Stone_Free's Samsung Strip Build & Grow

I've ordered an APV-12-12 driver to run 2 fans in my veg cab. Just realised I need to connect them up! Do I connect the red from each fan to the red of the driver and same with black wires? Will chocolate block work for this or? Fans are 12VDC/0.16A. Wires from fans are short (and very thin) so I'll need to extend them somehow!
As always help is much appreciated!

in...

can't wait to see your build, i am doing a staged FB22B build to replace my hps. starting with vertical strips.

Stone_Free said:

I've ordered an APV-12-12 driver to run 2 fans in my veg cab. Just realised I need to connect them up! Do I connect the red from each fan to the red of the driver and same with black wires? Will chocolate block work for this or? Fans are 12VDC/0.16A. Wires from fans are short (and very thin) so I'll need to extend them somehow!
As always help is much appreciated!

Click to expand...

Thanks, but in 30 years of illegal growing you have plenty of time to find out what works best.
The manufacturer claims that Mylar has the highest reflectivity of any foils, but a simple test with black-and-white foil and Mylar showed that white reflects about 15-20% more light.
There are reflector colors that come to 98.5% reflection, but they are much too expensive. They are used in reflectors, light mixing chambers and also for cinema screens. 1gal. about $120, LOL!
We have also a reflector thread here somewhere, is likely to be 2-3 years old, there you will find many more comparison tests of various available white colors everything proven with lux measurements.

How many wires have the fans? If only two(red & black), then yes, connect them in parallel.
If it's a 3 or 4 pin connector you need to identify which one is for pwm and tachosignal. The manufacturers unfortunately use different colors and should the cables be reversed, the fan smokes immediately off, at least cheap, unprotected fans like the Arctic's. I have already burned off 3 or 4 of them, LOL!
Better ones like the Noctuas are reverse polarity protected.

Sour Wreck said:

in...

can't wait to see your build, i am doing a staged FB22B build to replace my hps. starting with vertical strips.

Click to expand...

Sweet! The more the merrier. Pull up a beanbag n chill man, it's going to be a slow process...questions will come thick and fast!

Randomblame said:

but in 30 years of illegal growing you have plenty of time to find out what works best.

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I almost feel guilty for using your 30 years of "illegal" knowledge...almost but not quite
I think that the reflectivity issue is nullified to an extent when using FIM/ScrOG grow style. At least to me it seems so. In a small space like mine it is hopefully less of an issue!

My Arctic fans have 3 wires; black, red & yellow. I would guess that the red is + black is - and the yellow the rpm/pwm cable...
I had a discussion with @Moflow about the wiring of the fans and he advised that I can discard the yellow (If the colours are correct) but at that point I hadn't thought about connecting 2 fans to 1 driver.......
I believe it is possible to "daisy-chain" fans but mine aren't inside a pc case, where I could use a short cable, they will be ~ 1.2 metres apart!
Not a great pic but you can see the wires/connector.

Stone_Free said:

I almost feel guilty for using your 30 years of "illegal" knowledge...almost but not quite
I think that the reflectivity issue is nullified to an extent when using FIM/ScrOG grow style. At least to me it seems so. In a small space like mine it is hopefully less of an issue!

My Arctic fans have 3 wires; black, red & yellow. I would guess that the red is + black is - and the yellow the rpm/pwm cable...
I had a discussion with @Moflow about the wiring of the fans and he advised that I can discard the yellow (If the colours are correct) but at that point I hadn't thought about connecting 2 fans to 1 driver.......
I believe it is possible to "daisy-chain" fans but mine aren't inside a pc case, where I could use a short cable, they will be ~ 1.2 metres apart!
Not a great pic but you can see the wires/connector.View attachment 4042891

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Discard the yellow. Red to red, black to black...... it's a bit like bomb disposal lol.
I also use that white plastic with the black backing for reflection.
The Orca reflective Mylar looks good but it's very expensive £119

No Color Shift or Iridescence: Light reflected from surface maintains the original color wavelength so you get the full spectrum from your lamps. (More)
• Durable, puncture and tear resistance: 11 mil thick
• Waterproof Washable & cleanable with common household cleaners:
• Mold and algae growth resistant.
• UV Protected and Stable: Blocks out harmful UV light with wavelength below 400nm, material does not yellow. (More)
• Recyclable eco-friendly material containing no halogens, plasticizers or VOCs.
Made in Canada

Available in 10m x 1.37m
& 100m rolls.

Moflow said:

Discard the yellow. Red to red, black to black...... it's a bit like bomb disposal lol.

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So if I stick to this rule I won't get blown sky-high? I can put 3 reds into 1 connection and 3 blacks into 1 connection - driver plus 2 fans - and it'll be ok?
I know more about the inner workings of the sun than I do electrics....and I know next to nothing about how the sun works lol

Stone_Free said:

I've ordered an APV-12-12 driver to run 2 fans in my veg cab. Just realised I need to connect them up! Do I connect the red from each fan to the red of the driver and same with black wires? Will chocolate block work for this or? Fans are 12VDC/0.16A. Wires from fans are short (and very thin) so I'll need to extend them somehow!
As always help is much appreciated!

Click to expand...

yes.

You can also use some flat stock 1" aluminum for heat sink.

Just to confuse things even further ...
This shows there is no standard wiring colouring - or coloring if you're that way inclined!

As you can see i can afford to feck up a few fans to get it right lol
And the Arctic fan I've running in veg is black n yellow!
Black seems to be the common one in them all.

You could also use a fan controller like this one below. There is a simple two wire 12v input (big molex connector)and you can drive up-to 3 fans without and 6 fans with Y splitters. No need to remove the small molex connectors and identify + and - and you can run the fans within 20 and 100%.

https://www.amazon.com/Lian-Li-Speed-Controller-Model/dp/B003LUC76Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510735492&sr=8-3&keywords=lian+li+fan+controller

Moflow said:

As you can see i can afford to feck up a few fans to get it right lol
And the Arctic fan I've running in veg is black n yellow!
Black seems to be the common one in them all.

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Yeah, I believe that's the reason I've blown a few of them. It seems they are using what's right there,
but the pinout is always the same, at least if they're populated with 3 or 4 pin Molex plugs.

Ach, and I forgot,
the mounting bracket can be easily removed or replace by a small piece of alu angle. You would only have an additional poti for fans. I use the same in my COB/mono lights to drive the fans.
It's the small poti next to the big one which is the dimming poti...

Randomblame said:

You could also use a fan controller like this one below. There is a simple two wire 12v input (big molex connector)and you can drive up-to 3 fans without and 6 fans with Y splitters. No need to remove the small molex connectors and identify + and - and you can run the fans within 20 and 100%.

https://www.amazon.com/Lian-Li-Speed-Controller-Model/dp/B003LUC76Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510735492&sr=8-3&keywords=lian+li+fan+controller

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Mornin' Rb....thanks, I'll have a look at the fan controllers...
Can I just check before I order, is this wire the correct one for my strips please? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SOLID-CORE-HOOKUP-WIRE-1-0-6mm-22AWG-BREADBOARD-JUMPERS-11-COLOURS-PVC-COPPER/201462434930?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&var=500642292538&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

Randomblame said:

Ach, and I forgot,
the mounting bracket can be easily removed or replace by a small piece of alu angle. You would only have an additional poti for fans. I use the same in my COB/mono lights to drive the fans.
It's the small poti next to the big one which is the dimming poti...

Click to expand...

Neat job! Looks very professional

Yepp, it's good.
I've used Ø0,8mm which in between AWG20 and 22 with no issues.
And the datasheet says awg24 would also work..

Stone_Free said:

Neat job! Looks very professional

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Well, I should have taken anodized or white coated aluminum.
You will not get rid of the f****** fingerprints without alcohol, so the surface always looks ugly and dirty.
Glad that they will be sold soon ..
I'll make the next ones black, at least the backside. Sheets and stuff are already ordered and on the way ...
Maybe I'm doing a thread how I build them, if interest exists and I have the time...

Randomblame said:

Yepp, it's good.
I've used Ø0,8mm which in between AWG20 and 22 with no issues.
And the datasheet says awg24 would also work..

Click to expand...

@Randomblame When I'm connecting wire to wire is there a connector that is better than others? I know there are different types...chocolate block, crimps etc etc......so many ways. I've never done anything like this before - I think that's obvious by my simple questions.....
I thought it best to get a Multimeter to test the pot before I connect it. If there is some issue that comes up and I've tested the pot then I will know that isn't the issue. Probably an essential piece of equipment to have for this kind of work anyway, safety etc.

Randomblame said:

Well, I should have taken anodized or white coated aluminum.
You will not get rid of the f****** fingerprints without alcohol, so the surface always looks ugly and dirty.
Glad that they will be sold soon ..
I'll make the next ones black, at least the backside. Sheets and stuff are already ordered and on the way ...
Maybe I'm doing a thread how I build them, if interest exists and I have the time...

Click to expand...

I think a thread would be useful man. Always good to have this kind of info, especially when done by someone who knows what they are doing and not just guessing...

I'll try my best. If both are sold, all I have to do is order the new drivers, 2x HLG-150H-48A and 2x HLG-60H-36A for the new ones. Then let's go ..
Currently it depends on a friend who is taking the two older lights. It could take a few more weeks before he has the money, maybe end of this month... who knows..? He's always tight with money these days... He has a family..

Stone_Free said:

@Randomblame When I'm connecting wire to wire is there a connector that is better than others? I know there are different types...chocolate block, crimps etc etc......so many ways. I've never done anything like this before - I think that's obvious by my simple questions.....
I thought it best to get a Multimeter to test the pot before I connect it. If there is some issue that comes up and I've tested the pot then I will know that isn't the issue. Probably an essential piece of equipment to have for this kind of work anyway, safety etc.

Click to expand...

I fall in love with Wago clamps. They are cheap, safe and simple to use and availabe with 2, 3 or 5 ports.