Building New Panels - Sharing the Process

[rrog]

110, yes. I'm working on the box, which will determine the layout of the drivers and "circuit board." I'll grab a pic shortly.

 

[Kreamy]

rrog. I've been following your thread since the beginning, and want to thank you for the invaluable information that is contained here, and to everyone that has contributed. I appreciate you asking the questions to thoroughly understand everything rather than making assumptions, as it's become much clearer for others who are in a similar situation to you.

I've played with EV technology, and have built an EV, and this stuff still seems over my head. Electricity, as it should, just worries me. However, I just spent the good part of two nights rereading your thread, taking notes, and have my build just about ready.

I think I may start a thread shortly to get some feedback, however just wanted to say thank you. I told myself that I was going to wait to see your final product before I made my final decisions and bought things, however I've definitely caught the LED bug and will be starting sooner, hopefully getting everything ordered by the end of the weekend.

Best of luck in getting it finished and running. I look forward to see yours completed.

 

[rrog]

Sounds great, Kreamy! I have more pics coming. I've been working on this LED a little at a time. When I have time sorta thing. I'm sure hoping that this thread has helped someone other than me, since a lot of kind folks have offered me help. A big shout out to Rives- AKA The Man.

 

[rives]

Pretty quiet in here lately, Rrog. Any progress?

 

[rrog]

LOL! None at all!! LOL. Actually this weekend is the finishing of the box. Then I can test the strings. I was sidetracked for several weeks. This weekend finishes it hopefully.

 

[xmobotx]

i can relate to that ~sometimes work has me on 100 mile round-trips and 12 hour days

i used to say 'i been busy' and it was an excuse/now i try not to say it and it is the reality

that is how much i enjoy icmag ~lol/yesterday i get an unforeseen day off and spend most of it post-bombing this joint

 

[rrog]

I have to get this completed, as I'm helping a friend install it in a small closet grow soon.

 

[rrog]

Basically done.

Stripping the insulation off the driver cables.

I made a box from an old computer rack shelf.

Here it is assembled, ready for test firing

Lights on!

 

[luvdemshrooms]

Looks nice.

Why are the fans out at the outer ends? Are you thinking the turbulence in the middle will blow upwards and cool the drivers?

What method did you use to mount the fans?

How about some close-ups?

 

[rrog]

Not looking to cool the drivers. It's a very open box. The fans are blowing across the majority of fins. Would I change them to one pushing and one pulling air next time? Maybe.

There is a single threaded rod connecting the heat sink to the driver box.

In retrospect, given that the drivers have circuit protection, I won't be doing the fuses, MOVs and Zeners again. I learned things, and that's always a good thing, but easily 50% of my time was dealing with these elements as wells as that damned box. Next time I use a metal base (platform) for attaching the drivers and the handy terminal blocks and maybe cover the blocks. Otherwise I'll leave open, with no sides and lid to the box.

 

[luvdemshrooms]

I'd have put either both or even just a single fan at the center so it pushes the heat off the sink rather than push some towards the center.

My box is temporarily tacked on with glue (I hit a lazy patch), but I plan on changing the fan plate to a larger plate and screwing the box to it as well.

I crafted my own driver. There's one driver for 20 XML's, but with a resistor tweak I could run at least 24.

 

[rrog]

Well, there's a lot of air flowing across the majority of the sink. As I reduce the box complexity for the next round, I'm looking at a new airflow pattern also. I may put two fans on one end blowing across the entire surface. Might do 4 smaller fans. Not sure.

 

[rives]

Looks very nice, Rrog. Regarding the fuses - they should be on the primary side of the drivers in case any of the downstream circuitry goes awry, not for when it is functional. Spike protection may be arguably redundant, but I'd think really hard about foregoing over-current protection. You can buy power cord headers that will allow you to have a removable cord (like a desktop computer) and incorporate a fuse.

 

[rrog]

I could install one fuse before the initial AC terminal block, instead of one per Driver. Like right after the main AC switch.

 

[rives]

I like these. They protect everything from the power cord attachment point in. I use downstream fuses (between the driver and the led bank) primarily as a point to get my meter in series to measure the string current.

http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=161-R3013-Evirtualkey11180000virtualkey161-R3013-E

 

[rrog]

Hmmmm... Those look sweet! So 1 fuse to ruuule them all...

Luvdemshrooms- I like the idea of fewer drivers... How much of a bitch was it to build that driver? I had 5 drivers on this build. I like the concept and power and I'd build more especially is I could simplify / cheapen.

 

[tebos]

Why do you drive your XM-Ls so hard? The more Amps the less efficient they get.

 

[rrog]

Are you asking me? The XM-L is rated for up to 3A and I'm running at their suggested 2A

 

[luvdemshrooms]

Luvdemshrooms- I like the idea of fewer drivers... How much of a bitch was it to build that driver? I had 5 drivers on this build. I like the concept and power and I'd build more especially is I could simplify / cheapen.

Piece of cake. While I'm using a PCB for a base, and as such many surface mount components, the same thing could be built with through hole components and a perf board.

When I have a few minutes I could put together a parts list for you.

Can you read/follow a schematic?

 

[tebos]

Generally speaking because I say a few guys in this thread. Depending on the bin you're using, they're not that efficient anymore (T4 @ 2A not even 100lm/W) with higher current.
And part of the reason for choosing the more expensive LEDs is their efficiency, isn't it?