LED pulsing on low power modes?

[AG12]

Hi I have a mars hydro fc-e8000 and when she’s on full power, I don’t see any pulsing or flicker. I’m not sure I can even call it a flicker because it doesn’t seem the bulbs turn off an on but just dim for a sec and then come back on to the power setting I have adjusted.

I have read LEDs do this, but then others say they shouldn’t. I checked my electricity monitor and from what I can see I don’t see any quick wattage jumps, and cables all seem to tightened down fine and connected well.

I don’t understand LED tech too well so would really like someone’s input on this. The light is not even 3 months old and is just starting to be used so I really don’t want to have to return it and wait since I JUST started my grow. Thanks!

 

[Absorber]

My leds dont pulse/flicker it doesnt seem normal to me .
How often does it happen ?
Im an electrician by trade and if you have say an outside garden pump kicking in( or another big load ) it could cause a pulse in the leds from voltage fluctuation.

 

[AG12]

My leds dont pulse/flicker it doesnt seem normal to me .
How often does it happen ?
Im an electrician by trade and if you have say an outside garden pump kicking in( or another big load ) it could cause a pulse in the leds from voltage fluctuation.

It only happens on lower settings and it happens every 30 seconds to a minute. After a bit of doing it on 30% it stopped but once I switch it up or lower, it does it again. No outside garden pump and my electricity monitor I use only shows the light pull about 150ish watts.

 

[Absorber]

It only happens on lower settings and it happens every 30 seconds to a minute. After a bit of doing it on 30% it stopped but once I switch it up or lower, it does it again. No outside garden pump and my electricity monitor I use only shows the light pull about 150ish watts.

Yea sounds odd . Id try it on another power source to be 100% sure .
Not at your place at another source .
Then you can be 100% sure its the fitting but im leaning towards it being the light fitting .
Mars are known for dodgy plugs coming from driver ,double check them feel each one see if they are warm or hot . Id start there .
@Rocket Soul thoughts?

 

[AG12]

Yea sounds odd . Id try it on another power source to be 100% sure .
Not at your place at another source .
Then you can be 100% sure its the fitting but im leaning towards it being the light fitting .
Mars are known for dodgy plugs coming from driver ,double check them feel each one see if they are warm or hot . Id start there .
@Rocket Soul thoughts?

Yeah, just checked the heat from them. Not hot to the touch or even warm really.

 

[Absorber]

Yeah, just checked the heat from them. Not hot to the touch or even warm really.

Might pay just at lights off to open each one and check they are in good nick and no arcing or a black chared look

 

[Rocket Soul]

I dont know that light too well, is it a step less dimmer? If so my bet is that its doing a bit of glitching on the low setting, this is very common for resistive dimmer pots. Hard to imagine anything else. But still just guessing. But dimmer tends go bad, they have a mechanical component in them an as such tend to go bad, theres wear and tear...



How to fix? If there is warranty on the light then contact Mars hydro, if not id consider just not running it that low if it bothers you. Again i dont know this light. Maybe query Mars on what to do.

Another reason for going DIY, this part i usually pay 1euro or two max and keep a box of them around. This setup would need Mars parts. Diy would also allow you control multiple lights with one dimmer.

if it was me, and no warranty, youd be pressed to keep me from opening that sucker up and replacing the dimmer with one of my own. Ever since i dropped and broke my little projector, and stubbornly opened it up and fixed it, ive been somewhat fearless in these things, it was the greatest feeling ever! Full score in Man points, lol, ive never been so good about my self. Those type of feelings are a great motivation and will keep you coming back for more. But that was a nothing to lose situation.

So I checked there seems to be alternative dimming options, blue tooth and LAN. Maybe this can be avenue of isolating this to dimmer and/or fixing it.

Check in with Mars though, they are on the forum.

 

[AG12]

I dont know that light too well, is it a step less dimmer? If so my bet is that its doing a bit of glitching on the low setting, this is very common for resistive dimmer pots. Hard to imagine anything else. But still just guessing. But dimmer tends go bad, they have a mechanical component in them an as such tend to go bad, theres wear and tear...



How to fix? If there is warranty on the light then contact Mars hydro, if not id consider just not running it that low if it bothers you. Again i dont know this light. Maybe query Mars on what to do.

Another reason for going DIY, this part i usually pay 1euro or two max and keep a box of them around. This setup would need Mars parts. Diy would also allow you control multiple lights with one dimmer.

if it was me, and no warranty, youd be pressed to keep me from opening that sucker up and replacing the dimmer with one of my own. Ever since i dropped and broke my little projector, and stubbornly opened it up and fixed it, ive been somewhat fearless in these things, it was the greatest feeling ever! Full score in Man points, lol, ive never been so good about my self. Those type of feelings are a great motivation and will keep you coming back for more. But that was a nothing to lose situation.

So I checked there seems to be alternative dimming options, blue tooth and LAN. Maybe this can be avenue of isolating this to dimmer and/or fixing it.

Check in with Mars though, they are on the forum.

Yeah I shot them a message here. Although I seem to have fixed it? Since the light is running into my AC Infinity controller 69, some people said that when the light is set to EXT mode, the controller will cause it to flicker. The fix seems to be putting the dimmer on 100% and it doesn’t increase brightness while plugged into the controller. I can change the light intensity from the controller still via my phone, but the driver is set to 100%. Still only pulling about 150 watts from the wall on 30% however I put her at 20% due to germinating some seeds and I just transplanted my clone so into coco. Hoping for the best!

Side note, I used this Reddit comment regarding a total different light but same RJ11/12 adapter for the Controller 69 Pro. I’m assuming there’s a bug with the controllers PWM when the driver itself has a 0-10 switch knob.

TLDR: if you have similar issues, put your dimmer knob on max and you can still dim via the controller/app.

 

[Absorber]

Yeah I shot them a message here. Although I seem to have fixed it? Since the light is running into my AC Infinity controller 69, some people said that when the light is set to EXT mode, the controller will cause it to flicker. The fix seems to be putting the dimmer on 100% and it doesn’t increase brightness while plugged into the controller. I can change the light intensity from the controller still via my phone, but the driver is set to 100%. Still only pulling about 150 watts from the wall on 30% however I put her at 20% due to germinating some seeds and I just transplanted my clone so into coco. Hoping for the best!

Side note, I used this Reddit comment regarding a total different light but same RJ11/12 adapter for the Controller 69 Pro. I’m assuming there’s a bug with the controllers PWM when the driver itself has a 0-10 switch knob.

TLDR: if you have similar issues, put your dimmer knob on max and you can still dim via the controller/app.

"Since the light is running into my AC Infinity controller 69"

Would have been a handy bit of information
Glad you sorted it

 

[AG12]

"Since the light is running into my AC Infinity controller 69"

Would have been a handy bit of information
Glad you sorted it

I forgot I made a new thread. Thought this was under my grow log oops lmfao

 

[Absorber]

I forgot I made a new thread. Thought this was under my grow log oops lmfao

At least its fixed nothing worse than something not performing as expected

 

[Rocket Soul]

Yeah I shot them a message here. Although I seem to have fixed it? Since the light is running into my AC Infinity controller 69, some people said that when the light is set to EXT mode, the controller will cause it to flicker. The fix seems to be putting the dimmer on 100% and it doesn’t increase brightness while plugged into the controller. I can change the light intensity from the controller still via my phone, but the driver is set to 100%. Still only pulling about 150 watts from the wall on 30% however I put her at 20% due to germinating some seeds and I just transplanted my clone so into coco. Hoping for the best!

Side note, I used this Reddit comment regarding a total different light but same RJ11/12 adapter for the Controller 69 Pro. I’m assuming there’s a bug with the controllers PWM when the driver itself has a 0-10 switch knob.

TLDR: if you have similar issues, put your dimmer knob on max and you can still dim via the controller/app.

So basicly what your saying is that external control overrides the dimmer knob?

 

[Absorber]

I forgot I made a new thread. Thought this was under my grow log oops lmfao

Its not even mentioned in your intro on grow log from what i could see
Thread '5x5 Setup - AG Grow #1' https://www.icmag.com/threads/5x5-setup-ag-grow-1.18131840/

 

[AG12]

So basicly what your saying is that external control overrides the dimmer knob?

Yeah. That seems to be what’s happening. I’m going to monitor over the next few days and see if it’s an actual fix but from that Reddit comment and what I noticed instantly, seems to be the answer when it comes to running non AC lights thru the controller and utilizing the RJ11/12 adapters

 

[AG12]

Its not even mentioned in your intro on grow log from what i could see
Thread '5x5 Setup - AG Grow #1' https://www.icmag.com/threads/5x5-setup-ag-grow-1.18131840/

Ah fuck me. I’ll edit it now lol I could’ve sworn I mentioned it.

 

[Rocket Soul]

Yeah. That seems to be what’s happening. I’m going to monitor over the next few days and see if it’s an actual fix but from that Reddit comment and what I noticed instantly, seems to be the answer when it comes to running non AC lights thru the controller and utilizing the RJ11/12 adapters

Yeah, im sure its the actual dimmer knob then. It has a mechanical component and and low current for control signal. If theres some wear or glitching then you can get this. We get something similar as we turn the knob, flickering raise/low of intensity, not smooth.

Its no big deal.

Though always with electricity, its on you, i didnt build the light so make sure with mars.

I like to give advice to the best of my knowledge but not be blamed or fires you know. But very sure youre in the safe.