So I was gifted a unopened driver, it’s a Meanwell HGL-240C 1400B. So unlike most folks, instead of looking for a driver for my leds, I’m looking for led configurations/ideas for this specific driver. I’m envisioning maybe a 2-teired mother/veg setup, if I could. I know leave it to Harlow to do things ass-backwards, but, it’s what I do…
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What is your budget and/or grow space. That driver is about 250-watts max.
If it were me, I would go with the four SolStix X3 by @Baudelaire in series. It would cost you about $200 with the heat sinks.
https://solstrip.com/en/solstix/28-solstix-x3.html
Another option would be the ChilLED Logic pucks. You could run four of those as well, but it would cost $250 for the pucks, plus you would need the heat sinks to match them.
https://chilledgrowlights.com/our-products-services/diy-led-grow-light-parts/diy-led-boards-and-heatsinks/chilled-logic-100w-pcb
The cheapest option would be the Vero or Citizen COBs. They would cost $80-$100, but again you would need heat sinks.
https://www.rapidled.com/vero29-3500k-80-cri-d/
https://www.rapidled.com/citizen-amber-cob-clu048-1212c4-22al1k3/
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Thanks man, I’d say 2X2 stacked for 100~125w split between. I’m a cheap bastard, I like value for my buckz. The price and availability of heatsinks for COBs have been keeping me shy. It’s a shame because the COB prices are very money valued now-a-days. I need to go to a industrial scrap yard and do some dumpster diving(by the pound) I guess.
The problem is, you cannot “split” the driver between veg and flower. The driver is on or off, can’t individually control strips/cobs etc. Well not cheaply or easily anyway…
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I had said a two tiered veg/mom room so with the same 18/6 cycle, just one box sitting on top of the other. Vertical footprint as apposed to horizontal.
One could very easily do the split times with two rigs, as long as the amperage rating isn’t exceeded on ether rig. Two rigs running at 49%, the18 hour one would just use 98% the current for six hours, The driver will automatically adjust for voltage. Any name brand LED should be rated well beyond a few millisecond inrush that might be invoked. The LED spec sheet will tell you maximum current limits, which differs from the recommended rated voltage/current(still talking inrush here). Dimming that 98% output rig would require a PWM controller if one wanted to dim. Every blinking and/or color changing LED out there uses a very similar format.
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I probably need more coffee, but Im not following how this would work. Could you give more details?
It sounds like you will have two separate spaces, but both will be running an 18/6 cycle? I dont understand the 98% thing. Why would one space use 98%?
Also, where would the PWM controller go - between the driver and the LED’s? If so, I dont think that will work very well.
It’s a B-type driver, it has a separate wire pair for dimming. PWM, 1-10V, or resistive.
Yes, I understand that, but if you do that you dim both sections at the same time, so I still dont see how that helps you. I also till dont understand the 98% thing or how you are wiring this up exactly.
Are you trying to light each space alternately or with some alternating cycle?
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By the way, I have kidney stones at the moment and am on drugs as you can imagine, so just in case this comes across the wrong way, Im not trying to give you a hard time! I just dont follow what you are planning or wanting to accomplish, and want to be sure you dont try something that will cost you.
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I believe to run 2 different light schedules, you’d need to wire 2 different circuits (series/parallel) and also put a relay or mosfet on each. I sure as shit wouldn’t try something that advance, but I presume with good research, and if the numbers all agree …
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Sorry, that second part was just a ramble, I thought that space between would show that, my bad.
Nothing complicated at all really. I’m just wanting to make my footprint vertical instead of horizontal, aka “Shelve Lighting”. With 4 COBs for example, 2 on top, the other two around 36" directly below them. With both box’s(say 2’X2’) being for veg it will be running the same exact time 18-6. One would be the mom’s room and the other would be for the babies.
(@anon32470837 PWM dimming at the driver at the time of contact would just coddle the contacts. ramp down-ramp up measured in deciseconds. Any need of this would be based on thermal loads.
@Skybound Latching contact would most likely be in order, unless it’s a CV. The average relay isn’t really beefy enough for continuous duty, even if they state they are. Yes the math, that is the only “hard part”. I could never imagine this application in this arena for doing this, any extra light would go to the wrong side…)
As for that part about splitting times… Who would even want to do that, I was only commenting on difficulty/complexity. It would be intermediate level at best, but again why, maybe ask @anon32470837? There could be a hidden answer 
but that’s a whole different topic.
I confused the issue assuming you wanted two areas with a different schedules. You clearly said mom and clone, my bad.
In that case, I would likely just put three strips/cobs over the moms and one over the clones. All four run in series with the same driver. Clones really dont need much light.
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Yes, this = K.I.S.S. = the way to go on this.
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This is all good information indeed. So now what I really want to know is, Is there a difference as far as optimal performance with the led choices to this driver in a 4 rail configuration? All will work, but is one really better then the others, Like with the three COBs above is the one that is 1/3 more in cost really 1/3 better in over all performance. I would think in the end the strips because of spread, but I have zero firsthand experience this type of lighting as far as performance.
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The strips have a better spread and are one of the cheapest options. The driver will run them soft, 1400 mA of their 2000 mA capabilities. This will let them run more efficient.
The ChilLED logic are excellent to replace COBs and have some far red built in. They are probably better for flower than moms and clones.
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Well things changed with the quickness… Got a deal on (4) QB132 2700k, so a very quick 26"X26" frame made from scrap window screening frame/ceiling grid, a bloom light for the 36X36. $50.00 total, if I had paid full price everything it would have been around $250(including the frame).
Only as far as I got tonight, couple dabs of silicon to hold some wires and a power cord and it’ll be ready to check and test. If I am understanding, with this driver and these boards it’ll run best with the dim wires capped maxing out around 200w.
Quick Update “It’s a grow-er not a show-er”, that’s for sure. Much better coverage with less watts then the two 150w box contraption I had goin’ on.
Still waiting on daylight for proper female plug, switch and the dabs of silicone.
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Looks good. If you have trouble with excess heat in the tent, you can move the driver outside. If you do that, use larger wire to run between the lights and driver.
Remember that even though these drivers are very efficient - around 94% max - that still leaves a minimum of 14 watts of the 240 max going into pure heat inside the tent. These drivers are most efficient at 100% power out, so the heating effect goes UP when you run them at less than 100%.
Think about how much heat you get from a 15 watt soldering iron inside your tent… or maybe 2 of them…
Nice deal, those should work great with that driver.
@anon32470837
Any idea what the maximum run length would be? I could not find that information in the specs. I used the recommended solid core 18 against my own judgements, so I made the wire runs minimal. I would need 4-6 feet run to get this driver mounted outside. This is one of the questions I was hoping to get from all the above.
It went from 74F to 81F just from switching from active to passive cooled lights indeed. With the draw being the same in both the old and the new, I’m thinking adding some circulation might be in order. The heat seems to be pooling at the canopy anyways, 77F at the door top zipper height, 74F at the bottom and 81F canopy. Being able to have the lights much closer and the canopy getting fuller, I’m sure, has a added impact. I got a 6" height drop with zero outer fringe woes. Get to go to town later today, I’ll just have to see what our one horse community has too offer me.
You need the 18 ga solid wire at the frame end to make the connections to the strips, but you want to run stranded wire from the driver outside the tent to the light frame inside the tent. I would recommend 14 ga stranded wire for that. Even common lamp cord should work fine as long as its 14 ga or larger. Thats a little over kill, but I dont like to under size wire.
If there is no fan in your tent now, then the reason the temp is higher at canopy level is probably because the sensor is getting direct heating from being hit by the lights. I found the same thing with my LED lights, but if you put the temp sensor in the shade at the same level it will read the actual air temp, which will be lower.
A fan is a good idea anyway.
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