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[on:]

I want to have dimming control of two AC lamps from arduino.

I've been investigating my options but I'm not sure what is best.

Option 1: Get a DMX dimmer unit and control with the DMX control unit code in the tutorials.

Option 2: Replace the potentiometer in a standard light socket dimmer with a light dependent resistor and control with an LED connected to arduino.

Option 3: Use a light dimmer kit which accepts a 0 - 10V DC analogue control signal. (but how do I create the control signal using the arduino board??)

Can anybody advice which option would be best / easiest?? Is there another option I should try instead??

Thank you!!

[Reply #1 on:]

Not sure which option is best, but for #2 you might try a digital potentiometer like a DS1666 (if it's powerful enough for the dimmer).

[Reply #2 on:]

hello jon

there is a quick way if you're using purely incandescent lights. buy a  velleman K8064 dimmer kit. it should cost around 20 pounds.
this is a voltage controlled dimmer. it can be tuned to work from the 0 to 5 v output of the arduino board. remember to place a big capacitor at the arduino output pin because the dimmer doesn't like the fast PWM pulses.

if you want to drive an analogue dimmer using a 0-10v input you just need to build a simple circuit using an op-amp.
what you need is a non-inverting amplifier with a fixed gain of 2. power the opamp at 12v and you'll get a 0-5v coming from arduino into 0-10v needed by the dimmer.

the above mentioned circuit is just made with an LM358 and 2 resistors....


don't hack esisting dimmers... it's way to dangerous to play with 220V. expecially because cheap dimmers have 220v running allover the circuit and they will happily send it back to the arduino while the velleman dimmer uses an optocoupler to separate the board from the 220V part of the circuit

finally DMX is best used when controlling multiple lights in a big installation. DMX fixtures are not so cheap..

have fun

massimo

[Reply #3 on:]

Oh Massimo! I love you're brain! Give it to me!!!!

(thanks)

[Reply #4 on:]

hi,

when using velleman K8064 dimmer kit, is there a need of a SSR between the arduino and the dimmer kit?

does anyone has any references on the code?


thanks in advance...

[Reply #5 on:]

remember to place a big capacitor at the arduino output pin because the dimmer doesn't like the fast PWM pulses.

What kind of value are we talking about for the capacitor?

[Reply #6 on:]

remember to place a big capacitor at the arduino output pin because the dimmer doesn't like the fast PWM pulses.

What kind of value are we talking about for the capacitor?

I am building a velleman dimmer controlled by a parallax ping. I am just about to connect them, I would really like to know this too before I hook it up.

fubbi

[Reply #7 on:]

About 4.7uF through a 100R resistor.

[Reply #8 on:]

you can use transmiters, to flash with those bulbs, 5V closes the circuit
they are cheap, and if you need only 3 bulbs, you don't need to worry about current supply, I could connect 15 of them, the rest is just to program it how you want to work...

http://www.laro.com.pl/pdf/hm4100f-5v.pdf

[Reply #9 on:]

Hey here in Mexico we use 110v for our devices, so is there an alternative for the velleman K8064 dimmer kit? or can it be setup to work with 110v instead of 220v??

Thanks in advance!

[Reply #10 on:]

it will work

operating voltage: 110-125V or 230-240V AC (50/60Hz)

http://www.vellemanusa.com/us/enu/product/view/?id=521945

[Reply #11 on:]

Thanks!