I work with computers for a living. My standard response is "have you turned it off and on again?" before I say anything else 95% of the time. Electronics are funny/annoying sometimes.
180g DIY LED Lighting
- Thread starter Psylant
- Start date
I work with computers for a living. My standard response is "have you turned it off and on again?" before I say anything else 95% of the time. Electronics are funny/annoying sometimes.
Looks good! Too bad those MeanWell drivers have the abrupt cut-off in their dimming curve though, as your sunrise/sunset simulation would appear more natural if it were able to dim that last 15%.
Yeah. I didn't know this when I ordered them. While I really like what I got (the noon effect is unbelievable and has to be seen in person to be truly appreciated... it's EXACTLY like daylight), I probably would order a different controller and drivers if I did it again. The controller is frustrating to say the least.
Yeah, unfortunately Meanwell doesn't disclose the fact that their ELN series drivers really suck at dimming. But it's never too late to fix the issue! You could always sell the ELN's and replace them with the New Meanwell LDD series drivers and another controller. The LDD's only cost about $5 each and can drive up to 52V/1000ma strings. The Best part is- they dim all the way to 0% and use a 5V PWM signal (ARDUINO compatible) to do so. I'm working on an Led build right now that will incorporate them. I've designed a "Typhon led controller" "Clone" with 4 LDD's mounted directly underneath. It will allow me to control 4 channels with up to 16 leds per channel. The whole Controller/driver Combo will probably be smaller than a single ELN and cost less than $100 to build. I'll post some pictures sometime early next month, as I'm waiting for all 20 of my LDD's to ship by the end of this month.
Wouldn't the 1000ma be less powerful though? I guess it wouldn't matter if you only use them at 70ish% or less power though. You're far more handy/techy/knowledgeable than I am. If you were closer to me I'd sponge knowledge off you like no tomorrow. I don't think I'll be changing these for a long time. I spent more on my lights than I have on every single other piece of equipment for the tank combined haha.
Well the ELN can do 1300ma, so it is has a little more power than the LDD, But most people don't Max out the ELN anyway. The LDD can handle more voltage, so you can squeeze in 1 more led per string than the ELN. Did I mention that the LDD is tiny? It only measures 1.25"*0.8"*0.48" inch (L*W*H). As far as knowledge goes- That's what these forums are for. If you've got questions, just ask. I'm no expert but I'll help however I can.
I appreciate your help! Out of curiosity, if I were to get these LDD, which controller would you recommend that isn't highly priced? With my current setup I have 4 strings of 12 LEDs, would that be acceptable for these LDD?
Your current set up would work perfectly with the LDD's. The only other items that you'd need to make them work would be a small 48V power supply (5 amp capacity ) and a controller. The 48V supply can be found for around $40 on FleaBay and the controller could be made with a $29 ARDUINO UNO. You could also purchase a fully assembled "Typhon Led Controller" for around $59 from BoostLed. Here's a link- http://www.boostled.com/product_p/typhon.htm. I build a version of that same controller with better software for about $35. Here's a pic-
I'm currently working on a newer version of the controller that will have 4 LDD-H drivers mounted directly underneath. It should make for a really compact,easy to use solution for a lot of led builds. I'll post some pictures of that set up after the LDD's arrive later this month. I tend to build more than I'll ever need just for fun, and sell the extras at my cost for other hobbyists to enjoy.
