(Another) Arduino Light Controller DIY build.

[Katchupoy]

Did you get the dimmable drivers? and what kind of drivers??? are you using meanwells? or bukpucks? Did you know that you can manually dim the meanwells without controller? I said manually and not automatically....im so happy for you, 72 LEDs will be really bright. Woot....

 

[Rol]

Got the MeanWell LPF-90D-48 drivers if I remember correctly. Yes they are dimmable. Came with a pot each.
They are bright, 36 blue, 18 -10,000K and 18 -6500K whites.
Should have got more blue and less 6500K as when the whites are cranked up full it drowns the blues out completely.
Hoping to to automate the sunrise/set effect somehow with the Arduino ether ten

Did you get the dimmable drivers? and what kind of drivers??? are you using meanwells? or bukpucks? Did you know that you can manually dim the meanwells without controller? I said manually and not automatically....im so happy for you, 72 LEDs will be really bright. Woot....

 

[Katchupoy]

Keep your ratio for now... since you are adding a controller....
See, when in controller, every hour it changes the mix of your leds... And only during noon time where you see this wash out effect. But during the majority of the day, it is either ramping up or ramping down. And since most of the time we are out during the day, and we are back after office in the afternoon, we dont see much of this wash out effect.

The only reason i am mentioning this, is because I have the 2:1 ratio. And i now wish I have the 1:1 ratio. why? Maybe I dont like the look of the 1:1 ratio but my corals like it a lot...

So try it first with controller before you switch LEDs. Just my two cents.

 

[Rol]

Checked your page out Katchupoy , great lay-out and info. Going to give a go.
If all else fails your servo method would be a winner.
Will not change the led ratio for now.
The tank is still acclimatizing after having no proper lights for a week.
A day after returning back from a month’s trip away my T5's went up in smoke.
Smelt burning in the middle of the night (power failures due to storms put the timers out) went down stairs to find smoke pouring out the light.
Trip switch didn’t work neither did the smoke alarm go off.
A day earlier the house would have burnt to the ground!
Thank for your advice.

Keep your ratio for now... since you are adding a controller....
See, when in controller, every hour it changes the mix of your leds... And only during noon time where you see this wash out effect. But during the majority of the day, it is either ramping up or ramping down. And since most of the time we are out during the day, and we are back after office in the afternoon, we dont see much of this wash out effect.

The only reason i am mentioning this, is because I have the 2:1 ratio. And i now wish I have the 1:1 ratio. why? Maybe I dont like the look of the 1:1 ratio but my corals like it a lot...

So try it first with controller before you switch LEDs. Just my two cents.

 

[Katchupoy]

Let me post the pics again here.

WIRING ARDUINO + LCD SHIELD + RTC DS1307:

WIRING ARDUINO + NPN TRANSISTOR:

WIRING ARDUINO + NPN TRANSISTOR + BREADBOARD:

WIRING ARDUINO + NPN TRANSISTOR (SIMPLIFIED - NO POT):

ACTUAL PICTURE:

More detailed description can be found HERE and HERE.





Hope this helps.


.

 

[Rol]

Thanks Katchupoy,
I've no excuse now not to get started!
Out with the bag of tricks.
Still have to get the NPN 2N2222 and 1k resistor, also solid wire.
Jaycars electronics shop around the corner.
Should have every-thing this weekend.

 

[Rol]

Start parts

OK To make a start I'll load the parts collected.
If this has loaded correctly we should see a control board, display and a clock.
Also have bread board, connectors, 1k resistors, NPN 2N2222, in channel Mosfet driver and output module.
Will load pics of the rest on next posts.

 

[Rol]

from Photo-bucket test.

 

[Katchupoy]

Rol, is that the arduino? or I am seeing a ethernet shield?

 

[fulkerl]

Rol, is that the arduino? or I am seeing a ethernet shield?

It looks like it both // two in one.

 

[Rol]

Downloading pics from photo-bucket problem Help

Not succeeding downloading pics from photo-bucket to my album.

Get this message :

- Invalid File
size is only 185k.
Any advice Please?

 

[Rol]

Hi yes it's the arduino already got the blinking led going.
will post the rest of the parts have todate.

 

[Katchupoy]

where did you get that and how much if i may ask... thats very cool

 

[Rol]

Well I'll be damed - Just reporting the problem solved it!
So third time lucky.

arduino back

Resistors and NPN

project shield front

project shield back

Mosfet front

Display front

Display back

Clock front

Bread-board

 

[Rol]

From Jaycars about $60 au

 

[Rol]

Thinking it may be possible to assemble the project in a stack seeing most components lend them-selves to go into each other.
Just a thought.
Saw a guy on YouTube who bent the unused extension pins out at 90 degrees and tapped off the side of the arduino.
Perhaps it may be better to use the bread board first, get it working then refine the stack?
I’ve also taken photos of the back of the components for interest sake.
Any thoughts?

 

[Rol]

Arduino EtherTen front panel

Here's a better photo of the front panel.

 

[Rol]

Arduino EtherTen front panel

Here's a better photo of the front panel.

 

[Katchupoy]

These are awesome collection. Whats the mossfets for? Sorry not familiar with electronics.
Btw get some more transistor... and also some 220 ohm resistors. Since the max current for pin is 30 ma, this is just extra protection for ur board.

 

[Rol]

The guy at Jaycars explained the Mosfet as being a low power switch which is able to control a separate higher power circuit.

OK How many transistors do I need & what type & wattage?
Ditto for the 220 ohm resistors as well.
Is there an updated parts list ?
Tks

These are awesome collection. Whats the mossfets for? Sorry not familiar with electronics.
Btw get some more transistor... and also some 220 ohm resistors. Since the max current for pin is 30 ma, this is just extra protection for ur board.