Do you have an IR heat temp gun? The MW have an internal thermal overload protection feature.
If it gets too warm it will shut itself down until safe temps have been reached again.
What and how many drivers would I need to run these?
- Thread starter Dino Party
- Start date
If it gets too warm it will shut itself down until safe temps have been reached again.
I have taken my drivers and mounted them to aluminum baking pans to act as heat sinks. Keeps them about 15* to 20* cooler than with out. Mine are also on the wall getting hit with random fan blowing.
Anything above 160* on the driver and I'd add cooling somehow imho.
Standard 120v US plug... this is how I have them mounted... the “a” version is what’s on the left... that came from the factory pulling 400w from the wall and never triggered a fail safe. I dimmed it at the driver because I am concerned about the life of the diodes... The “ab” has a dimmer so I just turned it down and it hasn’t happened again. I don’t have an IR gun but looks like I have to grab one... I love me some new toys... for science purposes of course
... I am going to start tinkering with a DIY which is why I am asking the question. Im thinking I should stay away with the newer drivers with the protection???
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I'd stick with the ones that have it. It's meant to keep the driver from burning itself up and dying prematurely.
If they're tight to that wall is part of it, space them off of the wood so airflow goes behind them.
I just looked up the xlg driver specs.
There is also a short circuit protection built into it that can shut it down.
Seeming as its happening only at max power I'd say heat build is behind it as my first guess. It's where I'd start checking things.
An IR gun is pretty inexpensive, and handy for so much. Lol.
Great for checking leaf temps in regards to vpd.
Tell you if your kids really running a fever or just faking sick too. Lol
A cheapo way is to feel it all over with your hands and see if there's any hotspots, and how hot does it feel?
Can you hold your hand on it? Or are they too hot to hold?
I think im going to try your baking sheet method. They do already have a gap between the wall, its why they arent drilled in all the way. Im not smart enough to think of mounting it to metal though so thanks.
Welcome mang, hope it solves the issue for yeah.
Always happy to help if I can.
Principles work just like the heat sinks do for the leds. Aluminum sheet being the HS in this use.
More surface area spread to remove heat faster.
The sheet makes a good mounting plate too. Lol.
I attached a hanger cord to each of mine so it's easily hung and or moved around if need be.
I'll get some pics in a bit when I go look in on them.
Looks like they're out of the lights spread, just an after thought so am double checking.
If the light directly shines on them it would add heat as well.
Yup they are over the lights on the back wall , and reasonably close to my exhaust that brings the warm stale air out up top. The temps in there are actually pretty reasonable, and I dont remember it being that hot to the touch. I was able to find an IR thermometer on ebay with a switch for a physical heat reading for cheap so maybe I can get some better answers this week.
Just went and got a couple pics while I took care of the ladies for the day.
Took temp readings on them too.
Just some aluminum baking pans I picked up at the thrift store for maybe a buck or less each.
Same drivers, diff pics.
Can you see how deep the ribs are on the built in heat sink of the case.
After looking at them more I think the 480's run cooler because of the fin ridges built into it.
The 240 only has them on the sides, and they're not as pronounced on the sides like the 480's are.
Took a pic of a new one I have sitting around since the one in use is hiding. Lol.
Three HLG 480's and a 240 under heat gun readings.
The 480 I have just hanging by itself, no pan has a temp of 121* at the hot spot.
The 480 on the pan was at 107* peak temp.
So a difference of 14* passive cooling from that particular pan.
The 2nd 480 on the pan is not being used at the moment, so it was room temp. Lol
The 240 (262 wall watts) with no pan was at 139* peak temp.
Readings taken at a room ambient temp of 80*.
Took temp readings on them too.
Just some aluminum baking pans I picked up at the thrift store for maybe a buck or less each.
Same drivers, diff pics.
Can you see how deep the ribs are on the built in heat sink of the case.
After looking at them more I think the 480's run cooler because of the fin ridges built into it.
The 240 only has them on the sides, and they're not as pronounced on the sides like the 480's are.
Took a pic of a new one I have sitting around since the one in use is hiding. Lol.
Three HLG 480's and a 240 under heat gun readings.
The 480 I have just hanging by itself, no pan has a temp of 121* at the hot spot.
The 480 on the pan was at 107* peak temp.
So a difference of 14* passive cooling from that particular pan.
The 2nd 480 on the pan is not being used at the moment, so it was room temp. Lol
The 240 (262 wall watts) with no pan was at 139* peak temp.
Readings taken at a room ambient temp of 80*.
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After doing some more reading about the hiccup aspect of the xlg models it could be an over current issue as well.
Had to do some research reading to get more familiar with them and their features as I've never played with one.
The xlg 240 according to its data sheet has it listed up to 110% over current limits and then it shuts down.
It'll do it for undercurrent readings as well. Lol.
So I see two other possible options of cause to what you're experiencing.
-1- The internal pot screw is slightly over rated and allows the driver to be set at higher than 110%.
Test and see what the output really is and you'll see what it's doing.
-2- As leds heat up, especially at high power, they can creep up in their current draw. Possibly above what the driver wants to give.
Hence causing these smart drivers, lol, possibly to shut down.
Do you have a good multimeter to check things with and see what it's all reading at?
Even a kill a watt would tell you what the wall draw is vs what the spec sheet says it's limits are. Not exactly an exact method, but use what you got if that's all you got. Lol
Or have you tried just swapping the two drivers with each other (if you have that option) and see if it still occurs and on which one.
That would at least let you know if it's the leds or the driver that's specifically causing it to happen.
From reading more into it, if your looking to completely eliminate that hiccup aspect then yes go for a driver that does not use that method of protection at all.
The HLG ones if overloaded go into CCL mode automatically and just push their set limited max power.
I've used all HLG drivers in everything I've built, have always had 0 issues with them.
May cost a bit more, but really bad ass bang for your buck. 7 yr warranty as well.
Anyways it's all Jmho. ???
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No killawatt, but they are each plugged into smart outlets that displays the power draw on my cell phone. Thats how I was able to resolve the issue... I was checking on my room and half the panels would be off... with the dimmer turned all the way up, it will max out at 323w.... The other set, I have to dim from the actual driver itself... but that can be overdriven with no issues at all... like i mentioned it came from the factory running at 400w at the wall, I only dialed that one back because I am sure that is burning out the diodes faster.
My thought behind staying away from the feature was because the bridgelux chips mention they can be overdriven 2x and I wonder if that would start giving me trouble.
Dino Party
💩🔥 💩🔥 💩🔥
Any of y'all use the heat to your advantage? I have been told to run it in the low-mid 80's for this kind of lighting, do any of you use the drivers to put out a little more heat in your tents/rooms?
I keep them in the room with everything.
It's not in a conditioned space so lights etc are what keep everything warm atm.
Mine seem the happiest around the high 70's to low mid 80's.
TerpyTyrone
In Bloom
I thought that min V of 38.3 might limit the driver options.
I too am,new to this driver matching. I know Jesse's got you!
I guess you can say I do... It plays a part in my cooling for sure.. I havent had to turn the heat on at all here in the Northeast either... So I guess having two of these drivers in my space is a nice balance. The real test will be this summer. I stay between 78 to 85 during the day.. I suppliment co2 so I dont get too worried if they push the higher end.
I have a xlg-240-h-ab, wires, and wacos on the way from china... got a few days to shop around for diodes, and a heatsink... I want to go longer rather than wide just because of the length of my closet, and I can stuff one longer board in I think, and just turn co2 and temps up a bit. I have a background in farming saltwater corals, so I am really partial to cree, and contrary to public opinion, I dont think osram is terrible either. I have ran both for years, and never had issues. Saltwater creep is extremely unforgiving... and I think I saw 2 diode failures in 8 years or so. This is not the first time I have seen bridgelux though... Some dude on ebay sells a TON of them, and has nothing but 5 star feedback... thoughts?
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Are you referring to cobs? Or building a board with your own diodes?
And what V is the driver you've got coming?
120v.. and I was referring to the bridgelux the op @Dino Party posted...if I remember correctly those were LEDS I could just stick to a heatsink with some thermal paste and wire them fuckers up.. gonna go back and check... im not opposed to cobs either.
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