Im getting ready to jump into my first build and just want to make sure i got it right before i order, any help would be greatly appreciated. Im looking at getting hlg320-1050 driver for 7 4’ bridgelux strips. The driver is up to 305 v 1.05a and the strips are 39v with a 1.4a max current. I plan on ordering from digikey unless there are any better suggestions. They also have a 39v 8.9a driver for the same price I could run 8 strips on, what do you think the better option would be. Im going to be using it as supplemental lighting and to get an inexpensive build under my belt so coverage isnt incredibly important.
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What do you think about this?
It’s 90w pannel, but i want to connecting this one to 30w driver.
It will be ~110 lm/w, not so bad i think.
yes someone can say that this is sucks, but you can keep them closer to the plants.
They are very cheap and affordable.
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I would go with the first driver and do a series build.
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I think the diodes are too close, it’s going to require a heat sink of some sort. And at 110 lm/W it is not even as efficient as the EB Gen 2 straps at 175 lm/W. How “inexpensive” are they?
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Good writeup and pics for strip frame build.
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Kinda have to question quality being that cheap
First thing i look for on here ig’s physical size this is only 20"×18"
Ddp I’d you lower it to the nanufactures specs (12") you gave a virtual foot print of 20"×18" 
Check out some id the links above those builds are for 22" strips or ~44" much better coverage imo 
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I like those a lot but you might want to put some red rubber covers on those, protect your eyes, head or whatever?
regards,
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Sharing my stripping notes.
No way I have all this correct. Musta goofed something up.
Driver is an XLG-150-L-AB. (do my specs match?)
If you see anything glaring, please kick me!
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My Vero 18s which are a few years old now, are still available for like $8/ea and are designed to be ran at roughly 30w.
Compared to what’s been shown in this thread they aren’t as efficient but at 131w/lm according to the spec sheet are more efficient and better quality than what you’ve posted. They also have easy wiring as they have a slot you simply push the wire into and it locks in place.
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Looks right to me…
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Are there benefits/downfalls between parallel and series wiring?
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So long as you have the appropriate driver, both are about the same.
A series circuit adds the voltage while the current remains constant. If one strip fails, the rest of the strips will fail as well.
A parallel circuit adds the current while the voltage remains constant. If one strip fails, the rest will continue to run at a higher current.
I prefer series, they are easier to wire but require higher voltage (and less amperage).
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As counterpoint to what @ReikoX said, we’re dealing with very thin wire insulation and cut metal frames with lots of possible burs and other ways to nick the wires. I’m no electrician, but my understanding after speaking to my stepdad who was a lineman and industrial electrician and taught industrial electricity at a tech school for 30 years is this:
Series wiring in almost all of these builds uses 100v+, many utilizing up to 300v or more. While you do have the benefit of any single strip/COB failure resulting in the whole fixture turning off, and it’s much simpler than parallel wiring, the high voltage in these series builds presents a serious electrocution hazard should the insulation of any of your wires get nicked or be loose enough for you to touch live wires. That shit can and will happen fairly easily.
Besides being an electrocution hazard, >50v series wiring means you will also run afoul of your local electrical codes governing the use of unlicensed and uncertified high voltage equipment without proper inspection and certification. This means that if there’s a fire and the insurance adjusters/inspectors find out you were running uncertified, uninspected and unlicensed high voltage equipment, they will not pay out on your claim, even if it wasn’t the cause of the fire or damage. That came directly from the mouth of a fire department inspector in Albuquerque when I asked him while he was inspecting a dispensary grow where I trimmed.
By contrast, parallel wiring of these builds allows for very low voltage (typically 55v or less, with Blux 4’ strips being < 40v and 2’ strips being < 20v) that present much much much lower risk of electrocution than series wiring. Such low voltage does not require any local certification or inspection if it’s under 50v, generally, but check your local electrical codes. This came directly from the mouth of a certified master electrician here in Colorado. Also, most of the parallel builds recommended here will have plenty of heatsinking headroom, should one of the strips die and the rest of the strips be forced to carry it’s current.
Food for thought. For me, I will use parallel wiring for everything going forward just for the insurance issues alone.
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Definitely something to think about for sure, going to check my local codes.
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An interesting and often overlooked part of the DIY lighting craft…
I did my last light using parallel but definitely have some series cobs still running.
IMO this would be a good reason to consider buying premade lights. However, if you try to find grow lights that are UL or ETL listed it’s actually pretty difficult.
HLG lights are ETL but only the higher wattage lights. None of spider farmer stuff is UL or ETL and same for pretty much everyone except… Mars Hydro??? Not a fan of those guys, but props to them for going the extra mile there.
I wonder what would happen from an insurance perspective in the event a non UL/ETL purchased light was involved in a fire?
Edit: I would guess insurance would deny your claim and it would be up to you to sue the manufacturer.
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As I understand it from that conversation with the fire marshall, you’ll only have issues if you’re in violation of local code/ordinances for high voltage. If your local code don’t require certification and inspections for a low voltage device, the insurance adjuster can’t set a higher bar than that.
But I’m no expert on this or anything else, and I encourage everyone to review their local codes/ordinances because they are put in place to provide guidance on exactly this type of question. I just thought it was very damning for high-voltage series wiring.
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Burrs. The two spots, I had to run wire through holes, got a liquid electrical tape “grommet”, until I get around to installing rubber grommets.
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yes, and the local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction) is almighty (and are suppose to ensure NFPA Codes are used as a minimum standard), which can be according to where you live (there again, state codes) the fire marshal, fire chief, the insurance underwriter, from here it goes down to whom ever gives two shits about it too be quite honest, I worked as fire safety design engineer for many years.
regards,
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