MeanWell LED Drivers: 3 in 1 Dimming Function.

BobCajun said:
What makes you think shorting the dim leads on a driver with 3 in 1 dimming is bad for the driver? In data sheets it says less than 1v OR SHORT results in minimal brightness. Nowhere in anything have I ever seen something like "do not short the dim leads, will cause driver damage". I had an Arduino wired to a couple drivers and it was shorting and leaving open the dim leads at many times per second. Thing should be toast by now, by your reasoning.
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Ok ,since it mentioned at the data sheet,then feel free and apply it ..
I will still keep avoiding doing so,by my side ...
No reason ,really ...

Settled ?
 
stardustsailor said:
Ok ,since it mentioned at the data sheet,then feel free and apply it ..
I will still keep avoiding doing so,by my side ...
No reason ,really ...

Settled ?
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Yeah, settled. I was just wondering why you thought that. I guess intuitively you might think that. Also, I don't think you would need a limiter resistor with the potentiometer on HLGs because Meanwell 3 in 1 dimming is really only 1-10v anyway. It doesn't really go to zero, only down to 10%. Even if you short the dim wires it's still 10%.

9ixweq.jpg
 
Rahz said:
Pots have operating tolerances and may not reach their rated resistance so a resistor will give it bit of boost to insure 100% output when dim wires are in play.
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I see, an optional thing huh? I've never seen it suggested in any Cree document so obviously not a required item.
 
BobCajun said:
I see, an optional thing huh? I've never seen it suggested in any Cree document so obviously not a required item.
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what rahz said.
I have seen 100K pot give around 93K-97K, so adding a 10K resistor always a good idea to ensure you get max out of driver. Things like these cannot go in a cree document.
 
BobCajun said:
I see, an optional thing huh? I've never seen it suggested in any Cree document so obviously not a required item.
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They're optional, but you should check the technical data on the pots you're buying. Pots with very low tolerance are expensive. The cheap ones are generally +-10% so if you get a pot that happens to be -7% off you can only reach 93% of the drivers max current when the pot is in use. Cree's responsibility is to state the ohms of resistance necessary to achieve 100% brightness. If your pot can only provide 95K ohm or whatever it's not going to allow the driver to run at max current. The resistor is there to make up for the pot's potential deficit.
 
Rahz said:
They're optional, but you should check the technical data on the pots you're buying. Pots with very low tolerance are expensive. The cheap ones are generally +-10% so if you get a pot that happens to be -7% off you can only reach 93% of the drivers max current when the pot is in use. Cree's responsibility is to state the ohms of resistance necessary to achieve 100% brightness. If your pot can only provide 95K ohm or whatever it's not going to allow the driver to run at max current. The resistor is there to make up for the pot's potential deficit.
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robincnn said:
what rahz said.
I have seen 100K pot give around 93K-97K, so adding a 10K resistor always a good idea to ensure you get max out of driver. Things like these cannot go in a cree document.
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Okay I got it. I thought it was something to limit how dim it could go but it's actually the opposite, it makes sure it goes to full brightness. You'd think it would work the other way, more resistance = dimmer light, but no.
 
sigh

before i got the hookup diagram i blew one of my meanwell 185-36 drivers yesterday

i had three 4 cobbsystems ..tried a nother driver..hookednit right

and i am in the cree 3590 fun game..

4@ 3590's 4 fans 220w draw
 
OLD MOTHER SATIVA said:
sigh

before i got the hookup diagram i blew one of my meanwell 185-36 drivers yesterday

i had three 4 cobbsystems ..tried a nother driver..hookednit right

and i am in the cree 3590 fun game..

4@ 3590's 4 fans 220w draw
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Maybe you just triggered an auto shutoff safety in the driver. Pretty hard to burn them out I think. Probably a fuse inside or something. Was it actually stinking or smoking?
 
Kevin the Great said:
Is there somewhere I can get a cheap potentiometer, like menards or ace or something? RadioShack closed in my town.
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I don't know about a 100k one but 500k ones are common. They're used as audio volume controls. Probably a guitar store would have some. I used one myself. Works fine just that after the first 1/5th of a turn it's at full brightness already. But then who wants to crank that far anyway?

BTW, for cheap and compact you can't beat little ones like these. Sometimes you can find them in electronic stuff like old stereos. You adjust them with a screwdriver.
 
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BobCajun said:
Maybe you just triggered an auto shutoff safety in the driver. Pretty hard to burn them out I think. Probably a fuse inside or something. Was it actually stinking or smoking?
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i hooked it up from the wrong end..it pitted the plug prong but no smoke or anything from the unit..i also uplugged it fast you mean i might still be able to use it..is there reset?
because it didn't work the next day when i retried it though i did not open it up ..guess will open it..

iopened it up..good luck..whatever guts vtherev are in there has been filled up with heat dispersing black pitch like stuffn
they pob put the guts in then our that black stuff over it all ..i cannot getat anything
but no smell no visible problems..but yeh its blown
 
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OLD MOTHER SATIVA said:
i hooked it up from the wrong end..it pitted the plug prong but no smoke or anything from the unit..i also uplugged it fast you mean i might still be able to use it..is there reset?
because it didn't work the next day when i retried it though i did not open it up ..guess will open it..

iopened it up..good luck..whatever guts vtherev are in there has been filled up with heat dispersing black pitch like stuffn
they pob put the guts in then our that black stuff over it all ..i cannot getat anything
but no smell no visible problems..but yeh its blown
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Okay, I've never seen inside one, sounds like a mess. So you connected the AC line to the LED output leads? You'd think that would happen a lot, and they didn't put a safety in there? I guess if it's got heat dispersion goo in it then there's nothing you can do.
 
yes thats what was inside... i was a not too swift..
also i bought a tiny drone saw the poly rechargeable battery with what looked like tinfoil wrapping on it..i removed it
uh uh..not good..i wrecked that too..then myfishing rod broke..so thats three i am fine for a while now

yes gonna order a 185-36h and some chinese batteries for the mini drone..

anyway the other cob light arrays are ok
and i am installing them on aluminum bars..
soon come mon
 
OLD MOTHER SATIVA said:
yes thats what was inside... i was a not too swift..
also i bought a tiny drone saw the poly rechargeable battery with what looked like tinfoil wrapping on it..i removed it
uh uh..not good..i wrecked that too..then myfishing rod broke..so thats three i am fine for a while now

yes gonna order a 185-36h and some chinese batteries for the mini drone..

anyway the other cob light arrays are ok
and i am installing them on aluminum bars..
soon come mon
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I found a pdf that has some info on recovery after a fault has tripped the protection.

"Recovery Circuits
a. Automatic Recovery
Automatic Recovery senses the removal of the fault condition and returns the power supply to normal operation.
b. Manual Recovery
Before proceeding with Manual Recovery, make sure that the fault condition is removed. Manual Recovery requires cycling the
input power off and on. A ten to thirty second wait is necessary before turning on again."
source

Try plugging in and uplugging it and wait 30 seconds and plug it in again. You also need LEDs hooked up to it at the time. I read it's bad to power a driver with nothing on the output end.
 
tried it again..its a paper weight..

quote
as for the " isn't that driver 2.6-5.2 A? Isn't that a little high current?"

fk'd if i know..?

four of em with fans are 220 w

i will consult here again before i get more..
 
Okay, I tried to read through this thread and figure out the pot situation for my DIY COB light. But, my eyes started to glaze over and I'm still somewhat confused. I was over on Mouser clicking through the filters for pots, but this still had me confused. I want to make sure I'm buying the correct pot for my setup.

I'm running four CXB 3590 using a Meanwell HLG240-1750b. I want to hook up a potentiometer for dimming. From what I have read, I may need a 100k Ohm linear pot.

What I am confused about are all the other options. What power rating (mW)? What voltage rating? What tolerance (5%, 10%, 20%)? Do I need to use a 10k resistor? What type of pot (cermet, carbon, conductive plastic)?

Ugh... this is the last piece of the puzzle for me.
 
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