AI Controller w/DIY LED`s?

flyingmoray AKA Joe works for them.

 

Doesn't work, AI conrollers use proprietary commands to "speak" to their lights, unlike controllers that use variable voltage. I've also thought of doing this, but no deal.

 

I'm working on my own DIY Controller with the Arduino.

Floyd and a couple others have mentioned using one of the PWM pins on it to control a dimable ballast. Here is a link referencing on how to do it and some code snippets: http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1285345010

I'm adding the dimming control onto my controller but I am also adding in temp and pH, may get into gravity / salinty and a few other things but not right now anyway.

 

I know of a guy with a lot of experience on the AI LED controllers that has been workin on a controller very similar that will work with DIY, I'll send him a message to see if he's ready to make it public. I don't want to post his name or he'll get a hundred PMs and he might not be ready! haha

 

Not all ballasts do dimming with 0-10V variable voltage.   Some use Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) which is entirely different.   I'm sure the AI units have their own custom ballasts, so who knows what they use internally.

 

you can program PWM on the Arduino to act variable. The link I included above explains how to do it

 

link for build your own driver http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1759758

 

With the VDM module you can do the 0-10V DC dimming using an Apex. That is what I am planning on doing for my DIY LED rig. It should be the easiest way to do what you want.

 

Ah.  I do however need a VDM for my set up as I am using the Apex Jr. not a full Apex.