Questions about my LED project

So I decided to go led and bought 3 royal blue and 4 cool white with 2 mw Lpc-35-700 constant output 1 for the blue and 1 for the white. I wired the LEDs in series and plugged it all in... Flash of light and the LEDs turn off, yep blew them!
I don't understand why. The specs for the drivers say they are rated for 3-12 3w LEDs.
What did I do wrong? I have been to college for electrical engineering, so I understand simple circuit and I check b4 adding power that the circuit was correct. And had the specs said I needed a resistor online b4 the LEDs I would've done it. I thought the whole idea of getting the recommended drivers was that it won't blow the expesive LEDs. That's like $50 down the drain.

 

I'm jut glad I tried it on my 30gal b4 dropping the $ for my 125!

 

hmm, thats not good. take a pic of how you wired them to each other and to the driver for more help, Was any part of the wires exposed and touching some metal? the fact they went on for a second shows they were connected properly or you would have gotten nothing. It almost sounds like you sent to much voltage through them if they blew. Was it, properly grounded? also try double checking every connection even to the plug or something.

 

Those are constant current drivers and you need to adjust the voltage to make sure that its within spec. You might have given them a momentary over voltage.

See this article.

http://reefledlights.com/how-to-diy-led/driver-faqs/


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=40.289195,-75.993672

 

That's too few diodes on each driver; the voltage was too high.

You need to stick to 8-14 diodes per driver, and you must adjust the current.

 

These are constant current driver so no adjustment. Also they are rated for
3-12 3w LEDs. So everything should've been fine

 

Hmm, yup, I gave the wrong info there.

Are you sure all your connections were correct?

 

I talked to rapidled today. They cleared the problem up. What u did wrong was I plugged the drive into the wall first and then touched the leads to the LEDs. I was afraid that initial current would be high and actual load current would be lower. Should have connected the leads first. Lesson learned. I also recommended thT they package basic wiring directions with thier product.