12v leds need to work with Lightorama

[webbie]

Hello

I have some Leds that run from 5 to 14.8 volts.

Its a project im working on. Can I just use standard 12v ac to dc power supplies?

Its only going to be like 200mA per channel. WIll fading hurt the lightorama contollers using these power supplies?



Ideas, thoughts suggestions.



Jeff

[Guest wbottomley]

webbie wrote:

Hello

I have some Leds that run from 5 to 14.8 volts.

Its a project im working on. Can I just use standard 12v ac to dc power supplies?

Its only going to be like 200mA per channel.  WIll fading hurt the lightorama contollers using these power supplies?

 

Ideas, thoughts suggestions.

 

Jeff

Those power supplies will not handle fading or any other effect.

What you'll have to do is buy a dc board (http://store.lightorama.com/cmdedcca.html) and a large power supply to handle the load and board control.

[webbie]

Can you recommend a power suppy that will work with this.

Im only going to be pulling 176mA per channel.



Thanks

[Denny]

You can power the DC board with a 12 volt wall wart. You can then use whatever DC power supply you need to supply the power to the LEDs. You can use two different DC voltages if needed, one for each bank of 8 channels.

Edit to add: Here's a link to the user guide, it should answer most of your questions.

http://www.lightorama.com/Documents/CMB16D_Man_Web.pdf

[webbie]

ok

I have to have 20 channels that will be 12v.

SO each channel is going to be about 200mA.

SO can I just use a 12v 2A wall transformer for 1 through 8.

and then use a second wall transformer thats also 12v 2amp for 9-16?

Then for the second controller just use the same for the remaing channels needed?

If this is correct, I would then just cut off the ends of the transformer and attach those to the connectors on the control. Of course + and - being the correct way.

Im just confused on what to use and how much to feed power wise to this controler.

ALso What do you use for a case to enclose the controller? ANyone have any photos?


Attached files

[webbie]

If i used 200mA per channel times 8 that would be 1600mA.

SO If I used the 2amp power supply would that be enough to control the onboard electronics for the cmb12d?

[Denny]

webbie wrote:

If i used 200mA per channel times 8 that would be 1600mA.

SO If I used the 2amp power supply would that be enough to control the onboard electronics for the cmb12d?

Correct, you can power everything with a single 12 volt power supply if you need 12 volts in both banks. As for a case, I build all my boxes out of scrap plywood. Some people use plastic rubbermaid containers or if you want to get fancy, you can use the lawn sprinkler controller boxes, phone boxes, etc. I follow Tim Fisher's credo, cheaper is better!

[huskernut]

Ebay generally has a lot of 12 volt laptop power supplies for sale. I just bought one that goes to 4 amps I am sure it was less than $10.00, it had free shipping,

[webbie]

Thanks for the help guys

[webbie]

Hey Denny

I noticed you said you could power this controller off of one single 12v power supply?

WHen i was reading the pdf file for this it shows 2 inputs. One for channels 1-8 and one for 9-16.

If im just using 12v can i just hook up one single power supply to the 1-8 side and it will provide 12v power to the 9-16 side aswell?

Or do I have to run 2 power supplys to make all 16 channels work?

Thanks

[Denny]

webbie wrote:

Hey Denny

I noticed you said you could power this controller off of one single 12v power supply?

WHen i was reading the pdf file for this it shows 2 inputs. One for channels 1-8 and one for 9-16.

If im just using 12v can i just hook up one single power supply to the 1-8 side and it will provide 12v power to the 9-16 side aswell?

Or do I have to run 2 power supplys to make all 16 channels work?

Thanks

I will have to look at my boards, but a single 12 volt power supply will power the logic and both banks. It's been about three years since I installed everthing in the cases, but I believe I believe you can jumper between the power inputs for the two banks for 12 volts on each bank. (Somebody correct me if I am wrong.) If you have 12 volts going into channels 1-8, then this will power the logic circuit on the board also. Actually thinking about it, my power supplies have two sets of 12 volt outputs. I connected one set of outputs to each side of the board, but could just as easily jumped the two sets of inputs together. So yes, you only need one 12 volt power supply.

[webbie]

Thanks denny

COuld you provide me a model number of what power supplies you are using? And where you got them from.

[huskernut]

First Denny is correct, you can just jumper the two inputs together ( make sure the polarity ir right ) and it works. most of the boards have separate banks, for the DC board it can allow you to run one voltage on one bank and a separate voltage on the other side. The board can handle up to 60 volt input and if the voltage you want to control is < 12 volts there is a separate plug that you must supply 12 volts for the logic.



Another option I want to mention is use of an old PC power supply to run this. There are easy conversions to make a discarded PC power supply put out various fixed voltages, I cant remember all of them but 12V and 5V are standard supply voltages. The conversion is really easy and you get a power supply for next to no cost if you have an old PC supply laying around. I have one running a DC card and it works like a champ. My other application uses a laptop power supply as I mentioned above, avialable on Ebay for $9.35 with free shipping.

[webbie]

ANyone know what size wire the inputs accept on this controller?

[LightORamaDan]

webbie wrote:

ANyone know what size wire the inputs accept on this controller?

12 awg can be used.

[paultoole]

Hi Guys.

Interesting reading......

Can you help me also please.

i have a ton of lights which are 230v-240v - 50hz

rated out put 32v - 6va

rated input of light string 32v

rated wattage 6w

0.05amps per string.

They have a function controller already attached to the string. The Multifunction controller on string is a memory controller, so holds steady lights and remembers that setting when unplugged etc......

To run these lights using the CMB16D , would i do exactly whats been said above in previous posts?



Hope you can advise.

Cheers

Paul

[LightORamaDan]

paultoole wrote:

Hi Guys.

Interesting reading......

Can you help me also please.

i have a ton of lights which are 230v-240v - 50hz

rated out put 32v - 6va

rated input of light string 32v

rated wattage 6w

0.05amps per string.

They have a function controller already attached to the string. The Multifunction controller on string is a memory controller, so holds steady lights and remembers that setting when unplugged etc......

To run these lights using the CMB16D , would i do exactly whats been said above in previous posts?



Hope you can advise.

Cheers

Paul

Most likely the output is AC not DC and will not work with the CMB16D. IF they are DC then you can use the CMB16D.

[paultoole]

Dan i've taken some shots. Maybe this will help me decide which controllers i'm gonna need to buy next week.

I've already got at LOR1602 which i set the jumpers to 240v and running UK 240v LED's fine.

But these lights only switch on/off using the LOR1602 and dont shimmer fade etc.


Attached files

[paultoole]

Another one

Attached files

[paultoole]

Lights info sheet

Attached files