(Another) DIY LED Build - Linear Design

[1Snapple]

with the ELN-48-60D can you dim each set?

 

[TheFishMan65]

The D takes a 0-10 volt signal for dimming. So as many 0-10 volt singals is how many channels you can control.

 

[1Snapple]

so if i get a 12v signal and split it between 2 i can control 2 different sets of lights?

 

[TheFishMan65]

NO you need 10 volts 12 will not work - it may destroy the driver. The same 10 volts can power multiple potentiometers that can be used to dim multiple ELN. So you could have one 10 volt supply, 2 potentiometers (white and blue), and 4 ELNs (2 white and 2 blue).

 

[1Snapple]

Okay, I get it, Thanks. any idea on the benefit of a green LED? i feel it would be more beneficial to do 8 LEDs w/ 1 red and just dim them and slowly acclimate.

 

[TheFishMan65]

I don't know enough about the color. I have started reading this thread (wish I had found it earlier) LED Color Aesthetics: The Emperor’s got no clothes. Or does he?

 

[1Snapple]

I will read that, it looks like im ordering tonight, just need to finalize the colors.
I am going with the MW ELN-60-48D w/ the 2 color dimming kit, 6 RB 3 CW, 1 red 1 green.

 

[TheFishMan65]

How do you get 2 color dimming on an ELN60-48?

 

[katchupoy]

What do you mean with 2 color dimming kit?

so you are ordering...
1x 48D driver
6x RB
3x CW
1x Red
1x Green

so what is the dimming kit.

 

[1Snapple]

the kit is this.
This kit allows you to use a Meanwell ELN-60-48D driver to control dimming of two separate colors. The kit includes:

* 1 x 10V AC Adapter

* 2 x 10K Ohm Liner Potentiometer

* 1 x DC Power Connector
Where do i get XP-E green and red LEDs?

 

[katchupoy]

That kit refers to controlling any number of dimmable drivers...

It means that one driver with minimum of 8 LEDs.

So if you are thinking of using 1 driver to run 11 LEDs, thats fine.
You can only dim the driver and not the LED's. It means that you cannot separately dim one color without dimming the rest.

If you want to control two colors, you will need two drivers. Control one driver at a time. And not control group of LEDs at a time in a single driver.

Hope I did not confuse you more.

 

[katchupoy]

Lets go back to this diagram...

You can see that the potentiometer is connected to the driver. It sends signal to the driver and tells it to go full blast or not based on the voltage signal from your 10v adaptor. It is not connected directly to the LEDs. It dims the driver, thus dimming the LEDs. And not directly dimming the LEDs.

 

[1Snapple]

can you not split the wires from 1 driver into 2 different wires. lets say you have 1 - wire, you split it now you have 2 - wires, run 1 dimmer on each of the 2 wires. would that work? the driver is still controlling 11 LEDs just wired in a different configuration.

 

[NickRummy]

Lets go back to this

You can see that the potentiometer is connected to the driver. It sends signal to the driver and tells it to go full blast or not based on the voltage signal from your 10v adaptor. It is not connected directly to the LEDs. It dims the driver, thus dimming the LEDs. And not directly dimming the LEDs.

Do you know how much current each driver pulls from 10v supply at max power? Could I use the same 10v source for the dimmer on 4 drivers? In the diagram it shows it powering 2.

 

[NickRummy]

can you not split the wires from 1 driver into 2 different wires. lets say you have 1 - wire, you split it now you have 2 - wires, run 1 dimmer on each of the 2 wires. would that work? the driver is still controlling 11 LEDs just wired in a different configuration.

I can't tell you the exact reason why but from my basic electrical knowledge and from the reading I've done on these setups I can say with %99 confidence that won't work.

The driver is what actually does the dimming which I believe has to do with current to the LED. This is done by controlling the 10V supply with the POT. Changing the POT settings varies voltage to the dimming circuit on the driver which is what does your dimming. If you start messing with the output of the driver I think you're asking for trouble.

 

[katchupoy]

can you not split the wires from 1 driver into 2 different wires. lets say you have 1 - wire, you split it now you have 2 - wires, run 1 dimmer on each of the 2 wires. would that work? the driver is still controlling 11 LEDs just wired in a different configuration.

Nope this is not possible. look at the picture above. The potentiometer is the one on the right side... looks like a circle with 3 prongs on the bottom. See that its not connected to the string but instead connected to the driver.

So no its not possible. if you split the wire, then thats what they call parallel wiring. If you do this, then you will still need minimum of 8 led per string.

So if you read on the previous posts suggesting that it might be better to just use a 12 volt power supply with at least 700 ma to control 3 leds. This is of course adding resistor inline. go back and see kcress's post.

this way you can have three 12 volt power supply to run 3 leds each thus controlling it separately (per group of 3). And if you can find a regulated variable power supply ie: 3, 6, 9, 12 volts. Then maybe this is the way you can change how bright a group of led's you want to be.

 

[katchupoy]

Do you know how much current each driver pulls from 10v supply at max power? Could I use the same 10v source for the dimmer on 4 drivers? In the diagram it shows it powering 2.

I read it somewhere that it grabs 50 ma of power as signal... So yes, you can use multiple drivers on a single 10 volt source as dimmer signal.

 

[NickRummy]

What is the reason for the 1ohm 5w resistor on the positive output of the driver? Is that just a safety precaution to make sure the LED assembly isn't over driven?

 

[kcress]

That resistor is so you can measure the string current -very important- with only a voltmeter and without having to cut the string.

 

[TheFishMan65]

The resistor is for measuring the current without opening the string. The voltage drop is the same as the current since voltage (volts) = resistance (ohms) * current (amps).