Bridgelux EB Series Build

brahbbyB said:
Build is pretty much complete, just need to cleanup the controller wiring. I also added in a DS18B20 temperature sensor (Plan on adding a couple more for my DWC water temps + air temp).

One n00b mistake I made was not accounting for the efficiency drop of the AC/DC PSU. This limited my overhead and is pushing the Wattage over its rating at full 1000ma. At ~900ma they are running @ 429W. Could probably bump them up a bit, but going to burn them in at this.

After running an hour @ ~900ma and they are measuring around 48C on PCB surface next to LED and 41C on the backside of the Aluminum sheet (measured by DS18B20).
View attachment 3866266 View attachment 3866267 View attachment 3866270View attachment 3866278
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So I think at 900ma they are running 156lm/w @ 45Vf = 40.5w = 6318lm x 9 = 56,862lm
 
@brahbbyB if you ever find optics for the strips let me know - the only thing I found doesn't look like it will fit.
I tried searching zhaga strip optics but couldn't find much.
 
Can you power these or the Samsung strips with only a meanwell driver or do you need those other parts?
 
1000ppm said:
Can you power these or the Samsung strips with only a meanwell driver or do you need those other parts?
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You can series these to fit many MW drivers.

Long version:
Universal PSUs and buck/boost converters are a cheap/basic/simple way to 'get into it'. I built my initial cheap-CN cobs this way. I could learn the basics w/o wrecking a string of $50+ ea cobs (B3590s back a yr ago...) and/or a $70+ MW driver. I started with $10 chips, some cheap optics, a ~$25? 320W 24Vdc psu, plus an assortment of buck and boost converters ($5-10? ea) to power fans, cobs, led strips, etc.
 
I have watched his video with cobs and stars but just wasn't sure if these strips can be powered directly with a driver or needed some of the pwm gear and buck drivers etc. It looks like they can be powered directly with a meanwell driver. Just when I thought I had it figured out I found that I didn't. Always more to learn. @PicklesRus

I want to convert a 6 bulb t5 and put in 4 samsung strips and a new ballast for 2 t5 bulbs using 2 UV full spectrum hortilux bulbs, or maybe just go all 6 samsung.

The existing t5 keeps blowing bulbs. Just bought a new set 10 bucks x6 and in a week only 1 was working. Sick of buying t5 bulbs. Even if they were free it still sucks disposing of them.

Thanks for the link.
 
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1000ppm said:
I have watched his video with cobs and stars but just wasn't sure if these strips can be powered directly with a driver or needed some of the pwm gear and other stuff. It looks like they can be powered directly with a meanwell driver. @PicklesRus

I want to convert a 6 bulb t5 and put in 4 samsung strips and a new ballast for 2 t5 bulbs and use 2 UV hortilux bulbs, or maybe just go all 6 samsung.

The existing t5 keeps blowing bulbs. Just bought a new set 10 bucks x6 and in a week only 1 was working. Sick of buying t5 bulbs. Even if they were free it still sucks disposing of them.

Thanks for the link.
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Since various strips are in different lengths/chip counts. Here is how you can figure out yourself what you need.

For a series configuration:
Take the voltage for a single strip. Ex: 20v
Multiple by number of strips you want to use. Ex: 6
Equals 120vdc.

Now, find a driver that has at least a 120vdc output within the drive current range you are looking to run. Ex: 700ma

HLG-120H-C700 = 107vdc - 215vdc (working constant current range) This would actually fit some additional 20v strips.

For 1050ma: HLG-120H-C1050 = 74v-148v

These are just a few examples, adapt them to your power requirements. There are higher wattage drivers that can generally drive more lights. Its just a game of fitting voltage to preferred drive current to your specific space. Keeping driver count low will keep up front costs lower. But, multiple drivers create a redundancy that can be advantageous for some situations/spaces.. See the game here? You decide what your priorities are, and design accordingly.

I see so many taking a 'cookie cutter', or 'copy someone elses design' approach to building lamps. Understanding the basics will help you design a lamp for your own specific needs.

My trick or tip is, use a spreadsheet to help out with the data and number crunching.
I have many cheat sheets to help me keep track of voltages and cost per. The DIY cob guys used to have some really good ones around for determining efficacy as well. I also keep a lot of MW pdf files around.
 
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Thanks @vahpor. Yea I think I may go with a HLG 120h c1050 the samsung strips are 22.5 Vf x 6 puts me at 135. Don't need to drive them that hard 1050ma so I will just dim to 70 percent but have the ability to crank a little extra if needed.

Converting 2 t5s I will do one with strips and one with.the quantum boards in a couple weeks when they come out with the 4k 5k boards.

I have been reading a lot and watching a lot of videos this past couple months. @Growmau5 is probably the reason I decided to jump in to the diy. His videos are nice and he took a lot of time to lay out everything even links to sites prices etc, that and the fact that led seems to finally be producing real results without spending 1500 plus on 1 real 600w light if your willing to put in a little work.

Appreciate the help.
 
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1000ppm said:
Thanks @vahpor. Yea I think I may go with a HLG 120h c1050 the samsung strips are 22.5 Vf x 6 puts me at 135. Don't need to drive them that hard 1050ma so I will just dim to 70 percent but have the ability to crank a little extra if needed.

Converting 2 t5s I will do one with strips and one with.the quantum boards in a couple weeks when they come out with the 4k 5k boards.

I have been reading a lot and watching a lot of videos this past couple months. @Growmau5 is probably the reason I decided to jump in to the diy. His videos are nice and he took a lot of time to lay out everything even links to sites prices etc, that and the fact that led seems to finally be producing real results without spending 1500 plus on 1 real 600w light if your willing to put in a little work.

Appreciate the help.
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Hey did you check out the datasheet on the Samsung to see how much it will output at 1050ma?

Wow - it says they produce 4155lm @ 950ma. That's pretty good. Better than the EB strips (although twice the cost).
 
Incase anyone is wondering this is how the EB strips are wired

upload_2017-1-5_21-5-24.png

So one one of my bars I have 2 strings not lighting - and the other bar one string not lighting.. so

full power;
@700ma = 58.33ma per string x 12

One string out
@700ma = 63.63ma per string x 11

two strings out
@700ma = 70ma per string x 10

So I guess that it doesn't really matter i have strips with a few broken strings - it's not going to overload the existing LEDs....... now to figure out if I can fix the connections.
 
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PicklesRus said:
now to figure out if I can fix the connections.
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Theeb strips are made on a multi layer pcb and and the connections are all inside the pcb. I don't think I will be trying to fix the broke. Strips. I should still get the same light output (actually should get a tiny bit
More because the LEDs are being driven just slightly harder) but nothing to write home about,

Wow great deal, I ended up paying 7$ per strip since I got a whole set for free - thanks Digikey for your mistake :)
 
@brahbbyB I got a par meter to borrow for a while, I measured about 14 inches under 4 of the strips @ 700ma and it read around 380 umol s.
I'll do a grid from some distances to get a better idea, but wow that surprised me.
 
PicklesRus said:
@brahbbyB I got a par meter to borrow for a while, I measured about 14 inches under 4 of the strips @ 700ma and it read around 380 umol s.
I'll do a grid from some distances to get a better idea, but wow that surprised me.
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Glad you got a PAR meter. Are your strips on 6" centers? I would be very interested in the grid you are putting together. I am interested in how close you have to be in between the bars for say 700umol. Thanks.[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
 
BuddyColas said:
Glad you got a PAR meter. Are your strips on 6" centers? I would be very interested in the grid you are putting together. I am interested in how close you have to be in between the bars for say 700umol. Thanks.[/ATTACH]
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[/QUOTE]
I will put something together tonight,
 
I will put something together tonight,[/QUOTE]
Great. Thank you.

As an aside, I just today walked every inch of my Home Depot and even asked for help, but found nothing like the aluminum strips you found. So I am thinking my store just doesn't carry them. Then I looked on post 56 and found you had diligently peeled off the store label (I would have done the same thing). So not to be a PITA, but the next time you go to HD, can you take a pick of the label for those and I can see if I can order them. :mrgreen:
 
BuddyColas said:
I will put something together tonight,
Click to expand...
Great. Thank you.

As an aside, I just today walked every inch of my Home Depot and even asked for help, but found nothing like the aluminum strips you found. So I am thinking my store just doesn't carry them. Then I looked on post 56 and found you had diligently peeled off the store label (I would have done the same thing). So not to be a PITA, but the next time you go to HD, can you take a pick of the label for those and I can see if I can order them. :mrgreen:[/QUOTE]
No need, here you go - Prices are in Canadian Dollars

upload_2017-1-7_23-9-18.png
 
PicklesRus said:
Great. Thank you.

As an aside, I just today walked every inch of my Home Depot and even asked for help, but found nothing like the aluminum strips you found. So I am thinking my store just doesn't carry them. Then I looked on post 56 and found you had diligently peeled off the store label (I would have done the same thing). So not to be a PITA, but the next time you go to HD, can you take a pick of the label for those and I can see if I can order them. :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
No need, here you go - Prices are in Canadian Dollars

View attachment 3870933[/QUOTE]
That's what I need. Thanks for going the extra mile!
 
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