Got a new light from Growdaddy - No Instructions?

Loco Grown

Active Member
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.


He sent me this wiring diagram.

View attachment 100526


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.


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



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.
I have a couple of similar drivers, although they are the "A" version, not "AB", but they do go close to 300w cranked all the way up. That said, I think a 320w driver would be a better match, assuming you want max lumens. 240watts in a 2x4 is totally ample in my opinion however.
 

Old ST1R

Grow Yer Own Stone
I have a couple of similar drivers, although they are the "A" version, not "AB", but they do go close to 300w cranked all the way up. That said, I think a 320w driver would be a better match, assuming you want max lumens. 240watts in a 2x4 is totally ample in my opinion however.
I understand that it will run cooler if it’s not maxed out?

Still, I would have liked the option to blast the fuck out of em. Lesson learned, I should have picked up the phone and talked to him.

This is what I told him I wanted:

“I’m looking to buy an 8 strip, dimmable light using the mixed spectrum (lm301’s/660 Red/730 IR/UV) strips, complete with the best dimmable driver and I would like it to measure 18” x 44” as you suggested, with at least an 8’ cord. “

Reading it again, I should have been specific regarding my wattage expectations.
 

Loco Grown

Active Member
I understand that it will run cooler if it’s not maxed out?

Still, I would have liked the option to blast the fuck out of em. Lesson learned, I should have picked up the phone and talked to him.

This is what I told him I wanted:

“I’m looking to buy an 8 strip, dimmable light using the mixed spectrum (lm301’s/660 Red/730 IR/UV) strips, complete with the best dimmable driver and I would like it to measure 18” x 44” as you suggested, with at least an 8’ cord. “

Reading it again, I should have been specific regarding my wattage expectations.
Yes, it will run cooler with less power, everything does. The LEDs will also run more efficient at lower power. I'm not really familiar with this kit, how much does it cost? Maybe you can ask him to replace the 240w driver with a 320w for a few bucks more. I think the cost difference of those two drivers is like $20 or $30.
 

Loco Grown

Active Member
“I’m looking to buy an 8 strip, dimmable light using the mixed spectrum (lm301’s/660 Red/730 IR/UV) strips, complete with the best dimmable driver and I would like it to measure 18” x 44” as you suggested, with at least an 8’ cord. “
There isn't much red in those strips really. Looks like 4 660nm diodes for every 96 diodes on a strip.
 

NoWaistedSpace

PICK YOUR OWN
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:

View attachment 100510

And this driver:

View attachment 100511

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Did you get it figured out? DM me if you need help still.
 

NoWaistedSpace

PICK YOUR OWN
I have a couple of similar drivers, although they are the "A" version, not "AB", but they do go close to 300w cranked all the way up. That said, I think a 320w driver would be a better match, assuming you want max lumens. 240watts in a 2x4 is totally ample in my opinion however.
I run 4 of these strips per HLG-240-2100mA. I can get over 300 watts out of each driver this way.
 

Loco Grown

Active Member
I run 4 of these strips per HLG-240-2100mA. I can get over 300 watts out of each driver this way.
When you say 4-strips, is it really 4 of the 24v strips, or are you running multiple in series to create one "strip". I'm struggling to understand how you can crank 300w through 4 24v - 1040mA strips.
 

NoWaistedSpace

PICK YOUR OWN
The 240-2100mA type A Meanwell driver uses up to 119 volts of constant current.
24 volt strips x'4 = 96 volts.
I run them in series.
Old ST1R is getting around 30 watts / strip
He should have hooked him up with a 1750mA driver(320 watt)
These strips will run on 2100mA if they are kept cool.
Surely the reds won't burn out, but maybe. I haven't had an issue at 2100mA.
I'm not buying anymore of the301B/H with the reds and UV.
Not worth that extra $$$.
301B's or the 561's and I'll add my own reds.
Piss on the UV!
 
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Old ST1R

Grow Yer Own Stone
The 240-2100mA type A Meanwell driver uses up to 119 volts of constant current.
24 volt strips x'4 = 96 volts.
I run them in series.
Old ST1R is getting around 30 watts / strip
He should have hooked him up with a 1750mA driver(320 watt)
These strips will run on 2100mA if they are kept cool.
Surely the reds won't burn out, but maybe. I haven't had an issue at 2100mA.
I'm not buying anymore of the301B/H with the reds and UV.
Not worth that extra $$$.
301B's or the 561's and I'll add my own reds.
Piss on the UV!
Why you don’t like the UV?
 

NoWaistedSpace

PICK YOUR OWN
Why you don’t like the UV?
Not for all that extra cash the strips are costing. It's a personal thing is all. I have 4x's- 4ft Pure UV's from Reptisun. I bought a lot of the 660's diodes and the UV's 3 or 4 years ago.
I had bought the 660 strips Growdaddy has about a year ago. They are plenty of extra red. (2, 3, or 4 strips per 4 x 4 area)
If $$$ is not an issue, it's convenient to have a total spectrum range in one strip.
I'm not sure how many of those 301H,plus 660,UV's I bought. If I had to do over, I'd bought the 301B's plain. 561's are the best deal for coverage. There isn't that much difference in them and the 301B. There's enough extra to prefer the 301B's for quality.
I'm moody about stuff I see being advertised in the led market. Definitely Samsung diodes are one of the best.
Honestly, I am using my Vero 29's more than the strips. I am getting better response from the plants for some reason.
More pinpoint intensity I'm guessing is the benefit to the spread in certain circumstances.
 

Loco Grown

Active Member
Not for all that extra cash the strips are costing. It's a personal thing is all. I have 4x's- 4ft Pure UV's from Reptisun. I bought a lot of the 660's diodes and the UV's 3 or 4 years ago.
I had bought the 660 strips Growdaddy has about a year ago. They are plenty of extra red. (2, 3, or 4 strips per 4 x 4 area)
If $$$ is not an issue, it's convenient to have a total spectrum range in one strip.
I'm not sure how many of those 301H,plus 660,UV's I bought. If I had to do over, I'd bought the 301B's plain. 561's are the best deal for coverage. There isn't that much difference in them and the 301B. There's enough extra to prefer the 301B's for quality.
I'm moody about stuff I see being advertised in the led market. Definitely Samsung diodes are one of the best.
Honestly, I am using my Vero 29's more than the strips. I am getting better response from the plants for some reason.
More pinpoint intensity I'm guessing is the benefit to the spread in certain circumstances.
I've heard that UV diodes also have a tendency to burn out faster than diodes in the visible spectrum.
 

Loco Grown

Active Member
This is how I want to set up the strips. It seems like this would give better coverage than two 18 x 18’s with an 8” gap between the two. I think there would be quite a bit more wire involved, but that shouldn’t hurt anything, should it?

View attachment 100543
You will have a center hotspot with the bars laid out evenly like that. If you space out the center bars a bit, and cluster the ends tighter together you can avoid the center hotspot issue a bit. Something like this:

Screenshot - 2021-10-22T163254.769.png
 
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