[viggen]

I have a need for a rather robust inline LED dimmer and am wondering whether any of you guys on this forum here know of a source.

I bought an aquarium LED light and it's too bright for me.  So, I bought an inline dimmer for it.  However, whenever the light is dimmed by more than about 20%, the dimmer will start humming.

Does anyone here know how to fix this problem? 

This is the light I bought - http://www.adana.co.jp/en/products/na_lightning/aquasky/


This is the dimmer I am using now - http://www.ecoxotic.com/community/aquarium-lighting/new-inline-dimmers-for-panorama-pro-modules-stunner-led-strips

This is what I am considering on getting - http://www.spectrumaudio.com/littlite-ldc-1.html?gclid=CM3thfn7vbYCFQeCnQodpnMAFw

Dunno whether I have other issues or swapping out the dimmer will help.  And, so far, I can only guess as to which other dimmer on the market will work with this LED.

[Tone Depth]

The manual for the LED light says specifically to not use it with a dimmer, did you happen to read that?

[viggen]

The manual for the LED light says specifically to not use it with a dimmer, did you happen to read that?

I must have missed that!  The guy who owns the store where I bought the light said I can use the light with an inline dimmer since the dimmer comes AFTER the ballast.   The company that made the lamp is probably being over cautious.  However, I don't feel comfortable using this LED now.

I guess I will TRY to return it.  I bought it from a mom and pop store that doesn't have a clear cut return policy so hopefully he's in a good mood.

[Wayner]

There are many types of dimmers used to control LED lighting. The simple/integral driver LED strips usually can be dimmed with the use of a triac based dimmer, as those that are used for ordinary LED lamps in your home. Triac based dimmers cut the time of the half cycle wave (making the one/off) cycle shorter and shorter, and the off periods per half cycle, longer and longer. This is the primary dimmer for incandescent and self driven LED lamps. Not all LED lamps are dimmable.

A dimmer that runs after the driver, is controlling the driver in a different way, internal to the driver, and is usually a potentiometer that presents the lamp side of the driver variable, resistive loads. With in the driver are SMDs that instruct the driver how to dim the LEDs.

A third method (and not yours, but an FYI) is controlled by DMX protocol, where each driver has an address, and many drivers can be on one dimming circuit, controlled by their DMX address access.

Back to your problem, there are simply too many folks making LEDs and dimmers to know what is compatible, without consulting the LED maker.

That is where I would start.

Wayner

[viggen]

There are many types of dimmers used to control LED lighting. The simple/integral driver LED strips usually can be dimmed with the use of a triac based dimmer, as those that are used for ordinary LED lamps in your home. Triac based dimmers cut the time of the half cycle wave (making the one/off) cycle shorter and shorter, and the off periods per half cycle, longer and longer. This is the primary dimmer for incandescent and self driven LED lamps. Not all LED lamps are dimmable.

A dimmer that runs after the driver, is controlling the driver in a different way, internal to the driver, and is usually a potentiometer that presents the lamp side of the driver variable, resistive loads. With in the driver are SMDs that instruct the driver how to dim the LEDs.

A third method (and not yours, but an FYI) is controlled by DMX protocol, where each driver has an address, and many drivers can be on one dimming circuit, controlled by their DMX address access.

Back to your problem, there are simply too many folks making LEDs and dimmers to know what is compatible, without consulting the LED maker.

That is where I would start.

Wayner

I am not sure what a driver is.  But, in my case, the dimmer is after the ballast (looks like a laptop ac adapter to me).  So, this might fit the second scenario?  So, the dimmer, in this case, has to be able to "talk" to the driver which I doubt the LED I have is designed for that.

In other words, as the manual says, "do NOT use this product with a dimmer"? 

[Wayner]

A driver is an inclusive circuit module that "drives" the LED light array.

Professional LEDs usually come with multiple LEDs mounted on a circuit board strip, having 6 or more drivers mounted to it, along with SMDs (surface mounted devices), voltage regulators and stuff like that. RGB (red/green/blue) strips have LEDs that can produce the colors of the light spectrum (ROYGBIV) and can be dialed in to produce many color scenes. So the industry does not refer to the electronics for the LEDs as ballasts, but rather, have coined the term "driver" as it has many duties, other then simply supplying a proper voltage/wave form for LEDs to work properly.

AC driven LEDs, such as the LED light bulbs you buy at Menards, have drivers built into the base and some are designed to react to the signal provided by the normal Triac dimmers, commonly used in most homes. The drivers in these types of lamps are designed to react to the varying on/off half cycle that the Triac provides.

I am currently working on a LED lighting project right now, and believe me when I tell you that the industry is having growing pains, with many types of products becoming more and more available, and the methods used to control LEDs is becoming more and more complicated.

I guess I'm saying, I fell your pain.

Wayner

[Bizarroterl]

I'm in the process of a remodel and I'm using drivers to power dimmable LED strip lighting.  It is somewhat complicated and even with assurances you really don't know until you test it out.