LEDgardener

Hi guys, hope you can help me out here

I want to do a ''test'' build and test order from digikey to my country, so I'm ready for a full 4x4 build when I have the funds for that.

I would like to place a small order with digikey over $60 I get free shipping, so in that neighborhood. I'm probably going to get the driver from time.eu.

I'd like to order/test:

1 x 2' F series 46v
2 x 2' Q series
And then to get just above $60, a single Q series 1' just for knowing the physical outline of it for mounting/heatsinking.

I would like to pair them with a A type driver with built in potentiometer, and optimally it should be able to run a single F series 2' on near max and 2x Q series 2' on near max, without being too much for either setup if that's at all possible ??
Otherwise I'll do a Q-series only test, I suppose...

I also have to pay 25% tax and import charges, so I don't want to order too much of something I can't use now as supplemental lighting.

I want to find out how hot they get when running at 50% - 75%, so I can figure out how to cool them best.
I have a mate working in a metal factory, and I might be able to persuade him to laser cut and drill a heatsink tailered for these strips of the diffenrent sizes and maybe get a qoute on how much a full build would cost for each type of strip.

Hope you can help me make sense of all this

welcome to the forum

for 1 2' F strip you want to run it 46v 1400ma( it's 77% of max.. close to 75%) for 64.4 watts a HLG-60h-48 puts out 1300ma.. so with that you should be able to see 50% and close to 75% (72.2% @ 1300ma)

now here's where my strip noobness needs LG'S and other's confirmation...
since the Q type strips are 24v with 1000ma max.... can't we wire the two Q types to the same hlg-60h-48 in a combo series/parrallel to split both V and A? (like how hlg has the series/parrallel for QB setups) or is there not enough connectors to do that??

If LG or someone else can confirm the series/parrallel idea that one hlg-60h-48A would work for both. if not. hlg-40h-c700 for two Q strips wired in series.

again welcome to the fun!

Thanks for your reply

This is excactly what I'm wondering.

If it doesn't make sense I'm going to get Q-series, I'm thinking that 4x 2' would be a nice addition to 4x QB288 in a 4x4.

Yup, this is doable. Get an HLG-80H-48 and you'll be able to run the F series at max for testing. You can then wire the Q series strips in series and run them on the same driver to hit 48V and you'll be able to max those as well. Just be careful and make sure you dim the driver to start, then slowly work your way up and you'll be fine. This driver likely has enough power to overdrive both of these configurations.

Due to the power differences between the Qs and the F, you won't find a driver that will not overdrive both, You just need to hook up a multimeter and watch the current as you adjust levels.

Jolly Green Giant wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:31 pm

welcome to the forum

for 1 2' F strip you want to run it 46v 1400ma( it's 77% of max.. close to 75%) for 64.4 watts a HLG-60h-48 puts out 1300ma.. so with that you should be able to see 50% and close to 75% (72.2% @ 1300ma)

now here's where my strip noobness needs LG'S and other's confirmation...
since the Q type strips are 24v with 1000ma max.... can't we wire the two Q types to the same hlg-60h-48 in a combo series/parrallel to split both V and A? (like how hlg has the series/parrallel for QB setups) or is there not enough connectors to do that??

If LG or someone else can confirm the series/parrallel idea that one hlg-60h-48A would work for both. if not. hlg-40h-c700 for two Q strips wired in series.

again welcome to the fun!

i recall seeing the f strips rated at 1.12A, is it even possible to not run an HLG(480) at not its max A rating, say 1.4A?

LEDG wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:51 pm

Yup, this is doable. Get an HLG-80H-48 and you'll be able to run the F series at max for testing. You can then wire the Q series strips in series and run them on the same driver to hit 48V and you'll be able to max those as well. Just be careful and make sure you dim the driver to start, then slowly work your way up and you'll be fine. This driver likely has enough power to overdrive both of these configurations.

Due to the power differences between the Qs and the F, you won't find a driver that will not overdrive both, You just need to hook up a multimeter and watch the current as you adjust levels.

What is the issue if you have a stronger driver than a strips rated current?

F Strips are 1.12A
HLG480 drivers hit 1.4A for the 1400a version (not sure if they can be adjusted downward)

aside from more heat and wattage(and therefore light!), are there any cons?

yes you could run them on a 480h-c1400 but not just one... the amp is in the right range but the voltage isn't. you would need a minimum of two f strips in series to hit the voltage range of the driver( 89v-179v) 46x2=92v

CC.. if it ends in the ma you need to figure out how many strips needed to be in the voltage range.
CV.. if it ends in the voltage you need to figure out how many strips to spread the amperage so they don't blow! yes both can be dimmed/adjusted but just use simple math to figure rough numbers...

Check out Fusion 360. It's a free 3D modelling program with built-in simulation tools, and its thermal simulations are really easy.

• Model the heatsink, assign it the material of "Aluminum", and assign all surfaces (except the bottom) a load of "Convection"
• Model the basic outline of the LED strip, assign it as a heat source with the wattage you plan to test.
• Simulate, see where your hotspots are, adjust model as needed.

It will be much easier to talk the buddy into cutting that stuff for you if you can give him a model to work from.

Thank you so much for your replies, learning a lot here
You guys are awesome!

@ShowMe Thanks for that heads up, I'm gonna check it out and see if I can figure it out


I was seduced by the Q-series efficiency and went out on a whim and ordered 10 of the 1' 3000K's costing me $68,48
I'm thinking about ordering a roll of thermal tape from ebay for $22,49, but I'll look a little more around local component websites, so hopefully I can avoid having to wait for shipping from Hong Kong...
The driver will be bought from a EU store, and the remaining parts will be sourced locally.


For starters I have some obstacles to overcome, mostly getting the stuff I need in my country, converting wire gauges etc.


First build will be using eloxated aluminium U profiles as heat sinks, these come in standard 1m lenghts in hardware stores.

The idea is to make a prototype section of a light for 4x4, I know there's gonna be a lot of wiring work, but I'm apprehensive about using the 1120mm strips leaving only 8cm total to spare in the tent and with the negative pressure in there the walls are sucked in a bit, so I though I'd try to use 3x 1' strips on a 1m heatsink.

I'm thinking that 20 of these heatsinks (60x 1' strips, 1200 diodes) would do rather well in a 4x4 tent?

So the first build will be 9 strips on 3 heatsinks, and any of you can recommend a driver that won't be able to over power the setup it would be highly appreciated?
And if it's possible a tiny driver for the spare strip for novelty purposes, and so I can send it to my mate to test on heat sinks ?

I think that's all, for now Peace

Whoa, strips should be here tomorrow, that's hella fast half way around the globe shipping

Found some thermal tape in the UK, so shipping here shouldn't take too long

I've been looking at getting the HLG-60H-C700A https://www.tme.eu/en/details/hlg-60h-c ... mean-well/ to power 9 strips in series. I'm a bit uneasy about the mixed CC/CV ''A'' type driver, but I would like to avoid getting/fitting a potentiometer for a ''B'' type.

What do you guys think about that driver (and build)?