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LED FAQ) Building and DIY

Dion

Active member
Ok, so what would you recommend for when im going to connect my eight fan wires to a single 12v wall plug? Like a terminal block or something? Because what im thinking is the fan's wire is crimped to another wire extending it, then all of those wires will be connected to the dc power source. ( should be strong enough to power all the fans i went in to radioshack, with the fan and told the guy that i needed to run eight, and he looked over what he had and gave me the one that he said would handle all of them)

i solder/terminal block/wago in that order depending on how permanent I expect it to be

the fans are low voltage(under 60v) so anything works for high voltage(over 60v) you should solder or use terminal blocks


this type(just for visual reference no idea about this brand)

http://www.directindustry.com/prod/druseidt/product-19751-611100.html
 

jikko77

Active member
heya, maybe a stupid question, but i don't find indication nowhere for it.

in a moment of boredom i were looking into pwm signal and pwm controller.
just to be clear, the driver i've bought doesn't have the pwn cable, has the skrew under the chassy.

the driver model is a elg-150-c1400a
from the datasheet:
A: standard model, IP65, constant current level adjustable through internal potentiometer.
current adj. range: from 700 to 1400mA. 115v max.

is it possible to manage the dimming by attaching an externa controller to the V- and V+? 
according to my research it is, but looks like i've to build my own pwm controller.

any suggestion for a pre build module?

if i decide to use an external pwm controller, with a pot, to have a more confortable dimming, what should i look for? what spec for it?

is it possible to add an eternal pwm controller to a driver like mine?
 

jesbuds

Member
Personally if I were that set on dimming with a driver that had an internal pot, I'd just modify the driver's chassis, extend the internal pot's lever so it was external and use that. No need to reinvent the wheel kinda thing but I also haven't seen one of those drivers in person, might change my thoughts.
 

Dion

Active member
heya, maybe a stupid question, but i don't find indication nowhere for it.

in a moment of boredom i were looking into pwm signal and pwm controller.
just to be clear, the driver i've bought doesn't have the pwn cable, has the skrew under the chassy.

the driver model is a elg-150-c1400a
from the datasheet:
A: standard model, IP65, constant current level adjustable through internal potentiometer.
current adj. range: from 700 to 1400mA. 115v max.

is it possible to manage the dimming by attaching an externa controller to the V- and V+? 
according to my research it is, but looks like i've to build my own pwm controller.

any suggestion for a pre build module?

if i decide to use an external pwm controller, with a pot, to have a more confortable dimming, what should i look for? what spec for it?

is it possible to add an eternal pwm controller to a driver like mine?

the easiest would be to permanently attach a knob to the internal dimmer- so it would be a driver with a knob on it


how far away from the driver do you wanna dim?
 

jikko77

Active member
the easiest would be to permanently attach a knob to the internal dimmer- so it would be a driver with a knob on it
how far away from the driver do you wanna dim?

to be honest... i don't have an idea yet.
the frinking frame isn't in my hand yet, the one who should soldier it is'nt doing his work ...

it was just a random thought, i did removed the cover over that "screw" and is quite deep into the chassy and difficult to get to when the pannel is on.

so i started to read something about pwm controller and stuff like that.

According to what i did read you can dimm through variating the Vf of the led, but it should change the color temp. of the led itself; another way is by attach a pwm controller. which uses a separate 5v signal to variate the dimming.
i did searched some pwm controller but the most common are under or equal to 1A and can take something like 12-24v in.
a pwm controller with a, let's say, 1400mA and 115V seems like have to be crafted by hand.
 

Dion

Active member
According to what i did read you can dimm through variating the Vf of the led, but it should change the color temp. of the led itself

i think u will find this is for constant voltage leds not constant current as in with COBs
 

exploziv

pure dynamite
Administrator
Veteran
it's quite easy to build a pwm controller using arduino microprocessor board and a transistor that will take the switching load you have. but you do need to be able to solder parts and know a bit about electronics and arduino code.
also, from my understanding the driver itself (some of them) can take a voltage varied between 0 and 10 V on the dimm port to set the power output from the driver itself. then it''s even easier and you don't need a high power transistor to do the job.
 

jesbuds

Member
It's going to be a crude enclosure, learning a lot of what I would have done differently as I go but the dusty mess begins. Gotta cut fan holes on the top, side vents, holes for dimmers and slot for fan power (ugly holes on bottom for COBs are cut, thick enough plexi where it doesn't sit on COBs). I should wire the fan power adapter to the main switch, I dunno though, extra work but does look cleaner and would ensure COBs are never on without fans.

I'll glue it together (except for top) once I make sure I have everything cut/right. Once things are cut, just more permanent mounting for some of the innards and basically done.
 

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Nice build Dion, heres a few pics of my cxb3590 3500k cd light bar i built.
Used a hlg-240h-c1750b driver for 4 cobs and man is it bright full blast. It is in my room with my 1k.
When it was running with the mh bulb I wasn't so impressed with the spectrum looked real red,
but when I switched to my horti 1k hps the blue spectrum really stood out.
My ladies under the led really like it and I love having the ammeter to adjust the light level.
Still have 3 more to build this was a test and will be replacing the
1k at the end of this run. PS obsolute fruity pebbles og in picture. Gl all OG

 

Dion

Active member
Nice build Dion, heres a few pics of my cxb3590 3500k cd light bar i built.
Used a hlg-240h-c1750b driver for 4 cobs and man is it bright full blast. It is in my room with my 1k.
When it was running with the mh bulb I wasn't so impressed with the spectrum looked real red,
but when I switched to my horti 1k hps the blue spectrum really stood out.
My ladies under the led really like it and I love having the ammeter to adjust the light level.
Still have 3 more to build this was a test and will be replacing the
1k at the end of this run. PS obsolute fruity pebbles og in picture. Gl all OG

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=65703&pictureid=1561500&thumb=1]View Image[/URL] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=65703&pictureid=1561496&thumb=1]View Image[/URL] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=65703&pictureid=1561498&thumb=1]View Image[/URL] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=65703&pictureid=1561497&thumb=1]View Image[/URL] [URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=65703&pictureid=1561499&thumb=1]View Image[/URL]

cool you used the same parts i did mostly

are those the alpine 64 plus cpu coolers? how long is that bar?

nice work

why only 1.6 AmpS? it that at max?
 
I used Rosewill rcx-z1 under $13 delivered from opentip
That 1.67 amps was at first turn on it will do 1.75 all the way up
The frame is 42 inches long, used 1x1x1/8 aluminum angle for frame
at $32 including tax for 25 foot stick from local metal supplier great buy.
Mostly run 50 watts per cob but 62 watts if wanted in flower, blasting. Gl OG
 

jikko77

Active member
I bet you were looking in the cobs when they went on:)
I did, without sunglasses...

yeah, lol, my retina is fucked up :D

m' ha fatto un sacco male, oltre tutto, non ho capito ancora perché uno dei cavi non andava, quindi stavo tirando madonne perché pensavo di aver rotto un led
stavo controllando i led, quando l' ho acceso, ed ero proprio li sopra a controllare ipotetici danni ...
 

Dion

Active member
I bet you were looking in the cobs when they went on:)
I did, without sunglasses...

:laughing:
we all do this way too often

anyone else see honeycombs on the inside of their eyelids?

if you have installed enough of these cobs you know what im talking a bout
 
Well done Dion! I thank you for your time and knowledge devoted to this thread. I have learned a lot and I'm only 9 pages deep.

Have been thinking I'd like to build a diy lamp for my 5x5 flower space. I currently have a 600w HPS in there and it needs help i think. So my needs are supplemental. Do you think 2 cxb3590 CRI90 bin BD would be enough to cover 2x3 of the area?
Would I want to push them at the current used in the data sheet or is that being coservitive? Too much?
Would this driver be good to use with 2 cxb3590? I like the one driver per option but can't seem to find a good one.
Also a recommendation on good heatsink to keep em cool would be great.
Sorry if these questions have been asked, as i still have a lot to read.
Appreciate any input.

Peace, Roast.
 

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