Remote LED Driver for 10-15 Strip Fixtures

I've been using these guys they have a good selection and best prices I could find...Of course would need more details for any specific recommendations...

https://www.ledmyplace.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjOrtBRCcARIsAEq4rW7GBsS7CIbp88Hoq9moiHx9fHT3PctDHi9TEsp6MYDMgWSlJbIB6aIaAsjkEALw_wcB

Thanks for the reply,

However, our problem i s 3 lighting contactor operating a 277 volts for 3 zones, we need to have them controlled by a radiation interlock contactor.

The existing system is 25 years old, so I suggested a remote driver so we can remove the lights in a 250 foot zone without having electrical safety issues

Here is what we are working with

PS PV instructor for over 15 years, you rock

https://als.lbl.gov/about/3d-models-virtual-reality/

You can buy LED tubes that plug right in to the existing fixtures...no driver needed....

https://www.ledmyplace.com/collections/led-tubes

Good reply.

I have used these,and they are great.Very high lumen output.No dimming in cold environments like fluorescent.

No ballast required for some versions.Straight across the line connections.Bypass or discard the old ballast.Leave the old ballasts in place to avoid disposal headaches.

One must be certain that the tombstone connectors are not the jumpered type or damage will occur to the tubes.

Those are all for operation 120vac to 277ac, doesn’t help their worry about working with high voltage when replacing lamps...

You are probably better off doing the whole system in low voltage, which may be your initial desire, like under cabinet lights in your kitchen. We think ballast for gas tubes, you are calling the low voltage power supply for LED a ‘driver’, an unfamiliar term for us with industrial experience. Adding remote ballasts to most lighting actually increases the voltage at the lamp, fluorescent especially, since they all run at a high voltage.

You could switch Dc power supplies for your 3 zones, LED amperes/lumen might allow reasonable wire gauges, but you also need a good commercial source for your lamps.

If LED, and driven properly, not today’s ridiculously high levels, you shouldn’t have to worry about relamping for 7 to 10 years, so plug in designs are not really required. In the paper industry, we use LED web inspection light bars 8ft long, 24vdc power supply, a couple of those up in the corner of your ceiling will match your current lumen levels.

Well for a run that long You might need a custom setup....I found 24 volt runs of LED tape up to about 100ft....You could probably find a tube to run them in for proper mounting and appearance, probably in several sections...and you would need a driver for each section ...but it could be done...

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flexible-led-strip-lights/30m-white-led-strip-light-radiant-series-led-tape-light-contractor-reel-24v-ip20/5794/12129/?gclid=CjwKCAjw0vTtBRBREiwA3URt7qVQbcCP2CQGB1HhNilDVS3HJu6f_SzSwf03O7W5Xy3Zua0K1g2NMRoCBekQAvD_BwE

Something like this for mounting....

https://www.ecolocityled.com/product/klus-regulor-zwk-extrusion/led_aluminum_extrusions?gclid=CjwKCAjw0vTtBRBREiwA3URt7uPYv8-R7uLLdZ2tEyeebf_GfhyzHnasDZQzpvQ5zBFkn4V8Hq4zzBoCl0IQAvD_BwE

These are undoubtedly less expensive than the industrial inspection versions, and more versatile. A conservative lumen level will yield long life, and provide a very low energy footprint, as they like to say.

EV1guy2004,

You will be ahead if you replace the luminaires entirely with ones that will provide the lighting level and distribution you need.

LED drivers are often mounted remotely from the luminaire (fixture). All drivers come in two types--constant voltage and constant current and must be matched to the type of LEDs in the luminaire. For your application a constant current driver is definitely the right choice because it will automatically adjust its output voltage to maintain the current needs for the luminaire it attaches to.

You would want a luminaire that uses a series/parallel array so each LED's very low voltage requirement adds up to the total for that series string, and then each series string is wired to similar ones in parallel. This allows the input voltage to the array to be higher, which will result in fewer problems with voltage drop on a feeder between the driver and the luminaire.

You would need a disconnect plug on this feeder cable so as the roof blocks are taken out the LED array can be easily disconnected safely.

In all of this, work closely with the luminaire manufacturers to get what you need. The field of LED sourced lighting is exploding with LOTS of innovation and newer technology. Your typical LED luminaire can come with various color temperatures from warm to cool, light outputs higher than a 400W metal halide lamp, a life span currently rated as 100,000 hours and more, and a efficacy (efficiency of converting incoming wattage into lumens of light output) that exceeds almost every other light source we are using.

Also be aware that LED drivers can be integrated into various lighting control schemes, including dimming and wired and wireless switching control.

JMM

That is what I was thinking a constant current, able to run 100-150 feet based on conductor size. I brought this question up at an inspectors meeting and a class 2 system would satisfy UL and NEC as far a electrical safety.

The link is the "tunnel" for the lights we would like to replace.

https://als.lbl.gov/about/3d-models-virtual-reality/

Thanks everyone for their input

Glad to help. The upper limit on class 2 voltages is 60 VDC, so you will have to pay attention to conductor sizes to ensure the luminaire's rated operating voltage and current give you enough room for the driver to automatically raise the voltage to maintain the required current without exceeding the class 2 voltage requirements. If you can't achieve your desired results a class 3 circuit has a higher 150 VDC limit. All of these details would have to be worked out with the luminaire supplier.

--JMM

Thanks again,

We can add drivers throughout the storage ring if needed, it is approximately 800 feet in three zones.

My main concern was NFPA 70E and disconnecting the lights to remove the roof blocks as needed.

Yes,

In your facility adherence to NFPA 70E is necessary. A sketch of how power is supplied to the lights in the roof blocks, along with the size of these blocks and the number of luminaires on each block--would be helpful. Without seeing this I cannot make any specific suggestions relating to disconnection of power.

The simplest approach would have the supply circuit end at a locking receptacle in an electrical box adjacent to the roof block and a piece of SO cord on the block with a male cord end that plugs into this receptacle. That complies with NEC requirements and restrictions that allow portable cords where equipment disconnection and relocation requires this, and also with 70E requirements for a safe means of disconnection, because the receptacle and cord end are both approved for disconnection under load. If your location is one with an explosive atmosphere (which I strongly doubt), these receptacles and plugs are available in styles that allow the act of disconnection to first switch the power off (within a sealed chamber) before the receptacle contacts are broken.

As you probably well know, LEDs allow much more varied and site-specific applications of the light to the actual tasks and areas.

--John M.

Hello,

There are 66 fixtures and 22 are "red" lights.

They are fed from a 30 year old relay contact, one for "white" light, one for "red" light.

If white is on we can be in the storage ring, red is on, leave or radiation poisoning.

Each roof block weighs about 10-14K pounds, shielding.

The first concept was 277V lighting with a twist-lock cord cap on a junction box.

I would like to go LED, low voltage, with a condulet, with a quick release connector.

We could place a driver midway between the light zones for voltage drop and add an extra driver.

Thanks again

Makes for an interesting question--how durable would the LEDs be after long-term exposure to the radiation while the ring is operating? Perhaps purchasing one and accurately measuring its luminous intensity as well as its spectrum before and after a month or two of exposure. You do experiments there, don't you (ha-ha).

About 50 years ago I was a graduate student in P-Chem, working with X-ray diffraction, so I have had some contact with radiation (and no, I don't glow in the dark).

--John M.

That was what I am looking at, this is a 2022-2024 project, I just don't want to get cornered by time.

Wow, actually trying to plan ahead.

Also I/we will have to maintain it.

We are also going with laminar flow socks instead of hard duct. Right now it is secured next to the beam tube, for accelerated results

I've had to put electronics into radiation zones at various times over my career.

A couple to thoughts:

1) As of about 5 years ago electronics using Silicon semiconductors would be limited to about 5k Rad total absorbed dose (Si); gamma is the only radiation I've had to worry about. This limit is due to the smaller geometries of the semiconductors inside (i.e. memory, CPUs and the like). [40 years ago the limit was about 10K Rad.]

2) With that in mind, I don't expect an LED fixture to have small geometry semiconductors in them and think [with no experience to back this up] they could take more dose.

3) The idea of buying a fixture or two and exposing them is a good one. Nothing like a good reality check. However, since the time frame is 2022-2024, there is a chance the model you buy may not be available then.

BTW: This advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.