# daisy chaining 2 led lights.



## ThisBuds4You (Oct 17, 2018)

Could one of you help me out. I'm planning on hooking up my 2nd led light into my tent and NOT ABLE to locate where I can get the cables at. Both of my lights are 1200 watt leds and I have not been able to find them. Enclosed is a picture of the outlet where I connect the 2 light sytems together. PLEASE any help would be greatly greatly appreciated.


----------



## sopappy (Oct 17, 2018)

1200W wow! Each one draws 10 amps, branch circuits are usually 15A, can't see daisy chaining those monsters, even on a 2oA circuit.
But you can, the male receptacle is to the left of the red power switches and the female is to the right. You should have got one with the lamp ??? They are used on monitors, PCs, etc, get a thick one!


----------



## KSL (Oct 19, 2018)

Noob question - how do you know they draw 10a each?


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 19, 2018)

Not really a noob question KSL, I am curious about that too.  Many many LEDs run at lower amperage than the wattage indicates.  

I also wonder why you want them daisy chained?


----------



## sopappy (Oct 19, 2018)

KSL said:


> Noob question - how do you know they draw 10a each?



Power = Voltage x Current
1200  =   120   x  10

I'm assuming you are going by the actual wattage used. THG is right, the LED folks take liberties with those stats, look for ACTUAL output or get a wattmetre


----------



## ThisBuds4You (Oct 19, 2018)

A friend of mine has either a lux or watt meter he's gonna let me use. I was looking at my friends set up and he has a 4x6 set up running 3 1200w LEDs daisy chained together. His thoughts are less plugs in outlets or boards are better..my set up 4x4 tent  I'm running 1 1200w led and have 1 spare that I was going to put into the tent for more lighting. Now 1 important question...since I have 0% burn on my plants just how much light is too much..heat is no issue tent stays at 75 to 78 degrees with a 47% to 52% humidity lvl growing 6 strawberry haze  in dwc bubble set up.


----------



## The Hemp Goddess (Oct 19, 2018)

I have an older MarsII 700W that actually pulls around 300W.  There are a whole lot of LEDs out there that actually pull about 50% of stated wattage.

I wouldn't think that daisy chaining 3600 (potential) watts on one cord would be better than running each one of them separate.  Whether 2 1200W LEDs are going to be too much light will depend on what the actual wattage is.  If they are actually 1200 watts, probably too much.  However if they are closer to 600W each (which I suspect) then 2 will be great.


----------



## ThisBuds4You (Oct 19, 2018)

Hey THG the lights are not brand names ones..China built but for the cost of each at the time I couldn't go wrong. What is your input on the Mars line of lights ? I've heard so many mixed reviews on them


----------



## St_Nick (Oct 19, 2018)

Bud,  I daisy chained mine together because I was running 7 lights out of a 4 outlet gang box.  My brand (Viparspectra) provides a cord especially for that but a standard power cord will plug into that outlet.  By the way,  LED lights are rated two ways.  Actual watts are usually used by the high end companies but the import lights are rated at "equivalent watts".  I'd be willing to bet if you gang two together you total draw will be less the 13 amps.  You may have to replace the breaker with a slow-blow to lessen the chance of popping the breaker at power on due to voltage spikes.  My grow room is serviced by three 30 amp breakers.


----------



## ThisBuds4You (Oct 19, 2018)

Gotcha... then I'll just wait till this grow is finished before worrying about adding more light then. I'll be moving into my new place after harvest anyways so I may be able to work something out then....thx for info ladies gents and stoners...


----------



## KSL (Oct 19, 2018)

Hypothetically if 1200w is what the light is rated for but the drivers are only driving them half strength for example then at 5 amps wouldn't daisy chaining work fine with a 15a breaker?  Even at 70% drive we'd be at 14 amps between both lights.

Is there something I'm missing in the equation?


----------



## ThisBuds4You (Oct 19, 2018)

Beats me... I'm still a noob farmer lol... that's why I co.e here to get y'all ladies and gents advice  lol


----------



## sopappy (Oct 19, 2018)

KSL said:


> Hypothetically if 1200w is what the light is rated for but the drivers are only driving them half strength for example then at 5 amps wouldn't daisy chaining work fine with a 15a breaker?  Even at 70% drive we'd be at 14 amps between both lights.
> 
> Is there something I'm missing in the equation?



why be hypothetical? watt meters are cheap


----------



## KSL (Oct 20, 2018)

My LED setup is hypothetical at the moment so it seemed fitting but really I ask to better understand the calculations regardless of this specific configuration.

Using the same numbers may have been misleading.  Imagine instead that I had three lights rated for 800w running at 50% (to keep it easy), drawing 400w works out to roughly 3.7 amps each.  Is there a reason I couldn't run all these at that power on a 15a breaker?


----------



## St_Nick (Oct 20, 2018)

Not a one


----------



## sopappy (Oct 21, 2018)

KSL said:


> My LED setup is hypothetical at the moment so it seemed fitting but really I ask to better understand the calculations regardless of this specific configuration.
> 
> Using the same numbers may have been misleading.  Imagine instead that I had three lights rated for 800w running at 50% (to keep it easy), drawing 400w works out to roughly 3.7 amps each.  Is there a reason I couldn't run all these at that power on a 15a breaker?



ah, the planning stage, sure. I'd still do worst case planning myself. Like cruising in a V8 vs flat out in a 4. It's all day long too, it's not like making toast or a cup of coffee. Run a couple 20A branch circuits. Not aluminum wiring in there. is it?


----------



## KSL (Oct 23, 2018)

Gotcha, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a crucial step.

In a sort of related question is the minimum voltage range on a constant current driver overly important?  For example say it's 143v, can I use two 36fv cobs?  Or am I instead bound to using four (144v together) to use up that minimum voltage?

From what I gather it doesn't matter but I'd hate to blow my first lights figuring out I was wrong


----------



## sopappy (Oct 23, 2018)

KSL said:


> Gotcha, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a crucial step.
> 
> In a sort of related question is the minimum voltage range on a constant current driver overly important?  For example say it's 143v, can I use two 36fv cobs?  Or am I instead bound to using four (144v together) to use up that minimum voltage?
> 
> From what I gather it doesn't matter but I'd hate to blow my first lights figuring out I was wrong



They wouldn't spec a minimum if it didn't matter. I don't exactly know what you're talking about here but I'd use 4

I just bought a COB light, plants seem to like it so far.
(and it has four lens on it)


----------

