LED Drivers: Cheap generic drivers vs Mean Well?

[Esrgood4u]

This is a branch of a discussion that started at the SolStrip product announcements thread. While not specifically relevant to SolStrip products, I thought the discussion was educational and worth preserving, as the topic of using inexpensive generic power supplies with high-power LED lights comes up frequently.

Apologies to @Esrgood4u, who never intended to start this discussion or promote a specific view on the subject. -b420 @Baudelaire

@Esrgood4u said:

The Chinese drivers come in at more than 3/4 less in price than the meanwell drivers. I recently bought a 24v 120w one for less than £10 to run 4 solstrips in my baby tent. Works very well for my needs. As long as it 24v (for two row) or 36v (3 row) and 600w any make should work fine.

[HandsOn]

@Esrgood4u

come in at more than 3/4 less in price than the meanwell drivers. I recently bought a 24v 120w one for less than £10 to run 4 solstrips in my baby tent. Works very well for my needs. As long as it 24v (for two row) or 36v (3 row) and 600w any make should work fine

I will do some research on some of them tonight

[Esrgood4u]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Regulated-Switching-Driver-Power-Supply-Universal-AC-DC-LED-DC-12V-24V-48V/173349787570?hash=item285c73d7b2:m:maFOackn0ER489otNiDn3-w
£35 for 24v 600w chinese

[Baudelaire]

Solstrip.com for all your SolStrip needs…

@Esrgood4u I’m surprised to hear you’ve had luck with those generic power supplies. I gave up after the fifth or sixth one burned up in a day or week or month. Even while they worked, they rarely operated at their listed voltage and/or current ranges. And then there is their poor 67-79% operating efficiencies, which effectively means you are re-paying the cost of the driver every other month or so in wasted electricity.

Mean Well drivers are expensive (comparably), but I’ve never had a single one die, out of dozens and dozens, even with much abuse and neglect, they keep on trucking. Efficiency in the +95% range, and waterproof - which means you can use it inside the grow space without worry. Don’t try that with any of those open-cased generics. Nasty shocks and darkened bloom spaces await.

-b420

[Esrgood4u]

I do admit to the power fluctuations. I can have it sat stable at 480w but once my sonoff pow switches off then back on again it’s usually dropped to around 460w and I have to readjust accordingly but temperature wise and reliability (ie- not blowing on me) I cant knock them. Obviously one day I will upgrade to dimmable meanwells but for now these are working good enough.

[anon58740919]

I got 9 oz off a plant using a shit Chinese driver with strips. And the best bud I’ve grown has been under citiled cluo38’s. And whichever I’ve used my electric has been fuckall like it would with hps. Plus the buds been decent. So save a oner on a driver and take someone for a nice meal or something.

That’s got a £4 driver attached to it. Pay more attention to what’s going over the plants than what’s powering it. Cos cost means a lot to all of us

[Baudelaire]

@Esrgood4u

I can have it sat stable at 480w but once my sonoff pow switches off then back on again it’s usually dropped to around 460w

How’s the voltage stability? That’s where I’ve seen the biggest issues - no true constant current stability, as the LEDs heat up, voltage climbs right with them, until the over-voltage breakers are tripped, or worse ~sizzle~

[anon58740919]

Stable enough. Just set the drivers to under volt by about .2 and those dramas you speak of are gone. Which I might add you also see on meanwell drivers on a 240v circuit in the UK. The power at the wall tends to fluctuate between between 237/248 volts. Give one another go under volted see what you make of it

[Esrgood4u]

They seem fine. I’ve got a voltmeter In a draw somewhere I’ll give it a test tomorrow and see how much it fluctuates and report back. They only really climb higher than rating when I adjust the pot. It only takes a really fine adjustment and they shoot up so I’ve learned sometimes only just push the driver into the slot can be enough for the required adjustment. My drivers are both located externally and above the tents so shock from water is unlikely. Don’t get me wrong. As soon as they play up if I’ve got the cash I’ll invest in some meanwells but for now I’m a little cash strapped and these work fine. No heat issues. I do admit both are running on 30 amp car wiring loom cable as standard cable became too hot for my liking

[anon58740919]

@Esrgood4u

issues. I do admit both are running on 30 amp car wiring loom cable as standard cable became too hot for my liking

You can counter that on the Chinese by splitting your loom along the run and running from the other outputs on the DC side of the driver mate

[Esrgood4u]

Something I didn’t think about doing. The 30amp cable was cheap enough mate and no heat at all coming from it so we are golden it only cost me £5 for 3 meters so…

[anon32470837]

@Esrgood4u

The Chinese drivers come in at more than 3/4 less in price than the meanwell drivers. I recently bought a 24v 120w one for less than £10 to run 4 solstrips in my baby tent. Works very well for my needs. As long as it 24v (for two row) or 36v (3 row) and 600w any make should work fine.

One of the reasons they are so much cheaper (aside from the obvious reasons) is that they are not true Constant Current LED drivers. Note that they are “regulated power supplies”, which is not even close to the same thing. LED’s really need a Constant Current or CCCV power supply to function best. Regulated will work, but not as well as it could and not as safely. You will notice drifting ans there is a real chance of thermal runaway if pushed hard.

Not saying you cant do it, but its far from best practice.

[anon58740919]

It is a CCTV driver. 480w 24v wish people would stop repeating other people’s speculative shite and just try it. If not keep blowing your doh. Cola is past giving a fuck

[Esrgood4u]

Your correct about the drift but I’ve noticed they drift downwards (wattage drops) but only ever by around 10 - 20w max. Nothing drastic and nothing worth worrying about. I’m sure if I shortened the cable from the solstrip to the driver (it’s around 2.5 meters at the moment as I have it located outside my tent and up high for safety reasons) I’d be able to get it to stabilise and keep the power more constant. I have no heat issues what so ever with the cheaper driver and because of this I highly doubt it will ever fail on me. It does exactly what it advertises and drives the strips at a rate that’s more than acceptable for my needs. If I had the cash spare I’d definitely have dimmable meanwells but at the moment this is not the case.

[Esrgood4u]

Mate its working perfect in my eyes and it’s covering my needs. What I’m seeing here is like what I used to see on RIU. But instead of quantum board fan boys we have meanwell fan boys

[anon58740919]

I am literally out tryna save brothers a few quid. Fuck I’ll help people freely as you know. But after a while of repeatedly repeating the same shit. I’m about done. OG has developed a right collection of cock measuring nonsensers

[Esrgood4u]

Agreed. Same shit happened over there and it was enough for me to leave and never go back again. We both gave our views and advice that they work fine and are a quarter of the price. I was that impressed with the 480w I went out and bought a 120w for my small tent.

[anon58740919]

You’re spot on there mate. I was there under the same name. I fell for all the meanwell bollocks to start with with my first lights. (The first I ever made I sold to a spark who said he couldnt do better). Luckily i had materials to fuck about with and learn what works.

[Esrgood4u]

It’s like choosing between a Ferrari and a Ford. It doesn’t matter as long as it gets you too your final destination

[anon58740919]

I’d rather drive the ford with today’s pricing