Converting 120v wired mean well driver to run on 240v

[LetItGrowCassidy]

I recently bought a Spider Farmer SF4000 LED. It runs on 2x Mean Well ELG-240-48A Drivers, which came prewired for 120v. I plan on getting 15 more of them for the room, but need to run them at 240v for the sake of my electrical systems capacity. I wanted to make sure I could get it working as intended before dropping a bunch of money on the rest of em.

I've been having a hard time finding information beyond the mere statement that the driver can be run on 240v, but needs a power cord for it. I understand the principles of wiring a 240v circuit on the electrical system end of things, however, I've never messed with wiring on the appliance end. It seems that the driver only has one Live wire (ACL) port, but my understanding of 240v is that it splits the current between 2 120v Live wires.

I'm seeing 3-wire 240v power cords out there, such as This. Is this what I'm looking for? Can I just run it into the wago connector at the junction that connects the 2 driver's power input? Or would I need to also upgrade the gauge on the wires between the wago junction and drivers to account for the increase in current?

I may have answered my own question, but want to make sure I don't damage the lights or even start a fire.

 

[Luke5150]

240v is two hot legs, 120v is a hot and a common. So make each leg on your receptacle a hot.

 

[Luke5150]

I just changed my 120 v outlets to 240 v . Not advised but you could unhook the breaker the circuit is on . Put in a two pole breaker. Hook the hot up to one post, and the neutral to the other post on the double pole breaker.

 

[Laggings]

I'm really glad you asked this question. I too had similar queries about Meanwell drivers being run on 240v when they come with a standard 5-15 120v plug. My understanding of the technology is limited, and I'm posting here hoping to not only help you but to get confirmation that my understanding is correct, so please take this as you will. The Meanwell drivers have the ability to run on a wide range of input voltages., standard being from a 5-15 NEMA 120v plug. While 5-15 NEMA is only rated for a maximum of 125v, it is completely possible to wire a 5-15 120v plug for 240v. Theoretically, the driver will detect the 240v current and operate as it should. (This appears to be skillfully demonstrated by the user above my post) This however is not recommended for a variety of reasons including fire safety, code requirements, and the potential to forget the 120v 5-15 plug is actually running 240v and fry whatever you plug in. To avoid this confusion, many people use the standard 6-15 NEMA connector for 240v applications. This give you two options; Replace the entire power cord as you have suggested, or cut the 5-15 NEMA end off your current power cord and rewire it to a 6-15 NEMA plug. Most (if not all, to my knowledge) power cords supplied with Meanwell drivers have a high enough AWG rating to run the specified wattage at either voltage.

I look forward to the discussion related to this topic and hope I helped in some way.

 

[Dan789]

I'm really glad you asked this question. I too had similar queries about Meanwell drivers being run on 240v when they come with a standard 5-15 120v plug. My understanding of the technology is limited, and I'm posting here hoping to not only help you but to get confirmation that my understanding is correct, so please take this as you will. The Meanwell drivers have the ability to run on a wide range of input voltages., standard being from a 5-15 NEMA 120v plug. While 5-15 NEMA is only rated for a maximum of 125v, it is completely possible to wire a 5-15 120v plug for 240v. Theoretically, the driver will detect the 240v current and operate as it should. (This appears to be skillfully demonstrated by the user above my post) This however is not recommended for a variety of reasons including fire safety, code requirements, and the potential to forget the 120v 5-15 plug is actually running 240v and fry whatever you plug in. To avoid this confusion, many people use the standard 6-15 NEMA connector for 240v applications. This give you two options; Replace the entire power cord as you have suggested, or cut the 5-15 NEMA end off your current power cord and rewire it to a 6-15 NEMA plug. Most (if not all, to my knowledge) power cords supplied with Meanwell drivers have a high enough AWG rating to run the specified wattage at either voltage.

I look forward to the discussion related to this topic and hope I helped in some way.

Like the way you’ve laid out to use the correct nema configured receptacles and plugs, so anyone coming afterward doesn’t have to use some Rosetta Stone that may not be apparent...In effect idiot proofing the installation, no one has to guess what’s going on...cudo’s.

 

[LetItGrowCassidy]

Laggings, this sounds about in line with what I was thinking. I definitely plan on wiring 240v outlets along a circuit terminating with a 2-pole breaker. Replacing the power cord with a 6-15 NEMA plug is a helpful specification to connect the drivers to that 240v circuit.

If anyone else has experience or can confirm this conclusion, I'd feel a bit more reassured. Thank y'all for responding.

 

[Luke5150]

@letitgrow very nice explanation. For my set up it was just easier to wire my 120v outlet as a 240v outlet. The outlets ended up being 7 ft off the ground. I know no one will be plugging any 120v plugs into the receptacle. Matching correct 240 v plug to 240v receptacle is the way to go for sure

 

[LetItGrowCassidy]

I checked in with the company, whom I was fairly surprised to hear from. They said that rewiring would void any type of service warranty, and suggested just using a 120v to 240v adapter cord.

 

[Vaqueros Verde]

The meanwell driver should not need any rewiring it self. Look at the tag on the driver and it should say input 90-260 vac. The electronics takes care of the different voltage inputs automatically.

It's up to you on the plug end and receptacle. If you use a 110v receptacle and change it to 220v I would damn sure label it so you don't inadvertently plug something in that only runs on 110v.

 

[LetItGrowCassidy]

I am plugging it into a NEMA 6-20 (250v) outlet. I'll be making conversion cords that will stay with each light. The 240v circuit and outlets are on the ceiling specifically for the lights.

 

[CAPTAIN_JOE]

I just changed my 120 v outlets to 240 v . Not advised but you could unhook the breaker the circuit is on . Put in a two pole breaker. Hook the hot up to one post, and the neutral to the other post on the double pole breaker.

are you using something like 12/2 wire

 

[CAPTAIN_JOE]

ok so you ran ground to ground then?