I really need to make a video to explain the effects of this. Meanwell used to have a very limited range and the quality was pretty bad not so long ago, now days the quality is really good but they don't have a good range still, they are cheap though and that's why they are so popular.
 

ChiefRunningPhist

Well-Known Member
CC will try to maintain a constant current within its static voltage limits.

CV will try to maintain a constant voltage within in its user defined dynamic current and voltage ranges.

The CV can act as CC although they are designed to maintain a constant V rather than I and we manipulate them to operate as low V range CC drivers.

The CV typically deal with higher current loads than the CC, whereas the CC are typically dealing with higher V potentials.

Anyone else want to add to the parroting? Lol
 

ChiefRunningPhist

Well-Known Member
It's always best to match a driver to the lights regarding forward voltage and currents, you want to keep a driver performance at its maximum rather than have to adjust anything to suit the light. As soon as you lower the current from its maximum output the efficiency of the driver drops. I really need to make a video to explain the effects of this. Meanwell used to have a very limited range and the quality was pretty bad not so long ago, now days the quality is really good but they don't have a good range still, they are cheap though and that's why they are so popular.
Ya they got effeciency vs load graphs in the data sheets. You can see how much dimming will effect your effeciency. Some are pretty bad and need the higher loads to achieve the effeciency, but some are good almost to 50% from what I've found.

Also if you're a US guy you're not getting the effeciency printed on most data sheets. Its normally a 1-2% drop with 110v over 240v. You can see this in the effeciency graphs too.

Here's an example of the 50% load almost being equally as effecient as 100% load, as well as the decreased effeciency vs V input...
Screenshot_2019-04-07-17-31-13~2.png
 

TEKNIK

Well-Known Member
CC will try to maintain a constant current within its static voltage limits.

CV will try to maintain a constant voltage within in its user defined dynamic current and voltage ranges.

The CV can act as CC although they are designed to maintain a constant V rather than I and we manipulate them to operate as low V range CC drivers.

The CV typically deal with higher current loads than the CC, whereas the CC are typically dealing with higher V potentials.

Anyone else want to add to the parroting? Lol
With meanwell hlg they are just constant current drivers not constant voltage, the voltage is limited to say 48V but they are just constant current drivers, there is a really small difference in the circuitry but don't think of them as a constant voltage driver as they are constant current. I could hook up a single 24V 5050 led chip on a HLG 600-24 and it would not blow the chip because the forward voltage of the chip is higher than 24V at maximum.
 

ChiefRunningPhist

Well-Known Member
With meanwell hlg they are just constant current drivers not constant voltage, the voltage is limited to say 48V but they are just constant current drivers, there is a really small difference in the circuitry but don't think of them as a constant voltage driver as they are constant current. I could hook up a single 24V 5050 led chip on a HLG 600-24 and it would not blow the chip because the forward voltage of the chip is higher than 24V at maximum.
Its because the current that flows at that voltage potential is under the chips current rating. The chip is limiting your driver output, not the driver limiting current to your cct. This dynamic can be problematic with non-linear devices.

A CC is current regulated by the driver, a CV is current regulated by the cct attached, although can also be regulated at driver as well.

A CC driver adjusts its V to flow a constant current. A CV provides a constant potential and allows as much current to flow within the drivers current output range. That's why CC is better for nonlinear devices like LED because as they heat up the forward voltage goes down, and so they flow more current. It feeds off itself till you have thermal runaway. But... Ya I hear ya, with a built in Io POT, or dim leads it ends up acting like a low voltage range CC. Tomato tomato.

I'm just cranky lol I don't disagree with what your saying just would add more to it is all.
 

TEKNIK

Well-Known Member
Its because the current that flows at that voltage potential is under the chips current rating. The chip is limiting your driver output, not the driver limiting current to your cct. This dynamic can be problematic with non-linear devices.

A CC is current regulated by the driver, a CV is current regulated by the cct attached, although can also be regulated at driver as well.

A CC driver adjusts its V to flow a constant current. A CV provides a constant potential and allows as much current to flow within the drivers current output range. That's why CC is better for nonlinear devices like LED because as they heat up the forward voltage goes down, and so they flow more current. It feeds off itself till you have thermal runaway. But... Ya I hear ya, with a built in Io POT, or dim leads it ends up acting like a low voltage range CC. Tomato tomato.

I'm just cranky lol I don't disagree with what your saying just would add more to it is all.
Yes you are correct, as the LED's heat up forward voltage drops so it can become an issue and supply more current than it should take. There are very simple and cheap ways to address this though and I think all this DIY stuff should be better and easier to use for everyone.
 
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