How to dim a Meanwell ELN-60-48D...

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Hi DWZM,
I just want to build a simple controller to control the LED light (dim, on, off) with timer and few buttons to adjust/override . I'm reading on the arduino site but got confuse on how to simple connect the LCD to the board (so many wires) then I found that. According to them, the LCD will snap on the board w/o any soldering the wire. I'm also reading the thread that you started on building the easy driver as well but don't know how to help since I don't about the circuit (software only). Please let me know if you know of any thing or any link that show how to connect the LCD and time keeper module to the board. I don't mind reading/learning but it's much easier for me if they have step-by-step instructions to follow.
Thanks!

Problem is, very few people want to do EXACTLY the same thing with an Arduino so there is very little in terms of end-to-end step by step directions. I'd suggest you tackle the project in steps. First, get the RTC working. It's pretty easy now that there's a library for it. Then, get the LCD working - just showing the time, or something. Then, get the keypad working, so you can push buttons and make the LCD change, or whatever. THEN you can worry about dimming the LEDs, which is really the easiest part of your plan!

Hello all,

At the risk of hijacking the thread and/or sounding stupid, I was under the impression the meanwells did not need a separate power supply.

The dimmable mean well drivers require a signal on the dim circuit. They DO NOT require a power supply to drive the LEDs. Many people choose to use a "power supply" to generate the signal for the dim circuit, but the internal power supply is what actually provides juice to your LED array.

If you have a controller with 10v analog output, you just need to connect that signal to the dim circuit on your ELN D-type driver(s) and you're all set.

 

[Esquare]

Thanks der wille

 

[akindbro4u]

Guess I found the right place. Will be tagging along. nice work der_wille_zur_macht.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Ordered the PCB for the "ELN shield" tonight, and parts to build a few. I'll let people know when I have some results to report.

 

[Chemistry Guy]

First of all, I just want to thank DWZM for all his help. He's walked me through a lot via PM and emails.

Also, I'd be willing to test your ELN shield. I'm happy to solder it together myself if the parts are easy to get. I have the ELN-P drivers and have had a rough time trying to figure out how to amplify the 5V PWM to 10V PWM. I've been using the arduino for a while, so I'm fairly familiar with it. However I think I've fried the bootloader somehow, so I've ordered new chips and am waiting on those to reboot my arduino.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I try to always have a bootloaded ATMega laying around. Too many failures during prototyping to get by without one!

Also why I prototype (breadboard at least) with an RBBB instead of an "expensive" Duemilanove. The most I can fry is a $12 kit and since it's all easy-to-assemble through hole stuff, you can usually repair them in minutes.

Though I will need one or two testers since I don't have any meanwells to play with, so I'll probably take you up on that offer. I ordered 5 boards and enough parts to build two myself, so I'll send a board your way when they get here.

 

[Skeptic_07]

I will gladly give one a try.

 

[akindbro4u]

So is this shield to control pwm? Some how I got lost. Got my new batch of Duemilanoves today. nothing like having a fresh start to play with, or two. LOL. I want to get started on my lighting build, but not sure if I am going ELN-d, or P. Der am I correct in my understanding that you prefer the pwm over analog?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

The shield is to convert the Arduino's 5v PWM signal to a 10v PWM signal.

PWM vs analog really depends on how you intend to control it. If you'll be using a micro like the arduino, the PWM probably makes more sense. If you're using a commercial reef controller (profilux, etc) you probably want the analog version. Though as noted in this thread there's some speculation that there isn't much difference between the two flavors of ELN.

 

[akindbro4u]

Great, then I will be ordering the pwm version. Should have them in a few days. Can't wait. Thank you for all you help.

 

[Skeptic_07]

Check out this link to a 0-10v digital potentiometer. It uses a voltage regulator, a low voltage digital pot controlled by some ic w/ buttons that we can get rid of and a rail-to-rail op-amp to output 0-10v. all of those above parts are available on digikey, i checked, but they are all surface mount.

Could I use an lm317, WMS7141 (digital pot), and NJU7014 rail-to-rail op amp to output 0-10v? those are all thru hole making it a little more do-able plus i already have some lm317s..what do you guys think?

I also already have a few lm358 op amps but i don't know if i can use those, their specs are different than the one they are using in that top link. Plus I've actually been trying to dim eln-60-48d by doubling the arduino output using one of them but it doesn't seem to be working. :hmm3:

 

[evilc66]

If it's a genuine analog output, then it could be a fun chip to experiment with. I was a little disapointed to not see output charts in the datasheet to see what the signal looked like.

 

[Skeptic_07]

What chip were you referring to?

 

[evilc66]

Sorry, the WMS7170010P digital pot.

 

[Skeptic_07]

If it's a genuine analog output, then it could be a fun chip to experiment with. I was a little disapointed to not see output charts in the datasheet to see what the signal looked like.

after doing some more reading about this electronic type of stuffs.. even if it is not true analog output, couldn't I do a filter between the pot and the amp? like this? yes?

edit: wait a minute.. Couldn't I just filter the PWM signal from the arduino and then run it through an op amp to double the voltage? no need for the digital pot.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

after doing some more reading about this electronic type of stuffs.. even if it is not true analog output, couldn't I do a filter between the pot and the amp? like this? yes?

Yep.

edit: wait a minute.. Couldn't I just filter the PWM signal from the arduino and then run it through an op amp to double the voltage? no need for the digital pot.

Yep.

FWIW you might also find that the driver dims fine even with a lumpy signal.

 

[Chemistry Guy]

Just to let everyone know, I too have used an op amp to double (well almost, I could only find an 8V transformer, still looking for true 10V) the arduino PWM. I'm not filtering because I have the PWM drivers, and they work fine. They shut off somewhere above 0 signal from the arduino, something like 50-70 out of 255, I'm guessing because of the minimum signal needed from the drivers is significantly more than 0% duty cycle (~11% according to data sheet).

 

[Skeptic_07]

which op-amp did you use? LM358?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Got the ELN shield PCBs yesterday, soldered one up, and tested this morning. It was kind of a comedy of errors; I got the transistors and the voltage regulator in the wrong packages. :lol: The transistors were supposed to be a small surface mount transistor package but apparently I ordered the infinitely microscopic package by accident. At any rate I got it soldered up and began testing.

Things looked good - I began testing by reading the voltage across the output pins, and I could turn the pin on and off and pick an intermediate level and the output pins would show an appropriate voltage. I set my multimeter to duty cycle to see how it looked, and the transistor popped.

Calling on the more experienced EE's - is this due to some fundamental flaw in my approach, or did I just pick an inappropriate transistor (i.e. I need one with a higher power rating)? I can't find meaningful specs in my multimeter's manual to know what it pulls when it tries to take duty cycle measurements. This is the transistor I used:

http://www.semiconductors.com/acrobat/datasheets/BC846_BC546_SER_6.pdf

It chugged along great until I tried to measure frequency and duty cycle. . .

 

[Chemistry Guy]

which op-amp did you use? LM358?

I used LM741.

V+: 8V
V-: Ground
+ input: Arduino PWM
- input: At half 8V rail voltage via two equal resistors (8V - Resistor - (- input) - Resistor - Ground)
output: to meanwell

When the +input is at least half the rail voltage, the op amp outputs 8V. So in theory this should remain PWM, right?