I've just built a LED array of 22 Samsung strips being powered by a HLG-480H-24B.
The array had to break in half because it needs to be transported, and is too big to fit in my car!
The Meanwell driver has two groups of output wires and each separate pair power 11 strips - this is split 5/6 across the two sides of the array, so one output wire powers 5 strips one side and 6 the over, and conversely for the other set of output wires.
This means I've two pairs of +/- leads that have to be joined from the side that has the LED driver attached to the side that is "unpowered". These are currently connected using a "chocolate block" terminal block (with the live terminal side glued shut so no live wires can accidentally be undone).
If I wanted to turn off 1 side of the - the "unpowered" side - would it be OK just to use a single DPST switch to just disconnect (switch off) the two + wires only? Will just be simpler to wire than a 4PST switch and quite a bit cheaper!
Sorry - long description for a simple question.
Turning off one panel of a dual panel array?
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unkle_psycho
- LED Wizard
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I use switches in the 3CT build in the mid-powered section. The person selling me the switches was grumbling on about power limits, but it said 3A on the switch and that was enough for me.
I switch between 2 color temps or their combo, and calculated the system in a way that it can handle the power at all positions. The combo uses double the diodes so it runs very cool.
The dimmer would fix the problem of power doubling when you shut of half the diodes. I'm sure some people here could know a cool way to set it up through controllers like arduino or something.
I switch between 2 color temps or their combo, and calculated the system in a way that it can handle the power at all positions. The combo uses double the diodes so it runs very cool.
The dimmer would fix the problem of power doubling when you shut of half the diodes. I'm sure some people here could know a cool way to set it up through controllers like arduino or something.
"Nothing is true, everything is permitted"
I've actually played around with a Pi and an adjustable Pot header - may be something to look at for the future...
I'm putting an 100k linear sliding pot on the build and I'll mark off where the dimmer needs to be set to run the half panel.
The meanwell driver is a CV24 - I assume I should be reading amperage instead to work out the halfway sweet spot for the dimmer? If I read the amps for the full 2 panels and then half for a single panel?
I'm putting an 100k linear sliding pot on the build and I'll mark off where the dimmer needs to be set to run the half panel.
The meanwell driver is a CV24 - I assume I should be reading amperage instead to work out the halfway sweet spot for the dimmer? If I read the amps for the full 2 panels and then half for a single panel?
Can someone point me in the direction of tutorial or advice on measuring current in a parallel circuit? As I'm using a CV Meanwell driver I assume there's no point in measuring voltage cause that will remain constant. My multimeter says that it has a 10A limit, so I stuck in the first place if I can't measure more than 10A!?
I've used the http://ledgardener.com/parallel-strip-build-tool/ tool to calculate the driver I require for my build - this also give me the current required.
This is the calculation for the entire array of 22 strips.
And this is the array taken down to half size, 11 strips.
I assume I need to set two positions on the dimmer pot, one to achieve 19.8A on the 22 strips and another to achieve 9.9A on 11 strips - is that correct?
In this picture you can see wires that join wago to wago make the parallel circuit.
I assume I can just replace that long wire (marked in yellow) with my multimeter and this will give me the current in the circuit? Could I use ohms law instead and measure V and R in the same place? As the Meanwell driver has two outputs should I measure the current on both outputs and sum them?
I've used the http://ledgardener.com/parallel-strip-build-tool/ tool to calculate the driver I require for my build - this also give me the current required.
This is the calculation for the entire array of 22 strips.
And this is the array taken down to half size, 11 strips.
I assume I need to set two positions on the dimmer pot, one to achieve 19.8A on the 22 strips and another to achieve 9.9A on 11 strips - is that correct?
In this picture you can see wires that join wago to wago make the parallel circuit.
I assume I can just replace that long wire (marked in yellow) with my multimeter and this will give me the current in the circuit? Could I use ohms law instead and measure V and R in the same place? As the Meanwell driver has two outputs should I measure the current on both outputs and sum them?
600A DC Multimeter Bought!
How do you measure Amps in a Meanwell parallel circuit when the driver has 2 output pairs?
Pair 1 drives 6 leds in panel A and 5 in panel B
Pair 2 drives 5 leds in panel A and 6 in panel B
Do I add the current together or take an average or....... I'm stuck! I want to measure panel A first and then AB.
How do you measure Amps in a Meanwell parallel circuit when the driver has 2 output pairs?
Pair 1 drives 6 leds in panel A and 5 in panel B
Pair 2 drives 5 leds in panel A and 6 in panel B
Do I add the current together or take an average or....... I'm stuck! I want to measure panel A first and then AB.
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unkle_psycho
- LED Wizard
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I never used a constant voltage driver, but if its one driver, not two in a single shell, there should be some consistency in the results. I imagine they will have the same voltage but slightly different amps? Maybe they will have the same electricity going to both, and the one with less leds will run brighter?
"Nothing is true, everything is permitted"
I realised I'm making such a problem trying to run a single panel of the two.
The build I followed had 16 LEDs and A type driver with both pots wide open. I've upped it to 22 LEDs and changed to a B driver.
According to the build instructions, the B driver was just a little under powered so I can run it wide open and it should dim across the entire range of the pot.
One panel of two parts it will stay!
The build I followed had 16 LEDs and A type driver with both pots wide open. I've upped it to 22 LEDs and changed to a B driver.
According to the build instructions, the B driver was just a little under powered so I can run it wide open and it should dim across the entire range of the pot.
One panel of two parts it will stay!