What is the cheapest and easiest to set up Sunrise/Sunset controller?

Hi everyone, I'd like to set up my EB strip build with sunrise and sunset timing/dimming.

Will be running either the ELG or HLG drivers. What would be the easiest set up and cheapest option to get this function?

Cheers

Be best to get PWM based drivers for most controllers out there
Cheers
Mark

Cheers Mark, im quite new at this, as you have probably seen on other threads... Can you suggest a driver that will do 6 - 8 x 560mm EB strips @700ma and is PWM based? Otherwise I was set on a HLG-120H-C700B to run the 6 - 8 strips... if that works aswell.?? I will be starting with 6 strips then upgrading with another 2, if I need it.

My mars hydro drivers worked out well with 4 strips per driver and im very happy about it

Hi confined,

The HurricaneX controller from stevesled is relatively cheap but you need the 10v pwm converter board if you want to use HLG/ELG drivers.

Otherwise you could use MeanWell LDD DC/DC drivers(available in 350, 500, 700, 1000 and 1500mA).

I don't remember the correct max. vf(52v?), but think you could use 1 LDD700 to drive two 24v strips in series at 700mA or 2s 2p on a LDD1500. These tiny drivers are used in many aquarium LED lights, are pwm controlled and there is a lot of usefull stuff around these drivers like circuit boards for 4-5 LDD's.
But they are DC/DC drivers which means you need another driver like a HLG-xxxH-48A to drive multiple driver at once. BUT this way 90-91% driver effiency is the best you can get.(if LDD is 97% and HLG 94%)
I would rather buy the pwm converter extension and use HLG's...

HurricaneX and pwm converter ~100$ +VAT
http://www.stevesleds.com/LED-Controllers_c_97.html

Thanks @Randomblame, that pwm converter seems to be a nice and easy approach. Is the Dimming smooth?

Im interested in the LDD setup, but am a bit intimidated with the wiring and all the components to get it all going.

Cheers

Steve should have all needed parts to drive your strips with LDD's. Also cutter.com would have all what you need.
You could also search the web for the LDD datasheet.
The wiring is not so difficult especially if you use one of the 5 in 1 boards. Simple put the drivers in place and they are connected. Then connect the LED strip's to the 5 board outputs and it's input to the big CV driver. At last connect the pwm controller to the board. That's all!

ok, sound easy enough.. "thinking" i'll give it a crack.. Cheers so much for the info.

To be exact, im actually going to be running 12 x 560mm Strips (already purchased), its a 4" x 1.8" wardrobe, but I want to make 2 seperate fixtures, for easy transportation purposes (dont like the 4" strips) so 6 x Strips per fixture/frame.. If that makes sense?

So I would need 6 x LDD's run over 2 x 5 in 1 boards. How would I wire them together? (sorry if this is boring old stuff you've prob explained a million times to noobs like me)

And why a CV driver? always been a bit confused about these drivers.

You could make 2 separate units from 6 strips each and drive them on one driver. Your wardrobe has ~7,2sft. and if we use 35w/sft. as enough, you can use a HLG-240H-48A.

I would make an own base plate for the drivers and mount it outside of the wardrobe. Connect two LDD boards each with 3 LDD700's in parallel to the HLG driver and mount them together with the pwm controller on the base plate.

But why not use the pwm extension and go the more efficient and more easy way?
You could use the two 6 strip units, but wire the strips all in parallel for 24v. Then connect both cluster in series to doubling the voltage to 48v and connect it directly to a HLG-240H-48A, which is connected to the pwm converter card/controller.
It's more efficient and most probably cheaper as 6 LDD's, 2 boards and the same driver. Okay, with LDD's you can control 6 separate channels but is it realy worth it or needed if you are able to dimm the whole lamp like you want? The controller stays the same.

IN,

Im interested in this also. That was todays task of research, lol.

I see what your getting at

I know how to wire in series, but its the parallel that worries me... I can give it ago though, i like trying these things, might take me a few days of double and triple checking everything before switching it on lol

whats the advantage to getting the CV driver and wiring in parallel over a CC driver wiring in series?

Plants In The window. Lol

lol,

And if I wanted to upgrade to 8 strips, would that mean I would have to get another driver if I go down this CV driver route?

Ah ok, think i got it.... HLG-240H-48A is 5000mA divide that by 6 is 833mA ..... 8 strips will drop it to 625mA and make it more efficient with more spread.... im fine with this I think...

Am I getting this right?
fuckin electrics!

And can we make it more than 35w/sft?

Time to learn Arduino,

already took a crash course this morning,

soes that mean im getting it right? because Arduino is wayyyyy over my old head lol

It's a lot safer to use 48vf it you're no electrican.
Adding additional strips would increase effiency but if you want more power you'll need a bigger driver.
But you could use 2x 8 strips and a HLG-320 from start and dimm it down to what ever you need.

I've mentioned the 35w/sft. as recommendation because with ~50% efficient LED's it's already ~800-900μMol/s and if you use more light you should suplement with additional CO².

Randomblame said:

Hi confined,

The HurricaneX controller from stevesled is relatively cheap but you need the 10v pwm converter board if you want to use HLG/ELG drivers.

Otherwise you could use MeanWell LDD DC/DC drivers(available in 350, 500, 700, 1000 and 1500mA).

I don't remember the correct max. vf(52v?), but think you could use 1 LDD700 to drive two 24v strips in series at 700mA or 2s 2p on a LDD1500. These tiny drivers are used in many aquarium LED lights, are pwm controlled and there is a lot of usefull stuff around these drivers like circuit boards for 4-5 LDD's.
But they are DC/DC drivers which means you need another driver like a HLG-xxxH-48A to drive multiple driver at once. BUT this way 90-91% driver effiency is the best you can get.(if LDD is 97% and HLG 94%)
I would rather buy the pwm converter extension and use HLG's...

HurricaneX and pwm converter ~100$ +VAT
http://www.stevesleds.com/LED-Controllers_c_97.html

Click to expand...

Man, thats it, thats the key to this idea.

But keep in mind for people wanting to do sunrise and sunset. The biggest misconception of penetration, is " intense light beaming thru the leaves and depth it drive light to the ground and beyond."

That is partly correct. But when the sun comes up, it shines horizontally thru the plant from a lower angle, thus, getting light THRU the plant sideways and hitting UNDER canopy bud sites for a few hours a day, on EACh side.

So, with that in mind, to get a true sunrise/sunset benifit, light wise, would to have your light structure built like this.

HurricaneX is most probably also based on Arduino but ready to boot with an external sdcard which contains firmware and UI.
You can use the firmware on your own Arduino if you use the same parts. There are also other controllers like Coralux, GrowGreen(or was it GoGreen? I forget...). And lots of vids on youtube!

confined said:

Hi everyone, I'd like to set up my EB strip build with sunrise and sunset timing/dimming.

Will be running either the ELG or HLG drivers. What would be the easiest set up and cheapest option to get this function?

Cheers

Click to expand...

Sunrise /Sunset is a color spectrum control.. If you are talking about turning your lights on and off that is timing. If you want to dim them up and down, that does not really add to the plants health, but it looks good. Sunrise is using Deep Red to wake up your plants in the morning and Far Red at evening to put them to sleep. I have controllers that dim HLG drivers but I do not use that function. I use on/off function and Deep Red/Far Red light control Deep 30 minutes in morning Far Red 30 minutes in evening. Works great for me and saves a lot of money dimming leds, although I can dim and control rgbw leds 12/24v using one of these -> https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/stmicroelectronics/STP16NF06/497-2766-5-ND/603791 pin 1- Arduino PWM, pin 2 - to led, pin 3 to ground. this mosfett only works on direct dimmed led strips with 12/24v power supply connected witjh one of my dmx512 4 channel rgbw controllers. I design and build a variety of controllers for led light systems using Arduino's, EPS32's, etc