MeanWell Warranty Use

[Airwalker16]

So yesterday my HLG-240H-C1750B took a shit for the THIRD time in the last year and I'm now having to send it out AGAIN to have it RMA'd.
Actually, this is the second time for THIS driver, I also sent out once before my OTHER HLG-240H-C1750B.

I really can't understand why mine keep fucking up and stop working. When I got this driver back like 11 months ago, it has worked every day 12hours a day since then and then one day just dies. They explained to me it is a Midget PWM Q3 & Q4.

Anybody have any insight? They said it is likely from irregular AC input but my stuffs soldered and wired just fine. Obviously as its been running everyday for the last THR33 YEARS!

 

[Airwalker16]

This was their exact terminology:

Meanwell repaired your unit with new components. In particular, Q3 and Q4.
The part will now operate as intended.

Q3, Q4 are the PWM switching Mosfet which is located on the input primary side. The failure is most likely caused by abnormal AC input.

 

[Lordhooha]

This was their exact terminology:

Meanwell repaired your unit with new components. In particular, Q3 and Q4.
The part will now operate as intended.

Q3, Q4 are the PWM switching Mosfet which is located on the input primary side. The failure is most likely caused by abnormal AC input.

Do you have dirty power in your area? honestly I would have it plugged into a surge protector especially one that states it cleans the incoming power up monster cable is one that does this unless you want to go the route of using a UPS then you know the power going to the equipment is good. But it is a higher up front cost.

 

[Airwalker16]

Do you have dirty power in your area? honestly I would have it plugged into a surge protector especially one that states it cleans the incoming power up monster cable is one that does this unless you want to go the route of using a UPS then you know the power going to the equipment is good. But it is a higher up front cost.

So you think just from the wall, down an extension cord, before plugging it Into a 3 way splitter, I'd be better off using a surge protector? I find it weird because the other row of cobs on the exact same driver on this same fixture attached to the same Potentiometer, using the exact same POWER CORD had no issues, NOR has my cheap Chinese drivers or a separate HLG-185H-C1400B, EVER given me problems. And the 185 runs 18 hrs a day!!!

 

[Airwalker16]

I really hope they just send me a new driver rather than repairing it this time.

 

[NoWaistedSpace]

You should pick up a plug in unit that checks your input power, your mA and watts at the wall. It's called a "Kill A Watt". Your power at wall may be fluctuating from a loose wire in you breaker box. Or somewhere else in the line. An appliance can be going bad causing an extra drain causing power drops. I'm not an Electrician, but just giving you a place to start if you have a problem.

 

[NoWaistedSpace]

I really hope they just send me a new driver rather than repairing it this time.

I dropped a 320-B and I have had problems ever since. It works, then it quits. Then I let it set a month or so, and then it works again.
Personally, I like the type "A"'s better. I get a little more juice out of them. The B version restricts the unit from going over 1750mA. (yours) I get 2400 mA+ (300watts)out of a 240-A-2100mA running 3 Vero 29's.

 

[Lordhooha]

Just

So you think just from the wall, down an extension cord, before plugging it Into a 3 way splitter, I'd be better off using a surge protector? I find it weird because the other row of cobs on the exact same driver on this same fixture attached to the same Potentiometer, using the exact same POWER CORD had no issues, NOR has my cheap Chinese drivers or a separate HLG-185H-C1400B, EVER given me problems. And the 185 runs 18 hrs a day!!!

I've seen it my ups log the power coming in an it can spike here and there. Dirty power is the number one killer of electronic devices.

 

[Lordhooha]

You should pick up a plug in unit that checks your input power, your mA and watts at the wall. It's called a "Kill A Watt". Your power at wall may be fluctuating from a loose wire in you breaker box. Or somewhere else in the line. An appliance can be going bad causing an extra drain causing power drops. I'm not an Electrician, but just giving you a place to start if you have a problem.

Kill a watts will not show you line voltage or temp drops or anything of the sort

 

[NoWaistedSpace]

Just trying to help. It shows my "wall" voltage. I run anywhere from 122 to 123.9 volts.

 

[Lordhooha]

Just trying to help. It shows my "wall" voltage. I run anywhere from 122 to 123.9 volts.

Interesting I wasn't aware they did that. I like the logging aspect of ups's so I go back see the data rather than look and try an see it real time. But your right on checking the box wiring and the ones for the plugs.

 

[NoWaistedSpace]

Interesting I wasn't aware they did that. I like the logging aspect of ups's so I go back see the data rather than look and try an see it real time. But your right on checking the box wiring and the ones for the plugs.

A "Kill A Watt" is good to have when fooling with this stuff. It even shows your "Kiliwatt hours" you are using.

 

[JavaCo]

Dirty Power can be cleaned up with filters. If you or one of your neighbors does a lot of welding it can cause very dirty electricity. You can even get bigger capacitor banks that hook to the electrical panel that will clean up the power for a whole house . Here are some smaller filters that can go directly into lighting fixtures.
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Socket-Panel-Filter-CW1D-10A-T/dp/B00CJAWSTU https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/delta-electronics/02DBAG5/603-1141-ND/1718586

 

[CannaBruh]

This was their exact terminology:

Meanwell repaired your unit with new components. In particular, Q3 and Q4.
The part will now operate as intended.

Q3, Q4 are the PWM switching Mosfet which is located on the input primary side. The failure is most likely caused by abnormal AC input.

This is incredibly helpful coming from their service dept. Could save somebody some time troubleshooting.
See if you cannot get a schematic out of them (doubtful but sometimes doesn't hurt to ask, I have worked on some MeanWell stuff and we had full schematics and were not authorized)

If it were dirty power taking this thing out I'd expect the others to go as you've noted @Airwalker16
I'm suspecting there's some underlying issue with the driver and they're not finding root cause (assuming they keep swapping the same transistors and they keep failing)

 

[Isawthelight]

So yesterday my HLG-240H-C1750B took a shit for the THIRD time in the last year and I'm now having to send it out AGAIN to have it RMA'd.
Actually, this is the second time for THIS driver, I also sent out once before my OTHER HLG-240H-C1750B.

I really can't understand why mine keep fucking up and stop working. When I got this driver back like 11 months ago, it has worked every day 12hours a day since then and then one day just dies. They explained to me it is a Midget PWM Q3 & Q4.

Anybody have any insight? They said it is likely from irregular AC input but my stuffs soldered and wired just fine. Obviously as its been running everyday for the last THR33 YEARS!

Sorry about your bad luck with some diy parts. I had to go back in time to see that a 2100 ma driver was being used when your 3070 cobs melted. https://www.rollitup.org/t/3070s-melted.901532/page-3

 

[Airwalker16]

Sorry about your bad luck with some diy parts. I had to go back in time to see that a 2100 ma driver was being used when your 3070 cobs melted. https://www.rollitup.org/t/3070s-melted.901532/page-3

Hehehehe that was my dad's build who insisted on passive sinks. I told him to add fans!

 

[Airwalker16]

This is incredibly helpful coming from their service dept. Could save somebody some time troubleshooting.
See if you cannot get a schemattic out of them (doubtful but sometimes doesn't hurt to ask, I have worked on some MeanWell stuff and we had full schematics and were not authorized)

If it were dirty power taking this thing out I'd expect the others to go as you've noted @Airwalker16
I'm suspecting there's some underlying issue with the driver and they're not finding root cause (assuming they keep swapping the same transistors and they keep failing)

I agree.
Schematics are found right on the data sheet.
Pics got out of order my bad.

3
1
Then2
Is how they're ordered on the data sheet.

 

[CannaBruh]

I agree.
Schematics are found right on the data sheet.
Pics got out of order my bad.

3
1
Then2
Is how they're ordered on the data sheet.

These are block diagrams, a full schematic will show the entire component/connections, a better one will add board layout and designation and a better one will have voltages (typ) and a BOM and even a troubleshooting guide.

example:

 

[Airwalker16]

These are block diagrams, a full schematic will show the entire component/connections, a better one will add board layout and designation and a better one will have voltages (typ) and a BOM and even a troubleshooting guide.

example:

Electronics blow my mind. How in the fuck did we as humans figure out that shit?

 

[KonopCh]

You should pick up a plug in unit that checks your input power, your mA and watts at the wall. It's called a "Kill A Watt". Your power at wall may be fluctuating from a loose wire in you breaker box. Or somewhere else in the line. An appliance can be going bad causing an extra drain causing power drops. I'm not an Electrician, but just giving you a place to start if you have a problem.

My watt meter jumping every couple moments (seconds) from let's say 220.1 W to 220.8 W.
Is this a potential trouble, if I understand right? It must be constant on watt meter?