Glad y'all like it!
Before the enormous pic drop of the build, I want to thank a few people. First
@Graytail for all the recommendations and calculations, for sticking with me every time I went "wha?," for actually going online and finding the exact model numbers for the driver and the strips once he figured out what I was trying to do, and for helping me when I got lost on the wiring yesterday. Next up is
@PurpleGunRack for giving great info and links when I said I thought it was time to build me a strip LED. Thanks to
@CraZysWeeD for being a resource during the build as well, walking me through the wiring yesterday along with Gray. Also thanks to
@SamSmith for understanding what I was trying to accomplish with my wattage calculations and getting me to the formula needed to stay in my lane. And last, to the unnamed member here who so lovingly offered to create the frame to my specs and ship it to me, pre-cut, pre-drilled, and with all the hardware I needed to get it assembled and then some (as you'll see in the pics below).
On to the build...
Let's start with what I bought since it's blurred out in the pics. I got 13 F series strips: SI-B8V261560WW and a MW driver HLG-320H-C1050A. The A series has a built-in potentiometer that allows me to dial in the wattage draw I want, and that built-in pot actually allows me to get a higher draw (if I wanted it) than the B series with an external pot wired in.
After I ordered the strips and driver, I received this package in the mail:
Neatly and safely packed, and included the U-channels, L brackets, nuts and bolts, the correctly sized allen wrench, wago connectors, 14 gauge solid core wire, a Scotchbrite pad for the channels, and a file in case something needed to be smoothed out (it didn't!). Phewf! Thanks again for that amazing gift.
Onto the rug to get this thing constructed:
I bought four 4" eye-bolts: the eyes for hanging it and the 4" to keep it off the floor when I have to drop it down:
All done with step 1:
Next step was applying the thermal heat tape from Amazon. To prep the channels I use the nicely supplied Scotchbrite pad and cleaned up the aluminum so the tape would stick well. Wiped it down with a wet washcloth a few times and then dried it...good to go!
Since the channels were left long I had a 1.25" gap on either side so I marked off the boundaries of the tape and stuck it down. It was easy:
Next up was sticking the strips to the tape, which was even easier (you'll see them in the completed build pic). I made sure they all pointed the same way in case it mattered.
Moving on to the electrical...
I used a computer power cable since power supplies are well over 400 watts.
Here are the driver connection cables. You will note that there is no option for a ground on the DC side of the driver.
Got the driver all wago'd up:
I cut and stripped 24 wire strips thinking I had to run the connections up one side and down the other...I was wrong!
This is where I ran into problems. I ran the connections up one side and then couldn't sort out how to connect the last strip back to the second from last strip back down the other side. After consulting the internet, Crazy, and Graytail, it turned out that I was only supposed to run ONE connection from strip to strip. And contrary to wiring diagrams on the internet, I needed to run them
all down the same side and
not alternate the connections from left to right.
So, pulling the wires out is not easy as there is no real loosen method on the connectors. There is a little tab you can push in but it doesn't do anything. And while I was pulling out the unneeded connections, this happened:
Oh well, I figured I just wouldn't use that side ever so it didn't matter. Then I got it all working and discovered this:
Oops! All that hard work and well-earned cash and I've lost 8 LEDs! That just will not do. Solder to the rescue
. I scraped off the plastic top coat (at Crazy's suggestion) to expose the copper underneath.
It ain't neat:
But it did work!
And then yet another encounter with one of those damn fragile connectors. It split while was just adjusting the wire!
Epoxy to the rescue, but I couldn't get a clamp in that tiny space:
Vice-grip lifehack! (Couldn't be bothered to dig out the actual vice grip, but yes, I do own one!):
So it's all wired and working and time to get it ready to hang. Just in case you can't figure out the wiring, it's driver red to first board +, then - to + down the side, and - on the last board to driver black:
I cleared out room in the shed so I could lay it on the floor and attached a rope from eye hook to eye hook on each side:
And then ran a rope between the two through 2 eye hooks in the roof joists (yes
@nobodyhere, it is adjustable):
I hung the driver from a nail:
Let there be light!
And I got out through the entire operation without and shocks and got one cut on my hand from the edge of the frame when one of those connectors
finally let go of the wire!
It hangs about 2' over the canopy now, and I had it at 180 watts last night. I'll bump it to 200 tonight but leave the height alone.
Thanks again to those listed above and to all of you who encouraged, cheered, and offered advice along the way to getting this built.
Back to familial obiligations (beach bonfire tonight), so I will catch up with your weekends as soon as I can.
The green wires block some of the LEDs at this angle but they don't block any light pointing straight down:
