Led controller/board question

[el aguila]

I’m using a bluefish mini controller and a couple of Steve’s 8X LDD arrays.

Do each of the PWM grounds (4 of them) on the board need a ground wire from the bluefish ground wired to them? Do 2 of the ground connections sufficiently ground 2 LDDs?

 

[el aguila]

The ground wire would be the yellow one on the ribbon.

 

[bblumberg]

That is the ground wire for the system power required for the BF mini. I connect this, and the wire next to it to DC input current. If you use the mini-USB port just next to it, then you can skip these 2 wires. Each of the ground wires for the PWM inputs can be wired together and connected to the port labeled PWM ground on the board. Then + and - from the outputs to the + and - of the LED string.

 

[el aguila]

Thank you for your reply!!

Where would the DC input wire hook up to on Steve’s board?

I was under the impression that even if you use the miniUSB port that the array would still need to be grounded, but here again I’m a NOB when it comes to electronics which is why I’m asking these questions.

 

[el aguila]

I figured out that I need a SCW05C12 to run the bluefish, but I don’t believe that I can plug one into Steve’s board.

 

[bblumberg]

No, you can't plug an SCW into this board but you don't need to. You can run the BF or BF mini with a standard wall wart power supply 5v @550 ma with a mini-USB connector. See Amazon or https://aquarium-led-controller.com/product/bluefish-mini-power-supply/ The BF can accept a wide variety of voltages so you have a lot of options here.

The Steve's board appears to have DC power inputs at the top left and right corners, labeled "Power Input" in each case.

What power supply are you using for the LEDs? Depending on which one it is, you may already have 5v or 12V DC from the power supply that can be tapped to run the BF. The economy, Meanwell LRS series does not have 5 or 12 v output, but the HEP series that I like (due to IP65/67 and increased efficiency) does.

For simplicity, I buy LDD boards from RapidLED who offers one with a slot for the SCW series. I then use the DC outs from this to power the BF mini and the fans for the LED fixture. It is annoying that RapidLED only offers 4-up boards and that Steve's only sells boards without the SCW slot.

 

[el aguila]

I’m using 2 - Mean Well SE-350-48 power supplies.

I have a power cord for the bluefish, but it’s short and thought that it would be nice to power off of a board.

May just order a board and SCW from Rapid.

 

[bblumberg]

It would be and the boards that RapidLED sells would do the trick for you. However, they only sell 4-up boards so you would need to get 2. In the past, I used 1 of their SCW boards and one regular board connected in series, but the last batch of the regular 4-up boards didn't work correctly so I ended up using 2 of the SCW boards (but with no SCW on the 2nd board).

 

[el aguila]

I’m trying to test each individual string out before finalizing everything.

I believe that I have a problem with the Bluefish mini/ribbon. Can someone tell me on PWM Output 6 which color wire is VIN and which is GND (brown on the outside or red).

 

[el aguila]

I just looked the bluefish manual over again and I am connecting the ribbon wires correctly to the board.

I just tried another string and it doesn’t come on.

I double checked each string 3-4 times to be sure that they are wired correctly.

I ordered some new Mean Well SE 350-48 which should be in any time.

Temporarily using MW RSP-500-48 to test out. Is it something to do with this PS?

 

[el aguila]

I’m powering the BF from the mini USB

 

[bblumberg]

Looking at the BF this way, the brown wire is channel 6 PWM and the red one next to it is the PWM ground for that channel. All of the BF PWM ground wires can be connected together and then to on of the - power input ports. I'd use the - on the opposite side of the board from where you have the power connecting.

I don't understand how you have the board wired. In picture 7, the PWM from the BF should be plugged into the channel on the left. The corresponding channel on the right should have the - and + wires to and from the LED string connected to it. That PS should be good enough. What is the total voltage on the string that is connected to the channel you are trying to drive?

 

[bblumberg]

Mistake in my message above. Put the - inputs from the BF into the ports on the same side as the PWM inputs that are labeled PWM ground, between the PWM inputs and the power input. Right in the center of picture 1.

I am also not sure if this power supply can be used to drive LEDs. It is doing some sort of remote sensing that might conflict with driving LEDs.

 

[el aguila]

I only have one LDD in the board for testing on the left. The wires from the ribbon are too small to use on the board, so I’m using some wire scrap from my build temporarily. The green wire (connected to the brown ribbon wire) is going into the Channel 1 PWM input which is above the third LDD space.

 

[el aguila]

PWM GND are over to the side of the inputs

 

[bblumberg]

where is the PWM ground for that channel going?

If it is connected to the PWM ground input as noted in your last picture, and everything else is connected correctly, AND if you have BLINKd the BF and turned that channel on in the app, then the problem is probably the power supply.

 

[el aguila]

The PWM GND red wire from the BF is attached to the PWM GND closest to the LDD.

At this point, I’m going to check for faulty components by trying another board with a different LDD on a totally different string of LEDs.

The BF is blinked up and synced with my phone.

If nothing still, then it’s pretty certain the power supply. All LED indicator lights are on at the power supply, board, and BF.

 

[el aguila]

Well I’ve either got a bad board, had a bad wire connection (even though they seemed good), or LDD. Because my lights come on now!!!

 

[bblumberg]

Great! Now you can figure out what was the problem...