LED bulb dimmers
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
LED bulb dimmers
For those of you with aftermarket gauges having LED bulbs:
Have you found an inexpensive way to regulate bulb intensity on your gauges? [LED's require 'pulse-width modulation' to adjust intensity level]
Have you found an inexpensive way to regulate bulb intensity on your gauges? [LED's require 'pulse-width modulation' to adjust intensity level]
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Nevermind...
I think I've found what is needed on eBay...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PWM-Dimming-Controller-For-LED-Lights-or-Ribbon-3528-5050-12-Volt-8-Amp-DIMMER-/140636548137?pt=US_Car_Lighting&hash=item20be976c29#ht_2535wt_1156
Please note that the ad states the device can handle "8 amps". But, if you read the info on the device, it shows that it is for ".8 amps".
I think I've found what is needed on eBay...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PWM-Dimming-Controller-For-LED-Lights-or-Ribbon-3528-5050-12-Volt-8-Amp-DIMMER-/140636548137?pt=US_Car_Lighting&hash=item20be976c29#ht_2535wt_1156
Please note that the ad states the device can handle "8 amps". But, if you read the info on the device, it shows that it is for ".8 amps".
Pro
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 591
Likes: 3
From: Monroe Washington
LEDs operate on many different 'voltages' with very little consumption... I would think varying the input voltage could dim them...
But , my experiences stem from adding 12v strips of LEDs onto my large Rc helicopters for night flying... They seem to run anywhere from 8v to 14v with varying intensity... I run mine at 12v and they're really bright ... And when my 12v input source battery runs low, they dim nicely with no adverse effect to the leds ... They just kill my lipo battery I was using to light them... They don't like that at all... Lol
But , my experiences stem from adding 12v strips of LEDs onto my large Rc helicopters for night flying... They seem to run anywhere from 8v to 14v with varying intensity... I run mine at 12v and they're really bright ... And when my 12v input source battery runs low, they dim nicely with no adverse effect to the leds ... They just kill my lipo battery I was using to light them... They don't like that at all... Lol
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
Likes: 247
From: San Jose CA
LEDs operate on many different 'voltages' with very little consumption... I would think varying the input voltage could dim them...
But , my experiences stem from adding 12v strips of LEDs onto my large Rc helicopters for night flying... They seem to run anywhere from 8v to 14v with varying intensity... I run mine at 12v and they're really bright ... And when my 12v input source battery runs low, they dim nicely with no adverse effect to the leds ... They just kill my lipo battery I was using to light them... They don't like that at all... Lol
But , my experiences stem from adding 12v strips of LEDs onto my large Rc helicopters for night flying... They seem to run anywhere from 8v to 14v with varying intensity... I run mine at 12v and they're really bright ... And when my 12v input source battery runs low, they dim nicely with no adverse effect to the leds ... They just kill my lipo battery I was using to light them... They don't like that at all... Lol
PWM works a lot better and more linearly than voltage modulation.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,541
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From: iowa city iowa
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That is the box I used to dim my dash LEDs. Works fine, and was cheap. You can dim them all the way down to nothing if you want.
The pot is attached to the board with wires, not soldiered to the board, so you can extend and relocate the pot if you want. I will probably put it under the dash where the vacuum switch was.
The pot is attached to the board with wires, not soldiered to the board, so you can extend and relocate the pot if you want. I will probably put it under the dash where the vacuum switch was.
