ReefBrite XHO
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- #22
What is the issue on 178? Is it still the same? The more information you can provide, the better we will be able to troubleshoot.
It doesn’t work with a variable light only.
You have to make two outputs, one that dims and one that powers on/off the light outlet.
I’ve made the changes but haven’t verified that they work yet.
JeffB418
HYDROS Expert
Yeah most variable lights don’t have the smarts built in to turn off the lights at 0 or low voltage (<0.5v) control levels. This has been an issue with lighting products for years. Most times yeah you have to use a combo of switched power outlets and variable ports to control a light. Good news is that in hydros you can link a switched output to the state of a variable outlet pretty easy.
thanks Hydros team!- Admin
- #26
Ditto on this reply.
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- #27
You can create a "Combiner" output and use your T5 Variable Light OUTPUT as the INPUT. Then on the combiner, set the Output Location to the outlet where you connected the power to the T5 lights.
When the T5 Variable Light OUTPUT hits minimum intensity, that will trigger the Combiner OUTPUT to turn OFF the output location.
In essence, this will make the outlet turn off immediately after your light dims down to minimum intensity.
If you have two channels, then add the second variable light channel as the second INPUT on the Combiner and set the relationship to AND. The Combiner will turn off only when BOTH variable lights have dimmed down to minimum intensity.
Here is the Variable Light:
Here is the Combiner:
The nice thing about this method is that the minimum intensity on the channels does not necessarily need to be the same. You could have channel 1 minimum intensity of 0 and channel 2's minimum at 10. Only when channel one hits 0 AND channel two hits 10, the Combiner would turn the outlet OFF.
When the T5 Variable Light OUTPUT hits minimum intensity, that will trigger the Combiner OUTPUT to turn OFF the output location.
In essence, this will make the outlet turn off immediately after your light dims down to minimum intensity.
If you have two channels, then add the second variable light channel as the second INPUT on the Combiner and set the relationship to AND. The Combiner will turn off only when BOTH variable lights have dimmed down to minimum intensity.
Here is the Variable Light:
Here is the Combiner:
The nice thing about this method is that the minimum intensity on the channels does not necessarily need to be the same. You could have channel 1 minimum intensity of 0 and channel 2's minimum at 10. Only when channel one hits 0 AND channel two hits 10, the Combiner would turn the outlet OFF.
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My issue is that both channels share the same power, but have different control channels. So if I want to turn one channel actually off and leave the other on, I can't because the channel I want to turn off won't go below 0.5V (they turn off at 0.3V). The power I just leave on a timer.
The other 0-10V outputs other than lights will go to 0.03V when off, why can't the variable lights? Seems like a 0-10V output should actually be able to go to 0?
The other 0-10V outputs other than lights will go to 0.03V when off, why can't the variable lights? Seems like a 0-10V output should actually be able to go to 0?
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- #29
What I suggested above is exactly what you need. Two channels with a single power. The Combiner is your power and it uses the two channel outputs to know when to turn on/off.
Whether it's a timer or a combiner, the single power will ONLY let me turn BOTH channels either on or off. I want to be able to turn just ONE channel off and leave the other on, but I can only do that if I can turn either channel below 0.30V, which for whatever reason, the variable light output does not let happen. In this case, let me define a single channel as OFF as below 0.30V.
Danny
HYDROS Expert
I just check mine with a voltmeter. It was at 5.64 volts and when I overrode to on it went to 10.15 Volts. The output light intensity was at 55.6% before overriding the setting. Seems to be working OK. I don't have any lights I can connect. My lights require a PWM signal and not 0-10v.
Ok let me check with a VMeter today
JeffB418
HYDROS Expert
This might be handy for you: Analog Voltage to PWM Signal Converter 0-5V/0-10V Analog Input Voltage to 0-100% PWM Signal 2KHZ-20KHZ Converter Module for PWM Motor Speed Control Interface Circuit Analog Voltage to PWM Signal Converter 0-5V/0-10V Analog Input Voltage to 0-100% PWM Signal 2KHZ-20KHZ Converter Module for PWM Motor Speed Control Interface Circuit: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
Danny
HYDROS Expert
Thanks I have seen those. This will be the last thing I transfer over. Since my Control 4 is in the garage and the tank is 35ft away I will have to get another control 4 or replace it with something else and move it to the tank. I was waiting to see what else becomes available in the future before I switch this. I also use 6 channels to control the lighting.
Danny
HYDROS Expert
OK, I measured the pins on the 0-10v output with mine in Auto, off and Full. They are where I would expect them to be. The screenshot below are my outputs near the same time as the readings were taken. They are workin on my Control 4. Are you sure it is not a connection issue between the Control 4 and the lights?
Pinout 0-10 Volt Output
1 Light White
2 Light Red
3 5 volts
4 Light Blue
5 Light Green
6 ground
Auto
Pin Volts
1 6.07
2 1.539
3 4.92
4 7.59
5 1.575
Off
Pin Volts
1 .034
2 .032
3 4.92
4 .023
5 .000
Full
Pin Volts
1 10.15
2 10.12
3 4.92
4 10.17
5 10.13
Pinout 0-10 Volt Output
1 Light White
2 Light Red
3 5 volts
4 Light Blue
5 Light Green
6 ground
Auto
Pin Volts
1 6.07
2 1.539
3 4.92
4 7.59
5 1.575
Off
Pin Volts
1 .034
2 .032
3 4.92
4 .023
5 .000
Full
Pin Volts
1 10.15
2 10.12
3 4.92
4 10.17
5 10.13
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I think one channel is working because it allows me to manually turn it on/off from the dimmer outlet. The other one does nothing but turn on from the main light outlet.... possibly 0-10 channel 2 isn’t getting the dimming signal via the pins.
@Carlos I talked to Tullio this morning and he said he’d love to help me figure it out but you never sent him a unit so he doesn’t even know where to start. What gives??
@Carlos I talked to Tullio this morning and he said he’d love to help me figure it out but you never sent him a unit so he doesn’t even know where to start. What gives??
Only one light is dimming...any ideas? Thanks!
Danny
HYDROS Expert
Are you sure that t is not something in the wiring between the Control 4 and the lighting fixture?