480 watt driver with 4x120 watt strips: Can I add another 120 watt strip to existing driver?

[MackMurder]

Pretty straight forward. I bought a 480 watt quantum board light with 4 strips.

Each strip is 120 watts. Its got a 480 watt meanwell driver. I wanted to add another 120 watt strip to it for a total of 600 watts in strips on a 480 driver.

I swear i read at some point you can undervolt cobs for longer life and better efficiency.

Would it be the same idea and is it possible and safe to do so?

 

[MackMurder]

@VetSmoke85
@Mayne

Would love your input

 

[Paul Squiggle]

Howdy do..

The driver will be current limited, so you will still only get 480 watts out of it.
It will reduce the power that the other 4 are getting and share it between the 5. So, really, you won't be gaining. Plus it will be pushing the driver to its limits and put it under pressure to supply all 5; more resistance, So it will over heat. I think they have current overload circuits in them, so it would probs just cut out before it burst into flames . personally, I would buy a separate driver to run that strip.. cheap as chips on flee bay..
I'm no expert. But I've got a basic understanding.. very basic
I would not want to take the risk. Drivers are cheap.. reparing your house after a fire is not

 

[MackMurder]

Howdy do..

The driver will be current limited, so you will still only get 480 watts out of it.
It will reduce the power that the other 4 are getting and share it between the 5. So, really, you won't be gaining. Plus it will be pushing the driver to its limits and put it under pressure to supply all 5 with possible voltage drop to all 5. So it will over heat. I think they have current overload circuits in them, so it would probs just cut out before it burst into flames . personally, I would buy a separate driver to run that strip.. cheap as chips on flee bay..
I'm no expert. But I've got a basic understanding.. very basic
I would not want to take the risk. Drivers are cheap.. reparing your house after a fire is not

Thanks for the reply . The idea was to spread the PPFD to 700 to 900 accross the whole 4x4 space rather than hotspots in the middle low on the edges. and underpowering the strips could drop the height to 12" to still keep the ppfd high and coverage more uniform.

I have a 5000 watt rms amplifier. I can run a 3000 watt sub on it underpowered and the amp will not damage.

I think with the driver if you ran the lights in series it might damage but if ran in paralell it would be fine. Thats just from my experience with wiring subs and amps and batteries tho.

Would need some confirmation from someone a little more versed on the subject.

At the end 8fnthe day i may just return the light since its 7 days old and get another one with better ppfd coverage.

Still curious tho

 

[Paul Squiggle]

Thanks for the reply . The idea was to spread the PPFD to 700 to 900 accross the whole 4x4 space rather than hotspots in the middle low on the edges. and underpowering the strips could drop the height to 12" to still keep the ppfd high and coverage more uniform.

I have a 5000 watt rms amplifier. I can run a 3000 watt sub on it underpowered and the amp will not damage.

I think with the driver if you ran the lights in series it might damage but if ran in paralell it would be fine. Thats just from my experience with wiring subs and amps and batteries tho.

Would need some confirmation from someone a little more versed on the subject.

At the end 8fnthe day i may just return the light since its 7 days old and get another one with better ppfd coverage.

Still curious tho

Yeah, send it back and get a better one..
My basic understanding is from making telsa coils and other high voltage circuits.. it's "shocking " what you learn

 

[VetSmoke85]

I'd have to agree with @Squiggle. Depends what the voltage rating on the driver is, what the strips require and how they are wired. Potentially yes you could add another strip which would reduce the output of each strip but get more uniform coverage. However, the driver fitted is probably close to its max voltage etc running the 4 strips. They tend not to waste money oversizing the drivers. I'd go with a different light or extra strip on a separate driver. Could possibly upgrade the driver but by the time you've done all that you may as well have changed the light for a different one.

 

[MackMurder]

I'd have to agree with @Squiggle. Depends what the voltage rating on the driver is, what the strips require and how they are wired. Potentially yes you could add another strip which would reduce the output of each strip but get more uniform coverage. However, the driver fitted is probably close to its max voltage etc running the 4 strips. They tend not to waste money oversizing the drivers. I'd go with a different light or extra strip on a separate driver. Could possibly upgrade the driver but by the time you've done all that you may as well have changed the light for a different one.

Im with you guys. Thank you. My wife would kick the shit out of me if i burnt our house down.

 

[Paul Squiggle]

Im with you guys. Thank you. My wife would kick the shit out of me if i burnt our house down.

We laugh, but poor old bil284 just had a fire in his grow room..
Done 50k worth of damage and more. Really gutted for the couple..
I can't say anything. I've butchered my light to remove the drivers from back of the board as they chuck out a tonne of heat.. pretty simple wiring if your not colour blind