Need a Dimmer for Off-road LED Lights

[Dissent]

I need a Bluetooth (Android compatible) dimmer device to dim my LED offroad lights up to 100w, by 25-75%. The lights already have operational relays and fuses. Similar to the features offered by the Neutrino Blackbox Element device. Neutrino Black Box
Any ideas?

 

[chap79]

Are the lights you have actually dimmable? Not all LEDs are.

 

[Dissent]

No idea, they are Mictuning lights. I know the driver plays into it but not sure how much.

 

[inkpot]

A handful of mud on the lense will work.

 

[LINUS]

GL - like @chap79 said, not all are dimmable.

I'd ask your LED manufacturer if yours are, seems like the quickest way to the answer.

Things may have changed a ton, but seems you have to have some of the more top tier ones for that.

How about a few pieces of fluorescent light lense from Home depot over the outer 25% of each end (seems you said it was a light bar)

Kind of a redneck way to make the outer ones 'flood/diffuse' & leave some of the center as 'spot' beam pattern.

 

[Dissent]

I'll check with the manufacture about dimming capability. How about a dimming device other than mud and film? I've seen the Neutrino Element device dim Rigid lights without issue. Looking for a stand alone dimmer circuit.

 

[LINUS]

I just went to the site for them - seems like alot were the color changing type.

What about running it in a yellow spectrum light?

That's gotta be the cheapest method.

 

[NLXTACY]

Why not just use an off the shelf rheostat?

 

[Dissent]

I don't want to buy new lights with a new color, I just dim the ones I have. I a agree a manual rheostat should work but I am looking for a Bluetooth enabled device.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Can I ask why you want to dim them?

 

[Dissent]

To run the front lights as daytime running lights and legal brightness driving lights then the side and rear lights as camp setup lights and the under truck lights as subtle camp lights.

 

[LS1FJ40]

Interesting...

 

[LINUS]

OK Gotcha - playing the odds I thought maybe you had one of the "instant desert rave / party" -edition.

Seems best bet is to email / call 'em tomorrow & make sure they are dimmable if you aren't on the "party light" setup.

 

[mehbohdi]

I can't tell you why it won't work, but it won't (a rheostat). Unless they were designed to be dimmed in the first place.

 

[Dissent]

LOL, no rave I promise.

Totally onboard on the ability to dim, I'll look into it. Assuming they are dimmable, I need a controller with Bluetooth integration. Haven't found one yet but a lot of discussion about people looking into it. I know it's doable because the Element can do it but it's a full fuse/relay/controller all in one. Check it out if you haven't heard of it. It's amazing. Switch Pros has a very similar setup for about double the price but it's more flexible. The Element was designed for adventure bikes.

Oh yeah, I want to be able to turn the lights on at 50% from inside my RTT if I hear the boogeyman outside.

 

[LINUS]

I can't tell you why it won't work, but it won't (a rheostat). Unless they were designed to be dimmed in the first place.

I'm no expert, but as my buddy who does all the stereo work / 12v stuff I generally get done, it's because the led pots are simply binary - all or nothing. You put power to the "fairy dust" & you get light.

It wasn't until the new(er) generation the figured out (or just made it afforable).

But right - a rheostat or even a different ballast isn't a fix if they weren't meant to be dimmed. I just texted him about hypothetically dimming my Heise brand bars (about the same price range) & he said "nope".

 

[LINUS]

Just saw your last post - sounds like you know more than he on this then.

He just texted "nope" when I asked if you could add a component dimmer to most all LED's - like my Heise ones they vendor at his store.

Did you check the company already, see what they know about dimming the model you have?

 

[Dissent]

I just sent Mictuning an email inquiring about dimming their products.

 

[Dissent]

I know the Rigid lights are, I've seen it in person. These Mictuning bars at least have CREE LEDs so maybe there's some hope.

I'll post up if they are....in the meantime, I still need a Bluetooth controller. let's forget the LED part. I want to dim incandescent bulbs with a Bluetooth controller from my Android.

 

[NLXTACY]

Where is @george_tlc ?