Reef Brite LED Controllers Driving LEDs

[piranhaman00]

Hello,

This is probably a question for Reef Brite but thought I would ask.

I am setting up some reef brite lumi lites, not XHO, 48" with the bluetooth controller with 250 watt power supply. I was checking the power consumed per unit to see how many I can set up. I have 8 bars to set up. Upon checking the watts per unit at approx 35 watts, I realized I would not be able to use all 8 (8x35=280 watts). I decided to check the entire set up using 6 units to be sure and came back with 150 watts total... that would only be 25 watts per unit. Sure enough, when I set up a unit with its own power supply against one that is hooked up to the controller it is visibly brighter.

My conclusion is that the bluetooth controller is not able to drive the leds at max power even though the app is saying they are. in order to run 6 units on a single controller I have to use multiple splitters, is that causing "power loss" to the leds?

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

 

[SPR1968]

I can’t help but I can bump the thread to see if we can get you an answer

 

[greg 45]

I would contact Tullio through the reef brite sight .
He will be able to help .

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Is the bluetooth controller made by reef brite? Separating DC voltage via a splitter shouldn't reduce the voltage to each light. Picture would be good.

 

[piranhaman00]

Yes I will get around to contacting them. The controller is made by reef brite. The watts produced from the light is less when hooked up to it. Because of this I only have 4 of the 8 hooked up to the controller which is fine with me.

 

[oreo54]

Yes I will get around to contacting them. The controller is made by reef brite. The watts produced from the light is less when hooked up to it. Because of this I only have 4 of the 8 hooked up to the controller which is fine with me.

Sounds like you are running out of amps on the power supply. Doesn't take much of a decrease in current to decrease power output

Specifications:
24 LEDs per foot
Dimensions - 1.25" W x 1.1" H
Power Cord - >8'
Approximate Power Consumption - 1W per inch (example - 24" Lumi Lite uses about 24 watts)

48 x 6 is 288W
Using what you measured (Upon checking the watts per unit at approx 35 watts)
210 still may be close to the limits

Could have a voltage drop you are running a lot of series/parallel strings w/ 6 lights.
current/amps go hand in hand.

I decided to check the entire set up using 6 units to be sure and came back with 150 watts total... that would only be 25 watts per unit

As I understand it that would generally mean a voltage drop.

Measure the voltage across the bars as you add bars

Let me get this straight.. you have one power supply, a single controller and want to run 6 strips off it.
your using it way out of spec.. anything is possible.. AFAICT.

I'd probably upgrade to a Meanwell 350W power supply and see if that fixes it

LRS Mean Well Enclosed Switching Power Supplies

If it doesn't you can increase the voltage out.. slowly.. to compensate for a voltage drop.
LRS-350-24
21.6 ~ 28.8V adj.

Or until you burn out the single MOSFET (assumption) chopping your current..

 

[piranhaman00]

Sounds like you are running out of amps on the power supply. Doesn't take much of a decrease in current to decrease power output

48 x 6 is 288W
Using what you measured (Upon checking the watts per unit at approx 35 watts)
210 still may be close to the limits

Could have a voltage drop you are running a lot of series/parallel strings w/ 6 lights.
current/amps go hand in hand.

As I understand it that would generally mean a voltage drop.

Measure the voltage across the bars as you add bars

Let me get this straight.. you have one power supply, a single controller and want to run 6 strips off it.
your using it way out of spec.. anything is possible.. AFAICT.

I'd probably upgrade to a Meanwell 350W power supply and see if that fixes it

LRS Mean Well Enclosed Switching Power Supplies

If it doesn't you can increase the voltage out.. slowly.. to compensate for a voltage drop.
LRS-350-24
21.6 ~ 28.8V adj.

Or until you burn out the single MOSFET (assumption) chopping your current..

I have the 250 watt power supply, it’s not out of soec