How to know if LED driver is potentiometer dimmable?

[LearningToRepair]

Hi!

I am looking to dimm 230V AC -> 12 DC LED driver with potentiometer. How do I know if I can dimm LED driver with potentiometer? I found from internet that 0-10V dimmable drivers can also be controlled with potentiometer. Is it so with every driver that says it is 0-10V dimmable? Or how do I know which are and which are not?

[eccerr0r]

answer is: the driver's specs will tell you.

You typically cannot dim with a potentiometer due to the losses involved in it when passing current unless it has a special connector for a dimmer potentiometer.

[LearningToRepair]

How does it look like in specs? Do I need to read entire manual or does it say it plainly in specs? I cant find this anywhere when I look at products. I am currently trying to figure out if shops in my area just dont list this in specs or if I just dont know what to look for.

[diif]

What drivers are you looking at or what LEDs are you trying to drive ?
You can use any 12v power supply along with a PWM controller to limit current. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32843955706.html

[sam_sam_sam]

Originally Posted by diif

What drivers are you looking at or what LEDs are you trying to drive ?
You can use any 12v power supply along with a PWM controller to limit current. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32843955706.html

Thank you for posting this item I have been looking for something that would go up to 60 volts

[LearningToRepair]

One more question, if I want to use led powersupply/driver with actual dimmer instead of potentiometer as asked earler? Does every model support it or should I assume that if specs dont mention dimming then it does not work with dimmer?

What drivers are you looking at or what LEDs are you trying to drive ?

LED strips.

You can use any 12v power supply along with a PWM controller to limit current. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32843955706.html

How does it exactly work? It says it's for motors.

[diif]

Originally Posted by LearningToRepair

One more question, if I want to use led powersupply/driver with actual dimmer instead of potentiometer as asked earler? Does every model support it or should I assume that if specs dont mention dimming then it does not work with dimmer?


LED strips.


How does it exactly work? It says it's for motors.

It just a current controller, which is what you want to control the brightness of LEDs, ideally you want to use a clamp meter to measure the current so their power rating isn't exceeded.

When you say LED strips do you mean the 5m rolls of white or coloured LEDs ? They are powered with a generic wall power supply and have a controller that plugs into that that does the dimming/colour change, controlled via a remote or phone app.

[LearningToRepair]

Yes, 5m rolls.

But how does this aliexpress controller work that was linked above? Does it go between power supply and LED strip? Or do I have to open power supply and somehow modify it so that IC would get it's feedback from that instead of voltage divider resistor or what? It's kinda confusing me. I mean most of general purpose power supplies dont have sockets for external current controllers.

[diif]

It would be much easier for you to get a kit from Ali with the power supply, controller and remote. Just put in LED strip controller into their search.

My previous link is a cheap way to drive larger panels.

[LearningToRepair]

Originally Posted by diif

It would be much easier for you to get a kit from Ali with the power supply, controller and remote. Just put in LED strip controller into their search.

My previous link is a cheap way to drive larger panels.

Since you mentioned a new way that I have not heard before I wanted to know how it works from technical side. Whether or not I use is not important. Just wanna know how it works. Does it replace IC? Does it inject some code modifications to IC? Does it require led driver to have special connector to talk to it or how does it work?

[diif]

The inputs connect to the + and - of a power supply and the outputs go to the LED.

[LearningToRepair]

Ah ok tnx. Then it's basically a step down converter? Or what's the exact difference? Why is it sold under speed control name instead of step down? And if for example I had motor and I used step down instead of this speed controller, would there be any difference? Just trying to understand how it works and how it is different from other similar stuff.

[diif]

No, it doesn't step down the voltage it controls the current.
The step down modules have crappy little multi turn potentiometers, they can be used but are fiddly and not easily adjusted. The current controllers have a decent sized single turn pot.

[LearningToRepair]

But output is still smooth DC? So basically step-down with single turn current control potentiometers?

Also how does this thing work? https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32873844140.html Is there any technical difference compared to speed control? searching for it the internet seems to reveal that it has no capacitors so I guess it's quite bad? Basically an other version of step-down but this time just without capacitors?

[diif]

No, not basically step down. It does not alter the voltage. Step up and step down refer to the voltage being either stepped up or down.