MeanWell LED Drivers: 3 in 1 Dimming Function.

TimoTapani

New Member
Thank you for the tips again, gentleman.

A MOSFET is also a transistor
I (kind of) knew that part. Sorry for maybe mixing terms or facts. (That's also what our PM said, after getting caugth lying that he's proposal has 90-10 support. Actual numbers were opposite. :)) It's just not exactly clear for me what "bipolar transistor" means, but I've had the impression that most people mean those when talking about transistors (at least on Arduino-community). While a rally car and a family wagon both are cars, other we call a car and another we call a rally car. :)

I got it now what's with the logarithmic curve: It's normal. :)

Since adjusting PWM adjusts linearly driver's current-output, it's only logical that our "constant" current driver ramps up the voltage, which together with linearly raising current acts as a logarithmic wattage scale.
 
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TimoTapani

New Member
The DIM wires are effectively a 100mA 10V constant current source. That's how all this works.
This came back to haunt me as you told that not every part is suitable. I don't know if I understand EL817's datasheet right, but it declares "Output: Collector Current 50mA". I don't know if this is the voodoo that's with some types of semiconductors which requires math professor skills to solve actual maximum current of my EL817-photocoupler, but 50mA seems too loo maximum current for the component to be useful .

There's also mention "Output: Power Dissipation 150mW" and with this quote from SDS's original work, I can assume it should be safe to use it?

Low cost Pots ... can dissipate about 1/4 of W ,
meaning 250mW .

( A single low -cost pot can control up to ...~ 50 drivers ,
before it's resistive material heats up and fries ...)
[/QUOTE
 

wietefras

Well-Known Member
@TimoTapani, Sorry, that was a typo. 100mA would indeed be insane.

I meant micro amps. It's a constant current 100μA 10V source. I'm sure it's mentioned somewhere in the datasheet for the driver, but it's a standard for all 0-10V dimming devices working with 100K pots.

So that would be 1mW actually. Not sure how SDS arrived at 5mW.

:edit: Sorry see that I forgot to answer your question on how to wire the optocoupler.

An EL817 should work fine. I used a 4N25 or 4N35, but that should be similar.

You don't need to connect the grounds together. Here is a page explaining how to use an optocoupler with the Arduino:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Isolating-circuits-from-your-arduino-with-optocoup/
 
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TimoTapani

New Member
@TimoTapani, Sorry, that was a typo. 100mA would indeed be insane.

I meant micro amps. It's a constant current 100μA 10V source. I'm sure it's mentioned somewhere in the datasheet for the driver, but it's a standard for all 0-10V dimming devices working with 100K pots.

So that would be 1mW actually. Not sure how SDS arrived at 5mW.

:edit: Sorry see that I forgot to answer your question on how to wire the optocoupler.

An EL817 should work fine. I used a 4N25 or 4N35, but that should be similar.
Phew! My emotions went like a roller coaster for a while. I think I got reply already (from Bob if I remember right) on that question about wiring optocouplers and followed it day before yesterday. It worked well during my 5 min test and I thought it is confirmed working.

After doublechecking the numbers I became worried that it was just luck it lasted that 5 min and for long run it would be useless.

Thank you for relieving my stress. :)
 

wietefras

Well-Known Member
Ah good. If anything fails it's going to be the optocoupler.

For instance if you supply to much current to the internal led, you might blow that one out. Not enough current and it won't light up at all and it won't switch. So the requirements for those parts matter because otherwise you'l break them or wont work at all.

Don;t see how you could break the driver or your Arduino with this. Apart from completely wiring things wrong obviously :)
 

DutchGrow

Member
He guys
Heres maybe something interesting:
I've got 3x elg-320h-2100b and im looking for a way to make a sunset/sunrise and a timer to switch the drivers off all in one.

I came agross this:
TC420 5channel led controller.

Here is my idea:
Since the dim+ wire has 10v, 1 of these wires (got 3) goes to input and the all of the dim- wires (3pcs) goes to channel 1.
So if i program the module to start at 20% all dim- wires get 3v? Or do i see this wrong?
Now for the on/off. If i set ie channel 5 to 100% it will sent out a 10v signal. This i can use for a SS Relay to switch te AC power on and off.

Will this work or will the voltage be devided to the 3 dim- wires? Or do i short circuit things here :)
 

Attachments

Timothypaul26

Well-Known Member
I'm not sure it's going to work for you. Voltage loss through the unit will not allow you to achieve max brightness would be my concern. Also, without looking at a data sheet for that controller, it says 12-24v you're only providing 10v. Also, 20% would/should be 2v, not 3. I'm not sure if 1 unit can source enough power to control all 3 drivers, and that could burn out or cause a variety of issues.
 

VegasWinner

Well-Known Member
He guys
Heres maybe something interesting:
I've got 3x elg-320h-2100b and im looking for a way to make a sunset/sunrise and a timer to switch the drivers off all in one.

I came agross this:
TC420 5channel led controller.

Here is my idea:
Since the dim+ wire has 10v, 1 of these wires (got 3) goes to input and the all of the dim- wires (3pcs) goes to channel 1.
So if i program the module to start at 20% all dim- wires get 3v? Or do i see this wrong?
Now for the on/off. If i set ie channel 5 to 100% it will sent out a 10v signal. This i can use for a SS Relay to switch te AC power on and off.

Will this work or will the voltage be devided to the 3 dim- wires? Or do i short circuit things here :)
This one works with 12-24v dc circuits for power. made for a strip light controller. You need 5v pwm dimming and 5v on/off functionality. try a GrowGreen led controller
 
CF113233-C99B-4DF7-8E6F-03A6D1280C1B.jpeg 852B5B44-241B-4AC0-9348-05472035556E.jpeg This is my controller pcb. It is made specially for the Fyton Sun288 light fixture. The pcb is designed by me and made by seeedstudio (10 pcs for $4,90 empty pcb)

It can switch 6500K leds, 2700K leds, uv bulbs, fans for the leds and 2 extra relais for wall outlets on the light fixture (heater, fans, airco etc.). There are 2 PWM connections for meanwell hlg drivers (automated dimming, sunrise-sunset dimmer/timer)

Header pins for a 320x240 color display, header pins for an arducam mini camera (timelapse videos, remote viewing) and header pins for 2 rotary encoder knobs. Also 5 connectors for fans for the leds. Header pins for temperature sensors and a build in clock.

Everything is controllable and readable via WiFi, internet, cellphone and on the light itself.

The microcontroller is an ESP8266-12F. The clock ic is a DS3231. The PWM is done by a PCA9685 ic (12 bit, 4096 steps). I used a MCP23017 ic for the relais, rotary encoders and the transistor for the fans because there are not enough pins on the ESP8266-12F.
 
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DutchGrow

Member
He guys
Heres maybe something interesting:
I've got 3x elg-320h-2100b and im looking for a way to make a sunset/sunrise and a timer to switch the drivers off all in one.

I came agross this:
TC420 5channel led controller.

Here is my idea:
Since the dim+ wire has 10v, 1 of these wires (got 3) goes to input and the all of the dim- wires (3pcs) goes to channel 1.
So if i program the module to start at 20% all dim- wires get 3v? Or do i see this wrong?
Now for the on/off. If i set ie channel 5 to 100% it will sent out a 10v signal. This i can use for a SS Relay to switch te AC power on and off.

Will this work or will the voltage be devided to the 3 dim- wires? Or do i short circuit things here :)
But when I add a 12v supply to the input and create something like a voltage divider to the output. Looking for some work around.
I could imagine that 12v is max and when dimmed it will be less... so I've i add a 10v regulagor at the output it will not exceed 10v? Or is the volage fixed at 10v?
But isnt it so that you can supply 12v to the adapter side (for device to work) and 10v to the v+ and v-?
I like the way the tc420 can be programmed..
 

DutchGrow

Member
I just found out that the TC420/21
Will work with every voltage higher then 9v. The device works on 5v through a regulator. So if i add a 10v switching power supply it will output 10v.

Now the question is:
How to wire? The v+ and v- input are on a 10v supply and there is a common v+ and seperate v- channels) as output.
Is it ok to put all the dim+ wires to the v+ and the dim- wires to 1 or more channels?
For 15$ its a cool device :)
 

VegasWinner

Well-Known Member
View attachment 4067013 View attachment 4067016 This is my controller pcb. It is made specially for the Fyton Sun288 light fixture. The pcb is designed by me and made by seeedstudio (10 pcs for $4,90 empty pcb)

It can switch 6500K leds, 2700K leds, uv bulbs, fans for the leds and 2 extra relais for wall outlets on the light fixture (heater, fans, airco etc.). There are 2 PWM connections for meanwell hlg drivers (automated dimming, sunrise-sunset dimmer/timer)

Header pins for a 320x240 color display, header pins for an arducam mini camera (timelapse videos, remote viewing) and header pins for 2 rotary encoder knobs. Also 5 connectors for fans for the leds. Header pins for temperature sensors and a build in clock.

Everything is controllable and readable via WiFi, internet, cellphone and on the light itself.

The microcontroller is an ESP8266-12F. The clock ic is a DS3231. The PWM is done by a PCA9685 ic (12 bit, 4096 steps). I used a MCP23017 ic for the relais, rotary encoders and the transistor for the fans because there are not enough pins on the ESP8266-12F.
Very nice pcb build. I really like the setup. I am using the new arduuino Uno + wifi by Wemos for the same outcome. real nice build of your pcb. I have a supplier that builds my dmx shields for my dmx arduino controllers. very impressive.
 

Nutria

Well-Known Member
let me understand
MW drivers do not provide a 10v signal between dim+and-, am I right?
I have to supply the 10v signal with an external psu
 

Nutria

Well-Known Member
Yes they do, there is 10v if you measure with a volt meter between dim+ and dim-

Edit- in the HLG line that is
I do not have a B version atm, just A.
Theres not even the need to provide 10v so, can't I use a simple transistor to use the pwm dimming through arduino?
 
If you have a b version meanwell hlg driver you can use a transistor as switch between the dim+ and dim- wire. Use a PWM signal from an arduino or wahatever to drive the transistor.

Make sure to use a transistor with fast switching capabilitys like a 2n3904 and a proper base resistor.
 
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