LED lights and Apex controller for sunrise/sunset

[morganatlanta]

I'm building some DIY LED lights for my new 120 gallon system. The Meanwell power supply/drivers I'm planning to use offer an external control input of 0-10 volts to vary the current output (from 0 to max). You can use this input to dim the lights to whatever level you want (subject to the parameters of the LEDs).

I don't have an Apex system, but I see from some of their online literature that they can control "sunrise and sunset" for light systems, and I see other places that mention a 0-10 volt control output from the Apex. Is anyone out there using the Apex to control lights for sunris/sunset this way? What model Apex do you need for this feature?

 

[schwaggs]

I'm not dimming LEDs with an Apex but I do use the sunrise/sunset feature. It automatically adjusts the length of the day to simulate the season changes. The regular Apex base module has the variable voltage outputs that can be used to dim Meanwell drivers or vary the speed of Tunze pumps. The Apex Lite does not have these variable speed ports.

If you want to talk to someone that has done this, check out the Neptune Sponsor forum on RC.

 

[morganatlanta]

Thanks. I love the idea too, but I'll be in for $1000 on the lights, so the Apex will have to wait, especially since the lite version won't do it. I got the supply with variable drivers just in case. I'll also look into creating a dedicated circuit to do the sunrise/sunset dimming. I bet it wouldn't cost more than $20 in parts.