24v Aquarays on 12v LED driver

[david.faik]

Wondering if anyone can help.

I have six of the TMC Aquaray 6w strips. I was using their "controller 8", and this is the second one that burned out where the driver connects to the controller. I'm not so interested in the disco, storm, lightning or other features, just didn't want six cheap AC/DC non-water resist drivers under my tank.

Fortunately I have a large (16amp) IP67 waterproof LED driver, but it is 12v. I assume if I connect the driver the Aquarays will just run at "half blast". My question was, if I run two Aquarays in series or something, will that effectively make them 12v? Like two 8 ohm speakers become 4 ohm? Or should I really have paid more attention in physics class when I was a boy LOL?

 

[david.faik]

Should have added that the driver has two DC out cables.

 

[david.faik]

This fellow

 

[oreo57]

Wondering if anyone can help.

I have six of the TMC Aquaray 6w strips. I was using their "controller 8", and this is the second one that burned out where the driver connects to the controller. I'm not so interested in the disco, storm, lightning or other features, just didn't want six cheap AC/DC non-water resist drivers under my tank.

Fortunately I have a large (16amp) IP67 waterproof LED driver, but it is 12v. I assume if I connect the driver the Aquarays will just run at "half blast". My question was, if I run two Aquarays in series or something, will that effectively make them 12v? Like two 8 ohm speakers become 4 ohm? Or should I really have paid more attention in physics class when I was a boy LOL?

Depends if it is a "driver" or just a 24V switching power supply..
IF just a PS get a better 24v one.



Chances are extremely good that your 12v "driver" will not light the strips at all..

Amps are meaningless unless you can get over the V(f) needs..

Ok found a bit more info:

Input: 24V DC 5A
Output: 8 x 15.5-19.5V DC 0.7A (0-100% PWM)

http://aquaraylighting.co.uk/wp-con...trol 8 instructions v1.2014 MULTI-LINGUAL.pdf

so to get this straight: Your 24V ps keeps burning out..
Get a good one..w/ more headroom
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...RomprY2ydQ==&gclid=CMGpou3BpcsCFQ6naQod-dIE_w

 

[david.faik]

Thanks Oreo57

The 12v has plenty of headroom and the lights can be dimmed (the Aquaray controller had that ramp up and timer functionality)

Yes, the Aquaray controller 8 has a strange connector to a laptop style psu. This connector burned out on two units, smoking plastic etc. So I'm not getting another (cost and fire risk).

Probably should just suck up the cost and get a big 24v Meanwell unit. I have a 48v one that I'm using on a Kessil (who also provide crap psu's that are not IP67). They also cool well.

 

[perkint]

As said above, LEDs need not just the right power, but also the right sort of voltage. It's possible you could connect a 300W 12V and still get nothing out of the LEDs

You're heading the right way when talking about simply getting a better 24V one

Tim

 

[oreo57]

Thanks Oreo57

The 12v has plenty of headroom

like what was mentioned NOT in the required voltage range..Takes a very specific potential to "fire" an LED..12V regardless of "power" will not light an LED string that requires more than 12V to "start"....You could have a million amps but it won't do you any good.

From some of the specs 18V would be a minimum..

IF I understand this whole chain of circuitry , the "drivers" are inside the "8"
All you need is a good 24V switching power supply (not driver, subtile difference) and, apparently, better plugs....


YMMV....

 

[theatrus]

For a better IP rated supply, I'm running the Meanwell HLG series. They are capable of constant current operation (so you can run LEDs directly off of them), but work fine in a CV mode as well (for using your own drivers)

 

[DSMreefer]

You have to know the foward voltage and wattage of the chips that you are using in the array and what ma they are running. This can very from 2 volts forward voltage at 350ma to 3.5 volts at 1000ma and I'm sure they go higher now. This was pretty standard when I built mine. If you have a 12 volt driver and the forward voltage was 2 volts at 350ma and each chip was 3watt, you can run 6 chips (6 x 2volts=12volts) totaling 18 watts. So as long as your driver was rated for 18 watts at 12volts (or higher voltage and wattage) you would be fine. If you can split your arrays up you can series parallel the chips with resistors. The resistor will limit the ma that each chip sees and keep them from burning up.