How much I can safely dim my LED board? And how to do it?

[Piecho]

Hey,
I am currently using this board - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001942077427.html
In the single panel mode, in minimum value is still too bright for young plants. I've been wondering, do I have spend money on the weaker panel or it is just matter of changing of the potentiometer. In my model, it is easily to access it. Plants do not go too warm, would be safe to dim them and move them closer.

I do not want to damage the power supply or boards, so wanted to ask in advance.

 

[Creeperpark]

Hey,
I am currently using this board - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001942077427.html
In the single panel mode, in minimum value is still too bright for young plants. I've been wondering, do I have spend money on the weaker panel or it is just matter of changing of the potentiometer. In my model, it is easily to access it. Plants do not go too warm, would be safe to dim them and move them closer.

I do not want to damage the power supply or boards, so wanted to ask in advance.

Just raise them to the safe range. You don't have to dim them if you can raise them.

 

[exploziv]

The minimum power, which I expect to be around 50 W is perfect for young plants. And if they don't show signs they don't like it that close, I would leave it there. If not, just get it a bit more far away from the plants. I use one thats around 50W dimmed and plants sit 20 cm away with no problems, maybe a slight Mg deficincy if at all.

 

[Piecho]

Yeah, I raised the board to match the DLI, plants prefer less light now.
Just matter of efficiency, saving power and making LEDs last longer. Thanks for all your answers, but still looking for solution.

 

[exploziv]

I would say don't worry, the costs/time to make it dim further is not worth the trouble, and your plants will grow better anyway. Usually the potentiometers all start from 0, so I would say thats the lowest you can go without more modifications than changing the potentiometer.
Led life at 20% power is also as long as it can be before they become relics, you can probably use them for 5-10 years like that without worring too much about luminosity decline.

 

[brickweeder]

what driver does that light use? Meanwell, No-Name?

 

[Piecho]

what driver does that light use? Meanwell, No-Name?

For 2x120w boards

 

[exploziv]

Is the dimmer just a potentiometer or a board with other components? By the looks of it seems to be 0-10V dimming to the driver, so you should be able to get down to around 10% of the power. But depends on what the dimmer circuit they gave you does. I think it's not worth changing it, anyway. Just use them as they are till they die, then buy better ones.

 

[Piecho]

It is on the spare cord in the separate plastic case. As shown on the aliexpress photos.

I will probably just leave them, but engineer inside me can't look at this energy waste for first 2 weeks : D

 

[brickweeder]

I just downloaded the datasheet on your driver. All you would have to do is connect a 100k potentiometer (linear, not audio) to the pink and purple wires on the output side of the diver, and mount that potentiometer somewhere convenient. Then simply turn the pot to your desired light output level...easy peasy. This driver is set up just like the meanwell drivers.

 

[Piecho]

Thanks!
Maybe I will give it a try before starting next grow : )

 

[exploziv]

I would think you should get same level of dimming as with the dimmer that it was supplied with, no point in adding extra components to limit the lower power limit for the manufacturer, unless the leds start flashing in which case that's the most you can dim them anyway. It would be all extra cost and no benefit if they limited the dimming without good reason.

 

[brickweeder]

I would think you should get same level of dimming as with the dimmer that it was supplied with, no point in adding extra components to limit the lower power limit for the manufacturer, unless the leds start flashing in which case that's the most you can dim them anyway. It would be all extra cost and no benefit if they limited the dimming without good reason.

Yep, I agree 100%. The original post is strange because it seems that the driver comes with a pot attached to the dimming leads (based on a photo from the site), but it also seems that the led light with the driver attached is incapable of being dimmed for some reason.

 

[brickweeder]

Thanks!
Maybe I will give it a try before starting next grow : )

Did the dirver come with a potentiomenter already attached to the dimming leads on the output side?

 

[Piecho]

Did the dirver come with a potentiomenter already attached to the dimming leads on the output side?

Yes, I did not mod it. All looks solid, I can send some pictures if you are curious.

 

[brickweeder]

It seems like all you have to do is turn the potentiometer to dim your light...is that not working?

 

[Piecho]

It seems like all you have to do is turn the potentiometer to dim your light...is that not working?

It is, but I wanted to go below default minimum value.

 

[Koondense]

Maybe the driver has a 50-100% dimming, generally Meanwells have 10-100% with variable resistence dimming and pwm.
Leds also won't make light below a certain voltage so maybe it's just the system design weakness.

 

[troutman]

Glad my SF1000 and two SF4000 come with built-in dimmers.

 

[brickweeder]

...Leds also won't make light below a certain voltage so maybe it's just the system design weakness.

sounds like this to me because the dimming curve in the datasheet shows output current and voltage from the driver ranging from 10% to 100%.