InTheShed Grows Inside & Out: Jump In Any Time

[InTheShed]

You cannot run the strips harder than 58% of max.

Can you explain what that means in the context of this build? Is that a stated spec somewhere?

You looking at above 300 Volt in the system, if something goes wrong and the frame is electrified, touching it will hurt

I'm not getting this "something goes wrong" theme. You wire your electric device (whatever it is) and then, assuming no one has messed with it, it's done. I have all sorts of electrical devices and nothing goes wrong with them. And wouldn't grounding the frame eliminate the remote possibility that the frame is electrified? The outlet is grounded. The garage circuit breaker now is connected to an 8' spike driven into the ground outside.

You can't trust the descriptions on the driver and many sellers (like mouser) only list part of the important data.
My lovely Polish supplier has full descriptions on drivers HLG-185H-24A MEAN WELL - Pwr sup.unit: switched-mode | TME - Electronic components and also a beautiful parametric search which is very useful when choosing drivers
Don't worry about grounding.
The AC input to the driver has 3 leads, one of which is ground (green/yellow), if your outlet is grounded then so is the driver. It probably isn't

Is your suggestion would be to split the 300v into two 150v cc/cv drivers and wire this with 6 and 7 boards to keep the voltage down?

Hey everyone, just sitting back watching the snow come down and reading some comments. Love the community! Cheers from Canada

SG! Glad you could make it to my little corner of the world. Pull up a chair and enjoy the ride .

 

[Southern Grower]

Will Definitely pull up a chair! Great place to learn and meet new friends! Happy Growing my friend.

 

[InTheShed]

Thanks for the flower!

 

[PurpleGunRack]

Can you explain what that means in the context of this build? Is that a stated spec somewhere?

The numbers needed to calculate it is stated

The driver puts puts a max current of 1,05A, the strip has a max current rating of 1,8A.
(1,05 / 1,8) * 100 = 58,33%

I'm not getting this "something goes wrong" theme. You wire your electric device (whatever it is) and then, assuming no one has messed with it, it's done. I have all sorts of electrical devices and nothing goes wrong with them. And wouldn't grounding the frame eliminate the remote possibility that the frame is electrified? The outlet is grounded. The garage circuit breaker now is connected to an 8' spike driven into the ground outside.

As in if, you (or others) go super stupid and fiddle with screwdrivers around the wires/connections while the light is on and such. It's one of those in case something goes wrong this will limit the damage kinda things
Basically just don't go for a Darwin Award

Nice with grounded circuit, just use that and if you can't don't sweat it and use a non grounded outlet, it's really no biggie.

Is your suggestion would be to split the 300v into two 150v cc/cv drivers and wire this with 6 and 7 boards to keep the voltage down?

I think you're mixing apples and oranges

The switched mode thing is probably not helping, disregard that, just look at the suffix on the driver model name;
If it's C700, C1050, C1400 etc. it's a CC driver and the name implies the mA output,
If it's 12, 24, 36, 48, etc. it's a CV driver and the name implies the fixed voltage.

You ordered a CC driver that is 152V -305V and 1,05A max.
I suggest a 2x CV drivers that are 27V max and 7,8A max.

CC - serial wiring = low current and high voltage
CV - parallel wiring = high current and low voltage

I'd go 6 strips on one of these drivers, it's 72% of max, and then keep the last strip as back up, or order a small driver for it and use alone as a clone light.

The link was to show how the specs from TME are a lot better than the specs from Mouser and others

 

[Southern Grower]

Thanks for the flower!

 

[InTheShed]

The switched mode thing is probably not helping, disregard that, just look at the suffix on the driver model name;
If it's C700, C1050, C1400 etc. it's a CC driver and the name implies the mA output,
If it's 12, 24, 36, 48, etc. it's a CV driver and the name implies the fixed voltage.

You ordered a CC driver that is 152V -305V and 1,05A max.
I suggest a 2x CV drivers that are 27V max and 7,8A max.

CC - serial wiring = low current and high voltage
CV - parallel wiring = high current and low voltage

I'd go 6 strips on one of these drivers, it's 72% of max, and then keep the last strip as back up, or order a small driver for it and use alone as a clone light.

The link was to show how the specs from TME are a lot better than the specs from Mouser and others

What percentage would I run those CV drivers to get 250w total at the plug? And can I not use all 13? I have no use for a spare board!

 

[PurpleGunRack]

What percentage would I run those CV drivers to get 250w total at the plug? And can I not use all 13? I have no use for a spare board!

Sure you can put 6 on one and 7 on another, but if you want to stay below 250w just use that CC driver and you'll be around that, just keep in mind that though the efficiency is slightly increased the intensity gets lower and with it the penetration down the canopy.

The 2 drivers I suggest each max out at 227w, so dim about halfway down on both if you want 250w combined.

 

[InTheShed]

Sure you can put 6 on one and 7 on another, but if you want to stay below 250w just use that CC driver and you'll be around that, just keep in mind that though the efficiency is slightly increased the intensity gets lower and with it the penetration down the canopy.

The 2 drivers I suggest each max out at 227w, so dim about halfway down on both if you want 250w combined.

Okay now you've confused me, which is so easy it's child's play! My original plan was to run the driver I bought at around 75% to get to 250 watts. Is that better or worse than two CV drivers to do the same thing? I also want to be able to crank them when I don't need to stay under 250w.

I'm still unclear on the disadvantage of the driver I bought (besides the danger).

 

[PurpleGunRack]

The thing is that they actually don't do the same thing

I think you're mixing up the percentages of the strips' current compared to the drivers' current, and the percentage of load you put on the driver.

The driver you bought is fine if you want to run the strips soft, which you most certainly do if you want to run 13 strips under 250w
You'll only be able to ''crank'' it to 13*23 = 299*1,05 *1,06 = 332w max.
My suggestion goes up to ~450w max.

 

[InTheShed]

The thing is that they actually don't do the same thing

I think you're mixing up the percentages of the strips' current compared to the drivers' current, and the percentage of load you put on the driver.

The driver you bought is fine if you want to run the strips soft, which you most certainly do if you want to run 13 strips under 250w
You'll only be able to ''crank'' it to 13*23 = 299*1,05 *1,06 = 332w max.
My suggestion goes up to ~450w max.

Okay fair enough. How about this...if I ever move this out of the shed and no longer have the 250w max, could I get a second driver and split the strips into 6 and 7 and get a second driver?

 

[PurpleGunRack]

Okay fair enough. How about this...if I ever move this out of the shed and no longer have the 250w max, could I get a second driver and split the strips into 6 and 7 and get a second driver?

Yes, but you must have at least 7 strips on the driver you already have.

 

[InTheShed]

Yes, but you must have at least 7 strips on the driver you already have.

Perfect! So if I ever move this out I'll get a second driver and put 6 on it. Thanks PGR!

Oh, and I'll ground the frame to the driver for safety's sake.

 

[nobodyhere]

Pay attention kiddos and those following at home, this is how lights multiply almost as fast as weed clones.

Because Science

 

[nobodyhere]

a friend of mine once urinated on the electric fence of a cowpasture ... judging from his high pitch howling ... that to left a tickle

I touch them all the time. Nearly daily. I must have the magic touch.

 

[AngryBird]

what a life u have mate. enjoy
nice update. The small uk town where i moved would have a local pitchfork hunt if they saw any wildlife besides mangey cats and growling bull terriers. We do have bats behind us in summer which i het to listen to but even they have the locals covering their doorways and windows with Garlic !!. I nearly got burned as a witch when i told them about carpets and inside toilets from the city i came from. i used to buy gloves in winter but since i came here i cant as i dont know what to do with the extra finger in them. confused the shit out of me when i first heard " nice goal , gimme me six !!" . Fathers day here is worse than " The Purge" too , some confused kids on that day !!!!
peace brother

east midlands -Robin Hood country and near where kings fell too. Historic old market town with the mindset to match lol. love it here although finding cartwheels can be a pain !

I love the idea of this, takes time to adjust after a life in the city.
But, you get your privacy and nosy neighbours are a bit further away.
Do they have a castle nearby?

 

[InTheShed]

I touch them all the time. Nearly daily. I must have the magic touch.

Or you're actually dead.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Lol! Shed - are you touring?

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

I love the idea of this, takes time to adjust after a life in the city.
But, you get your privacy and nosy neighbours are a bit further away.
Do they have a castle nearby?

oddly enough it is only a cannonballs distance away from our house !! and has a lot of historical value as a king died there too.
sadly still have neighbours as live on a council estate within a small town so not quite rural , which is why locals still dont know the benefits of small town living and think of it as a big city. our neighbour contacted local council about " humming noises starting in evening and pumping till the morning " instead of knocking and asking us about it herself. It was the dehumidifier during flowering she cpuld hear and had a lucky escape from visit by housing officers , phew. Told neighbour it was an oxygen pump for sleep apnea and she felt bad for not asking us first !!!. lol

 

[Ganjagrandaddy]

I've been as far north as Sheffield and the Peak District but no further east up there. My wife's from London so I spent a lot of early vacations seeing England (and a bit of Wales) but I haven't been there in a long time. She visits her family and friends without me so I don't have to sit around listening to them rehash old times!

Not surprising some places are still in the 13th Century!

heehee i feel that one too mate. it is my wifes birthplace so ALL her family live within a stones throw ( i know this because i can hit all their windows from behind my shed !!) . Not being " local" means i stay in on halloween and bonfire night as they know i have to wear a mask to look "local" and look straight at my hands to count my fingers !!! gives me away everytime!!! considered using a baby carrot and taping the extra thumb on to see of i can fool them.
keep forgetting your in blighty too Shed. so chaotic herw they dont have time or resources to bother our hobby thankfully. one of the benefits of 420 to be able to talk to other growers without fear of a visit from plod.

 

[CraZysWeeD]

Is the light issue solved once and for all now?