Mounting drivers outside of tent

[smoorman]

I have a couple of Meanwell drivers that I want to mount outside my tent for heat control. These are 48V 5 amp output drivers HLG240H-48B. I believe the output wires are 14ga multi strand wires. Has anyone had experience or knows what rules or limitations to follow as regards this. The connecting wires to the led boards look like they are 20ga. There is a snap/clamp connector connecting the 2 different wire ga together. Any of you Q board builders out there have anything?

[Obi-Wan]

If you’re not going to mount the driver to the fixture you’ll want to run a separate ground wire that attaches to the fixture on one end and the driver on the other end. This will properly ground your fixture.

[smoorman]

If you’re not going to mount the driver to the fixture you’ll want to run a separate ground wire that attaches to the fixture on one end and the driver on the other end. This will properly ground your fixture.

Thanks for that. From what I'm reading, using 14awg silicone wire with tinned Cu strands for 10 feet or so and connecting to thin wires on board should not be a problem. Thoughts?

[Obi-Wan]

That will work, heavier gage wire for longer runs is definitely the best way to go.

[gbauto]

5A continuous current shouldn't create much voltage drop on a 10 foot run of 14ga. I run a 320w 48v driver on my outriggers strips running a 15' run of the same size wiring with zero issues.

[billyboy]

What is a Meanwell driver? And how does it cool the tent?

[Obi-Wan]

Meanwell is the brand, a driver is the LED equivalent to an HID ballast, mounting the driver outside the tent is the equivalent to mounting the ballast outside the tent. In both situations the driver/ballast generates enough heat to raise the temps by +/- 5 degrees Fahrenheit, so mounting them outside the tent will keep the tent cooler, but not necessarily cool the tent.

[billyboy]

Obi-Wan, you are a gentleman and a scholar

[Farmall]

smoorman. My 6 meanwell HLG-320-1400B’s are all remotely mounted using 16 gauge wire. I used 10’ standard computer ac cords and cut the end off to expose the cable and another 10 ft from the wall to the driver. The separate ground is certainly the way to go and since there is a black, white and green in the cable, your good to use the green. Since my strips run DC, I just use the black and white as you might use black and red. You can also get those cables in longer lengths and 14g. I also connected them to the drivers using waterproof glands from Amazon.

My strip to strip wiring is 16ga solid core

another point ... my drivers run about 105F outside the tent potted down to 60% with the strips running around 300watts per frame

[Farmall]

The heat sinks that my strips are mounted to never reached 78F...typically 76-77 in 70degree ambient air. And I measure this crap daily with one of the non-contact infrared thermometers... they run anywhere from $15 to $75.

[smoorman]

I am supposed to receive my non contact infrared temp gun today. I am expecting to see about 110-120F for the panel heat sinks. I've got a mars hydro tsw2000 with the drivers mounted outside the tent and that unit (the light) is at least 110F. I've also got a SF2000 and it's hot as well. It sounds like what I'm hearing is decent quality 16ga wire would suffice for this? Going with the 600 strand tinned silicone wire might not be necessary? I chose that because I used to build drones using that type of wire and they would sometimes call for a lot of juice from the 4-7 amp 50C LiPo batteries.
Your temps are dramatically lower than mine. Might be ventilation or the mount/Led configuration. You've got them potted down to 60% and still outputting 300 watts? Did you ever make a link to your build?

[gbauto]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/af9WzqaBLmK9FWGcA

I have 3 320 watt drivers on my system and they will barely break 110 degF.

[Farmall]

Frankly, that 77 degree temp is a daily read with and without the ac infinity t-6 running. Over the course of about 9 months. The 77 never went higher, some days it was as low as 72

gbauto I have taken my system apart for a re-design of a room but .... damn, we do think alike, scary how similar

[MJTECH]

I have a couple of Meanwell drivers that I want to mount outside my tent for heat control. These are 48V 5 amp output drivers HLG240H-48B. I believe the output wires are 14ga multi strand wires. Has anyone had experience or knows what rules or limitations to follow as regards this. The connecting wires to the led boards look like they are 20ga. There is a snap/clamp connector connecting the 2 different wire ga together. Any of you Q board builders out there have anything?

This link will allow you to determine the gauge of wire you need to run a safe installation.

https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

As you may note with 14 AWG you are right on the edge of having a large enough conductor 12 AWG would be better, if you need a ground then your best bet would be to use non-metallic sheathed cable also known as Romex what can be found at any hardware or bug box builders supply Lowes/Depot.

That stated, with D.C. there is no difference between using solid conductors or stranded other than solid is less flexible, where you start getting into multi-strand or plated conductors is when working with higher frequency A.C. energy, the reason being at higher frequencies the current moved from traveling through the conductor to the surface of the conductor which is called the skin effect.

MJT

[Farmall]

I guess all that velocity factor math they beat into us would have come in handy..?🤓

[Rwise]

The silicone insulated wire is over kill for sure, I have use it in high temp stuff like resisters for wound rotor motors and handles temps of 700*F
I would certainly err on the safe side and run larger wire than required.
I mounted the drivers in the top in front of the exhaust vent, they came with long cords. (Mars Hydro TSW 2000) I dont know what the temp is, but I can lay my hand on them comfortably. Temp above the LED runs 75*F.