LED dimmer switch

[rollrok18]

Does anyone know if you can use an electronic dimmer switch "in line" for an LED fixture. For example, something you could plug a normal lamp into and use as a dimmer...Can find them on amazon something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/SE-Electronic-Stepless-Speed-Controller/dp/B000HQAVNI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1361059017&sr=8-5&keywords=electronic+dimmer+switch

Don't know if it will cause any issues with the electrics in the LED, Thanks for the help

[+Capt. Obvious]

Depends on the led... But most likely, no

[rollrok18]

Just curious, I know nothing about electricity other than the basics ohms, amps, ect...Why wouldn't it work?

[(Bio)³]

you need a driver that is capable of dimming to dim LED. Adding the switch inline won't work and will damage the driver by choking off the electricity to it.

[+o0zarkawater]

What kind of LED and driver are you running?

I use meanwell dimmable drivers and can buy 10k ohm linear potenionemters from Frys for like 2$ and just use a 10v AC adapter.

Essentially building this kit for 4$ + adapter I had sitting around.

http://www.rapidled.com/diy-2-color-dimming-kit/

But this only works if you have the right kind of drivers.

[(Bio)³]

What kind of LED and driver are you running?

I use meanwell dimmable drivers and can buy 10k ohm linear potenionemters from Frys for like 2$ and just use a 10v AC adapter.

Essentially building this kit for 4$ + adapter I had sitting around.

http://www.rapidled.com/diy-2-color-dimming-kit/

But this only works if you have the right kind of drivers.

Your also dimming the 10v signal not the driver power. Since you have a dimming mean well that runs on 10 v signal. It is linear on the signal wire.

There are others that run on pulse times. That you can dim by providing pulsed signal.

Then constant drivers that can't be dimmed without damaging.

[+o0zarkawater]

Right.

....."this only works if you have the right kind of drivers"

We can't really help him at all until we find out what he is running.

[rollrok18]

So I have a Taotronics 212w LED, this sucker is bright!!! I am running a 50 gallon tank 30x18x20...I do not have the light installed or running, it was given to me by a friend am I am scared to put it over my tank because I have NO experience with LED's. I am a little weary about LED's to begin with I feel like they pinpoint light and don't "wash", if you will, the light source like a metal halide or any other conventional lighting systems that use filament bulbs. Not sure if you can over do it with LED's or not. It seems even if I had a bigger & longer tank this issue would still stand no matter what the power. because the depth and the width of the light would still be the same just over a broader area; does this make since what I am trying to say? Another way of saying it would be if my tank was 20 inches deep and it was a 200 gallon the brightness from the top to the bottom would be the same as it would on my 50 gallon in the same area that the light hit no matter what kind of light I was running...nevertheless I have a 250w halide over the top of the tank now. I just got this tank up and running 4 weeks ago, so there is only some fish an anemone, a small frag of frog spawn and star polyps. My goal is to eventually have a high end SPS dominated tank and I am afraid that the LED is going to fry them because the light source doesn't spread like a filament bulb and I could be totally wrong on this, hopefully I am just being paranoid. If there is no such thing as over doing it with an LED then dimming the light is a mute point, but I am seeing the newer LED systems putting dimming devices into them, which is why I am trying to figure out what I can/can't do here. Thanks again for the help.

[rollrok18]

here is a link to the light on Amazon, may give you a better idea of what I have.

http://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Design-Aquarium-Coral-White/dp/B007QQ78AG/ref=sr_1_9?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1361140829&sr=1-9&keywords=taotronics

Right.

....."this only works if you have the right kind of drivers"

We can't really help him at all until we find out what he is running.

What kind of LED and driver are you running?

I use meanwell dimmable drivers and can buy 10k ohm linear potenionemters from Frys for like 2$ and just use a 10v AC adapter.

Essentially building this kit for 4$ + adapter I had sitting around.

http://www.rapidled.com/diy-2-color-dimming-kit/

But this only works if you have the right kind of drivers.

Your also dimming the 10v signal not the driver power. Since you have a dimming mean well that runs on 10 v signal. It is linear on the signal wire.

There are others that run on pulse times. That you can dim by providing pulsed signal.

Then constant drivers that can't be dimmed without damaging.