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Low voltage AC/DC Adapter


sticks4legs

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Not even sure they exist, hoping someone here might know.

Looking to add to some lights to low voltage landscape lighting.  Had planned on using CMD24 and a couple floods.  I already have 12v low voltage wiring to the area however its AC.  Does anyone know of 12V AC/DC converter? or low voltage unit that would work?

 

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Most likely your existing landscape lighting will work on DC as easily as AC, and likely run at 12 volts, and can therefore be driven by a CMD-24.

Tell me in more detail what you are trying to accomplish.

 

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A bridge rectifier and a good filter capacitor will make DC (with ripple).

The problem, is the 13VAC will be closer to 18V DC

Your Yard lights (incans) don't care if it is AC or DC, so replace the Power Pak with a 12V weather proof PSU

The convention is the cables RIB is Minus (or Neutral)

 

 

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I did the exact same thing as the OP wants to do. I took my original low voltage landscape lights, gutted out the inside of the lights and installed dumb RGB lights inside of them. I then mounted a CMB24D in a weather tight box and mounted it under the original 600w transformer used for the original lights and used that to power the CMB24. Using the original transformer allows me to use the timer and electronic eye for dusk to dawn.  Then you program the CMB24D to play in stand alone mode and to start when power is applied.

Here is the exact tranformer that is powering everything and has been for the last nine months.

https://smile.amazon.com/Paradise-Sterno-Home-Transformer-landscape/dp/B00378K8VS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

Edited by Mr. P
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I was just wondering about this today. I have 2 channel LED rope light for landscaping. Was wondering how to run it on the CMB24 and power it through a power supply. I'm going to keep an eye on this post as well. Lots of knowledge floating around the site that I can learn from :)

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4 minutes ago, GriswoldStyle said:

I was just wondering about this today. I have 2 channel LED rope light for landscaping. Was wondering how to run it on the CMB24 and power it through a power supply. I'm going to keep an eye on this post as well. Lots of knowledge floating around the site that I can learn from :)

As long as the rope light is 12v you would use the pos screw "+" and any of the R, G, B (-) screws you want. just remeber when programming that you will only program R, G, B terminal that you used. 

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2 hours ago, Mr. P said:

As long as the rope light is 12v you would use the pos screw "+" and any of the R, G, B (-) screws you want. just remeber when programming that you will only program R, G, B terminal that you used. 

Ungroup the channels for  that port, then you have 3 independents lines: 2 for your rope, 1 for any monochrome light.  just remember 4A load on the + and don't push the sink lines (R G B ) capacity by using injection

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When I need low voltage for "DC" lights{like L.E.D.'s} using an AC output adapter, I'll usually add not only a full wave diode bridge, but since the adapter may put out higher voltage than I want or feel comfortable with, I'll use a voltage regulator in the circuit as well, if I need 12VDC: I use an LM7812, 9VDC: an LM7809 or lower: 5VDC then an LM7805.  I also heat sink the voltage regulators because they do and can get quite hot!  I also use these inside my Garden size model trains for L.E.D. lights and low voltage fan blown smoke units {replacement for original non-fan blown smoke systems} inside locomotives and smoking caboose stock.

Been using these methods for years reliably.

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Thanks all for the replies.

Looks like I have some testing to do this weekend.

As asked for more detail.  Currently I have my low voltage landscape lighting running across the deck and through the trees.  There is combination of (6)5 watt led floods in the trees and (8) LED flush mount and stair lights running on the deck. (just your basic cheap big box white LED)  All currently run on 12V AC  transformer.   

I had hoped to dig up some of the landscape wire and connect a CMD24 and add 2-4 RGB floods into the trees and shinning out into the yard.  What I was concerned about was running AC current into the CMD 24. 

I do have extra landscape lights, I will see if they run off a DC power supply.  If not will look into the bridge suggestions.

 

Thanks again!

Edited by sticks4legs
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22 hours ago, Mr. P said:

I did the exact same thing as the OP wants to do. I took my original low voltage landscape lights, gutted out the inside of the lights and installed dumb RGB lights inside of them. I then mounted a CMB24D in a weather tight box and mounted it under the original 600w transformer used for the original lights and used that to power the CMB24. Using the original transformer allows me to use the timer and electronic eye for dusk to dawn.  Then you program the CMB24D to play in stand alone mode and to start when power is applied.

Here is the exact tranformer that is powering everything and has been for the last nine months.

https://smile.amazon.com/Paradise-Sterno-Home-Transformer-landscape/dp/B00378K8VS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

I just wanted to double check. I see this transformer outputs AC.  you hooked it to your CMB with no issues?

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2 minutes ago, sticks4legs said:

I just wanted to double check. I see this transformer outputs AC.  you hooked it to your CMB with no issues?

NO!  NO!  NO!

Absolutely do NOT hook up AC to a CMB24D.  Good way to let the magic blue smoke out of something.

 

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Here is a pic of my setup, it has run for six hours every night for the last nine months. No issues. I run two circuits; one runs 12 RGB landscape lights and the second runs 5 white spotlights.

Landscape.jpg.2d5cf39fdcec578d57906dbf68a6fec7.jpg

Edited by Mr. P
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20 hours ago, k6ccc said:

NO!  NO!  NO!

Absolutely do NOT hook up AC to a CMB24D.  Good way to let the magic blue smoke out of something.

 

I didn't think so, just wanted to confirm your original post.  Thanks

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20 hours ago, Mr. P said:

Here is a pic of my setup, it has run for six hours every night for the last nine months. No issues. I run two circuits; one runs 12 RGB landscape lights and the second runs 5 white spotlights.

Landscape.jpg.2d5cf39fdcec578d57906dbf68a6fec7.jpg

OK I have to ask.  You are actually running a 12 volt transformer into the CMB24D?  Not having a schematic, it is likely there are protection diodes for the input power to the chips and voltage regulator because the board can either be powered off the supply terminals or an aux power jack.  There are some big filter capacitors in the board photo.  So it may be working because the circuit is being powered off of a half wave rectifier.  Now for the mosfets - is your lighting all LED?  They too may have protection diodes that convert the incoming voltage to DC.  As Jim said, they SHOULD NOT have AC across them or they will release the magic smoke.  But you may have got lucky that the lights with polarity diodes are providing protection for the mosfets.  A diode anywhere inline would convert the AC from the transformer to DC - but it would be a half wave DC.  Your lights are likely not as bright as if they were being driven off a pure DC source.

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40 minutes ago, radioguy1007 said:

OK I have to ask.  You are actually running a 12 volt transformer into the CMB24D?  Not having a schematic, it is likely there are protection diodes for the input power to the chips and voltage regulator because the board can either be powered off the supply terminals or an aux power jack.  There are some big filter capacitors in the board photo.  So it may be working because the circuit is being powered off of a half wave rectifier.  Now for the mosfets - is your lighting all LED?  They too may have protection diodes that convert the incoming voltage to DC.  As Jim said, they SHOULD NOT have AC across them or they will release the magic smoke.  But you may have got lucky that the lights with polarity diodes are providing protection for the mosfets.  A diode anywhere inline would convert the AC from the transformer to DC - but it would be a half wave DC.  Your lights are likely not as bright as if they were being driven off a pure DC source.

I have no idea. The lanscape lights were originally 11w low voltage bulb lights that I gutted out and installed the rectangular RGB lights, four per light fixture. The floods are standard led low voltage spots bought from lowe's that were part of the orginal lights. Everything works fine, colors change and dim, twinkle and everything with no issues. Maybe it is not suppose to work but it does, my thinking is that it may work on a half wave.

What can I add to make it a pure DC circuit?

Edited by Mr. P
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8 minutes ago, Mr. P said:

That would work, but is MASSIVE overkill for the purpose.

 

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Just now, k6ccc said:

That would work, but is MASSIVE overkill for the purpose.

 

I couldn't find anything smaller. I know it all works the way it currently is but I would like to do it the right way.

My question now is how will it affect the voltage, up or down?

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2 hours ago, Mr. P said:

I couldn't find anything smaller. I know it all works the way it currently is but I would like to do it the right way.

My question now is how will it affect the voltage, up or down?

You might add one of these just before the CMB24

https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Voltage-Regulator-Converter-1-2-36V/dp/B07CK1L5G2/ref=sr_1_7?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1527728930&sr=1-7&keywords=buck+converter

 Bridge -> Capacitor of a few hundred uf  (basic capacitor filter)  -> buck regulator -> cmb24

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21 hours ago, TheDucks said:

You might add one of these just before the CMB24

https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Voltage-Regulator-Converter-1-2-36V/dp/B07CK1L5G2/ref=sr_1_7?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1527728930&sr=1-7&keywords=buck+converter

 Bridge -> Capacitor of a few hundred uf  (basic capacitor filter)  -> buck regulator -> cmb24

Is the capicitor needed? Would there be much flickering? I am not getting any flickering now and I believe it is only running on a half wave.

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