These drivers can manage an input voltage up to 264 VAC, right?
So it would be no problem plugging them straight into the wall outlet?
What do you need between the driver and the LEDs to be able to dim?
What would be the easiest to use in a dimable LED lamp of 24 Cree XR-E, Mean Well ELN-60-48P or Mean Well ELN-60-48D?

I have asked this in two other threads, one of them beeing the big Mean Well thread. Evereybody keep telling me to search google, read through the Mean Well Thread five times and I don`t know what.

Can`t anybody answer my fairly easy questions, without all the hassle? Does it really matter that much if another guy asked almost the same questions in page 34 in the Mean Well thread? If it were harder questions, wich would require more thorough answers, I would understand, but with these? Come on...

Regards,
Tom-André

HTH!
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=225106

Seriously, it's been covered multiple times in that thread. The "P" model needs a 10v pwm signal for dimming. The "D" model needs a 0-10v input signal. Circuits for both have been posted in that thread.

Thanks for the link, but there are some things I`m still a bit uncertain of.
F.I. If you buy a dimable driver you can not make a knob or something to make it easy to dim the LEDs when adjusting new corals etc? You have to open up the driver each time?

And if the driver will need to run on a 12 V power adaptor, what makes it all that different from a BuckPuck?

And one more thing, I thought it was the amps you would have to vary to dim the LEDs, not the voltage, wtf?


I hope nobody thinks I`m cranky or something because of my above statements. I just get a little resigned and frustrated when there is things I can`t find answers to

Thanks for all the help I get from you guys!
Not just in this thread, but also in this great including community!
I love you guys!

Ok. There is clearly something that you skipped over when reading through that thread.

#1. These drivers are AC input. Plug it into the wall. This provides the power for the LEDs, not the small power supply for the input signal. Buckpucks require a large high capacity power supply to provide power to the LEDs.
#2. The only time you need to open the driver is to set the MAX current output, not the current that you set with the dimming control. The max current is the hard limit so that you don't cook the LEDs.
#3. You can adjust the brightness with a knob, but that knob has to be part of a small circuit that provides the appropriate signal to the driver. That's what the small 12v power supply is for.
#4. Dimming is taken care of by adjusting current. The driver takes care of that, but you need an adjustable voltage for the input side of the driver. There is vitrually no current passing through the dimming circuit.
#5. Go back through and closely read the thread. All of these points that I have gone over has been covered already. There are also other points that are covered that I deliberately haven't gone over so you will pay a little more attention

Ok, that made most things clearer, thanks!
But would you be so kind posting a link to the page in the Men Well thread where the circuits for the D-model is illustrated?

#3. Ok, so when you set the MAX current output you have your variable DC power supply at the max setting and then screw the SVR2 slowly clockvise til you get close, but not over, 10 V on your multimeter? (The SVR2 screw was firstly screwed all the way counter clockvice before the power was even connected to the system, to avoid coocking the driver)
Then you can just use the knob or the lever at the variable power supply to dim the lights, without having to worry about exceeding 10 V?

I think I misunderstood something when writing the above answer.

When I`m to dim the LEDs down a bit to acclimate new corals etc, what is it that I have to adjust?
The LM317, the SRV2-screw in the driver or having an adjustable power supply?

What I want is a setup that allows me to easily dim the lights however I feel like it be using a knob or lever or something, not having to worry about exceeding 10V on the dim function in the driver or 1000 mA for the LEDs, even if the knob or lever is set at max.

Was this description possible to understand? If not pls. let me know what is unclear, and I will try to describe it another way.

I hope you guys will help me out on this one

Could I do it like this?
If not, what should I change?

My idea here is to have the 3-12 VDC power adapter set at 12 V (the max setting) when adjusting with the LM317, the SRV2 screw in the driver and a multimeter. When the max dim voltage is set, I can use the adjustable power adapter to dim the LEDs as I`d like.

What do you guys think?

You're finally getting it. Problem is though, 12v can potentially damage the driver. This is what we set up the LM317 circuit for. If you build it the way it's described in the thread (two pages back from the end or so), you get about 1.25-10v output, whic is perfect for this driver. You will set your maximum current with SVR2 when the input voltage is 10v.

But you need an adjustable power adaptor to easily dim the lights after the max dim voltage is set, right?

As I have understood it, I should have the adjustable power supply set at max, for example 12 V if it is a 3-12 V power supply, when setting the max dim voltage under 10 V and the max output current under 1000mA using the LM317 and the SVR2.
Then when the "safety tuning" is done, I can turn the adjustable power supply down to for example 9 V or 7,5 V when I get new corals, wich I would like to acclimate. Then gradually increasing the setting on the adjustable power supply to the max (12 V), wich is ~10 V dim voltage and ~1000mA output current for the LEDs.

Will this be the easiest way to make a dimable LED setup wich is easy to dim when needed?

Thanks for your help Evil, you are truly a LED guru

With the LM317, you don't change the input voltage. There is a potentiometer in the circuit that adjusts the output voltage. All you need is a cheap fixed output power supply that is 12v. Build the circuit as described and you will have a fine adjustment 1-10v dimming circuit that will dim nice and smooth.

Ok, but when I`m to dim the lights, will I have to adjust the LM317 or the SRV2 screw?

Once you set the maximum current with the SRV2 screw you put the driver back together and don't touch the screw again! You will adjust the lights with the potentiometer (little knob) on the LM317! It is really that simple!

Ok, that sounds simple enough, but will you not endager exceeding 10 V dim voltage when you turn the knob up again after you have turned it down to acclimate some corals?
Or isn`t it the same knob you adjust when setting the max dim voltage?

Different knob. SVR2 is inside the driver. The know to adjust the LM317 output voltage is outside the driver.

Ok. And one regular 12 V Wall Mart power adaptor can be used for two LM317, right?

http://cgi.ebay.com/LM317-In-DC-or-AC-4V-3...=item5ad78c3471
http://cgi.ebay.com/LM317-In-DC-or-AC-4V-3...#ht_1931wt_1165
Would any of these do as the LM317 circuit, or do you favour one of the designs?
I would think the upper and first design would be the easiest to connect. Or is it no difference between the two?

Neither one limit the voltage to 10v. Build the circuit described.

Would be great if you could link me the schematics for the LM317

Let "Search" be your friend!

Meanwell thread, somewhere in the last two pages. Time to do a little legwork of your own on this one. If you had read the full thread, you would have tripped over it a number of times.

also dimming the leds every time you get new coral isnt really that good of an idea, because then all the older coral you have will all have to adjust to the dim light then readjust to the brighter light, you should try to incorporate a darker part of the tank into your rock work.