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[harrin]

Does anyone have experience of this?
https://www.modellbau-regler.de/shop/product_info.php?products_id=142


I'm fascinated about controlling lights from TX rotary knob. I do photography and adjusting lights to match ambient light would be cool. Of course all leds are not dimmable, or am I wrong?

[Waiting2Retire]

As I understand it, LED usually constant voltage, but can also be constant current.


I assume this is voltage based as it says it works with bulbs, so if it lowers the voltage it should produce a dimming effect?


The other possibility is that it has a PWM circuit (high frequency switching power on/off) that reduces the "on" percentage to make the LED dimmer - a lot of torch (flashlight for those oversea) drivers at the low end of the market work this way.


I think with constant current LED you can limit the current to reduce light output... but that's getting well outside my reliable knowledge!

[Akira]

I have not used their dimmer, but I use, almost exclusively, their ESC's and am very happy with them. Quality company and fast service. at least the latter was until our idiot got into the act. They use DHL for shipping and that rules out supplying the US now.

[harrin]

Today I learnt that LED can be dimmed by small (correction: brushed motor) ESC. Here's my test bench for it.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN8cxNcCF1F/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

[HMS Invisible]

Today I learnt that LED can be dimmed by small (brushless) ESC. Here's my test bench for it.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN8cxNcCF1F/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

# Brushed!

[harrin]

# Brushed!

Thanks for correction, it was my typo :)

[Akira]

"Today I learnt that LED can be dimmed by small (correction: brushed motor) ESC."That is correct. Another way is to use a Buck converter.

[harrin]

What is buck converter?

[Akira]

A Buck Converter is a variable voltage converter that converts a higher voltage to a lower one, ie, 12 to 3, at a stable amperage.They work well because they can operate off your main battery rather than needing a lower specific voltage supply for your needs. Check on Amazon. Usually run around $10 US or so.

[harrin]

A Buck Converter is a variable voltage converter that converts a higher voltage to a lower one, ie, 12 to 3, at a stable amperage.They work well because they can operate off your main battery rather than needing a lower specific voltage supply for your needs. Check on Amazon. Usually run around $10 US or so.

Okay, but lower voltage doesn't dim led. Current (mA) needs to be limited. The product I linked in first message, is the only one I have found with ability to dim leds remotely.

[Abandon Ship]

Hi Harrin,
You are correct, it's the current through the led that controls the brightness. However, to change the current you must change the voltage across it.
It starts to get a little more complex if you mix colours and types (eg red and green navigation lights, white cabin lights) as different colours require different voltages. Red need about 2v, white about 3.3v. Even at the same current, different colours often have different brightness. Checking out data sheets provided by retailers will help clear this up.
Common practice is to use a current limiting resistor for each led based on the led's requirements.

[C-3PO]

Hi Harrin,
I would guess that the product you mention is using a micro controller (Pic or Attiny chip ) to read and decode the RC Receiver output and then map that to control the duty cycle of a mosfet.

Each LED would have a resisitor fitted to give maixmum brightness at the working voltage.

So basically by controlling the on/off time of the led the appearance is to change the brightness.

Another easy way would be to use LEDs that already contain a controller chip inside along with a microcontroller to decode the RC RX output


Example below is using a RP

https://youtu.be/3AQpkAESd14?t=702



https://youtu.be/3AQpkAESd14?t=702

Regards
C-3PO