Enigma's 2012 Nano Contest Entry

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by sphelps

layout looks good, why doesn't it work?

I'm guessing I did something wrong. I haven't figured out what, though.

The Apex works. The VDM appears to work. The lights on the eln-60-48p drivers don't work. The issue isn't with the lights, as when tested independently of the drivers they work.

I'm thinking it may actually be an issue with a splice: specifically the ones that run to the VDM. I'm going to pull all the wiring apart, redo the splices, and check again. Hubby is going to help me trouble shoot this.

In the event we can't get it fixed, I may need to recruit a guy I know (*cough**cough*) who happens to be really good at this stuff. While I really want to do it myself, this is very much a make it or break it part of the build.

[sphelps]

Not to point out the obvious but you know ELN-60-48P drivers are PWM controlled right? Shouldn't you be using ELN-60-48D drivers which are 0-10V? I actually haven't done that much with meanwell or APEX but I believe APEX is 0-10V based and you need the D drivers.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Not to point out the obvious but you know ELN-60-48P drivers are PWM controlled right? Shouldn't you be using ELN-60-48D drivers which are 0-10V? I actually haven't done that much with meanwell or APEX but I believe APEX is 0-10V based and you need the D drivers.

Oops! My bad. It is the 48D drivers that I've got.

Everything looks like it should work.

[sphelps]

Have you tried supplying the meanwells with a straight 10V signal?

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Have you tried supplying the meanwells with a straight 10V signal?

Not yet. When I get the opportunity to work on it again I'll try a 9V battery to start. From what I've read, that is what most people do. I have wiring to do that, I just don't have the batteries yet.

I have a 0-13V VDC moonlight driver (for the four blue LEDs), but I'm hesitant to try that. Do you think it would supply too much power? Or, would the variable nature of that driver render the experiment useless?

This has been a huge exercise in frustration. I'm electrically stupid, and no matter how much I read, or how much I try, I just don't get it. My brain just isn't wired for it.

[sphelps]

You could use a potentiometer with that power supply to test the dimming. Not sure I'd hit it with 13v even though I doubt it would cause any damage but without knowing for sure I just wouldn't.

So how did you get the lights working without the drivers and how did you verify the Apex and dimming module are working correctly?

[Enigma]

The moonlight driver lights up two boards at a time. All of the boards were tested with that. And, the meanwell drivers will light up a few of the boards at a time when dimming power isn't supplied, but not everything in the string. One of the drivers will light five boards and the other one will light four (these are very dim, however). There are seven boards (14LEDs) on the RB series. There are six boards (12 LEDs) on the CW/NW string. According to the specs, the drivers will run 8-14 LEDs. The two blue boards are on a the little moonlight driver, and they work (at least something works!).

I'm thinking it has to be an issue with the apex dimming cable splice. The Meanwell drivers supply power (one supplies 24V and the other at 16V).

I reviewed the "Unofficial User Manual", and followed the instructions in that. I also consulted threads in the Neptune forum on RC. I'm 99% sure that the Apex and/or VDM aren't the issue. But, if the 9V test works, the issue will have to be with the original splice, the Apex and/or VDM. If it works, I'll just try hooking up the Apex/VDM again to see what happens. If it doesn't work with the second splice to the Apex . . . then it is the Apex.

I used the 3M Scotchlok connectors on the splice: which was dumb. I should have verified that everything worked before I used those. Now I have to cut those out, which I have to admit that I'm trying to avoid doing. The connectors are cheap, but I hate to lose any wire length.

I don't think there is a potentiometer in the house. I should pick one up. I just didn't realize it would be a good thing to have for troubleshooting purposes.

It has taken three Modular LED orders to get to this point. I'm hoping there won't be a fourth. Of course, I've totally modified the original kit . . . so the number of orders reflects my level of preparedness and understanding: not Martin's kit.

[Enigma]

There's a surprise on my desk this morning. It must have arrived yesterday, when I was off work taking care of my little guy (who was ill).



Aquarium supply retailers are trying to make me fat:




I was going to build the media basket out of egg crate for this build . . . but these media baskets are so pretty and nicely made. I just couldn't bring myself to do use egg crate.

So I guess this is one thing that wasn't an absolute necessity that I bought anyway.

[nanoreefnewbie]

That is pretty nice

[Enigma]

Woohoo!



I've been fighting with these for a while. Hubby and I just completed a marathon troubleshooting session.

In the royal blue string, there was one bad connector and one bent connection pin. In the white series there was a bad dimming splice.

It looks like I'll be dimming the whites a lot more than the royal blues. My white ratio is higher than it really should be. But, I've got the Apex all programmed and figured out for this, so that'll be easy.

There are four blue LEDs that are being run off of a little moonlight driver.

Now I just need to get them mounted.

(The concise details of this build, and the materials list, will be posted at a later date)