eBay LED Light Bar, 30 incher. The stock 60 LED's to 60 Cree XP-G?

[sherwind2010]

"double post"

 

[sherwind2010]

Maybe if you are lucky, they are not real Cree XPG, because real ones are 3.25V typical at 1.5A

Why not just order one that started out with Cree XPG or similar?

Thought it was just a Voltage range, Like a motor says 12v but you can push it to 14.4v? I'll run test soon.

I wanted to order one that started out with Cree XPG or similar, but they are not out there yet. Thought i was ordering 5W leds, they just said it was 5w LEDs, That 30" just runs the LED at full power only 3w LED's. There is no 30" LED bar that really runs 5w LEDs at full power. I seen a 13" 120w that said it has 10w leds & a 20" 240w that said it has 10w leds. but it is $180US for the 13" & $350US for the 20" I would assume they are XML LED's but it don't say, I think that it is just running 5W LEDs at full power & I don't want to spend $350US to find out ... So That's why I'm doing an LED swop, its looks easy but I need to be in a clean room. Dust got into the light bar, I clean it close it but other dust gets into it, static electricity. Its making it so hard that damn static. Dust shows up more clearly when light is on.

 

[sherwind2010]

It works guys, but it is so hard. I shouldn't of started. I guess that's why you don't see LED swaps anywhere. these LED's will take more amps then rated after a voltage point, Connected directly to a PSU or Battery beyond this voltage point will fry it! 3.1V is the butter zone. stay at that voltage all will be fine connected directly to a PSU or Battery. I was reading 3.1v=1.47A, If I can limit the amps to 1.5A & run it at 3.6 it will work outputting at 5.4w. The only way that this might work is by having a resistor in line with the leds & a DC/DC Converter to maintain voltage. Sad to say this project is going on the back burner LOL!! Just tell I can figure out this circuitry stuff. WOW it is bright!! I'm only using 4 of them. feel the heat coming off it... its like a 100w car headlight. I'm starting to think now about LED bars & Voltage, there maybe an easier way. If you can run these LED bars passed 14.4V it will get brighter, say 16V. it may output rated power. but when I took the LED board out, it did have thermal paste on it. But wasn't even, few leds were left with no thermal paste behind it. lol it may leave you with heat issues.

PS: I might still wire leds up and put lens in there to replace the light reflectors. but not going in a car or truck anytime soon due to over amperage Maybe a simple resistor will take care of it.

Some pictures, Color temp 4500K...

Here i have 2 Philips 6500K CFL 13W shining close on it but still looks like it is in a dark room.

 

[sherwind2010]

I added 8 together & I needed to bump up voltage to 12.6v from 12.4v to get the rated amps. hmm... if i add more together it may be able to run at 14v... that's a XML 6000K flashlight in the picture too.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I added 8 together & I needed to bump up voltage to 12.6v from 12.4v to get the rated amps. hmm... if i add more together it may be able to run at 14v...

Depends on the current draw and the wiring and battery source if you have a powerful enough voltage source and thick enough wire the voltage shouldn't sag much at all but if the wiring is not big enough there will be a voltage drop that could be noticeable and if the drop is too much the wiring may actually start heating up. At high enough current levels I would suggest a fuse or circuit breaker inline to protect against accidents. Also of you are going to run it with the motor on the voltage output will vary perhaps at high as 14.5v

 

[sherwind2010]

it back down to 12.4v now lol. maybe its just a break in thing.

PS: It was a warm up thing, LED gets warmer the amps slowly rises. I had my A/C on, amp draw was lower.

 

[sherwind2010]

I may just go with 3, 3, 3!! 3x 3Ω 3W Resistors in series to make a 1Ω 9W Resistor for each bank of 8 LED's. Couldn't find a 1Ω 9W Resistor.

PS: i mean wired in parallel & put the resistor on - not +

pic

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I may just go with 3, 3, 3!! 3x 3Ω 3W Resistors in series to make a 1Ω 9W Resistor for each bank of 8 LED's. Couldn't find a 1Ω 9W Resistor.

I've never heard of a 9W resistor but you probably could get a 10W one around that range and you need to put them in parallel instead of series.

 

[sherwind2010]

I've never heard of a 9W resistor but you probably could get a 10W one around that range and you need to put them in parallel instead of series.

Okay I used this one here.

I can use six 0.15Ω 1 watt resistors from eBay & wired it in parallel to get a 0.025Ω 6 watt.


Or


I can use eight 0.22Ω half watt resistors & wired it in parallel to get a 0.0275Ω 4 watt for calculated results.

Or am I doing that right, this is getting confusing.

PS: Okay I think I got it now... this one here makes more sense.

 

[DIWdiver]

Thought it was just a Voltage range, Like a motor says 12v but you can push it to 14.4v? I'll run test soon.

No, it's not at all like that. That's what we've been trying to tell you.

It works guys, but it is so hard. I shouldn't of started. I guess that's why you don't see LED swaps anywhere.

The reason you don't see LED swaps is that most DIY guys build from scratch. There are a number of threads in this sub-forum started by them.

these LED's will take more amps then rated after a voltage point,

This is no surprise to anyone who understands the V-I curve of an LED, and what it means.

Connected directly to a PSU or Battery beyond this voltage point will fry it!

Again, no surprise. We've been telling you to expect that.

The only way that this might work is by having a resistor in line with the leds & a DC/DC Converter to maintain voltage.

The way most people do it is with a constant current regulator. An LED driver is almost always some sort of constant current regulator. Good ones work amazingly well. Oh, and it's not hard.

Sad to say this project is going on the back burner LOL!! Just tell I can figure out this circuitry stuff.

See above.

 

[sherwind2010]

...

Constant Current Regulator... CCR!! I can make it dime or Max brightness too with a CCR? Thanks DIWdiver

CCR "Bad Moon Rising"

 

[DIWdiver]

Constant Current Regulator... CCR!! I can make it dime or Max brightness too with a CCR? Thanks DIWdiver

CCR "Bad Moon Rising"

Classic! Not that it's relevant, but I enjoyed the video anyway!

Depends on the particular device you get. Some have preset current levels, some have small to moderate adjustment range, some are zero-to-max.

Lately, some units have been showing up on the cheapie sites and eBay that look pretty good for LEDs in cars. They have both voltage and current regulation, so you can set them up regulate current up to a max voltage, or to regulate voltage up to a max current. They switch seamlessly from one mode to the other as the load changes. For LED use, I'd just set the voltage to max and use the current limit. They commonly have "CVCC" or "CV/CC" in the description, and typically have zero-to-max current adjustment. I haven't seen any reviews on them yet, but on paper they look good.

 

[sherwind2010]

Classic! Not that it's relevant, but I enjoyed the video anyway!

Depends on the particular device you get. Some have preset current levels, some have small to moderate adjustment range, some are zero-to-max.

Lately, some units have been showing up on the cheapie sites and eBay that look pretty good for LEDs in cars. They have both voltage and current regulation, so you can set them up regulate current up to a max voltage, or to regulate voltage up to a max current. They switch seamlessly from one mode to the other as the load changes. For LED use, I'd just set the voltage to max and use the current limit. They commonly have "CVCC" or "CV/CC" in the description, and typically have zero-to-max current adjustment. I haven't seen any reviews on them yet, but on paper they look good.

A Buck Converter for a Buck! http://www.еbаy.ca/itm/281677889336

Maybe these Mini 3A DC-DC Converter (Adjustable) http://www.еbаy.ca/itm/310683416079

22mm X 17mm!

or 10pcs for $6.40US!! http://www.ebay.ca/itm/400571751111

 

[DIWdiver]

Yes, those are cheap, but none of them are constant current!

 

[sherwind2010]

Yes, those are cheap, but none of them are constant current!

There is this one here, But it cost way more. $4.50/ea for 5pcs.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/331541474020

 

[Alaric Darconville]

There is this one here, But it cost way more. $4.50/ea for 5pcs.

Those interested to see what the eBay offerings are merely could visit the link and see the pictures there.

Your approach also reminds me of an 8yr old with a magic trick book going "Mom, is this your card?" "What about this?" "This one?"
"Mom, Mom, Mom, Mom, is it this one?" "Is this your card?" until running through the entire deck to find that the card was the one with the instructions printed on them.

 

[alpg88]

They commonly have "CVCC" or "CV/CC" in the description, and typically have zero-to-max current adjustment. I haven't seen any reviews on them yet, but on paper they look good.

I have used lm 2596 based cv cc adjustable boards as led drivers, voltage regulators and chargers, quite a few times. they work great as long as you do not go over their limits, that is actually quite surprising for $4 circuit.

 

[DIWdiver]

I have used lm 2596 based cv cc adjustable boards as led drivers, voltage regulators and chargers, quite a few times. they work great as long as you do not go over their limits, that is actually quite surprising for $4 circuit.

Good to know. Ever put one in a car?

 

[alpg88]

yes, once, in my 2013 accord, it powers dashcam.

 

[sherwind2010]

Yes, those are cheap, but none of them are constant current!

I picked this up for $2.99US free ship. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/351197902638 (Won it on bid) I will see if that will work as a LED Driver for 8 Cree XP-G's. It has 3 adjusty thingy's on the board, maybe one for current?