How To Adjust My New Cxb3590 Lighting Setup?

Qu3ster · May 5, 2016

Ok so I have completed my build of my new light bar running (2) CXB3590 @3000K and (2) CXB3590 @4000K in series being driven by a Mean Well A series 1400ma driver. now I only have one question (so far) and that would be when I am dimming these puppies down what am I measuring and where? Voltage? Amperage? Par?.
This is the one thing that I am completely stumped by at this point. I got all the other build logic but this is escaping me and unfortunately I do not have a trusted source locally I can bounce this off of.
I can turn the little pot inside the driver up and down and see the light dim but I am unsure what to use as my gauge as to when it is adjusted correctly.
Sorry if this is a stupid question but I am stumped......

keiksweat · May 6, 2016

Qu3ster said:
Ok so I have completed my build of my new light bar running (2) CXB3590 @3000K and (2) CXB3590 @4000K in series being driven by a Mean Well A series 1400ma driver. now I only have one question (so far) and that would be when I am dimming these puppies down what am I measuring and where? Voltage? Amperage? Par?.
This is the one thing that I am completely stumped by at this point. I got all the other build logic but this is escaping me and unfortunately I do not have a trusted source locally I can bounce this off of.
I can turn the little pot inside the driver up and down and see the light dim but I am unsure what to use as my gauge as to when it is adjusted correctly.
Sorry if this is a stupid question but I am stumped......

yes I'm interested about dimming drivers too.just starting to get parts for my build,I definitely need to be able to dimm the lights when needed.I thought id need extra bits like variable capacitor,or some other driver?thanks..

AvidLerner · May 8, 2016

My understanding, you are dimming the current from the established rate of 1400mA to 700mA cutting current to 50% rated to all four COB's, which will reduce Watts to the same rate by equation, reducing Par, as well. The only difference between internal and external driver, is the internal driver is adjusted with a screwdriver and the exterior needs a 100k potentiometer and 10k resister wired to the4 first two leads of the pot. peace.

seaslug · May 13, 2016

I think the easiest method for electrical measurement is to plug into a Kill-a-Watt meter and work from there.

But what is important is the light on your plants so I'd recommend a cheap ($30) light meter (lux, lumens). A good PAR meter costs hundreds of dollars.

keiksweat · May 13, 2016

seaslug said:
I think the easiest method for electrical measurement is to plug into a Kill-a-Watt meter and work from there.
View attachment 599604
But what is important is the light on your plants so I'd recommend a cheap ($30) light meter (lux, lumens). A good PAR meter costs hundreds of dollars.

I know its shite,but I use the lux meter on my soil ph tester.just to get a ruff idea were the intensity drops off.I've heard there's par meter's available for I phone's now.still expensive,but cool.I'd love a proper one.

seaslug · May 13, 2016

Well, the proper quantum PAR sensor for LED has always been Licor but now Apogee has an improved model for some competition. http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantum/

This stuff is of intense interest to the gurus at the RIU LED forum but a basic light meter is all a grower needs, IMO.

Toaster79 · May 13, 2016

The internal potentiometer is ment to adjust the output current of the driver and leave it be. It is not ment to be used as a dimmer. If you're about to use the dimming function of your driver, us an external potentiometer. You've got two options there. Aforementioned 100K pot or 0-10V.

seaslug · May 13, 2016

Not meant to be used as a dimmer? What is the functional difference between the internal pot of a model A and an externally mounted pot on the model B?

Toaster79 · May 13, 2016

Probably 990000 turns

seaslug · May 14, 2016

Meaning MTBF? Yeah, but I can't imagine a model A being worn out by tweaking it two or twelve times every grow.
Edit: yes I can imagine it, pots can be shitty--both PCB and panel mount.

Toaster79 · May 14, 2016

Those units are built in China, so internal trimmers are questionable. No doubt they use good quality IGBT MOSFETS for current regulation and first class capacitors but they need to make money somwhere, don't they. And when an internal trimmer has 10000 turns MTBF, then I have no lust to fuck around with it.

On the other hand you, me, we all need to understand those drivers weren't built for us, for the purpuse we're using them.

The A series are ment to be built in the office building, lux measured on the desk and current set to the minimum level to the code and be left alone.

The B series are the "home edition", to be installed and never ever be botherd until they fail, and regulated by the external pot one, five, hundred times a day until that pot fails. And the pot you buy and install should have 1Mil turns MTBF.

Those units aren't built for us!

seaslug · May 14, 2016

Well duh, neither are the COBs but I'm not letting that stop me!
;)
I guess my comment was based on the way circuit board pots used to be.

Toaster79 · May 14, 2016

seaslug said:
Well duh, neither are the COBs but I'm not letting that stop me!
;)
I guess my comment was based on the way circuit board pots used to be.

I started my led jurney in the bicycle/flashlight section pulling every single possible lumen out of those leds, calculating heatsinks and designing reflectors ;) Interior lighting is a joke ;)

JaseSerre · Jan 31, 2017

Hi...i am a new user here. I think you are dimming the current from the established rate of 1400mA to 700mA cutting current to 50% rated to all four COB's, which will reduce Watts to the same rate by equation, reducing Par, as well. The only difference between internal and external driver, is the internal driver is adjusted with a screwdriver and the exterior needs a 100k potentiometer and 10k resister wired to the4 first two leads of the pot.

How To Adjust My New Cxb3590 Lighting Setup?

How To Adjust My New Cxb3590 Lighting Setup?

Qu3ster

keiksweat

AvidLerner

seaslug

keiksweat

seaslug

Toaster79

seaslug

Toaster79

seaslug

Toaster79

seaslug

Toaster79

JaseSerre

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