cheap, dimmable drivers by "thomas research products" + display

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tazztone
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infosponge wrote:
Fri May 04, 2018 12:51 am
How are you wiring them, in series?
if I run 3 strips off one driver won't they only be pulling ~ 8 V each?
i had everything in parallel (including pot :D )
it divides the current. so 3 strips will be 1A per strip and they will pull around 24v.
just check this video series by LEDG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdLeA2BFT0A
infosponge
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I got the 2 footers, was planning to use a dimmable wall switch for them, but I don’t want to have 8 of them, that’ll take up half a wall. I might have to go the potentiometer route but I don’t want to have 8 of those things hanging around either LOL. Thanks for the answer, I was kicking myself in the tail last night after I thought about it
sdfoster22
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tazztone wrote:
Fri May 04, 2018 6:32 am
infosponge wrote:
Fri May 04, 2018 12:51 am
How are you wiring them, in series?
if I run 3 strips off one driver won't they only be pulling ~ 8 V each?
i had everything in parallel (including pot :D )
it divides the current. so 3 strips will be 1A per strip and they will pull around 24v.
just check this video series by LEDG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdLeA2BFT0A
You didn't use the dimm leads?
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tazztone
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of course i used the dimming leads. but maybe you could somehow wire the 2 driver's dimming leads in series with a pot. no idea :D
Last edited by tazztone on Sat May 05, 2018 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
sdfoster22
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Hmm I always wandered the same.
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LEDG
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What is it exactly you're trying to accomplish with the dimming leads together? Simultaneous dimming?
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sdfoster22
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I finally got married. Tonight I finally have time to run a few tests. It's been bugging me to death to not be able to start on this.
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sdfoster22
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So, I ran a test with the 5k pot and 1 driver and 2. It only puts out about 70% at max with both drivers hooked up, and one driver hooked up. So, I got the same results as you tazz lol. I must have missed that one somehow lol. I guess I need to get a 10k ohm potentiometer to dimm both drivers at the same time.

I wonder why these drivers are different than the meanwell in not splitting the ohms per driver.

After doing some research on wiring constant current in parallel, and why not to. I figured I would maybe add a 700ma fuse to each strip so if one strip goes out or something happens it won't damage other strips, or cause a fire. Does anyone know what type of fuse I could use. I was thinking on getting some with leads and soldering it inline and heat shrinking it. Would that be a good idea? And what type of fuse would work. I see many types of fuses lol.
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tazztone
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the only way i can imagine damage with this driver is if you hook up a Vesta's single LED row to the full 3A. but since 2A is max i GUESS it would still tolerate it. but don't quote me on the latter.
i hooked up a single strip (both rows) to the driver, it supplies 3A at 26V, then eventually reaching 25.5V where it stayed. ran it for 2 minutes like that.
Last edited by tazztone on Sun May 06, 2018 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
sdfoster22
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I am running eb gen 2 1' strips. I am running 6 with the 75w driver, and 4 with the 40w driver. These strips are 700ma max current. I did get 1" heatsink for all strips. The 75 w driver runs 6 strips 19.5 volts at 500ma, the 40w driver runs 4 strips 19.5 volts at 450ma

If 1 strips go out on the 75w driver it will be pulling 600ma. If two go out it will be pulling 750ma(more than max).

If one strip goes out on the 40w driver it will be pulling 600ma. If 2 go out it will be pulling 900 ma.

I plan on going on vacation, and having a friend watch over the indoor garden. I would like to put a 700ma fuse with each strip, for piece of mind.
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