Troubleshooting a new LED DIY build

CryptoMcPoopypants

CryptoMcPoopypants

Member
Hi all,

I wondered if somebody wouldn't mind telling me if I've screwed up, or is there a problem with the items I've bought?

I bought a DIY LED kit from AliBaba. It came with x4 Cree Cobs and a HLG-185H-C1400B

I watched several Growmau5 Youtube videos, and several times each (I'm not much of LED/electronics techie and wan't to soak in some knowledge before I started my build). During the build, I had sections of his videos playing so I couldn't screw up. Or so I thought ha :)

Problem:

After connecting it all together, and plugging it in, nothing happens. No lights, no noise coming from the driver, or anything.

Just to be clear with the wiring. Perhaps somebody could verify I've done this right.

Mains: This was straight forward. Blue, Brown, Green coming off the driver connects to Blue/Brown/Green of the power supply.

Dimmer: The dimmer wire from driver has a blue (with black stripe) and brown (with grey stripe) wire. Verbiage on driver itself says the wires are black and grey (even though the wires are blue and brown). The dimmer switch itself has two white wires attached but no colour code to work from. After watching the videos, I'm pretty sure it said blue is always the center (of the 3 options on a dimmer switch). So, I attached driver/dimmer blue wire to the center (white wire) on the dimmer switch and the driver/dimmer brown wire to the other white wire..

Lighting: This should have been straight forward. Growmau5 talks about black/red but my kit came with 5 white wires. I daisy chained them so that each cob gets a red and black and I'm left with one each of black & red to attached to the driver. The driver has Blue/Brown wires. The blue wire was attached to the positive (red in videos) and the Brown was attached to the Black


So, if you're still reading (I appreciate that) and aren't too confused with my writing, does it look to you that I've wired it correctly? If so, where might the problem I'm having be?

Thanks in advance
 
CryptoMcPoopypants

CryptoMcPoopypants

Member
verticalgrow said:
Brown = Hot/live
Blue = neutral
Click to expand...
Is your post saying I've attached mine the wrong way around?


Another thing I've just noticed after rewatching one of Growmau5's videos. He says re dimmer switch, the blue wire (mine has a black sleeve around it) goes to the center of the dimmer switch and the brown wire (mine has a grey sleeve) goes to the left connection on the dimmer (when look at dimmer from the front) which leaves the right side (when looking from the front) empty. My dimmer which came with the two white wires attached, had one white wire attached to the center and the other to the right side. Hmm, could this be the problem?
 
verticalgrow

verticalgrow

Well-Known Member
CryptoMcPoopypants said:
Is your post saying I've attached mine the wrong way around?
Click to expand...
yes sir

CryptoMcPoopypants said:
Is your post saying I've attached mine the wrong way around?


Another thing I've just noticed after rewatching one of Growmau5's videos. He says re dimmer switch, the blue wire (mine has a black sleeve around it) goes to the center of the dimmer switch and the brown wire (mine has a grey sleeve) goes to the left connection on the dimmer (when look at dimmer from the front) which leaves the right side (when looking from the front) empty. My dimmer which came with the two white wires attached, had one white wire attached to the center and the other to the right side. Hmm, could this be the problem?
Click to expand...
idk, i never used HLG driver @coreywebster or @Randomblame might chime in on this
 
CryptoMcPoopypants

CryptoMcPoopypants

Member
verticalgrow said:
np bro & ur gunna love the Cobs.

Good luck
Click to expand...
I also bought x2 single cobs for a different grow closet (btw I'm a newbie grower). As seedlings, and just running 1 cob was burning my seedlings to bits. The cob was raised to 3ft away (my max space) and it still burned. I had to go buy a T5 and hope that would save them. The seedlings loved the new T5. Just last night (2wks later from light switch) I switched the T5 out for the 2 single cobs, and so far so good, the seedlings (with 3 & 4 nodes) are responding ok.
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
It took me ages to find the correct wiring for the dimmer, then I cut them off a week later.

I think verticalgrow is overestimating my abilities :oops:, compared to randomblame I'm a dunce. :dunce:

But here's a video on the wiring the pot, check about 5 mins in.

But yeah in case of brown and blue, brown is always live. Make sure you have live to + on first cob, then attach wire from - to +, - to + until your on your last cob and you have - to blue wire. So its wired in series. Check every connection is sound.
 
verticalgrow

verticalgrow

Well-Known Member
CryptoMcPoopypants said:
I also bought x2 single cobs for a different grow closet (btw I'm a newbie grower). As seedlings, and just running 1 cob was burning my seedlings to bits. The cob was raised to 3ft away (my max space) and it still burned. I had to go buy a T5 and hope that would save them. The seedlings loved the new T5. Just last night (2wks later from light switch) I switched the T5 out for the 2 single cobs, and so far so good, the seedlings (with 3 & 4 nodes) are responding ok.
Click to expand...
Yea the cobs are powerfull & good decision on the T5.
The plants will tell you what they need & less is usually more.
Have u watched Thegrowboss on utube:confused:
He helps new growers with everything & heres link
 
CryptoMcPoopypants

CryptoMcPoopypants

Member
This a picture of the back of the dimmer switch. If you turned it around, and looked from the front side, you'd notice the left connection is empty. On one of Growmau5's videos he says the right side should be empty (when looking from the front).

The dimmer switched came like this, with those wires connected. Does it look like they've shipped it with an error and I should undo the right connection and move it to the left connection? Typical, I borrowed my adjustable spanner out this morning to a friend, so can't remove the dimmer switch from the frame until I get it back. I guess I need to buy a solder iron now, as I need to correct the dimmer switch (if that's the fault)
 

Attachments

coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
CryptoMcPoopypants said:
This a picture of the back of the dimmer switch. If you turned it around, and looked from the front side, you'd notice the left connection is empty. On one of Growmau5's videos he says the right side should be empty (when looking from the front).

The dimmer switched came like this, with those wires connected. Does it look like they've shipped it with an error and I should undo the right connection and move it to the left connection? Typical, I borrowed my adjustable spanner out this morning to a friend, so can't remove the dimmer switch from the frame until I get it back. I guess I need to buy a solder iron now, as I need to correct the dimmer switch (if that's the fault)
Click to expand...
I cant see the picture and the one in your post below says its been removed?
But according to that video above by LEDgardener it shouldn't matter if you use the left or right pin, as it just switches the way it dims I think. One way will dim it turning left, the other the opposite. I would remove the dimmer entirely until you know your light turns on. Can you post a pic of your cob wiring too?
You in England?
 
CryptoMcPoopypants

CryptoMcPoopypants

Member
coreywebster said:
It took me ages to find the correct wiring for the dimmer, then I cut them off a week later.

I think verticalgrow is overestimating my abilities :oops:, compared to randomblame I'm a dunce. :dunce:

But here's a video on the wiring the pot, check about 5 mins in.

But yeah in case of brown and blue, brown is always live. Make sure you have live to + on first cob, then attach wire from - to +, - to + until your on your last cob and you have - to blue wire. So its wired in series. Check every connection is sound.
Click to expand...
Thanks man! I'll watch the video now.

I just pushed the wires into the cob holders as far as I could. They should be sound. If not, and one or two weren't sound, would that cause all 4 lights not to come on?

I'm kinda veering (blindly) onto the problem being the connections on the dimmer switch being shipped to me the wrong way around
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Can see the picture now you've moved it.
As I say keep it unwired for now until you have your light powering on and you know it works.
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
CryptoMcPoopypants said:
Thanks man! I'll watch the video now.

I just pushed the wires into the cob holders as far as I could. They should be sound. If not, and one or two weren't sound, would that cause all 4 lights not to come on?

I'm kinda veering (blindly) onto the problem being the connections on the dimmer switch being shipped to me the wrong way around
Click to expand...
Yes if one connection in a series is not good it wont turn on. But make sure you haven't wired in parallel.
 
CryptoMcPoopypants

CryptoMcPoopypants

Member
It's difficult getting a good picture.

I don't have many tools and have literally very recently moved into a new space. I kinda hacked the frame together as best I could (with limited tools).

IMG_20171030_161055.jpg IMG_20171030_160933.jpg
 
coreywebster

coreywebster

Well-Known Member
Cool, I would disconnect the dimmer wires for now, check if it turns on without the dimmer.
Then check the fuse in the mains plug.
Then check you stripped enough wire on the white wires so they are making good contact with the cob holder.
Check the Wago connections.
 
CryptoMcPoopypants

CryptoMcPoopypants

Member
Hmm, so, I disconnected the dimmer switch and wrapped electricians tape around the ends coming from the driver and went around the cob connections and made sure all the wires were pushed in as far as they can go. Then the test, plug it in, but, no light.

Oh yes, I'm in England
 
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