Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: 0 - 10 V Output Won't Go to Zero

  1. #1
    Frequent Visitor herring_fish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Winston-Salem NC
    Posts
    108

    0 - 10 V Output Won't Go to Zero

    I am setting up a dimming LED fixture using a Steve's LED's 0-10V board. The fixture did not dim to zero so I pulled out the multi meter and found that the output did not quite go to zero. I checked to see if the cable was close to any power cords etc. Now I don't really know how to use that thing but I set the meter to 10 volt DC and found the voltage roughly corresponded to the settings in the controller. ...100, 80, 60, 40 and 20 percent. I then found that the meter showed that when the controller was set to zero, the output was very low but not off. Then I set the meter to 2.5 and got a better reading.

    Do I need to put some kind of a resistor on the line or something?


  2. #2
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    13,176
    That's a tiny bit higher than normal but it is normal for the variable to not go all the way down to zero. Typical is 0.05-0.1V and your meter is reading 0.15V or about 1.5% (assuming your meter is actually calibrated).

    If your light fixture won't turn off completely, you have two options.

    1. Use an energy bar outlet to cut power to the entire fixture when you want it zero.

    2. Install a diode in series rated: maximum reverse voltage above 20V, forward/bias voltage less than 0.5V, and maximum forward current above 50mA. Doing so will make anything below 5% be completely off.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  3. #3
    Frequent Visitor herring_fish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Winston-Salem NC
    Posts
    108
    Thank you

  4. #4
    Frequent Visitor herring_fish's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Winston-Salem NC
    Posts
    108
    It worked! I went to the electronics store, showed then your post and they pulled this. I put it in line for this test setup and it worked first time out. It is lit down to 3% and turns of at 2%. That's about as good as it gets.

    Thank you very much.



  5. #5
    Regular Vistor
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Montréal
    Posts
    17
    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    That's a tiny bit higher than normal but it is normal for the variable to not go all the way down to zero. Typical is 0.05-0.1V and your meter is reading 0.15V or about 1.5% (assuming your meter is actually calibrated).

    If your light fixture won't turn off completely, you have two options.

    1. Use an energy bar outlet to cut power to the entire fixture when you want it zero.

    2. Install a diode in series rated: maximum reverse voltage above 20V, forward/bias voltage less than 0.5V, and maximum forward current above 50mA. Doing so will make anything below 5% be completely off.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.
    Does this work for all? I wanna hook my mars hydro and have it turn off but wod need the outlet for something else

    Envoyé de mon SM-G930W8 en utilisant Tapatalk

  6. #6
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    13,176
    Quote Originally Posted by Teufel View Post
    Does this work for all? I wanna hook my mars hydro and have it turn off but wod need the outlet for something else

    Envoyé de mon SM-G930W8 en utilisant Tapatalk
    Yes, but do note it has the disadvantage of reducing 100% intensity down from 10V to 10V minus the forward bias voltage. If your application is not turning off at zero AND you don't need to reach 100%, the diode in series trick will work.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  7. #7
    Regular Vistor
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Montréal
    Posts
    17
    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    Yes, but do note it has the disadvantage of reducing 100% intensity down from 10V to 10V minus the forward bias voltage. If your application is not turning off at zero AND you don't need to reach 100%, the diode in series trick will work.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.
    So in your example anything between 9,5v and 10v would be reduce by 100% thats it?

    Envoyé de mon SM-G930W8 en utilisant Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    13,176
    Quote Originally Posted by Teufel View Post
    So in your example anything between 9,5v and 10v would be reduce by 100% thats it?

    Envoyé de mon SM-G930W8 en utilisant Tapatalk
    The diode offsets and basically steals voltage from the percentage. So if you had a 0.5V forward bias diode, then 100% would be effectively 95%, 90 would be 85, 5 or less would be 0, etc. The actual output after the diode is the voltage before the diode minus the forward bias voltage of the diode.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  9. #9
    Regular Vistor
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Montréal
    Posts
    17
    Quote Originally Posted by zombie View Post
    The diode offsets and basically steals voltage from the percentage. So if you had a 0.5V forward bias diode, then 100% would be effectively 95%, 90 would be 85, 5 or less would be 0, etc. The actual output after the diode is the voltage before the diode minus the forward bias voltage of the diode.

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.
    Thanks a lot for the info

    Envoyé de mon SM-G930W8 en utilisant Tapatalk

Similar Threads

  1. Question: Outlet v Output
    By ohioreef in forum Misc Apex Usage & Programming
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-25-2021, 22:18
  2. Virtual output use
    By Eiberth in forum Misc Apex Usage & Programming
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 11-08-2019, 19:45
  3. output configuration
    By sjhart in forum Misc Apex Usage & Programming
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 06-30-2018, 06:52
  4. Question: Local Output Configuration vs Fusion Output Configuration 2016
    By FoxTalbott in forum A2 Apex/ApexEL and A3 Apex Pro/Apex/Apex Jr
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 11-07-2017, 06:39
  5. Review My Program Why is the Output On?
    By Justin L in forum Apex Classic/Apex Lite/Apex Jr
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 03-17-2017, 15:00

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •