Help with QB build

DrGreenDad · Nov 28, 2020

What's up, I'm putting together some qb288 rspec boards from hlg. I've seen a couple people running the 320w driver on 2 boards. So I decided to run a hlg-480h-54b on 3× rspec boards with the slate2 triple heatsink.
I know this will run the boards hot and do plan on adding some active cooling. My question is,
1. what gage wire do I need for the connections?
2. What potentiometer should I get?
(I was hoping for a cased potentiometer and do believe it should be 100kohm)

Any help and recommendations are welcome, thanks in advance.

-GrnDad

sallygram · Nov 28, 2020

This is the wire that I have been using for years https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IN838Z0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I am sorry I don't use poteniometerers

sallygram · Nov 28, 2020

I did recently take apart my first build that I did last week and I used old phone wire Yikes! but no problems lol

DrGreenDad · Nov 28, 2020

sallygram said:
This is the wire that I have been using for years https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IN838Z0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I am sorry I don't use poteniometerers

Awesome, thank you! I should have been more clear I wasnt sure if it was 18 or 20 gage.

sallygram · Nov 28, 2020

The 18 Gauge will work good for you. I think you will love the HLG boards. I went from HPS to CMH to COB to Quantum (with random crap Amazon blurpie buys in between) Now I have one COB rig and last count I had 54 Quantum boards going.

solakani · Nov 28, 2020

I used 18/2 wire with wago connectors to take my drivers away from the tent.

ilovereggae · Nov 28, 2020

DrGreenDad said:
2. What potentiometer should I get?
(I was hoping for a cased potentiometer and do believe it should be 100kohm)

I've used these a bunch and they are solid.

Cased Potentiometer with Knob

.

rapidled.com

i have only used in series builds though. they do specifically say to use them with the C version drivers which are constant current.. not sure about constant voltage like the one u have, so wait for someone else to confirm they will work.

7CardBud · Nov 28, 2020

Nice Setup DrGreenDad! That's exactly what I did except went for series circuit.
How high do you drive your QB288s? | Rollitup

The wire is 18AWG, you can use stranded as it a bit easier to work with if you tin the ends for the push connectors.
They don't really make boxed pots.[EDIT-puts foot in mouth] You just need to find a small project box and drill it out.
You can use a 150K pot, but it will have some slop at the end, or get a 100K and few resistors to tweek it if needed.
I would highly suggest using a thermal bonding agent if your gonna drive it balls to the walls like that.

GL

DrGreenDad · Nov 29, 2020

You guys are amazing! Thanks for the help.

@7CardBud thanks for the link too. I'm glad you mentioned the cooling. I was thinking about rigging an aluminum laptop cooling pad to the back of the Slate2 heatsink and mounting the driver on top of that, or a similar setup framing the light and adding fans.. any input?

Also if the cooling pad would work should I have fans blowing on slate2 or pulling air away?

DrGreenDad · Nov 29, 2020

7CardBud said:
Nice Setup DrGreenDad! That's exactly what I did except went for series circuit.
How high do you drive your QB288s? | Rollitup

The wire is 18AWG, you can use stranded as it a bit easier to work with if you tin the ends for the push connectors.
They don't really make boxed pots.[EDIT-puts foot in mouth] You just need to find a small project box and drill it out.
You can use a 150K pot, but it will have some slop at the end, or get a 100K and few resistors to tweek it if needed.
I would highly suggest using a thermal bonding agent if your gonna drive it balls to the walls like that.

GL

sallygram said:
The 18 Gauge will work good for you. I think you will love the HLG boards. I went from HPS to CMH to COB to Quantum (with random crap Amazon blurpie buys in between) Now I have one COB rig and last count I had 54 Quantum boards going.

Thanks. This will be my first build and first LED crop. I've grown with hps and t5s. Haven't had a harvest since 2013. I'm really looking forward to the whole process

7CardBud · Nov 29, 2020

Those drivers get pretty damn hot when run full tilt. I wound up mounting the driver to the wall with 20mm pcb feet and using the 12v fan for the driver. The slate 2 triple has a 6" clip fan blowing down the length of it and it actually runs cooler than my HLG100.

The PC cooling pads look like an awesome solutionto blow air onto the heatsink!

DrGreenDad · Nov 29, 2020

7CardBud said:
Those drivers get pretty damn hot when run full tilt. I wound up mounting the driver to the wall with 20mm pcb feet and using the 12v fan for the driver. The slate 2 triple has a 6" clip fan blowing down the length of it and it actually runs cooler than my HLG100.

The PC cooling pads look like an awesome solutionto blow air onto the heatsink!

View attachment 4755010

Okay, so it's not just the heatsink but also the driver I'll need to cool? Or am I reading that wrong? I did think about mounting the driver outside my tent with the pot but if I can keep my light all in one piece I'd prefer it

7CardBud · Nov 29, 2020

The driver will run at about 75C maxed out without any active cooling. I didn't want that heat near my light so I mounted the driver on the wall in the grow room. Also the life starts to drop pretty fast over 70C. I might be a bit on the OCD side, but I like to take care of my equipment even though the driver is rated to run at a case temp up 90C.

You don't "have" to cool anything, but the more you do the longer the life with less degradation.

I'm definitely interested to see a build with a PC cooling base with the driver attached.

ComfortCreator · Nov 29, 2020

The boards go from cool at 60w, to warm at 80w to hot at 100w to frying above 110w. I would plan to run them at 120w max unless you want or can use a lot of heat.

ComfortCreator · Nov 29, 2020

7CardBud said:
The driver will run at about 75C maxed out without any active cooling. I didn't want that heat near my light so I mounted the driver on the wall in the grow room. Also the life starts to drop pretty fast over 70C. I might be a bit on the OCD side, but I like to take care of my equipment even though the driver is rated to run at a case temp up 90C.
View attachment 4755080

You don't "have" to cool anything, but the more you do the longer the life with less degradation.

I'm definitely interested to see a build with a PC cooling base with the driver attached.

I run heatsinks w 4 boards on each, driver mounted in the middle. With a small fan blowing over the length of the heatsink and the driver, it is very cool to the touch. I dont run above 110w per board typically.

DrGreenDad · Nov 29, 2020

You have no clue how thankful I am to have found yall lol. Super excited for this build, probably will not be the prettiest, but it should work. I am curious though, for checking temp.. if I have the heatsink covered with the cooling pad. Am I good only checking the temp of the boards?

ComfortCreator · Nov 29, 2020

DrGreenDad said:
You have no clue how thankful I am to have found yall lol. Super excited for this build, probably will not be the prettiest, but it should work. I am curious though, for checking temp.. if I have the heatsink covered with the cooling pad. Am I good only checking the temp of the boards?

What cooling pad are you refering to?

DrGreenDad · Nov 29, 2020

ComfortCreator said:
What cooling pad are you refering to?

It's a laptop cooling pad. But instead of a laptop I'm going to mount it to the back of the heatsink then mount the driver to the cooling pad. Thus goes my concept so far

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CHBX4RH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabt1_pl.WFbEDVT93T

DrGreenDad · Nov 30, 2020

To clarify, the mA output range of my driver is divided by my number of boards in this case 3 right? Or is the driver delivering that to each board?

Also got an email from hlg about upgraded drivers... it seems they maybe switching to Inventronics drivers. Are they better?

Burt Hooter · Nov 30, 2020

This helped me

DIY LED Strip Build Designs for Samsung H-Series, F-Series, Q-Series, and Bridgelux EB Gen.2 - LED Gardener

DIY LED strip builds have become very popular recently. The mid-power section of our forum is full of threads created by DIYers looking to build their own custom lights, and new builds and ideas are surfacing every day. If you don’t live somewhere where you have easy access to premade lights...

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Help with QB build

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