RapidLED Nano Driver and Arduino

[ilikeleds]

I am new to the forum, so hello everyone! I hope I am posting this in the right spot. If not...let me know!

I recently purchased several RapidLED 0-10V Dimmable Nano Drivers (see rapidled.com) for a DIY LED lighting system. I then discovered the wonders of the Arduino and have decided to build a controller to, among other things, dim my LED's. The Nano LED driver is a 36V, 700mA constant current driver with a 0-10v dimmer. The dimmer has a self contained 10V power supply, so all you have to do is put a 100k potentiometer on it. I am familiar with the Arduino build at google.com/site/caddnima/myreeftank/led_controller which shows how to use the Mean Well ELN-60-48D LED driver. I would like to know if the Nano Driver can be used with the Arduino? The Nano appears to be made in China and I cannot find a datasheet for it.

So simply put...Can anyone tell me if the Nano LED driver can be dimmed using the Arduino and if so .... how?

Thanks a million.

Iloveleds

 

[TJL]

First off WELCOME ABOARD Reef Frontiers, lots of us DIYers here to share our experiences. As far as question above your info is conflicting, 0-10v Dimmable Drivers are just that and would work with Arduino and any other 0-10v controller. A constant current driver is just that as well and not compatible these type of controllers. So my question is, which driver(s) do you have ???


Cheers, Todd

 

[ilikeleds]

Hi Todd,

Thanks for the welcome and the relpy! I will try and make it clearer.

I have been looking at the works of Caddnima and Katchupoy, both of whom I think are Reeffrontier members, and Caddnima provides the following schematic for connecting a Mean Well ELN-60-48D Dimmable Driver (Constant Current, 27V) to a Arduino PWM PIN using a NPN 2N222 transistor. Take a look at sites.google.com/site/caddnima/myreeftank/led_controller and rapidled.com/0-10v-dimmable-nano-driver/

The RapidLED Nano driver is very similar, but instead of needing a 10V power adaptor it has a 10V power supply built in so the two dimmer leads are at 10 volts. Basically the RapidLED Nano driver is the above but get rid of the 10V Power Adapter, transistor and resistor and replace it with a 100k potentiometer. On the nano driver the white and blue leads are 10V.

Based on what I see in the above diagram, Caddnima is connecting a constant current, 0-10v dimmable LED driver to a Arduino. After taking a look at the Rapidled Nano LED driver specs (Rapidled.com/0-10v-dimmable-nano-driver/) is it possible to connect it in a similar fashion to an Arduino?

I am not sure I can explain it any clearer.

Ilikeleds

 

[Katchupoy]

Ed,

Welcome to RF. Glad that you could joined us here. I believe that you will get more help here.

Do you have a close up picture of the nano driver? Specially the screw terminals. Does it have a polarity + and - signs?

Cesar.

 

[Katchupoy]

Ilikeleds,

I believe this image is more relevant diagram... if you remove the blue lines for arduino, it should be basically what the nano driver is.... i just want to see the terminals rapidleds are talking about....

Cesar

 

[TJL]

​Good, I knew ^Cesar^ would join in here at some point... He's the Man when it comes to this part of the equation :rockon:

Cheers, Todd

 

[ilikeleds]

Hi Cesar,

Thanks for getting back to me.

The photo (diagram) you posted is not visible. All I see is a red X.

The RapidLED Nano driver has four terminals. Two are for the dimmer. They are labeled + and -. When I check the voltage I get 10.09V. The second set of terminals are for the LEDs. They have a voltage of 36V at 700mA.

Ed

 

[Katchupoy]

Ilikeleds,

I believe this image is more relevant diagram... if you remove the blue lines for arduino, it should be basically what the nano driver is.... i just want to see the terminals rapidleds are talking about....

Cesar

Lets try it again...