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Thread: Connecting dimming cables Black Box LED

  1. #1
    Regular Vistor
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    Connecting dimming cables Black Box LED

    I've 4 of the famous 165W LED boxes. Mine are with Wifi, so I don't need to connect them to my APEX but after I found out I can, I want it!

    These are my units: 165W LED

    I already changed all the loud fans and a lot of LEDs to different colors. But now I want to control them with my APEX...

    This is the inside:

    IMG_20190307_193347__01.jpg

    The blue cirkels are were the manual dimmers are connected and the yellow cirkels are were the switches for manual/wifi are. I've found multiple videos online were they cut the wires to the dimmers and connect these with the APEX cables, but I do want to keep the internal wifi option so I don't dare to cut the wires leaving that board. Can I just solder the wires to connectors from the dimmers or does someone else has a better idea?

  2. #2
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    What do the solder pins from the dimmer meter? You need to know all of the combinations

    Dimmer full, dimmer half, dimmer off

    Manual switch ON, Manual switch in WiFi

    Measurements need to be taken between each combination of of the dimmer wires to reverse engineer if you can even modify this and where to wire and what to cut.

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    New User fraglerock's Avatar
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    Hi, did anyone figure out how to wire the Wi-Fi black Box to the vdm. I am doing the same thing. I cannot find any info on how to wire the dimmer that has 3 wires.
    I have installed to toggle switches one for the blue in 1 for the white so I can toggle between the Apex controler and I will be able to use the Wi-Fi that is Built-in to the LED fixture if I feel the need. With the apex and I can configure a thunderstorm with lighting on rainy days. If any one can help it would be great. I took a uneducated guess that shorted out the blue led dimmable driver. I have a led dimmable driver should be here any day now. Need help please.
    Thank you
    John

  4. #4
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    Did any one every figured this out? The app is no longer for download so I need to connect mine to the apex to be able to dim them. If someone needs voltages please let me know which ones and I can measure them.

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    i have one i want to do too... i have the same setup.. i took the driver apart to look at the 3 wires for dimming( Black yellow and white). i can not make out the pin labels, i suspect it says PWM, all i can make out is a P. thoughts?IMG_8402.jpgIMG_8405.jpg

    Also, having issues making sure i had the right PINs. i was running into the same issues with odd voltage like this post.. https://forum.neptunesystems.com/sho...g-they-are-bad

  6. #6
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    Yes it's PWM for sure. I ordered 0-10V to PWM converters and hope by simply removing the board with the potmeter and putting these between the driver and the apex I can run them. Will try as soon as they arrive.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Yo-han View Post
    Did any one every figured this out? The app is no longer for download so I need to connect mine to the apex to be able to dim them. If someone needs voltages please let me know which ones and I can measure them.
    If you can, can you measure your pin voltage between pins one and two and five and six? My pins read .6v max and it seems to be reversed so when the lights are on auto at 100%, I actually have close to 0 V and when the lights are on auto Down at 0%. It’s up at almost .6v. This does not make sense to me. I thought I’d be in reverse more volts at the hundred percent.IMG_8407.gif

  8. #8
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    I think that is normal because when you unplug it also reads 0V and it will also give 100% light. Not sure about the 0.6V, should be close to 10V I would say🤔

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    thanks.. i am going to get the Steve PWM converter if i can confirm my VDM ports are not fried...
    every thread i read i get more unsure on volts...
    some thread mentioned reading from the pin to ground on driver...
    one mentioned under 5v was normal..
    most say 10v is normal.
    for sanity sake, i was not ready it wrong... i did get 12v out of pin 3 & 7, which is what other thread was getting.. i know not to use those, but it was to give me confidence i was ready it right.

  10. #10
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    Also, i was thinking of using the PIN 3 & 4 to power the Steve's PWN converter... since i get 12v readings.. thoughts?2023-12-28_9-32-51.jpg

  11. #11
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    1 get 34 mV when off and 10,04V when on.

    I ordered 2 of these voltage to PWM converters: https://www.otronic.nl/nl/voltage-na...ule-0-10v.html

    They need a 12V power supply which I think yours also need. I plan on using simple power supply I had around from an old beard trimmer😅 Even if the apex cable can deliver 12V I would not use it for this. I think the amperage it can deliver will be extremely low. Mine did read out 0,002V btw🤔

    I hope to do the connecting next week, let me know how yours is going if you finish it faster.

  12. #12
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    nice, i will make some popcorn and watch your progress... i have VDM and some more black-box LEDs on the way too.. so i can troubleshoot my voltage issues better..

  13. #13
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    I have no VDM, only the 4 channels of the base unit. 1 is taken for a pump. So the idea is to use 2 channels, 1 for channel 1 for 4 lights and 1 for channel 2 for 4 lights. Would've been nice to do each light individual and make the left one go on a tad earlier and so on, but I want to see if it works first.
    I do have one spare unit to test with. It's a donor unit which already donated a wifi module and LED driver. So good to see what everything does with this one first😅

  14. #14
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    IMG_20231230_153710.jpg

    Mine is clearer.VR1, PWM and GND. But now the hard question, I have only 2 wires coming from my voltage to PWM converter. Those are labeled PWM and GND. It makes sense to go for PWM to PWM and ground to ground but what about the VR1? Can I leave that empty?

  15. #15
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    I just tried it and it works like a charm. Only thing I can't control are the 3 moonlights, just like with manual they always remain on 100%. Think I will unplug them.

  16. #16
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    Took another 3 hours to make a nice solution for the pcb's. Didn't even connect them to my lights yet, but have the wires connected, see below. Hope this helps anyone!

    IMG20240101214546.jpg
    IMG20240101215814.jpg

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