Led Dimmer

[t-rex]

I was wondering if anyone has either made a dimmer to manually control an led's brightness. Or if they have bought any that worked

 

[raptorrex]

I was wondering if anyone has either made a dimmer to manually control an led's brightness. Or if they have bought any that worked

at its most basic, all you need is a variable resistor. or, indeed, something like a variable power supply. (though this would give you STEPS of reduced lighting. not a true dimmer)

for reliability (or better reliability) a pulse dimmers is best. effectively this switches the LED's on and of. how fast this is done, gives you the dimmer effect.

I've made both of the first type. and noted a few things:

I. reliability. both showed patchy reliability.
2. both showed that not all the LED's turned on or off at the same time.
3. hot switching the variable power supply, is not good for it!!!!!!!!!!!

I've used many pulse dimmers (though not for fishkeping) and noted:

1. most types give much better reliability than the "variable power" option
2. all the LED's turned on and off at the same time.
3 vastly important. the higher the quality (read more expensive), the better and longer they worked for.

thing is, is it worth the cost of a quality setup?

 

[t-rex]

I was wondering if anyone has either made a dimmer to manually control an led's brightness. Or if they have bought any that worked

at its most basic, all you need is a variable resistor. or, indeed, something like a variable power supply. (though this would give you STEPS of reduced lighting. not a true dimmer)

for reliability (or better reliability) a pulse dimmers is best. effectively this switches the LED's on and of. how fast this is done, gives you the dimmer effect.

I've made both of the first type. and noted a few things:

I. reliability. both showed patchy reliability.
2. both showed that not all the LED's turned on or off at the same time.
3. hot switching the variable power supply, is not good for it!!!!!!!!!!!

I've used many pulse dimmers (though not for fishkeping) and noted:

1. most types give much better reliability than the "variable power" option
2. all the LED's turned on and off at the same time.
3 vastly important. the higher the quality (read more expensive), the better and longer they worked for.

thing is, is it worth the cost of a quality setup?

Thats what i don't know, i can't seem to find any online

 

[cynic]

Its far easier to have more circuits and switch them separately.

Mine at its most basic 2 fluresants switched with separate timers. I have 6 hours of 'daylight' and 2hrs of 'midday' in that. Added to that i have a switched overide if i want the lights on for the entirely selfish purpose of looking at the fish shuld i choose.

 

[raptorrex]

Its far easier to have more circuits and switch them separately.

Mine at its most basic 2 fluresants switched with separate timers. I have 6 hours of 'daylight' and 2hrs of 'midday' in that. Added to that i have a switched overide if i want the lights on for the entirely selfish purpose of looking at the fish shuld i choose.

as do I. but that's not really what the OP wants. which he made clear. and anyway, he's talking about LED's.
many people worry about the shock of, virtually, full power lights. as they are switched on. if you are looking at moonlighting, you can dim to take into account ambient light too! (as moonlighting is just for the keeper, not for the fish)

@OP. try "pulse led dimmer/s" in g??gle.
the whole first page (that's as far as i looked) is full of adverts and instructions on them.

 

[P&J]

Would the pulse dimmers work with a timer? I haven't found any type of dimmer that can run on a timer to either ease up to full light or dim to off. I don't really see the value in a manual dimmer (who's really going to slowly turn it on and off every day?), which is why I'll probably go with the separate circuits on stepped timers.

 

[raptorrex]

Would the pulse dimmers work with a timer? I haven't found any type of dimmer that can run on a timer to either ease up to full light or dim to off. I don't really see the value in a manual dimmer (who's really going to slowly turn it on and off every day?), which is why I'll probably go with the separate circuits on stepped timers.

you would need to build the Timer into the dimmer. or "A" timer, anyway. as is logical! getting a bit complicated though, dont you think?

but any pulse timer will work if connected to a timer (or has for me). after all, all a timer does is turn on the power, just like the switch on the wall socket.
but you would have to dim it manually.