Explain Mean Well LDD's like i'm five...

[perkint]

EEK.. no.... EVEN If (Iand I doubt it is) is simple resistance it would be feeding 120AC to the driver.. NOT a good idea.
most house dimmers are a triac based I believe.. Like this.. Ignore 220v

Feeding AC current, thru a dimmer or otherwise, into a circuit expecting 0-10V DC would not end well, no!

Tim

 

[zachts]

Ok, i'll have to check that out then... Hrm, That makes me wonder, because the other lights i'm working on right now aren't aquarium related, but i DID just get 6 XM-L2 for my living room lighting. Wiring it to the previous wall switch i have which is a dimmer / switch as well. Wonder if the HLG i'm using for driver will work with that. Doesn't say pot would work, but resistance which is what i'm hoping this thing is...

Wall dimmer won't work on an HLG. Take it out and put in a normal switch or get a driver that is speced for TRIAC dimming. Meanwell makes a few. Otherwise to dim the HLG from the wall you need to run the dimming wires back to the wall plate and install a regular old potentiometer for the dim wires, next to a regular switch for the AC lines.

Alternatively just put the pot next to the HLG wherever you mount that. not as convenient as a wall dimmer switch but then how often do you actually mess with the intensity on those anyway?

 

[zachts]

Looks like you need the HLG-B type, so, assuming that is what you have? You need to supply it a dimming signal of either variable voltage (0-10V) or 0-10V PWM. So your dimmer might work, but your gonna need a 10V PSU to connect it to, as just connecting the +ve and -ve from the HLG will do nothing as that is a dimming signal in (+ve) and reference gnd (-ve should be tied into the -ve from the 10V PSU) so the HLG can actually tell what signal it is getting.

Tim

HLG supplies its own reference voltage so a regular old pot for the dim wires will be all that's needed. It also accepts 0-10v input or 10v pwm......but he doesn't need to use it for this.

It would be very wise to consult an electrician for this one since any power supply permanently installed in your home that is over 36volts and 100 watts gets into where electrical code takes over and it needs to be wired and installed to meet the code otherwise your home owners insurance might not have to cover you should there ever be a fire that is traced back to the circuit this is on..........

 

[perkint]

HLG supplies its own reference voltage so a regular old pot for the dim wires will be all that's needed. It also accepts 0-10v input or 10v pwm......but he doesn't need to use it for this.

Didn't know that - that's actually really useful!

It would be very wise to consult an electrician for this one since any power supply permanently installed in your home that is over 36volts and 100 watts gets into where electrical code takes over and it needs to be wired and installed to meet the code otherwise your home owners insurance might not have to cover you should there ever be a fire that is traced back to the circuit this is on..........

Not sure the regulations are even that lenient over here. I always interpret it much more simply - if it ain't a plug in device, it needs to be a certified installation...

Tim

 

[CMJones]

I'm actually in the process of rewiring my house. Have the permits and all, and know the code. It's just the LED that i'm new to. Regular wiring is easy and a 1-2 step and done. All these dimmers, PSU's (those i'm familiar with for PC build, but... Again, whole new aspect when used for this) and drivers are new territory for me. So, a Pot is all i need? I THINK that's what this thing is... It's an OLD dimmer... Like... back in the 80's old... So, most likely it's just a Pot or Resistance dimmer. No additional power needed to go to it.

So just to make sure, if it is a Pot, or if it's not and i have to get one. Housing Wire AC goes to Driver. Driver goes to Pot dimmer. Pot dimmer goes to LED's right? I know this is WAYY off topic talking about house instead of tank lighting, but it kinda ties in. Since eventually, i'll be wiring my tanks lighting to the house the same way. If i put a switch on it for on / off. I'll probably be wiring from House to Switch. Switch to Driver. Driver to Dimmer. Dimmer to LED right?

 

[oreo57]

I'm actually in the process of rewiring my house. Have the permits and all, and know the code. It's just the LED that i'm new to. Regular wiring is easy and a 1-2 step and done. All these dimmers, PSU's (those i'm familiar with for PC build, but... Again, whole new aspect when used for this) and drivers are new territory for me. So, a Pot is all i need? I THINK that's what this thing is... It's an OLD dimmer... Like... back in the 80's old... So, most likely it's just a Pot or Resistance dimmer. No additional power needed to go to it.

So just to make sure, if it is a Pot, or if it's not and i have to get one. Housing Wire AC goes to Driver. Driver goes to Pot dimmer. Pot dimmer goes to LED's right? I know this is WAYY off topic talking about house instead of tank lighting, but it kinda ties in. Since eventually, i'll be wiring my tanks lighting to the house the same way. If i put a switch on it for on / off. I'll probably be wiring from House to Switch. Switch to Driver. Driver to Dimmer. Dimmer to LED right?

80's is NOT that old............ Gee did we have semi conductors in the 80's???
Of course..
http://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2011/jul/dimming-leds-with-traditional-triac-dimmers

Light dimming is based on adjusting the voltage which gets to the lamp. Light dimming has been possible for many decades by using adjustable power resistors and adjustable transformers. Those methods have been used in movie theatres, stages and other public places. The problem of those light controlling methods have been that they are big, expensive, have poor efficiency and they are hard to control from remote location. The power electronics have proceeded quickly since 1960. Between 1960-1970 thyristors and triacs came to market. Using those components it was quite easy to make small and inexpensive light dimmers which have good efficiency. Electronics controlling also made possible to make them easily controllable from remote location. This type of electronic light dimmers became available after 1970 and are nowadays used in very many locations like homes, restaurants, conference rooms and in stage lighting.

Read more at: http://www.epanorama.net/documents/lights/lightdimmer.html

OR this..

The Move to Modern Dimmers • The problem with these old dimmers was that you were still using the same amount of energy. • The resistor would heat up and could burn you or your house. • Sometime in the ‘60s, Lutron produced the first electronic solid state dimmer. • Electronic and solid-state components mean smaller, lighter dimmers that could be used in the home.
9. The Modern Dimmer • Today’s dimmer switches interrupt the circuit by rapidly shutting it off. • The modern dimmer uses alternating current (AC). • AC moves in a sine wave, moving up, then down in a cycle. Two cycles of a sine wave.

 

[CMJones]

Sooo, this tells me i need to get a Pot... Just for quick and easy without a lot of confusion *lol* Mainly, because i don't want to have to figure out the rest of the wiring for a PWM AND need a separate PSU for it. Too much hassle. Not to mention... Trying to find a PWM dimmer that works on that specific load in 10V ect. Unless you guys can recommend a cheap one that's fairly easy to use?

PSU will be HLG-60H-20B

Sorry, Driver, not PSU... Lack of sleep... Need bed now.

 

[zachts]

Housing Wire AC goes to Driver. Driver goes to Pot dimmer. Pot dimmer goes to LED's right? I know this is WAYY off topic talking about house instead of tank lighting, but it kinda ties in. Since eventually, i'll be wiring my tanks lighting to the house the same way. If i put a switch on it for on / off. I'll probably be wiring from House to Switch. Switch to Driver. Driver to Dimmer. Dimmer to LED right?

House AC to driver. Driver's Dim+ and Dim- to pot. Driver's V+ and V- to LEDs.

 

[perkint]

Driver, not PSU... Lack of sleep... Need bed now.

Actually the HLG is both

House AC to driver. Driver's Dim+ and Dim- to pot. Driver's V+ and V- to LEDs.

What he said! The HLG is simply providing a 10V source for you to use with a resistor/pot to give it a varying voltage input which it then uses to work out what to set the output level to the LEDs with. The LED circuit is just HLG (or LDD or whatever else you are using to control the constant current) and LEDs. Nowt else to interfere

Tim