Hi there. I'm having a hard time getting the concept of an LED-Driver. It seems like you can just throw any led at them, and they will handle it. Don't leds have requirements for voltage and current? How do you regulate the current with LED-Drivers? Are they adjusting automatically to not fry the leds? If so, on what potential are the leds running (80%, 100%?). Do the leds have to be all the same (specwise), or can I connect different leds to one driver? Thanks a lot!
Ok, got it. Its actually important to match the current of the driver to the LEDs. Voltage just describes how many lights you can run at the same time, current at what intensity. Multiply that and you have the rough wattage. Not that hard. Sorry x)
The drivers will have a stated output voltage range. Your COBs rated forward voltage (or a multiple of that voltage) must fall within that range. The driver has a sensing circuit and will adjust the voltage up or down, within its range, to maintain it target current. To take full advantage of the drivers power rating, you want the forward voltage of the COBs to total near the top of the drivers voltage range.
Thanks @nfhiggs Here is a follow-up. I'm aiming for the MeanWell HLG-185H-C1400B Looking at the Datasheet: https://www.meanwell.co.uk/media/productPDF/HLG-185H-C-spec_8.pdf It says the current can be regulatet form 500mA to 1400mA via the poti on the device. Does the voltage stay the same while dimming via the poti on the device? Would it therefore be possible to power the smame 4 COD at various mA within that range?
as amperage fluctuates the leds will pull a different voltage and that is what the driver adjusts for, but as to amperage, you are in control of that as amperage goes up so does voltage. here is a somewhat outdate data sheet for the vero 29 in the amperage table each amperage has a corasponding voltage http://www.bridgelux.com/sites/default/files/resource_media/DS33 Vero 29 Array Data Sheet Rev L 20160606.pdf ^page 4
@reod12x2 Ah, perfect. As I see the voltage varies just a little bit, and not linear to the current put in. Cool. Last thing: are there any drawbacks by lowering the current via the driver in regard of efficiency? Also I often read (in this case) the meanwell support 3 different ways of dimming, such as current and pwm. Is the Driver doing this internally via the provided potentiometer or do I apply the different dimming methods myself? If so, are there any drawbacks by dimming via the poti in comparison to pwm? Thanks!
There are A-type drivers( internal potentiometer) B-type driver ( any 3 of the things mentioned pot, PWM, current. can be used for the dimming circuit)
Alright. Are there any drawbacks by lowering the current via the driver in regard of driver-efficiency? Is the Driver doing this internally via the provided potentiometer or do I apply the different dimming methods myself? If so, are there any drawbacks by dimming via the poti in comparison to pwm?
It changes the current by varying the output voltage. Because LEDs are a non-linear device, it only takes a small change in voltage to get a large increase in current. For instance, with my strip lights, 24 volts draws about 500 mA, and 25 volts draws more than 1000 mA.