Need help with wiring...

Nice job on the lights! I just built similar strip lights, but I kept mine separate, so they can be set to different heights if needed.
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Yea I have another one going in there right next to it. Same exact thing. Will be a total of 32 strips with 4 drivers when all said and done. I want to change my dimmers to something that will start off like 10% and end up at 100% but also turns slowly back down when lights are going off. I am sure there is something out there. I was going to do boards BUT the strips will give a better coverage. My lights just went off so I stopped for the day. Thats a nice clean grow you got there too.
 

treefarmercharlie

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Admin
Yea I have another one going in there right next to it. Same exact thing. Will be a total of 32 strips with 4 drivers when all said and done. I want to change my dimmers to something that will start off like 10% and end up at 100% but also turns slowly back down when lights are going off. I am sure there is something out there. I was going to do boards BUT the strips will give a better coverage. My lights just went off so I stopped for the day. Thats a nice clean grow you got there too.
What you need to do that is a lighting controller that has 0-10V dimming capabilities. I program control systems for a living and I've been toying with the idea of programming my system to slowly raise the lights when they come on slowly dim them down when they go off.
 

treefarmercharlie

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Admin
Well...wanna make me one and sell it lol
It would be a lot cheaper to buy something already made. Even the smallest processors for the control systems I program retail for a grand and that wouldn't include the hardware needed for the 0-10V dimming. I only use the system in my house because I get hardware for free and/or cheap from clients who upgrade throughout the years. One of the reasons I've been holding off on doing this with my system is because just the 0-10V dimmer from the manufacturer would cost me twice as much as something like this.

 
It would be a lot cheaper to buy something already made. Even the smallest processors for the control systems I program retail for a grand and that wouldn't include the hardware needed for the 0-10V dimming. I only use the system in my house because I get hardware for free and/or cheap from clients who upgrade throughout the years. One of the reasons I've been holding off on doing this with my system is because just the 0-10V dimmer from the manufacturer would cost me twice as much as something like this.

Would that control both my dimmers or would I need different one for each set or lights?
 
It will dim multiple at the same time but I don't believe it can dim them individually.
Quick question on that dimmer....So the one dimmer you linked, I can wire both lights into it but when you say individually you mean light 1 strip at a time? I wouldnt care about that as long as 1 dimmer would control all 32 strips on 4 different drivers.
 

treefarmercharlie

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Admin
Quick question on that dimmer....So the one dimmer you linked, I can wire both lights into it but when you say individually you mean light 1 strip at a time? I wouldnt care about that as long as 1 dimmer would control all 32 strips on 4 different drivers.
What I meant when I asid "I don't think they can be dimmed individually" was that you can't dim one to 90% and another to 75%. I don't have any experience with that specific model but the manufacturer posted this in the FAQ section of that Amazon listing:

Can I connect many lights to one controller? And if so how many? This depends on the distance you are trying to connect your lights over and the quality of the wire you use. We recommend insulated AWG 14 2 lead wire sold here on Amazon. And we also recommend you use IP68 twist connectors also sold here on Amazon to create a water proof, dust proof daisy chain. 3 way IP68 T connectors are ideal for this application.
 
What I meant when I asid "I don't think they can be dimmed individually" was that you can't dim one to 90% and another to 75%. I don't have any experience with that specific model but the manufacturer posted this in the FAQ section of that Amazon listing:

Can I connect many lights to one controller? And if so how many? This depends on the distance you are trying to connect your lights over and the quality of the wire you use. We recommend insulated AWG 14 2 lead wire sold here on Amazon. And we also recommend you use IP68 twist connectors also sold here on Amazon to create a water proof, dust proof daisy chain. 3 way IP68 T connectors are ideal for this application.
Got it. Thank you. I'll have to do some digging. I just want them both to be at the same % at the same time and just mimic the day/night. Start low and work way up then drop as the lights are about to turn off.
 
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