Dimmable ballast on dimming ports

adampottebaum

adampottebaum

New member
I just want to start by saying, yes, I've read the unofficial guide(a couple times), scoured the threads, and I've tried everything to figure it out myself, so please don't tell me to "go read the guide". Thanks.

I've got an Apex with the variable dimming ports(as you probably know). I've programmed my Tunze pumps using the V1 port and I got them to work with no problems. I'm good with the programing(I think) and I've got them doing exactly what I want, but I can't seem to get the dimmable LED ballasts to light up. Here's how I've got everything wired:

On the ELN-60-48D ballast:

(AC IN) side:
1. ACL(BROWN) to black wire from power cord.
2. ACN(BLUE) to white wire from power cord.
There is also a green wire coming from the power cord, but this is the ground. I looked up info on my cord and the black is live, white is neutral, green is ground. I also was reading the Reef Central forums and it says it doesn't matter which direction the ballasts are wired, input doesn't matter polarity.

(DC OUT) side:
1. V+(RED) to first positive connection on the led string.
2. V-(BLACK) to last negative connection on the led string.
3. DIM+(BLUE) to red wire from the " 2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable".
4. DIM-(WHITE) to black wire from the " 2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable".
I've tested the LED string with a constant driver and it lights right up, so I know I've wired it properly. I've got a multimeter, but it happened to take a **** sometime since the last time I used it(perfect timing). I replaced the batteries in it and it still doesn't work. I was hoping I could get things rolling before I had to go out and buy another multimeter.

Here's what I've got programmed:

Under Profile Setup:

PF10:
Ramp time: 10 minutes
Start intensity: 50
End intensity: 100

PF11:
Ramp time: 10 minutes
Start intensity: 100
End intensity: 50

Then under Outlet Setup:
Set OFF
If Time 23:00 to 23:10 Then PF10
If Time 23:10 to 23:20 Then PF11

I've got the outlet that the ballast is plugged into turned manually on. I've tried running the variable speed 2 outlet in auto at 23:00 as well as running it in manually on. NOTHING

Any ideas to what I'm doing wrong?

Thank you for any help!

-Adam
 
Just a note, these are completely temporary codes, I will have a much longer ramp up in the future, I just wanted to get one of my fixtures going with something simple first.
 
"read the guide"

Sorry, couldn't resist.

First thing is you need a multimeter and see if you're putting out voltage from 0-10vdc. That's going to answer a bunch of questions - notably is it a programming problem or a light problem.

For testing, just use this for an outlet program:

Set PF10

then you're not dealing with time possibly turning it OFF. Then you can set MANUAL ON or OFF as you desire to watch your meter.
 
Did you try using a 9-volt battery on the dimming leads? You can see if it's a LED Issue that way as well
 
Forgot about that. That's a good test also - should drive your lights to 90% but I still say you need that meter to see what the controller is putting out.
 
adampottebaum said:
(DC OUT) side:
1. V+(RED) to first positive connection on the led string.
2. V-(BLACK) to last negative connection on the led string.
3. DIM+(BLUE) to red wire from the " 2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable".
4. DIM-(WHITE) to black wire from the " 2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable".
Click to expand...

3. DIM+(BLUE) to BLACK wire from the " 2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable".
4. DIM-(WHITE) to RED wire from the " 2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable".

I just went through this on a build for a friend.
Neptune said

"Normally Red is Positive and Black is Negitive, but it is reversed for the Dimming Cable"
Red is " - "
Black is " + "
 
Well the 9V battery lit them right up! I'm going to invest in a digital multimeter tomorrow and try to figure this thing out! We've got Spring Fest in Iowa this weekend and I was really really hoping to have had my LEDs up by now so I can sell my halides...
 
Specialtang said:
3. DIM+(BLUE) to BLACK wire from the " 2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable".
4. DIM-(WHITE) to RED wire from the " 2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable".

I just went through this on a build for a friend.
Neptune said

"Normally Red is Positive and Black is Negitive, but it is reversed for the Dimming Cable"
Red is " - "
Black is " + "
Click to expand...

I tried this with no luck. I'll find out tomorrow with the multimeter.

Thanks everyone!
 
If it makes any difference it's not actually a "2 Channel Apex to Light Dimming Cable", it's the dimming cable for tunze pumps called the "2 Channel AquaSurf/Apex to Stream Cable Neptune Systems AquaController". I just stripped one of the cables for using as the dimming cable. I also picked up some RJ-45 plugs but haven't had a very good time putting them together. Would this make any difference? I checked a couple posts on what the dimming cable looks like and the Tunze cable is the "same" thing.

Well I guess I'll just find that out tomorrow too!
 
Of course it would be different.

Are you trying to use it to control one tunze and one led light?


Are both going to the light and you just thought you would use the Tunze cable to make it easy?

If you are just trying to make a cable run out to your local IT place and connect as the following thread states

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18525675&postcount=7

Pictures and step by step of what you have done would help and explain the end result you are looking for

Sorry I need all the facts to complete help you.
 
The tunze cord is the same thing as the dimming cable except it has din5 ends. Once you cut one one of the din5's off, it is the same as the dimming cable.
 
i am setting up mine apex to dim my leds too for the first time this morning and I had issues getting it to work. My problem was that I had the vs1 and vs2 ports mixed up. What I thought was controlling my whites, was really controlling my blues... I changed the programming to reflect this and ta-da...
 
I know it's the 2nd port because there is two leads coming off the plug and one is for the Tunze connection and it's programmed with the 1st port. I was still skeptical and I reprogrammed all 4 dimming ports to work for it, as well as turned all 4 to "on". I checked the connections with the digital multimeter and it says it's getting .1 volts. ????
 
The way I understand it and from what SpecialTang is saying

Depending on the cable you have and what colors they used would be the difference.

I would unplug your cable and use your meter on the RJ-45 end pin 1, 2, 5 and 6 then trace to the other end of the exposed wire to see if you are getting anything through the cable

From Left to Right (the copper pins facing you) it should be as follows.

Vari port 1 OR 3 runs on (depending on which port you are plugging into on the Apex controller)

Pin 1 - 0-10
Pin 2 - Ground

and

Vari port 2 OR 4 runs on (depending on which port you are plugging into on the Apex controller)

Pin 5 - 0-10
Pin 6 - Ground


pins 3, 4, 7, and 8 are not used.
 
If the 9v causes your led string to light,BRIGHTLY (90%) then you've built the led string and driver correctly and should focus on output from the apex.

I just went through this, and found this is the easiest way to test:

1. Plug the driver into an outlet you know is on. Test with your 9v to make sure it turns on, bright -- 9v = 90% or so.

2. take the profile out of the question, and set the code in your first virtual outlet to Set ON. Go to the status page and turn on that outlet. Connect the two wires from V1 to the dimmer wires on the driver.

3. If it's on, and bright -- at 100%, you're wiring is all correct and you can focus on the programming. If it's off, or very dim, try reversing the wires from V1 to make sure the polarity is correct.

4. If reversing the wires doesn't work, you may be confused about which virtual outlet the wires are connected to in the apex. Note that V1 is actually pins 4+5, and V2 is pins 1+2, which is kind of counter intuitative. Try the same code in your V2 virtual outlet, and try reversing the wires as well.

5. This should work, if not, get out your multimeter and set it to measure DC voltage. measure the voltage across the two leads from V1. You should see 10v when V1 is set to on.

6. If you get it to work, make note of which virtual outlet correlates to which pair of wires, make your connections, then replace the code in the virtual outlet to work with your ramp profiles.

Let us know how you progress! Good luck
 
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