Got a new light from Growdaddy - No Instructions?

[Old ST1R]

Hey, so my new light kit from Growdaddy came in today, and I was fully expecting the package to include some instructions, or at least a wiring diagram.

I have no idea how to wire this thing - in series or parallel- don’t even really know what that means.

I was also expecting a more powerful driver, although I really have no idea what this one is capable of. But each of the 8 strips is rated for 48 watts and the driver is only good for 240 watts? Does that mean I can get only 30 watts to each strip?

Can anyone provide a link to wiring instructions? I can handle the connections, I just need to know what goes where.

I got 8 of these strips:



And this driver:



Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[treefarmercharlie]

You can run that 240W driver at 280W. I don’t know why he doesn’t include wiring diagrams. I texted him when I got my kit and he sent me the wiring info. I’d just text or email him. He seems to be quicker to respond to texts though.

 

[treefarmercharlie]

BTW, if you were expecting a bigger driver check your order to see what it is supposed to come with. He could’ve accidentally sent you the wrong driver.

 

[Old ST1R]

BTW, if you were expecting a bigger driver check your order to see what it is supposed to come with. He could’ve accidentally sent you the wrong driver.

All our correspondence was via email. I just asked him to send me the best driver for those 8 strips. He didn’t tell me what it was going to be.

I also asked for at least an eight foot cord and he sent me a five foot chord. I said I wanted the light to be 44” long and he sent me a bunch of 18” pieces.

I gotta say I’m not that happy.

 

[treefarmercharlie]

I gotta say I’m not that happy.

I don’t blame you. It sounds like he either sent you the wrong stuff or he wasn’t paying attention to what you wanted. He sent me the wrong driver once but he sent me a a return label and shipped my replacement out as soon as I contacted him.

 

[H.A.F.]

All our correspondence was via email. I just asked him to send me the best driver for those 8 strips. He didn’t tell me what it was going to be.

I also asked for at least an eight foot cord and he sent me a five foot chord. I said I wanted the light to be 44” long and he sent me a bunch of 18” pieces.

I gotta say I’m not that happy.

I bought a small DIY kit for veg that was pre-cut and measured, went together easy but I had to hunt for wiring info. Youtube is good for that, check "unboxing"

 

[H.A.F.]

When I wanted a new light for flower and the sizes he had in stock would require creativity on my part to make it work, (40" x 40") I went to @TerpyTyrone and told him the measurements and said "make one" - and it fit and it works.

 

[Old ST1R]

I don’t blame you. It sounds like he either sent you the wrong stuff or he wasn’t paying attention to what you wanted. He sent me the wrong driver once but he sent me a a return label and shipped my replacement out as soon as I contacted him.

Everyone here always spoke very highly of him and said he was a good guy. I thought he’d take care of me, not take advantage of me.

I have emailed him. Hopefully he makes things right.

Or maybe I just don’t understand what I’ve got and it is right, as far as the driver goes.

 

[H.A.F.]

Everyone here always spoke very highly of him and said he was a good guy. I thought he’d take care of me, not take advantage of me.

I have emailed him. Hopefully he makes things right.

Or maybe I just don’t understand what I’ve got and it is right, as far as the driver goes.

It's a good product, but not unique. I bought a pre-boxed kit because when I contacted him to get something specifically veg to my closet or at least a recommendation of what to get he never got back to me. After I bought it and asked on his site how to wire it I had laready said fuck t and looked for it on the tube and had the thing working before he did answer a few days later.

I let him know I liked the light, and that he would have made more money off me if he was there to sell me some extra blue strips or whatever. As it stands I have is lowest priced model and that's all he gets from me. No hard feelings but that ain't customer service.

 

[Streetpro09]

Man thats rough. Would think when you contact him he'll make it right. That driver does seem kinda undersized for 8 strips. 6 would be about right. Maybe he's having problems getting them. Wth? I had to ask him for wiring diagrams too. Kinda figured he would've changed that by now. I felt totally lost with the first kit i bought too. Though mine came with the right size rails. Diy is definitely diy anymore. He seems to be more of a parts supplier for the true diyer. Like wholesaling strips/boards and heatsinks. Doesn't have much of a listing for drivers.

 

[treefarmercharlie]

Everyone here always spoke very highly of him and said he was a good guy. I thought he’d take care of me, not take advantage of me.

I have emailed him. Hopefully he makes things right.

Or maybe I just don’t understand what I’ve got and it is right, as far as the driver goes.

I’ve only ordered 3 kits from him so I don’t have any solid opinion on him. What size tent are you using this for? It sounds like he basically sent you a kit that makes two 4 strip lights, driven by a single driver, that would be suitable for a 2x4 tent. If it’s for a 3”2x4 tent then I would tell him you want it to be a single 44” long frame like you requested and hopefully he’ll just send you the two 44” long pieces of angle aluminum.

 

[TerpyTyrone]

Technology: Constant Current C.C. Constant Power C.P. Constant Voltage

That driver can be hooked up in a few ways. I'd recommend parallel - series.

But yes its severely undersized.
I use a 350w driver that gies up to 390w
That one may go up to 260 safely

 

[TerpyTyrone]

I’ve only ordered 3 kits from him so I don’t have any solid opinion on him. What size tent are you using this for? It sounds like he basically sent you a kit that makes two 4 strip lights, driven by a single driver, that would be suitable for a 2x4 tent. If it’s for a 3”2x4 tent then I would tell him you want it to be a single 44” long frame like you requested and hopefully he’ll just send you the two 44” long pieces of angle aluminum.

The heatsinks only fit one light. I buy custom heatsinks to run 2 strips on each sink.
A 4x4 with a 350w driver turned down. Its been warm here.

 

[treefarmercharlie]

The heatsinks only fit one light. I buy custom heatsinks to run 2 strips on each sink.
A 4x4 with a 350w driver turned down. Its been warm here.
View attachment 100519

Yeah, I didn’t even think that he would need a way to join the lengths together. Hopefully Peter will send him a return label to send the heatsinks and frame rails back and just send him what he wanted.

 

[Bustenbeans]

@Rocman91 sounds weirdly familiar?

 

[TerpyTyrone]

Yeah, I didn’t even think that he would need a way to join the lengths together. Hopefully Peter will send him a return label to send the heatsinks and frame rails back and just send him what he wanted.

If I had the time and a backer. I'd like to get 200 strips right from China with my name.
I would do custom heatsinks and assemble the light for them.
Just put back in the screws and hookup the 5 wires in the driver. Easy peasy. It weighs 7 lbs without the driver. So shipping is a breeze. I have to work on a gew things on my end. @H.A.F. was a champ to work with !
My first successful build and ship. Well kinda

 

[Bustenbeans]

This help?

 

[Weedkiller]

Drivers can be confusing and I found out its best to do my own research. I know drivers aren't exactly easy to lay hands on. Hopefully dude makes it right lights are expensive

 

[Old ST1R]

I’ve only ordered 3 kits from him so I don’t have any solid opinion on him. What size tent are you using this for? It sounds like he basically sent you a kit that makes two 4 strip lights, driven by a single driver, that would be suitable for a 2x4 tent. If it’s for a 3”2x4 tent then I would tell him you want it to be a single 44” long frame like you requested and hopefully he’ll just send you the two 44” long pieces of angle aluminum.

It is for a 2x4. He did get back to me and he said I should build two 18x18 squares and join them together with a space in between. He said I should run the strips side to side, but I’m my mind they are running front to back.

this is how i wired this driverView attachment 97461

He sent me this wiring diagram.

Man thats rough. Would think when you contact him he'll make it right. That driver does seem kinda undersized for 8 strips. 6 would be about right. Maybe he's having problems getting them. Wth? I had to ask him for wiring diagrams too. Kinda figured he would've changed that by now. I felt totally lost with the first kit i bought too. Though mine came with the right size rails. Diy is definitely diy anymore. He seems to be more of a parts supplier for the true diyer. Like wholesaling strips/boards and heatsinks. Doesn't have much of a listing for drivers.

He said the driver should pull close to 300 watts from the wall if I turn the screw on the bottom of the driver almost all the way up. I think 300 will be fine in my tent, but I was expecting to get closer to 400 potential, even though I would need to dim it down.

Technology: Constant Current C.C. Constant Power C.P. Constant Voltage

That driver can be hooked up in a few ways. I'd recommend parallel - series.

But yes its severely undersized.
I use a 350w driver that gies up to 390w
That one may go up to 260 safely

See above. Peter said I should be able to get close to 300. Is the drawing he sent above “parallel-series”?

Yeah, I didn’t even think that he would need a way to join the lengths together. Hopefully Peter will send him a return label to send the heatsinks and frame rails back and just send him what he wanted.

I think I’ll hit Lowe’s and buy a couple 4 foot lengths of 1/2” angle. Otherwise I’m waiting another three weeks to get it from Tennessee to Alberta.

 

[treefarmercharlie]

Yeah, that looks like series parallel wiring. It looks like what you have is basically what I'm running in my 2x4 (two 18" lights) but I bought mine separately so each one has a 150W driver. My first grows with the light were maxed out at 240W total, but I bumped the Sangria Cookies grow up to 280W total to see how the plants handle it and how much heat it puts into the tent. 280W seems to be working really well for me.