LED Dimmer help

[mark0933]

Hey guys, looking for help on LED's - I purchased a 100W LED Cannon (ecoxotic 100W) - came with a dimmable driver (Meanwell HLG100H-36B), but that is pretty much where the instructions end. I have found wiring diagrams that say the diming uses volts (0 to 10V) but that is all I have.

Can someone point me to a dimmer that will work for me (single or multi channel as I will likely end up with more of these)

Thanks

Mark

 

[Darryl_V]

Manual or programmable dimming?

 

[mark0933]

Manual preferred as all I plan on doing it ramping up at implementation then leaving it at 100% eventually.

But give me the other option too. 

Mark

 

[Salty Cracker]

I think these can be done with a manual dimmer http://www.rapidled.com/diy-2-color-dimming-kit/

I'm not familiar with that driver, but in general, you set up the 10V power supply (which would push the driver full), and add the  Potentiometers to decrease the output of that little PS and dims the driver.  If I recall, the drivers have an extra wire on them for dimming.  (?)

You would have to ask if that setup would work with your driver, but I can't see why not since it's not proprietary.   

 

[mark0933]

So reading up a little more, found a 9V wall wart in the house (figured it would run this thing at 90% which isn't a bad thing).  This thing sure is disappointing.  How do I test how many volts is going to the LED? (to see if it is actually running at 90%?)

Although this is a 12K light, it sucks compared side by side with my 400W 20K MH.  I didn't expect it to be brighter, but wow, disappointing so far.

Mark

 

[Neopimp]

Get a multi meter, set it to amperage,  see what it is reading.  Check the rating on the cannon.  If the cannon is rated for more than what the driver is putting out then check if the driver has the adjustment screw inside the casing.  If it does and isnt cranked up you shoudl be able to open it up and push more current through the cannon.
At work so I cant go into much detail.

 

[Salty Cracker]

Right, I would check to make sure you're getting full output before making a judgement.  I've definitely been disappointed in almost all of the 'prepackaged' LED kits sold around here (too few LED's, 1W bulbs, too asspensive, etc), but those canons have a pretty good rep, at least the ones they use on commercial aquariums.  I never even looked up the prices on them as I assumed they would be $000's. 

 

[Darryl_V]

So reading up a little more, found a 9V wall wart in the house (figured it would run this thing at 90% which isn't a bad thing).  This thing sure is disappointing.  How do I test how many volts is going to the LED? (to see if it is actually running at 90%?)

Although this is a 12K light, it sucks compared side by side with my 400W 20K MH.  I didn't expect it to be brighter, but wow, disappointing so far.

Mark

those wall warts usually put out higher voltage than what they say. 

I warned you about those 100w LED cannons...they are closer to a 250w MH.  If you want something to replace a 400w my guess is you need 200 to 250w of LED.

 

[mark0933]

OK, now really confused, I removed the wall wart and used a 9v battery (per instructions this was recommended to test the dimmer circuit as it is (v so should run at 90%) and it was notably brighter (where I expected it to be) as I was unplugging the unit, the dimmer wire came off of the battery and unlike the instructions said, the light went to 100%, not 0% as the instructions indicate.  Anyone know why this would work (and if running long term without the dimmer is harmful to the driver?)

Mark

 

[Royal Aquariums]

If you could sketch out the circuit it would be alot more helpful to diagnose what is going on.

 

[mark0933]

Pretty simple, black white and ground of driver plugged into wall, red output wired to red wire of the LED Cannon, black wired to the black of the LED, wire nuts on both the Dimmer circuit wired (not joined, just dead headed)

Mark

 

[Salty Cracker]

When my drivers power down, they flash to 100% very briefly.  I think that's just the way the drivers discharge. 

 

[Royal Aquariums]

When my drivers power down, they flash to 100% very briefly.  I think that's just the way the drivers discharge.

I would expect that it is draining the capacitors charge.

 

[Royal Aquariums]

Pretty simple, black white and ground of driver plugged into wall, red output wired to red wire of the LED Cannon, black wired to the black of the LED, wire nuts on both the Dimmer circuit wired (not joined, just dead headed)

Mark

So something similar to this?

 

[mark0933]

No, much simpler, I simply have not connected the dimmer lines to anything...

 

[unibob]

That is because there is infinite resistance between the dimmer leads, assuming this is the reason, the driver would be running at full amps. I think if the driver can handle 10v and you are only supplying it with 9, you are maybe only seeing 90% when you think it is 100%.

 

[Royal Aquariums]

You could also try hooking up a lower voltage battery to supply to the dim leads and see what happens.

 

[mark0933]

SO without the dimmer, as you say running at infinite resistance, can you see any issue long term (assuming I want 100%)

I can now see if I were to just connect the dim+ and dim-, by your rationalle I have 0 resistance, so 0% brightness.

Not sure I want to screw with it, as long as it will not damage the unit

Mark

 

[unibob]

Assuming that is how the driver works yes that is my assumption. I still only feel you are only viewing it at 90% so see running like this at no problem.

 

[Neopimp]

http://www.meanwell.com/search/hlg-100h/HLG-100H-spec.pdf

These drivers have an internal potentiometer that you can adjust hte max output current output of the driver.  Find out what your cannon is rated for current wise.  Measure the current coming from the driver with no  wiring hooked up.  Turn the internal pot until the current from the driver matches what the cannon is rated at.   
The driver should now be running at 100% of what the cannon can do. 
Acording to the datasheet with the dimming wires all open and unconnected you should be getting 102%+ of the rated current with no load.