DIY UVA/B

Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
This thing uses Amazon Alexa but there are manual ones, I would imagine something like this would allow you to dim your UV lighting.

Smart Dimmer Plug Treatlife Outdoor Smart Plug Works with Alexa and Google Home, Light Dimmer APP Remote Control, Max Power 400W, IP44 Waterproof for Dimmable Outdoor Lights, Floor Lamp, Table Lamp - - Amazon.com

Smart Dimmer Plug Treatlife Outdoor Smart Plug Works with Alexa and Google Home, Light Dimmer APP Remote Control, Max Power 400W, IP44 Waterproof for Dimmable Outdoor Lights, Floor Lamp, Table Lamp - - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
 
bk78

bk78

Well-Known Member
PSUAGRO. said:
Never heard of a cheap hoop house? :D...... And bifenthrin is your friend


Seriously though get some gla boards if this is your thing
Click to expand...
Doug Dawson said:
This thing uses Amazon Alexa but there are manual ones, I would imagine something like this would allow you to dim your UV lighting.

Smart Dimmer Plug Treatlife Outdoor Smart Plug Works with Alexa and Google Home, Light Dimmer APP Remote Control, Max Power 400W, IP44 Waterproof for Dimmable Outdoor Lights, Floor Lamp, Table Lamp - - Amazon.com

Smart Dimmer Plug Treatlife Outdoor Smart Plug Works with Alexa and Google Home, Light Dimmer APP Remote Control, Max Power 400W, IP44 Waterproof for Dimmable Outdoor Lights, Floor Lamp, Table Lamp - - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...

damn. Any Canadian ones lol
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
bk78 said:
damn. Any Canadian ones lol
Click to expand...
And it's waterproof so bonus.

Smart Dimmer Plug, Treatlife Outdoor Dimmer Works with Alexa and Google Assistant, WiFi Outlet Remote Control, Max Power 400W, IP44 Waterproof for Dimmable String Lights, Smart Home, 1 Pack : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

Smart Dimmer Plug, Treatlife Outdoor Dimmer Works with Alexa and Google Assistant, WiFi Outlet Remote Control, Max Power 400W, IP44 Waterproof for Dimmable String Lights, Smart Home, 1 Pack : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement
www.amazon.ca
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
Doug Dawson said:
This thing uses Amazon Alexa but there are manual ones, I would imagine something like this would allow you to dim your UV lighting.

Smart Dimmer Plug Treatlife Outdoor Smart Plug Works with Alexa and Google Home, Light Dimmer APP Remote Control, Max Power 400W, IP44 Waterproof for Dimmable Outdoor Lights, Floor Lamp, Table Lamp - - Amazon.com

Smart Dimmer Plug Treatlife Outdoor Smart Plug Works with Alexa and Google Home, Light Dimmer APP Remote Control, Max Power 400W, IP44 Waterproof for Dimmable Outdoor Lights, Floor Lamp, Table Lamp - - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
Click to expand...
Is that for dimming on the AC side of the driver? Not sure it would work, normally the DC side is used for dimming, for example meanwell hlg 3 in 1 dimming.
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
Rocket Soul said:
Is that for dimming on the AC side of the driver? Not sure it would work, normally the DC side is used for dimming, for example meanwell hlg 3 in 1 dimming.
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I realize that's how they do it but that doesn't mean this thing won't work. I would personally give it a try, if it didn't work I am sure I could find some other use for it.
 
O

Original StinkyG

Well-Known Member
Naturally the uv is strongest an hour or so either side of midday, the equator gets more obviously and that is how this idea came about, same strain grown on the equator produces more resin for sunscreen it's believed ! 2 hours depending on strength middle of lights on ! However I've not used it yet but have read a few studies on the subject. I have uv ready to go this grow but not till mid flowerwhen resin production is heavy in production anyway.
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
bk78 said:
If it works for your uva bars, it’ll work for mine
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Ok so bad news, that won't work with the ballasts. It appears when you under drive the ballasts the lights flicker on and of. Works fine for standard lights and such but not when attached to the drivers. Looks like you will have to splice a potentiometer between the output voltage and led's.
 
grotbags

grotbags

Well-Known Member
Doug Dawson said:
Ok so bad news, that won't work with the ballasts. It appears when you under drive the ballasts the lights flicker on and of. Works fine for standard lights and such but not when attached to the drivers. Looks like you will have to splice a potentiometer between the output voltage and led's.
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please dont do this... your first advice about using a ac dimmer on the ac input to dim a dc driver was bad enough, and now you suggest splicing a pot on the dc output from the driver???. NO...

not having a dig man but maybe electrical advice isnt your forte.
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
grotbags said:
please dont do this... your first advice about using a ac dimmer on the ac input to dim a dc driver was bad enough, and now you suggest splicing a pot on the dc output from the driver???. NO...

not having a dig man but maybe electrical advice isnt your forte.
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So you suggest what to dim lights? He canceled the order but I am curious.
 
grotbags

grotbags

Well-Known Member
Doug Dawson said:
So you suggest what to dim lights? He canceled the order but I am curious.
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buying lights with drivers that have built in dimming functionality...

but seriously i cant suggest anything that would work for this application, im not saying there isnt something outthere that would work just ive not seen it nor searched for it.
 
Doug Dawson

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
grotbags said:
buying lights with drivers that have built in dimming functionality...

but seriously i cant suggest anything that would work for this application, im not saying there isnt something outthere that would work just ive not seen it nor searched for it.
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The fact is that BK has some experience so I know he would do his due diligence before hacking onto any wiring. The ability to add a dimmer would depend on if the particular LED'S in the fixture were dimmable as some LED'S are not. A potentiometer between output and leds that are dimmable should work. The LEDs only know what voltage is being supplied, they dont know what is regulating the voltage. Why does it matter to the LEDs weather the voltage is being lowered by the driver or a potentiometer after the driver?
 
MidnightSun72

MidnightSun72

Well-Known Member
Doug Dawson said:
The fact is that BK has some experience so I know he would do his due diligence before hacking onto any wiring. The ability to add a dimmer would depend on if the particular LED'S in the fixture were dimmable as some LED'S are not. A potentiometer between output and leds that are dimmable should work. The LEDs only know what voltage is being supplied, they dont know what is regulating the voltage. Why does it matter to the LEDs weather the voltage is being lowered by the driver or a potentiometer after the driver?
Click to expand...
Typically it's the amperage that's raised or lowered. The LED draws the voltage it needs depending on the amperage applied. If you check the data sheets for LEDs they usually have a graph for this.
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
Doug Dawson said:
The fact is that BK has some experience so I know he would do his due diligence before hacking onto any wiring. The ability to add a dimmer would depend on if the particular LED'S in the fixture were dimmable as some LED'S are not. A potentiometer between output and leds that are dimmable should work. The LEDs only know what voltage is being supplied, they dont know what is regulating the voltage. Why does it matter to the LEDs weather the voltage is being lowered by the driver or a potentiometer after the driver?
Click to expand...
Check out the meanwell dimming thread somewhere, any dimming must be done by the driver, no pots before or after the driver.

If you lower power before the driver it won't start up properly. If you try to include some current reducing pot in the DC circuit and dim where would the current go? Stay in the pot? It gotta go somewhere...

Meanwell B type drivers lets you add a pot to the driver which controls the output current. You can do resistive (most common, 100k ohm pot divided with the amount of drivers you want to control: 50k ohm for 2 drivers etc)
Or PWM: attach it to as many drivers you want.
And can't remember the third :)
 
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