Are either of these appropriate dimmers for my setup?

S

Sad Fug

Member
I've now received this dimmer (x2)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/321913897497

I'm wanting to wire that to my 2 x Cob setup mentioned in this thread:

https://www.rollitup.org/t/6-x-cob-vero-29-se-c-bin-3000k-90cri-array-how-to-wire.950332/#post-13817029

The Dimmer is this:

1 x ZPE 250-1400 Model PF-P250CC-C140-S-DM with an output of 1.4A & 107-179Vdc, Vomax 214Vdc.

My two Cobs are

Cob Vero 29 SE C bin 3000K 90cri << NOT 36W but 69.4Vf as I understand it.


Could someone please advise:

1) have I got the right Dimmer?
2) which colour wire connects to which Number of the Dimmer?

Photos:
IMG_20171104_105942.jpg IMG_20171104_112833.jpg IMG_20171104_112553.jpg IMG_20171104_105942.jpg IMG_20171104_112621.jpg
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member
I can't find any tech info on that driver. The pot should connect to the purple and grey wires, but if it operates like a Meanwell driver it will need a 100K pot rather than a 10K. The 10K may not let the driver go to full power.
 
S

Sad Fug

Member
GBAUTO said:
I can't find any tech info on that driver. The pot should connect to the purple and grey wires, but if it operates like a Meanwell driver it will need a 100K pot rather than a 10K. The 10K may not let the driver go to full power.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for respondiiiiiing!

I'm thinking 100K is probably correct, but I'm just not sure.

The brand is Zhonhen. The closest I could find to it was this pdf and that seems to have the same model numbers. Page 5 states 100kOhm, so I guess I'm going to have to go get a 100kOhm dimmer tomorrow.

http://www.luxdator.com/_data/s_3836/files/file/pf-p250cc_led_driver_luxdator.pdf

I've now setup my tent with two 90cri cobs and it seems SO BRIGHT. But the temperature was getting up to 33c (91f) which I gather from another thread I read here today that that's just too hot.

Part of the reason is just that my outtake fan is not up to the job. So, I'll be getting another one.

Hence my need to dim. I've actually built another array of 4 x cobs which I'll probably swap in at a later stage with a dimmer.

I used a light meter as well and I'm getting readings of 265 in the corners and 290 in the center with the setting at x 100 Lux for two cobs.

I'm going to use a bubbler system.


IMG_20171105_114612.jpg IMG_20171105_114607.jpg IMG_20171105_114549.jpg IMG_20171105_114620.jpg IMG_20171105_123815.jpg
 
S

Sad Fug

Member
GBAUTO said:
I can't find any tech info on that driver. The pot should connect to the purple and grey wires, but if it operates like a Meanwell driver it will need a 100K pot rather than a 10K. The 10K may not let the driver go to full power.
Click to expand...
I purchased a 100kOhm pot today. Could you please confirm which wires I connect. As the three prongs on the pot face towards me, the left is 1 (earth), the middle is Input and the right is Output. Correct?

I gather I wire the Earth to the Black & White wire (Vaux+12) & the Grey wire (Dim - ) to the middle 2. Correct?

Thanks
 
GBAUTO

GBAUTO

Well-Known Member

The potentiometer wiper lets you tap into the resistive track. In the image if the wiper contacts closest to terminal 1, the resistance will be its lowest. As the wiper rotates to the opposite extreme, the circuit path from terminal 1 to terminal 2 has to increase a linear amount until a max equal to the resistance from terminal 1 to terminal 3.
The center terminal on your pot has to be used. Which other terminal you use only reverses the effect rotation has on resistance reading.
I gather I wire the Earth to the Black & White wire (Vaux+12) & the Grey wire (Dim - ) to the middle 2. Correct?-Almost.
I'm not 100% sure but I think that the Vaux is a auxiliary 12V output tap to run other items like cooling fans. The leads for connecting the pot to the driver are the Dim+ and Dim-.
 
Last edited:
S

Sad Fug

Member
GBAUTO said:

The potentiometer wiper lets you tap into the resistive track. In the image if the wiper contacts closest to terminal 1, the resistance will be its lowest. As the wiper rotates to the opposite extreme, the circuit path from terminal 1 to terminal 2 has to increase a linear amount until a max equal to the resistance from terminal 1 to terminal 3.
The center terminal on your pot has to be used. Which other terminal you use only reverses the effect rotation has on resistance reading.
I gather I wire the Earth to the Black & White wire (Vaux+12) & the Grey wire (Dim - ) to the middle 2. Correct?-Almost.
I'm not 100% sure but I think that the Vaux is a auxiliary 12V output tap to run other items like cooling fans. The leads for connecting the pot to the driver are the Dim+ and Dim-.
Click to expand...
 
S

Sad Fug

Member
GBAUTO said:

The potentiometer wiper lets you tap into the resistive track. In the image if the wiper contacts closest to terminal 1, the resistance will be its lowest. As the wiper rotates to the opposite extreme, the circuit path from terminal 1 to terminal 2 has to increase a linear amount until a max equal to the resistance from terminal 1 to terminal 3.
The center terminal on your pot has to be used. Which other terminal you use only reverses the effect rotation has on resistance reading.
I gather I wire the Earth to the Black & White wire (Vaux+12) & the Grey wire (Dim - ) to the middle 2. Correct?-Almost.
I'm not 100% sure but I think that the Vaux is a auxiliary 12V output tap to run other items like cooling fans. The leads for connecting the pot to the driver are the Dim+ and Dim-.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'll try Dim- to 1 and Dim+ to 2.
 
S

Sad Fug

Member
@Growmau5 Don't mean ta bug ya. But, please could you advise on how I should wire my dimmer.

I've tried wiring (soldering) the purple (dim+) and the grey(dim-) to terminals 1 & 2 both ways. Purple to 1 and Grey to 2 works but I get little to no change in the dimming until almost turned down all the way. Grey to 2 and purple to 1 doesn't work. I haven't tried terminal 3 yet, as I don't wish to blow my expensive LED lights and don't have a resister yet. There's also no earth wire but on your video's you only seems to wire just two terminals.

If you could please advise. Thanks.

EDIT: I think the problem is that the Pot I used although 100kOhm was only around 0.5W. I burnt it out. I can't see from the spec sheet I found how many watts I need but I'm guessing at least 15w.

I will have to buy from this site as I need the dimmer now. Perhaps this?

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/5-ohm-15-watt-linear-b-wire-wound-potentiometer/p/RP3975

(EDIT2 That one above is only 5kOhm - Darn)

or maybe this?

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/12vdc-24vdc-led-dimmer-switch/p/ST3938
 
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CobKits

CobKits

Well-Known Member
the driver says nothing about resistive dimming on it. from the pic it looks like you need to apply voltage to it to dim, which you can easily experiment with using household batteries

what does a 1.5V like a AA do when applied to the wires?
what does a 9V battery do?
 
S

Sad Fug

Member
CobKits said:
the driver says nothing about resistive dimming on it. from the pic it looks like you need to apply voltage to it to dim, which you can easily experiment with using household batteries

what does a 1.5V like a AA do when applied to the wires?
what does a 9V battery do?
Click to expand...
There's a third wire with the dimmer. Vaux+12V (BLK/WT). I had a friend today say I should use that with either the Dim+ or Dim-. I was using Dim+ & Dim-, but we tried the Vaux plus Dim+ on a second Dimmer (same as the first) and that burnt out too. I couldn't test if the lights were going as I didn't have them, but we did use a multimeter and that was registering the dimming. But not for long. That's when we discovered the dimmer was only 0.5W

"Power rating at 0.5w Max"

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/100k-ohm-linear-b-single-gang-24mm-potentiometer/p/RP3518

Sorry. I forgot to add that info before. Terribly long day.
 
S

Sad Fug

Member
CobKits said:
DIM- to DIM+
Click to expand...
I tried that originally and, as stated, it worked. But it barely dimmed until almost totally dimmed.

I have to assume now that the issue is therefore with the 100oKhm Pot itself. As I mentioned, that Pot was only rated 0.5W and so there must be substantially more power passing through those wires. My friend suggested at least 15W-20W.
 
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