# 1-10vdc Dimmer



## SCR (Mar 24, 2019)

magicone2571 said:


> I'm trying to find a 1-10vdc dimmer only. Doesn't need to turn on/off the circuit. Just want to be able to dim them separately using the purple/grey wires on the lights. Any suggestions? Thanks


You don't need anything fancy.Just use a 10k potentiometer. Usually for just 1 fixture, you need a 10k, for 2 fixtures parrallel 5k.etc.


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## magicone2571 (Apr 29, 2021)

SCR said:


> You don't need anything fancy.Just use a 10k potentiometer. Usually for just 1 fixture, you need a 10k, for 2 fixtures parrallel 5k.etc.


One circuit will be 7, another 9. Would I use 5k for those?


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

SCR said:


> You don't need anything fancy.Just use a 10k potentiometer. Usually for just 1 fixture, you need a 10k, for 2 fixtures parrallel 5k.etc.


Where will the 10 volts come from?


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## magicone2571 (Apr 29, 2021)

MikeFL said:


> Where will the 10 volts come from?


My understanding is the 10volt comes from the fixture on the purple wire and then goes back on the gray.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

When we drive a 0-10V signal we output to purple & gray.
"purple is positive"
"gray is ground"
We have to produce the voltage to drive to the dimmer.

For some manufacturers who we do work for, we don't even switch the mains power. 
We just leave it always on, connected with wirenuts in the fixture.
Then we drive the 0-10 to produce what they want when they want it.
If you do it this way and want the light off, you need to drive about 0.5VDC on the purple else it thinks nothing is connected and goes to 100% @ 0V.

Is 1-10V dimming different? 
It gives you 10V on the purple and you send it back on the grey?
Where's the return path (negative)?


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## SCR (Mar 24, 2019)

MikeFL said:


> Where will the 10 volts come from?


All the LED fixtures (drivers) I've installed supply 24vdc between purple and gray wires, which has to be sunk down to a level of 0-10vdc. All those little 8 position dimmer modules inside LEd fixtures are just pots in fancy packaging.


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## SCR (Mar 24, 2019)

magicone2571 said:


> One circuit will be 7, another 9. Would I use 5k for those?


Connect all seven fixtures to a 10k pot. adjust pot to position where lights are full on.Remove pot from the circuit, measure the resistance level of full on position.This is the size of pot you will need.
I recently installed 16 200 watt Led fixtures, they required a 2.5k pot to dim, In the same building another bank of 10 fixtures from a different manufacture also required a 2.5k pot.It does vary by make.
I also like to use 2 or 3 turn pots, those can be used across a wider range of fixtures and still have at least 360 degrees of travel between off and full on.
Of course this only works for manual adjustment. If remote dimming to a set position is needed, just use a relay to connect/disconnect the pot to dimming circuit.


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