LED Driver replacements

[porpoiseaquatics]

I may have just messed up a driver on one of my LED units. I know some of you have shopped around for replacement drivers and I was wondering where you had the most success in finding them. My unit is 141w total watts so each driver is rated at 1.42a and 70w with an output of 32-45vdc.

 

[bycjoe]

What type of fixture and is it dimable? If it is, is it a pmw signal or analog? And was there a model number on the driver so you could find a direct replacment, or are you just looking for something comparable.

 

[bycjoe]

And are you sure you messed the driver up in the first place? What did you do?

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

It's a TaoTronics TT-AL3 fixture. It accidentally fell in water while one side (blues) were on. I'm not sure yet if the driver is completely shot. I shut down power immediately (I just happened to be standing in front of the tank at the time). Removed the unit, opened it up completely...disconnected every lead inside...dried it out with a heat gun and now I'm letting it sit for 24 hours before I apply power back to it. I'm just preparing for the worst. I'm going to speculate that at least the one driver that had power is probably shot.

The driver does have a number but even an internet search of that number gave a variety of possibilities and none were a match for the amps or wattage. I have an email in to TaoTronics now to see if I can acquire a replacement through them but that won't be until Monday. I figured I would go ahead and start the sourcing now.

 

[jbadd99]

I hope you rinsed it with fresh water first, if not the salt will corrode the metals quickly. I know, the same thing happened to my with one of my LED fixtures and I ended up replacing everything but the LEDs themselves because of it.

Also, post up the numbers on the power supply. That will help us out to help you find a replacement.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

jbadd99;867934 wrote: I hope you rinsed it with fresh water first, if not the salt will corrode the metals quickly. I know, the same thing happened to my with one of my LED fixtures and I ended up replacing everything but the LEDs themselves because of it.

Also, post up the numbers on the power supply. That will help us out to help you find a replacement.

I did, in the original post.

Edit:

porpoiseaquatics;867816 wrote: I may have just messed up a driver on one of my LED units. I know some of you have shopped around for replacement drivers and I was wondering where you had the most success in finding them. My unit is 141w total watts so each driver is rated at 1.42a and 70w with an output of 32-45vdc.

The model number on it is NL80w-150

 

[jbadd99]

porpoiseaquatics;867998 wrote: I did, in the original post.

Edit:

The model number on it is NL80w-150

Is that EXACTLY how it's listed on the power supply? Maybe a picture of any numbers you can find on it would help me help you? I had a Chinese knockoff and was able to find a sufficient replacement by searching the numbers I could find, which really didn't give me a direct replacement.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

Here's the EXACT information:

NL Power Supply
Model: NL80W-150
Input: 100-240vac 50/60 Hz
Output: 34-45vdc
Constant Current: 1.42a
Max. Output: 70w PF>0.0

There's a second power supply but I believe it's for the fans and I'm not as worried about it even though it too is probably toast. I won't know for sure until I plug it back up later today.

I appreciate any help.

 

[jbadd99]

Here's what I come up with -
http://www.meanwell.com/search/hlg-80h/default.htm">http://www.meanwell.com/search/hlg-80h/default.htm</a>

It looks like your best bet is HLG-80h-48, but I'd run that by GuilianoM, since he's awesome at looking at that stuff. :thumbs:

Is the unit dimmable? If so, you'll need the 48B.

I'm now running two of the HLG series drivers on my Pacific Sun LED units. They stay MUCH cooler than the old PS.

Good Luck!

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

That's exactly what one of my tech suppliers came up with. Not a bad price either...$58 each. The current ones are not dimmable but if changing the power supply would make it dimmable....I'm for it.

 

[giulianom]

Actually, while the HLG drivers are the right type, the HLG-80H may </em>be too much power.

It provides 1.7A at up to 48V, so depending on how many LEDs in the circuit you have it may be too much current.

That NL80W-150 driver technically only provides 70W of power, and 1.2-1.5A of current.

The 60-Watt HLG-60H model may be safer, as it puts out 1.3A of current.

So you can choose two options:

<ul>
<li>HLG-60H-48 or HLG-60H-48B (dimming) - probably the better match.</li>
<li>HLG-80H-48 or HLG-80H-48B (dimming) - may be too much power.</li>
</ul>


If you know what LED chips are used and what their max current is (it may vary per led type), you can add them up to get the total.



Or do the reverse, take the max current of the driver and divide it by the number of LEDs and see what it is compared to the LED's specifications.





The HLG-60 series may be the best bet - you won't blow anything with that current, and it would be almost indistinguishable between the power levels.

 

[bycjoe]

You could do a dimable driver, I forget did you have a controller? If you do make sure the driver you get is compatible, if not you can just use a potentiometer knob dimmer

 

[giulianom]

porpoiseaquatics wrote: Each driver has 24 LEDs on it. I have no idea what they are...I think maybe Bridgelux 3w but I can't be sure.

(posting this here for info)


Ok, based on 24 LEDs I would guess that they're connected as two strings of 12 LEDs each.

The voltage checks out, 3.6V (typical) per LED x 12 = 43.2V required.

With 1400 mA from the original driver, that's 700 mA for each string.

700 mA is the typical 3W LED chip max current.


With 1300 mA from the HLG-60W driver, you're looking at two strings of 650mA each.

Go with the HLG-60H model, and you'll be fine.

Don't go with the HLG-80H, it will be too much current.

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

GiulianoM;868328 wrote: (posting this here for info)


Ok, based on 24 LEDs I would guess that they're connected as two strings of 12 LEDs each.

The voltage checks out, 3.6V (typical) per LED x 12 = 43.2V required.

With 1400 mA from the original driver, that's 700 mA for each string.

700 mA is the typical 3W LED chip max current.


With 1300 mA from the HLG-60W driver, you're looking at two strings of 650mA each.

Go with the HLG-60H model, and you'll be fine.

Don't go with the HLG-80H, it will be too much current.

Thanks! That's a huge help. I do have a controller....RK2 but I don't know if I'm going to put the lights on it or not. If I do put them on it, with a different driver of course, can I bring them "up" and take them "down" with the controller?

 

[jbadd99]

See. I told you GuilianoM was the man to ask

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

jbadd99;868469 wrote: See. I told you GuilianoM was the man to ask

Good call!

 

[giulianom]

These drivers are nice in that you can dim with a PWM signal, a 0-10v voltage, or with a potentiometer.

Can't use them to turn them completely off, they go down to about 10%, and you may get flickering at that level.

The PDF from Meanwell has a diagram on using a relay to cut the power.... Or just use a RK controlled power outlet.