Lighting New driver for a UFO

[Wienerwoods]

I think I found the god-tier driver for a 150W LED...
http://www.lighting.philips.com/mai...nstant-current-xtreme/929000702302_EU/product
...too bad they don't sell them to regular consumers :roflcry:

 

[pop22]

Is this the 50W you were talking about? It seems a bit risky to me to have a current as high as 2.1A. It's a Chinese light after all, it might break right away...

Its a constant current VS constant voltage, si that just means it can supply a max of 2.1 amps. You need to take a voltage reading across the LEDs to know if you can use this. If your string is a nominal 24v, you can use it. You can adjust the voltage up a bit to drive the LEDs higher. I'd try increasing 1 volt at a time up to maybe 28 v.

Wish I could get my hands on a used UFO light cheap, I'd love to upgrade the drivers in one and test over-driving them. I'm willing to bet you could safely run them 15-20% higher without a failure. Infact, I just bought some 3watt LEDs to play with, I'll order a couple drivers and see what can be done. I know this doesn't help you now, but I'm sure you can upgrade. You really need a volt/ihm meter and test the ouput of the one you have, voltage and amperage. Hell, if you have to, offer to buy a replacement driver from the company you bought it from just to see if that helps.

 

[Wienerwoods]

Its a constant current VS constant voltage, si that just means it can supply a max of 2.1 amps. You need to take a voltage reading across the LEDs to know if you can use this. If your string is a nominal 24v, you can use it. You can adjust the voltage up a bit to drive the LEDs higher. I'd try increasing 1 volt at a time up to maybe 28 v.

Wish I could get my hands on a used UFO light cheap, I'd love to upgrade the drivers in one and test over-driving them. I'm willing to bet you could safely run them 15-20% higher without a failure. Infact, I just bought some 3watt LEDs to play with, I'll order a couple drivers and see what can be done. I know this doesn't help you now, but I'm sure you can upgrade. You really need a volt/ihm meter and test the ouput of the one you have, voltage and amperage. Hell, if you have to, offer to buy a replacement driver from the company you bought it from just to see if that helps.

I already offered to buy a driver after I asked for one as a refund. No luck. I asked them if they could at least provide me with the specs for the driver they're using. We'll see if that happens.

Anyway, is the UFO a parellel or series configuration? I thought it was series and I was searching for a constant current driver that can supply the combined voltage of all the LEDs which I approximate is about 140-150V. KsjAuto found me a nice one with 60-86V capacity and 700mA current so 86V*0.7A=~60W, right?

But now I'm confused again

 

[KsjAuto]

HI
Like Pop says,,, you need to messure that driver, And get some facts,,,
Volt/amp, and take it from there...
If your current driver only draws 30w,,, I really think you have a 50x1w led
running on a 300ma driver.. about 100v

If you look up other 50x3w ufo they have more then one driver in the enclosure. and they typically runs on a 600ma driver..

a 600ma driver with a 30w power draw from socket will give you about 50v..
50v for 50 3w chips there you have a problem, can´t really see that working out..

it´s all guesswork..

This is typically the driver used...
1w 250-300ma
3w 600ma Apollo runs 700ma
5w no clue,,, but about 900ma

If you find out some specs,,
I can find a driver for you..in all shape and sizes, with ore without dimmable function e.t.c.

 

[Wienerwoods]

HI
Like Pop says,,, you need to messure that driver, And get some facts,,,
Volt/amp, and take it from there...
If your current driver only draws 30w,,, I really think you have a 50x1w led
running on a 300ma driver.. about 100v

If you look up other 50x3w ufo they have more then one driver in the enclosure. and they typically runs on a 600ma driver..

a 600ma driver with a 30w power draw from socket will give you about 50v..
50v for 50 3w chips there you have a problem, can´t really see that working out..

it´s all guesswork..

This is typically the driver used...
1w 250-300ma
3w 600ma Apollo runs 700ma
5w no clue,,, but about 900ma

If you find out some specs,,
I can find a driver for you..in all shape and sizes, with ore without dimmable function e.t.c.

The thought of 1W diodes did cross my mind.. However, two things derived me from the frame of mind;

1- My last grow used 10W bulbs that had 5x2W diodes each. Each bulb drew ~4.25W so there's no way they could be 1W diodes.
AND the ones I have on the UFO are way bigger than those 2W diodes. I'd imagine that proves they're 3W.

2- There's something wrong with the driver in the first place. When it's out of the plastic box and the housing has been taken apart and I run it, I sometimes see 45W cold start which then settles down at about 40W.

Usually UFO grow lights rated 150W have two drivers, mine only has one. Usually UFO grow lights rated 150W are also 270mm, mine is only 175mm. There's no place for a second driver.

Typical actual power draw for a UFO rated at 150W is 90W. If there were two of the drivers that I only have one of and they were working properly, the power draw would be about 90W. This leads me to think the guys who make these things are cheap-asses and deliberately make the light run at half the power of bigger equivalent lights. Of course I didn't know this when I went looking for a UFO that is under 240mm in diameter. :/

Any (other?) foolproof ways to tell if they're indeed 3W?

 

[Wienerwoods]

I need help picking a new LED light for ~$100. The grow space is 240mm deep and 370mm wide.

I was about to buy this until I saw that the shipping costs would be just under $70.
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/113230/LEDF-100CD700UVH.html

Too expensive for a Chinese $60 light. I can't believe it has come to this but I think it would be more cost-effective to just get a new light.

If I do indeed purchase a new light I want to get it right. Something 100% capable of reaching the maximum potential for a square foot of space.
That being said, $100 isn't an absolute limit but something to aim for. I could even fit a HS1 in the cab but it's waaaay too expensive and probably an overkill anyway.

 

[Magic]

You look at ufo leds from blackstar or apollo horticultural. :Sharing One:

 

[namvet25]

http://www.mars-hydro.com/led-grow-light-100-3w.html

 

[Wienerwoods]

You look at ufo leds from blackstar or apollo horticultural. :Sharing One:

I found a nice one from Blackstar. It's a 50x2W UFO with the same diameter as my current one. Just what I was looking for. Thanks!

http://www.mars-hydro.com/led-grow-light-100-3w.html

This would certainly have enough power but since it's over 40 cm it won't fit. Temperatures might get too high too. I wonder if the new Sun Series 100x3W is going to be smaller...

 

[minime]

Marshydro also do ufo's, there 180w/90-100w true are fairly cheap plus also marshydro are reputable enough not to sell a dud.