Lighting Sizing drivers, Series vs paralell - by BigSm0

[Mr.Prospector]

Max voltage is 3600mA, if I shoot for 50w ea, using 1750mA (1/2 max) i would just run using the dimmer @ 60% rather than a lower voltage with the dimmer running crankef to 100%?

 

[Dr.Bubbles]

I assume you are using the 36v versions?

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[Mr.Prospector]

Yes

 

[Dr.Bubbles]

I wouldn't plan to run them at less than 100%. It seems like a waste of money. Sure, the dimmer is great for youngins and stuff, but to only run at 60% seems kinda pointless. Also, 36v @ 1750mA is 63w. The 1400mA is what u need to hit 50w. I run my 50v Citizens at 1050mA and they are sick. No experience with the Cree brand personally, but they are pretty much the same. Just different voltages, and the Crees are more efficient at lower wattages. Stick with it.....It will all click and you will be helping someone else out in a month. With the high power cobs, I use Constant Current drivers wired in series. Have also used the Fixed Voltage drivers from Mean Well wired in parallel, but from a reliability standpoint, the CC in series wins. No thermal runaway, like can occur with parallel circuit.

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[Mr.Prospector]

I was overthinking it.
I ordered the parts today...I'm building a light!

When I ordered, the 3000K 90CRI was out of stock so I ended up ordering 3 of the CREE CXB3590 (3500K 80 CRI) LEDs, and went with the HLG-240H-C1400B driver. Everything will be here by the end of next week.

Thanks Bubbles.

 

[Dr.Bubbles]

Another convert to new school lighting!!!! Good deal. I am currently running 3 (at this moment) citizen 1818s gen 6s off the 240-1050 Meanie and it a great light. I'm about to grab 2 more and another identical driver and have 6 total to increase the footprint. Don't put em too close together....They will bleach plants. Fast. I need more cobs in my life. I've built half a dozen working cob rigs, yet I only own 4 myself. Time to go shopping!! Again!!

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[Dr.Bubbles]

PS.....The 3500k lights make EXCELLENT full spectrum lights that work really well for the whole life of the plant. When u expand, grab some 3000k to really hit them hard in flowering. I'm looking into supplemental light for the cobs....Either for seedling/veg or for flowering. The UV diodes at 3w or so seem to do AN EXCELLENT job of keeping nodes ultra tight. Might even grab a Mars light...Lol. Only $60 on eBay for a decent veg light. Most of the guys I see running them have the shortest plants on AFN.....Super squatty. Which I need because of low vertical space. Right now I'm playing with some serious LST, but tighter nodes isn't bad. Ever. We just made a nursery rig for my buddy...Its some 5700k 1212s (4 in total). Should be a KILLER seed starter/baby friendly light. Its only a week old, so I haven't seen it perform yet, but so far its doing a FINE job. This is the future of lighting. Period.

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[Mr.Prospector]

I use 20L Hercules rootmaker pots and can fit 8 in my 4x4 space. I plan to put one of these cobs over each spot. From what I read, 8 of these would be comparable to a good 600w hps...for 400 watts. Less heat. No noise...Ahhhh...

 

[Mr.Prospector]

I already can see this is gonna be a long-ass week! Hasn't been 24 hrs since I ordered and I've already checked the tracking info twice.

Maybe I'll just surf the net and buy more stuff for my next one!

 

[orrganic]

Hey @bigsmo or @artyzan I was wondering if it was possible to run just fans on the drivers taken from old mars units? Do I use the formula for sizing cobs to drivers or is of a different ball game..?