Can The A-series Kessil Controller Control Other 0-10V Lights?

Evan West

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 18, 2016
Messages
997
Reaction score
704
Location
Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I am working on building an LED-T5 hybrid light fixture and have 2 Kessil a360we lights and an A-series controller and bought a LET Lighting dimmable t5 HO retrofit kit from BRS, it is dimmable via a 0-10v input. Can the A series controller be 'hacked' to dim the T5 kit? Thinking along the lines of cutting into the 2 channel cable and just wiring in the dimming channel to the input for the T5 kit? Anyone tried this?
 

Montiman

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2017
Messages
1,375
Reaction score
1,672
Location
Pheonix
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have not tried this with the LET Ballasts but I have with the HEP ballasts and it does not work. Bummer because it would be awesome if it did.
 
OP
OP
Evan West

Evan West

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 18, 2016
Messages
997
Reaction score
704
Location
Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have not tried this with the LET Ballasts but I have with the HEP ballasts and it does not work. Bummer because it would be awesome if it did.
Dang wonder why it dosnt work, must not be a normal 0-10V output. You just tried to grab the channel for dimming not spectrum control? I should hook it up to an oscilloscope and see what its actually outputting, could be a simple way with some electro wizardry to convert the spectral controller output to a 0-10v that could control other lights in the form of a small adapter box.
 

Montiman

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 20, 2017
Messages
1,375
Reaction score
1,672
Location
Pheonix
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The issue appears to be that the Ballast uses an analogue 0-10 signal while the Kessil controller uses a digital signal. Analogue will work for things requiring a digital signal but digital won't work for analogue.

This is at least my understanding from speaking with Kessil.
 
OP
OP
Evan West

Evan West

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 18, 2016
Messages
997
Reaction score
704
Location
Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The issue appears to be that the Ballast uses an analogue 0-10 signal while the Kessil controller uses a digital signal. Analogue will work for things requiring a digital signal but digital won't work for analogue.

This is at least my understanding from speaking with Kessil.
If that is the case it should be possible to make a digital to analog converter box to allow the T5 ballast to take the input
 

andyman

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
39
Reaction score
22
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No hack required. The kessil A controllers can handle controlling your T5. I've done it. Its just a simple 0-10v!!! Some ballast will not power off though at 0v so you may have to get a timer to shut off power to the ballast.
 
OP
OP
Evan West

Evan West

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 18, 2016
Messages
997
Reaction score
704
Location
Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No hack required. The kessil A controllers can handle controlling your T5. I've done it. Its just a simple 0-10v!!! Some ballast will not power off though at 0v so you may have to get a timer to shut off power to the ballast.
I figured it could hmmm ill mess around with it
 

andyman

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
39
Reaction score
22
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Ok sorry I know this is an old thread but the Kessil will not control the DX18 T5's natively. Although it is 0-10v, it is a sinking vs sourcing.. The ATI controller simply can't sink the current to drop the voltage.

However not to fear I just got this working.

whats needed:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14874
12v power adapter
1 male to male control cable (gonna cut this in half to solder into the tsh82 op amp.)

Basically what we're going to make is a non-inverting voltage follower. The op amp is capable of sinking the current from the lights. The input of the op amp is the kessil controller. So if controller request for 5v (50% intensity) then the output will get set to 5v by sinking it) The DX18 is 2 channels so the color channel will control one half the light, and the instensity the other half..

I am now able to control the dx18 AND A360W with my kessil controller.

If anyone is really interested I can start a new thread OR I can just add to this one.. The good news, this all cost less then $20. Soldering skills required though.
 
Last edited:

Ranjib

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 16, 2016
Messages
9,825
Reaction score
17,041
Location
Pleasant Hill, Concord
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I dont know how i missed this thread. Let me know if I can be of any help. @andyman you should totally create a separate post with the details of your DIY circuit. I bet it will be very useful for others
 

andyman

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 17, 2018
Messages
39
Reaction score
22
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I dont know how i missed this thread. Let me know if I can be of any help. @andyman you should totally create a separate post with the details of your DIY circuit. I bet it will be very useful for others

Your in palo alto? I could probably make you one for a couple frags! lol I'm in san francisco.
 

Ranjib

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 16, 2016
Messages
9,825
Reaction score
17,041
Location
Pleasant Hill, Concord
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Your in palo alto? I could probably make you one for a couple frags! lol I'm in san francisco.
I run kessil exclusively and have reef-pi hooked up with them. I can give you some frags none the less. I have buocube29, so realestate is limited and i regularly dump green slimer, grandis, zoa and some other frags (monti digitata, rainbow etc) in the trash
 
Back
Top