Hey all,
[Edited to include extra information]
I'm working on a project where I'm making some LED light panels for photography. The large panels make use of TWO 5050 white LED strips, equaling a 12.37A load at 12VDC.
I'm using two brandless LED power supplies, which output 12.25V on average. THESE POWER SUPPLIES CANNOT BE CHANGED. I've spent over $130 on them, as per the recommendation of other forum users in the AAC forums. They are international shipments and can't be returned. The power supplies are here to stay.
Because these are brandless ebay parts, no real datasheets are available for either the power supplies, or the LED strips.
The tricky thing is that the power supplies have to lie on the ground, with a wire reaching up the tripods that will be holding the panels. The power supplies are far too heavy to be mounted to the panels directly. This means a wire will have to supply 12VDC at 12A a fairly considerable distance: a MINIMUM of 11 feet (to be able to reach the panel when the tripod is fully extended), to a maximum of 20 feet (for extra photographic convenience.)
Using a simple online calculator, I've calculated that using an 18AWG cable that's 20ft long, under a 12A load, I can expect a 4.83 V DROP at the load!?! Even with a 14AWG cable (which I can't find at the lengths I need) will still result in a 2.0V drop.
I'd be losing a third of my power... That won't do at all, so what's a possible solution?
[Redacted]
Discussion in the thread has revolved around either using a heavy-gauge wire, like a 10/4, or using a DC-DC boost converter to up the voltage that's being sent down the line. I'm leaning towards the thicker cable route.
NEW INFO:
Now that I've gotten one of the panels fully soldered and working, I've been able to take some direct measurements of the working system:
Power Supply (200W) Output voltage with no load, at source: 12.20V
Power Supply output voltage when connected and powering the full 12.37A load, AT SOURCE (<1ft wire): 11.98V
Power Supply output voltage at end of LED array, wired in parallel: 11.86V
Current through panel at full brightness: 12.37A (Might rise as LEDs heat up, but couldnt tell. My multimeter, rated for 20A current testing, was beeping at me so i decided to call it off after about 10 seconds.)
Thanks!
-Ty
[Edited to include extra information]
I'm working on a project where I'm making some LED light panels for photography. The large panels make use of TWO 5050 white LED strips, equaling a 12.37A load at 12VDC.
I'm using two brandless LED power supplies, which output 12.25V on average. THESE POWER SUPPLIES CANNOT BE CHANGED. I've spent over $130 on them, as per the recommendation of other forum users in the AAC forums. They are international shipments and can't be returned. The power supplies are here to stay.
Because these are brandless ebay parts, no real datasheets are available for either the power supplies, or the LED strips.
The tricky thing is that the power supplies have to lie on the ground, with a wire reaching up the tripods that will be holding the panels. The power supplies are far too heavy to be mounted to the panels directly. This means a wire will have to supply 12VDC at 12A a fairly considerable distance: a MINIMUM of 11 feet (to be able to reach the panel when the tripod is fully extended), to a maximum of 20 feet (for extra photographic convenience.)
Using a simple online calculator, I've calculated that using an 18AWG cable that's 20ft long, under a 12A load, I can expect a 4.83 V DROP at the load!?! Even with a 14AWG cable (which I can't find at the lengths I need) will still result in a 2.0V drop.
I'd be losing a third of my power... That won't do at all, so what's a possible solution?
[Redacted]
Discussion in the thread has revolved around either using a heavy-gauge wire, like a 10/4, or using a DC-DC boost converter to up the voltage that's being sent down the line. I'm leaning towards the thicker cable route.
NEW INFO:
Now that I've gotten one of the panels fully soldered and working, I've been able to take some direct measurements of the working system:
Power Supply (200W) Output voltage with no load, at source: 12.20V
Power Supply output voltage when connected and powering the full 12.37A load, AT SOURCE (<1ft wire): 11.98V
Power Supply output voltage at end of LED array, wired in parallel: 11.86V
Current through panel at full brightness: 12.37A (Might rise as LEDs heat up, but couldnt tell. My multimeter, rated for 20A current testing, was beeping at me so i decided to call it off after about 10 seconds.)
Thanks!
-Ty
Last edited: