Turn off Meanwell at AC or just dim to 0%?

[Runner]

I have a Meanwell ELN-60-48D I am going to hook up to a 0-10VDC output from my PLC and put it on a timer/schedule. At the times when it is 0V or totally off ("night-time"), can I leave the driver energized or would it be best if I hooked the AC power into a relay output and turned off the 120 AC power totally?

 

[ducksmasher]

i like the digital timers that turn it off completely

 

[jmik26]

I just dim mine down and leave the 120v AC hooked up all the time to stop the annoying flash when the meanwell loses power... Jeff

 

[Runner]

I just dim mine down and leave the 120v AC hooked up all the time to stop the annoying flash when the meanwell loses power... Jeff

That is what I was wanting to do. I was just wondering if there were any issues. How long have you been doing this?

 

[jmik26]

I have been doing this for three months.. Jeff

 

[stugray]

I have never experimented with the dim-able models, but my understanding is that you can only dim them to 10%.

Stu

 

[Runner]

I have never experimented with the dim-able models, but my understanding is that you can only dim them to 10%.

Stu

According to the chart, 1V = 5% and anything about 0.9V or less is a step down to 0%.

 

[stugray]

Ahhh... right, you can dim all the down to 10%, then anything past that is OFF.

Stu

 

[g8gxp]

Ahhh... right, you can dim all the down to 10%, then anything past that is OFF.

Stu

Yes that's correct, The D's actually get down to 5% but still instant off after that. Of course there's not a hoot of difference between 5 and 10%, at least not discernable anyways. I wonder if there is a way to rig up some kind of micro controller to make a super slow duty cycle during ramping up, and get a true sunrise/sunset. I thought i read somewhere about a project for a clock lighting project that did this.

 

[Runner]

I wonder if there is a way to rig up some kind of micro controller to make a super slow duty cycle during ramping up, and get a true sunrise/sunset. I thought i read somewhere about a project for a clock lighting project that did this.

I've been thinking about it, but I can't come up with any readily available 24-hour timer that does this that has an analog output. It would have to be something custom made if you don't want to pay a lot of money. I can think of a few ways to approach this that might be cost effective. I'll post if I come up with anything...

EDIT: Found a few starting at around $1700 each that you'd have to program yourself.

 

[TheFishMan65]

I think in the DIY LED threads they found the D could be driven with a pulse width. If so all you need is a Arduino and raise the PWM signals up to 10 volts. I even think that der_wille_zur_macht designeda shiled that would do this.

 

[Runner]

I took a look at that stuff. Interesting. I might try to make a solid state device based on a 24-hour timer and ramp-up ramp-off to see if I can do it cheaply. It won't have the flexiblity of the Arduino, though.

As for the Meanwell driver, do you think it will it be damaged if I hit it with 12 VDC instead of 10VDC? I have the fans (25 cfm each) on a 12V power supply that already has a potentiometer in line. I was going to run them around 9V to 10V anyway to reduce noise if I could get away with it, but it might get turned up by others in the family playing around with the new lights. Also, if I set the maximum current output to around 1000 mA at 10 VDC, it looks like the output would stay at 1000 mA even if the voltage went up to 12 VDC. Is that correct?

 

[TheFishMan65]

This just came up in another thread someone contacted meanwell and I remembering the upper voltage as 10.5 volts. People have done more on accident with apparent damage, but nothing long term. I would not do it.

How are you setting the current most wall wart don't support that? The answer (maybe) is it depends. If the fans only draw 400 ma at 12 volts then setting the limit at 1000ma won't matter. If the limit it set to 1000ma and the fans need 13 to run then they won't ever reach 12 volts. Both are safeties and unlikely both will ever be met since they depend on each other.

 

[Runner]

The wall wart is 12 VDC. I have a pot on the power from it. I was just looking for a temporary solution to getting the lights functional (other than using a 9V battery) until I can get my controller up and running. I still have some time as I am waiting a week now for some Arctic Silver 5 to arrive -- I decided to screw on the LEDs rather than epoxy them in place.

The max current setting I was referring to above was on the output of the Meanwell driver.

P.S. Thanks for the info of 10.5 VDC limit. I sent a message to Meanwell tech support but haven't heard back yet.

 

[TheFishMan65]

The light comes on. I really don't know what would happen if you went to 12 volts. It would depend on the internal electronics. I think it could go either way, but I don't recommend find out .

 

[Runner]

Agreed.