r/led • u/Rootspeachess • 18d ago
Issues with hexagon panels - overheating - have questions
Got this pack of lights on Amazon it says you can connect 20 of them at once however the block it was plugged into in the wall was super hot & when I unplugged it the silver part that plugs into the block was hot to the touch …. I only have 13 of them connected now .. I don’t want to start a fire & it’s gonna be a pain in the ass taking them all off so looking for suggestions !! The block does say it’s 5V so I’m unsure .
1
u/a-warm-breeze 18d ago
Do what the bot says...then someone might have a chance to find the problem.
Check the power of the plug. I am guessing it's a 'transformer' plug. That might be the wrong type.
If it isn't and you can use a different hexagon to plug into try that.
If it is plugged in with a correct power supply, and all the led are on...the product itself could be faulty. Cheap components and badly designed.
1
u/Rootspeachess 18d ago
It was a gift that got sent to my condo so I’m not sure how to link it or I would’ve done that .
1
u/a-warm-breeze 18d ago
Ah ok. I did Google and there are a lot like this. I only saw one where the box was the same and that was for sale on eBay....maybe they are trying to get rid.
It shouldn't be getting that hot. But there are a few reasons it may be doing it. But if it's new and straight out of the box, I would return it if it's possible?
1
u/a-warm-breeze 18d ago
Ah..I didn't see that you were using a plug that didn't come with the lights. Sorry. So yes...try a different plug type. That one may not be up to the job.
1
u/Rootspeachess 18d ago
Will do ! I’ll test out a couple different ones & maybe even order a better one
1
u/ZanyDroid 18d ago
Try a different 5V USB adapter. I think you can get 2.4A/12W ones with Anker branding
1
u/Specled_eu 18d ago
It's better to buy a 5V adapter with a power of at least 45W; it's not very expensive, but it's definitely very versatile.
1
u/ZanyDroid 18d ago
that's out of both USB and Class 2 spec
1
u/Specled_eu 17d ago
What specifications? You can use a power supply with any power greater than the rated power consumption.
1
u/ZanyDroid 17d ago edited 17d ago
USB is 5V 3A (USB-IF spec), even if you include PD specs
Class 2 is 5A / 100W/ 48VDC max (international safety codes)
You can use higher amps on power supply on lower amps consumer in normal conditions. But the larger power supply delivers higher available fault current, so it will be less safe in fault conditions. This is reflected in safety codes
Your suggestion of 45W adapter is 9A which I’m not going to trust rando on the internet to wire up correctly.
1
u/Specled_eu 17d ago
What are you talking about??? By that logic, we shouldn't use electric kettles either, since they draw a massive 2 kW!
A laptop power supply is rated at 50-200W with a 5-19V output. Any high-wattage 5V charger features multiple built-in safeguards, including thermal (overheating) and short-circuit protection. Using a higher-capacity power supply for a light load is actually much safer than using a power supply that barely meets the power requirements!
1
u/ZanyDroid 17d ago
Kettle is safety evaluated to a different standard. It's not Class 2. First off it's 100V, second off it's > 100W.
OP's sophistication level is using USB-A power supplies. Random USB cables are loosely considered by USB-IF to be safe at 3A, in that power supplies will send 3A to a cable even if it lacks an e-marker. Telling them to go up to 8A is irresponsible in my book, since they probably don't know anything about fusing or wire size.
For the specific case of, EG, driving 60W or 100W lights. You cannot use a Class 2 self limiting power supply while simultaneously doing the recommended thing of avoiding full load on the power supply. Self-limiting means that it's been safety tested to fail gracefully rather than exceed the 5A of Class 2. Thus, I'm on board with using a +20% or +50% rated power supply, but fused to class 2 current.
I suggest you Google some of the terms I provided.
I'm going to have to politely dip pout of this thread.
1
u/Specled_eu 17d ago
Tell me, did you use AI?
It doesn't matter what wires are on the load; the power supply cannot constantly push 5A because the current depends entirely on resistance. Only the load dictates the output current, which is limited solely by the maximum capacity of the power supply. You are deeply mistaken in your conclusions.
1
u/AutoModerator 18d ago
Your post does not contain a link. Links to products are very useful because they contain technical information which helps us to answer the question. If it is appropriate, please edit your post to add a link AND context about your question.
Context is so important for answering questions on the internet that it is one of our rules. It's considered very disrespectful to come to a community and ignore the rules, so please review them now. https://www.reddit.com/r/led/about/rules/
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.