I have a question about a cheap Chinese black box.

[Aidanwolf]

Theres a photo

 

[Aidanwolf]

Lol I didnt mean to post two.

 

[Aidanwolf]

Now I am going to post three because the other two are on the second page.

 

[rcpalmer1]

That is the same as mine. The white box on the far right is the driver. Coming out of it on the top, the blue and brown wire is 110 ACV and on the bottom the white is common ground. The grey and red are DCV that change volts when you press the dimmer button. I hope someone can point us in the right direction to get a manual dimmer intalled.

 

[rcpalmer1]

Anybody know where to get a manual driver from that will fit these?

 

[reeferfoxx]

The black box has no par power at all.

;Hilarious

My par meter reports my BBs par values just fine? How much power you think you need?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Anybody know where to get a manual driver from that will fit these?

Google - "pwm led dimmer driver"

 

[Aidanwolf]

I googled it

 

[reeferfoxx]

I googled it

Are you looking for a different driver or the one you have now?

 

[Aidanwolf]

A different one because the one I have cycles through all of the presets when it goes on and off on a timer.

 

[sbash]

Theres a photo

Anybody know where to get a manual driver from that will fit these?

Perfect! This is going to be much more straight forward then... If the voltage is dropping, then it is clearly not using a PWM to dim the lights. So a basic potentiometer wired up correctly (as a voltage divider) should do the trick! (remember I said to take it into your local electronics shop earlier?)...

BUT, if the controller for the remote is built into the driver, then the driver will need to be replaced (that would be easiest). It looks like the 24 watt constant current driver here will handle the same voltage:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1-3...-36W-LED-driver-power-supply/32700446762.html

(note I find the wattage on these drivers are incorrect, which is why I recommend the 24w even though you probably have 24 x 3w (i.e. 72 watts of LEDs))...

 

[rcpalmer1]

I googled it

I have been googling it also. My lights are 180w. So I figure I need a 90w dimmer for each channel that will give around 87 DCV. I haven't found on yet but I am still looking.

 

[sbash]

I have been googling it also. My lights are 180w. So I figure I need a 90w dimmer for each channel that will give around 87 DCV. I haven't found on yet but I am still looking.

The light in the video is 180 watts?

 

[rcpalmer1]

The light in the video is 180 watts?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180W-LED-Aq...523118&hash=item4d612f1e52:g:VtwAAOSwB-1Y6b4b

That is what they said.

 

[sbash]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/180W-LED-Aq...523118&hash=item4d612f1e52:g:VtwAAOSwB-1Y6b4b

That is what they said.

Okay cool, that makes sense, 6 rows of 10 makes 60, and they are 3 watt diodes, so yeah, 180 watts...

That also explains the wires coming off the driver (in the video)... Two channels on one driver... Mine have one driver for each channel.

Either way, so you either need two of the drivers I posted above, or a single larger one. Going with that driver style, you need to make sure it is a constant current driver like the one I linked above...

 

[rcpalmer1]

Okay cool, that makes sense, 6 rows of 10 makes 60, and they are 3 watt diodes, so yeah, 180 watts...

That also explains the wires coming off the driver (in the video)... Two channels on one driver... Mine have one driver for each channel.

Either way, so you either need two of the drivers I posted above, or a single larger one. Going with that driver style, you need to make sure it is a constant current driver like the one I linked above...

Is the drive above a dimmable drive. I thought the dimmable drivers have and extra set. of wire that go to a potentiometer to control the dimming

 

[sbash]

Is the drive above a dimmable drive. I thought the dimmable drivers have and extra set. of wire that go to a potentiometer to control the dimming

That kind of makes sense... I am not sure... The ones I build, I use a PWM controller to dim them, which is inline with the +/- of the LED circuit. I am on the road right now, so I cannot check my units (with use a pot) until next weekend, and I do recall a separate set of wires going to the pot... The earlier video I posted has a little dimmer board, so perhaps you are right...

I will look around for some alternatives

 

[Aidanwolf]

Thanks

 

[sbash]

Thanks

How many watts is yours? (or how may LEDs are in it?)

 

[Aidanwolf]

180w, 60 led