Meanwell LDD driver: for those who want to dim to 0 using Arduino

[nightOwl]

For anyone who's interested in building a 10V Analog to 5V PWM Convertor, here's the build files and software for the unit that "Frogg21" & I created. It's compatible with an APEX and probably other 10V analog lighting controllers. Enjoy!

O2Surplus - If you have any of these available please let me know I think I might try this route with my next project. How many would I need control 8 channels?

Thanks

 

[O2Surplus]

O2Surplus - If you have any of these available please let me know I think I might try this route with my next project. How many would I need control 8 channels?

Thanks

Each convertor's good for 4 channels, so you'd need two. Which 10V analog controller are you using?

 

[jbadd99]

Any more 8up boards available yet? Preferably one that the fans are PWM controllable?

 

[nightOwl]

Each convertor's good for 4 channels, so you'd need two. Which 10V analog controller are you using?

O2Surplus -I run Apex. I am still new to the whole Arduino and all this LED stuff but figured I would give it a try. My VHOs are playing out so my little project will be some violet LEDS. Nothing fancy just wanted to learn a little in the process .

 

[007Bond]

Hi guys,...I'm having a problem with my mega trying to load eeprom clear. It starts the upload and the load bar at the bottom of the program only goes about 90% of the way and stops. Is there any tricks to get the mega to complete the upload? Thanks,---Rick

 

[nightOwl]

In my excitement to order boards I confused the SCW4 with the LDD4 board layout. If anyone needs some SCW 4 boards let me know. I was surprised at how fast these things were completed! Thanks again to the guys that posted the Eagle files and such. Now off to try again .

O2Surplus - if you read this and have any of the 10V Analog to 5V PWM Convertor available please let me know. Otherwise I may have to try my hand at those next.

 

[jbadd99]

Still looking for an 8up board if anyone has some to spare.

 

[zachts]

Any spare 4-up boards out there? I need enough for 12 LDD-700 (either H or L boards) Preferably the ones without pull down resistors, or at least that don't have them mounted yet, I'll not be using dimming on them (making some new shop lighting with the Bridgelux Vero chips, if my fish get nice things why shouldn't I :beer: )

 

[nemosworld]

Any spare 4-up boards out there? I need enough for 12 LDD-700 (either H or L boards) Preferably the ones without pull down resistors, or at least that don't have them mounted yet, I'll not be using dimming on them (making some new shop lighting with the Bridgelux Vero chips, if my fish get nice things why shouldn't I :beer: )

I will check my stash tonight and send you a pm, I know I have a couple diff flavors of boards, never got anything off the ground.
I'll send you pics

 

[pwreef]

I have a bunch of 5-up boards. PM me if you want any.

 

[nemosworld]

I looked at my stash and I have 1 of roscoe's original 4 up boards.
It's a panel though, so it's two 4-ups on a pcb.
Lmk if you want it zachts.

 

[Krazie4Acans]

Just had to drop a note and thank 02Surplus for all his designs on this thread and others. He also took my design and did some layout for me when the design wouldn't fit on an 8cm x 10cm board. He made it 10 x 10 in his full version of the software. It was a huge help! My boards are ordered now and most of the parts are already in to build up my full kitchen board that is a 6up with SCW and atmega328P. It can either be a 0-10v to pwm complete driver board, or can be a stand alone dimmer control. I can't wait for it all to get here!

Thanks again 02Surplus! You are awesome!

Krazie:jester:

 

[zachts]

I looked at my stash and I have 1 of roscoe's original 4 up boards.
It's a panel though, so it's two 4-ups on a pcb.
Lmk if you want it zachts.

PM sent.

Thanks.

 

[nightOwl]

Well I managed to wire up my test board and I am still alive. But I can't seem to dim to zero. I am using RRRasco v3.0 board and have the jumpers installed. I am trying to do the most basic dimming but it does not seem to be working. By basic I just copied the fading example from Arduino and I can see it look like its getting slightly dim and slightly bright but not going to completely off. So I have a couple of questions.

Can someone post some detailed pictures of how the wiring is done? Or if needed I can post what I have so far. I am a little embarrassed because it looks a hot mess with my newbie soldering and excessive epoxy.

Where is the ground wire from the ballast supposed to be connected besides the ground from Arduino?

Can anyone share some code that will allow me to dim to zero?

Lastly I have step down convertor that I plan to put a fan on. Is there anyway to only turn on power once a certain condition has happen. I would need something to reside after the step down to 12v for the fan.
What part would I need to buy to make that happen?

 

[jedimasterben]

Can someone post some detailed pictures of how the wiring is done? Or if needed I can post what I have so far. I am a little embarrassed because it looks a hot mess with my newbie soldering and excessive epoxy.

Where is the ground wire from the ballast supposed to be connected besides the ground from Arduino?

All the boards I've seen are clearly labelled. Each LDD has five pins - Vin(+) and Vin(-) which connect to your 48v power supply, Vout(+) and Vout(-) which connect to your LED string, and PWM which connects to your Arduino PWM pins.

I don't remember what your specific boards look like, but you should have four terminals that connect to your 48v power supply (two + and two -), the LED outputs (one + and one - for each LDD), and the PWM inputs (one per LDD, and usually one ground that needs to connect to the 48v power supply COM/negative DC terminal).

Can anyone share some code that will allow me to dim to zero?

Your controller just needs to send a 0 signal to that PWM pin.

Lastly I have step down convertor that I plan to put a fan on. Is there anyway to only turn on power once a certain condition has happen. I would need something to reside after the step down to 12v for the fan.
What part would I need to buy to make that happen?

You would need a relay if you want the fan to be on/off, or I believe that O2 has made little boards that you can put an SCW05C-12 on so that you can control it via PWM.







So after having broken the pins off of several LDD by using pin headers on the boards, I'm switching back to IC sockets. Yes, the LDD will blow if one is accidentally put in upside down, but I'm really careful about that now after the first time I did it

 

[O2Surplus]

So after having broken the pins off of several LDD by using pin headers on the boards, I'm switching back to IC sockets. Yes, the LDD will blow if one is accidentally put in upside down, but I'm really careful about that now after the first time I did it

LOL- What do you bet that all the "HW"' LDD's on the market today- started life as "H" models, until some butter fingered worker at MeanWell buggered a few pins during the packaging phase of the assembly line???? :lol2:

 

[jedimasterben]

LOL- What do you bet that all the "HW"' LDD's on the market today- started life as "H" models, until some butter fingered worker at MeanWell buggered a few pins during the packaging phase of the assembly line???? :lol2:

LOL! that's probably what happened, and man, I feel that guy's pain!

"Doo doo dee doo, plugging some stuff in, damn! Oh well, I'll just grab another... damn! Ugh, there's gotta be a better way!"

 

[nightOwl]

jedimasterben - Thanks so much for the response. I am pretty sure I have something wrong so I will post some pictures shortly. I was reading about what the pull down resistor is supposed to do and mine does not do anything when I unplug the UNO. Could I have burned my little resistors when soldering? Off to get my camera and take some pictures.

All the boards I've seen are clearly labelled. Each LDD has five pins - Vin(+) and Vin(-) which connect to your 48v power supply, Vout(+) and Vout(-) which connect to your LED string, and PWM which connects to your Arduino PWM pins.

I don't remember what your specific boards look like, but you should have four terminals that connect to your 48v power supply (two + and two -), the LED outputs (one + and one - for each LDD), and the PWM inputs (one per LDD, and usually one ground that needs to connect to the 48v power supply COM/negative DC terminal).


Your controller just needs to send a 0 signal to that PWM pin.


You would need a relay if you want the fan to be on/off, or I believe that O2 has made little boards that you can put an SCW05C-12 on so that you can control it via PWM.







So after having broken the pins off of several LDD by using pin headers on the boards, I'm switching back to IC sockets. Yes, the LDD will blow if one is accidentally put in upside down, but I'm really careful about that now after the first time I did it

 

[nightOwl]

So here is what I have...This board turned out to be just test board after I messed up the soldering on Channel 3 where I completely burned the pads off the board.

The tangled mess

Wiring - the shared V In+ and V in- I currently have going to three different things. Two pairs go to the LDD (Channel 1 and 2) and the third pair to the step-down convertor. I am dropping that to 12 Volts. This may be used to power a fan and also the UNO itself if I purchase another one.

Ballast

Terminal

To turn them completely off I should be able to just have the command be
analogWrite(ledPin, 0); ? That seems to have to effect in may case.

How can I test if I have fried the 10k pull down resistor? When I unplug my UNO the lights do not turn off.

Let me know if I need to post more picture of missed explaining something.

Thanks in advance

 

[pwreef]

Most common mistake. Remove "Gound to Green on ballast". The power supply (not ballast in our case) ground green wire is AC side ground and should be grounded to your house AC electrical system via a proper 3-prong plug. Never connect any AC side wires to DC side of the fixture or you will get electrocuted. Arduino "Ground" is really DC (-). As such your Arduino DC (-) or what they call GRND on that board needs to be connected to DC (-) of your Arduino power supply and your LED power supply ( you call ballast) negative output wire. Making all DC "ground" side connections common. This rule however does not apply to LED string side. Never connect those (-) or (+) wires from different strings together. Hope this makes complete sense. Good luck!