Wow...excellent Homer! I'm looking forward to the next set of pics with the plants glowing head to toe 
Homer's Legal 4-Plant Max Perpetual Minimalist Garden In Ontario
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TheStonyRoller
Well-Known Member
HOLY GUACAMOLETada!!!
Plugging this monster in I was quite impressed with the intensity of light it throws off!! My old light is a
VIPARSPECTRA Reflector-Series 600W LED which draws 260W but this behemoth only draws 600W but seems to give off waaaaayyyyyy more than twice as much light. Very impressed so far.
Because it is so bright and I am only budding 2 plants at once I am thinking of hooking up a Pulse width modulation (PWM) controller as a dimmer because it is good for 5'x5' in flower but my area will only be about 3'x3', that way I should get a nice even light over my whole area. According to the company, who were efficient and helpful, they are dimmable LED's.
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- #803
Wow...excellent Homer! I'm looking forward to the next set of pics with the plants glowing head to toe
Exactly.... I think the challenge will be keeping the plants from bursting into flame. I am tempted to get some sunscreen for the grow room.
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- #804
Nice Homer... try explaining that to the rest of the minimalists that follow you. You went to a lot of trouble to make it look like you won it. Nice light brutha!
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- #806
Thanks bro. - Thread starter
- #807
Hmmmm.... Had a bit of a failure. Because I was told my light had dimmable LED's I could use a PWM to dim it but when I hooked one up I had laying around it was fine at full power but when I would throttle it back the power source made a painful hummm and the lights flickered madly. Didn't want to damage it so unplugged it almost immediately. Any ideas what went wrong?
Luckily I had a spare computer cord I could sacrifice so the one it came with is still intact. I know my input and output wires are right because it is labeled but the live or neutral isn't so it could be that but I don't know if I want to risk it testing.
Luckily I had a spare computer cord I could sacrifice so the one it came with is still intact. I know my input and output wires are right because it is labeled but the live or neutral isn't so it could be that but I don't know if I want to risk it testing.
Did you have to splice into the cable or is it already separated like that?
Apparently any 0-10v dimmer will work, but they talk about the comm port being used. They also say to contact them for other dimmer options. I'm guessing you need to use the comm port and not the power cord.
View media item 1702225
Apparently any 0-10v dimmer will work, but they talk about the comm port being used. They also say to contact them for other dimmer options. I'm guessing you need to use the comm port and not the power cord.
View media item 1702225
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- #810
Thanks, Sauga, I could not find that page with the com ports but that explains it. I have only ever used these to control heating elements or electric motors directly but with both AC and DC but I have never used one on the input side of a transformer so I think that is the problem. The controller they recommend for the com ports is only 1 to 10V so it must be controlling from the output side of the power source.
My unit, although it has dimmable lights, it doesn't have the com ports so it isn't wired to take a PWM controller. So I would have to take it apart somewhat to wire the PWM I think on the power source output. I need to contact them.
If you look at this page here there is a model with and one without the com port and I have the one without.
LED Grow Lights Not complaining by the way. Just how it is. Eventually, I will get her all set up and dialed in.
OK I wasn't sure if yours came with that or not. I couldn't even find a dimmer with a comm port on it so it's probably good you don't have it.
I'm assuming the person over there must have thought you had the one with the comm port.
I'm assuming the person over there must have thought you had the one with the comm port.
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- #812
OK I wasn't sure if yours came with that or not. I couldn't even find a dimmer with a comm port on it so it's probably good you don't have it.
I'm assuming the person over there must have thought you had the one with the comm port.
Yes, finding a dimmer with a comm port does seem challenging and it looks like an ethernet port?? If I have dimmable LED's like I am told somehow this thing can be wired with a dimmer. Eventually, I will get it. I will be in the hospital a few days next week then recovering so I am leaving it till after that to set up. Gives me something to look forward to!!!
Good plan! The last thing you need to be worrying about is where that red wire goes.
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- #814
Sorry, forgot to answer your question. I had to splice it but luckily that was an old one I had laying around.
I was hoping you didn't, because I realized after I sent it that you had an old cable you used. Attention to detail, still not my strong point.
CAT5 is an Ethernet standard. It looks like Next is using those standard connectors and cables for the 0-10V dimming signal. Next says you can use any 0-10VDC dimmer. To do so you'll need the pin out (the purpose of each pin) for the connectors they are using, and adapt your dimmer accordingly.
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- #817
Thanks, Old Salt for verifying it is an ethernet connection. And yes, I do need to find the purpose of each pin or more specifically a wiring diagram for the 0-10v controller. I actually found a wiring diagram on Amazon in the details for a 1-10v controller.
From this diagram, it looks like to use a 0-10v controller I need a special driver with 1-10v connections. And since I don't have the model with ethernet connectors I doubt I have such a driver?
I am confused though because this system does not use a PWM? Apparently a PWM instead of reducing the voltage to the lights it changes the wave form so it is square and switches on and off many times a second because if a reduced voltage is used that will cause a color shift in the LED's. Does that mean these drivers with a 0-10v connection have an internal PWM?
I found this about how they work, "Analogue dimming is usually referred to as 1 - 10v dimming. In this case, a dc voltage is sent to the driver, which dims the LEDs in response to the voltage."
If I don't have a dimmable driver with 1-10v connections I won't be able to use a 1-10v controller but I suspect I could wire a PWM on the line between the driver output live wire and the LED's? Now that I understand it a little better I need to ask the manufacturer if I have a dimmable driver with 1-10v input connections.
From this diagram, it looks like to use a 0-10v controller I need a special driver with 1-10v connections. And since I don't have the model with ethernet connectors I doubt I have such a driver?
I am confused though because this system does not use a PWM? Apparently a PWM instead of reducing the voltage to the lights it changes the wave form so it is square and switches on and off many times a second because if a reduced voltage is used that will cause a color shift in the LED's. Does that mean these drivers with a 0-10v connection have an internal PWM?
I found this about how they work, "Analogue dimming is usually referred to as 1 - 10v dimming. In this case, a dc voltage is sent to the driver, which dims the LEDs in response to the voltage."
If I don't have a dimmable driver with 1-10v connections I won't be able to use a 1-10v controller but I suspect I could wire a PWM on the line between the driver output live wire and the LED's? Now that I understand it a little better I need to ask the manufacturer if I have a dimmable driver with 1-10v input connections.
PWM is dependent on the driver used. Some, like the Meanwell drivers can use it, others can't.
It's not an ethernet connection, despite using ethernet cables and connectors. They use these as they are commonly available, and low cost items. They have re-purposed them to carry the signals required for their control systems. At least one pair of connectors is for the 0-10VDC dimming signal. You need to contact Next to find out which ones, and the polarity required.
That 0-10V controller you show has a very poor connection diagram. The controller needs a power source, and I only see half of the connections required for one. Perhaps a current tap is used.
I strongly suggest contacting Next. I suspect they'd be only too happy to guide you. They have grow controllers, but they have far more functionality than what you need to control the light.
It's not an ethernet connection, despite using ethernet cables and connectors. They use these as they are commonly available, and low cost items. They have re-purposed them to carry the signals required for their control systems. At least one pair of connectors is for the 0-10VDC dimming signal. You need to contact Next to find out which ones, and the polarity required.
That 0-10V controller you show has a very poor connection diagram. The controller needs a power source, and I only see half of the connections required for one. Perhaps a current tap is used.
I strongly suggest contacting Next. I suspect they'd be only too happy to guide you. They have grow controllers, but they have far more functionality than what you need to control the light.
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- #819
Yippie!!! I am pretty certain I do have adjustable drivers. It seems I can't buy anything without taking it apart, lol. I took the cover off the drivers and got the model number and they are dimmable drivers. I am not really certain if I will dim them or let them go full blast so, for now, I will wait and see if I need to hook up a 1-10v controller.
https://www.moonsindustries.com/med...ZhMGIwMmRkYzlhY2M4YTAxOTViYTY&attachment=true
Here it is with the cover removed.
Here is the model number.
Here are the connections for the 1-10v controller.
I am not really certain if I will dim them or let them go full blast so, for now, I will wait and see if I need to hook up a 1-10v controller. https://www.moonsindustries.com/med...ZhMGIwMmRkYzlhY2M4YTAxOTViYTY&attachment=true
Here it is with the cover removed.
Here is the model number.
Here are the connections for the 1-10v controller.
I wouldn't mess with it yet. Moon has a controller sold as an accessory (MSSL200) to control these drivers. I don't know if it's a digital control signal sent to the driver, or if the driver can accept an analogue control signal. Playing around could destroy the drivers.