DiyLightAnimation

Hardware => Lynx MR16 / 16 CH DC Controller => Topic started by: Sloanhaus on June 02, 2009,

Title: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Sloanhaus on June 02, 2009,

I have no idea how to power these things, I bought the MR16's and the MR16 board and parts.

I read that someone bought a power supply, but do I need one if I run them off of the MR16 Board.

What if I want to just turn the MR16 on to see how brite it is, can I just attach it to some SPT1 and hook it up to my wall, or could I take a bulb out of one of my led sets and stick the wires into the socket?

Thanks

Sloan

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: vairmoose on June 02, 2009,

Plugging directly into the wall will give you the wrong kind of blinky flashy....  and probably will release a large puff of magic smoke..... 

recommend that you use a 12 volt wall wart if you want to use the MR16.   

Larry

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Ron on June 02, 2009,

Larry is right, you need a 12v power supply to run your MR16 lights from the MR16 controller.  That is what the 12v inputs are for on the right side of the MR16 board.

Ron

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: WWNF911 on June 02, 2009,

Here's what RJ recommended for me. Worked great and should be PLENTY of power. :)

http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=277.msg2789#msg2789


EDIT - Just re-read your post Brad.

Sorry, If you're just wanting to see how bright etc,.. the wallwart idea is the way to go. Remember these are polarized. If you hook it up and see no light swap the leads. Wouldn't leave them hooked up backwards for long. ;)

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: wjgiles50 on June 03, 2009,

I am using an old power supply from a computer to power mine.  There is plenty of howtos on the web for working with these.  You might even have one around the house or know someone who does.

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: REM on June 03, 2009,

What I want to know is what most people do with the power supplies to protect them from the elements.  My front yard is very big and I want to use it to illuminate the trees way out from the house.  I could make an enclosure I guess out of treated wood but maybe someone has a better idea?

--Ron

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: wbuehler on June 03, 2009,

I use the same case that we use for the Lynx Express.
That case for me is big enough to fit the old computer power supply that I am using.

Bill

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: REM on June 03, 2009,

Interesting Bill. With the power supply alone or with the MR-16 board in there too?  Got any photos of that?

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: wbuehler on June 03, 2009,

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Interesting Bill. With the power supply alone or with the MR-16 board in there too?  Got any photos of that?

Just the power supply alone.  I can take a photo when I get home this evening.

Bill

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: WWNF911 on June 04, 2009,

If it were me I'd use a watertight container under that tree tastefully disguised as a Christmas present. ;)

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Sloanhaus on June 14, 2009,

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Here's what RJ recommended for me. Worked great and should be PLENTY of power. :)

http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=277.msg2789#msg2789


EDIT - Just re-read your post Brad.

Sorry, If you're just wanting to see how bright etc,.. the wallwart idea is the way to go. Remember these are polarized. If you hook it up and see no light swap the leads. Wouldn't leave them hooked up backwards for long. ;)

OK, I bought this and now I need some help. It has like 20 wires coming out of the back of it. What do I use to power my board, It seems that all the connectors have black and yellow, and that some have red and orange wires. Any help would be great.

Brad

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: WWNF911 on June 14, 2009,

Hey Brad,

Here's what I used. I'll check here on the board though and see. There's a link here somewhere. ;)

Leon

http://diylightanimation.com/index.php?topic=289.0

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: WWNF911 on June 14, 2009,

Here's a GIF of the pinout of the ATX power supply.

http://article.tech-labs.ru/img/article/8082/connector_atx_pinout.GIF

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Sloanhaus on June 14, 2009,

So is there any way for me to connect the power supply to the MR16 board w/o building another board?

Thanks

Brad

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Aussiephil on June 14, 2009,

Brad

Of course, just use the pinout for the ATX supply to determine correct wires to use and connect  a switch up to turn on the supply.

Black will generally be earth/ground

Yellow should be the 12v lines and the 4pin connectors will usually have the most 12v wires.

All the adapter board does is make this simple without having to worry about cutting and splicing wiring

Cheers
Phil

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Sloanhaus on June 14, 2009,

OK, I am not the most inclined when it comes to wiring. What do you mean by connect a switch up... Also, do I just use all the yellow wires and all the black wires coming out of this unit to connect to the MR16?

Thanks

Brad

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Aussiephil on June 15, 2009,

Brad

Disclaimer: All voltages should be measured to ensure that the color wires i suggest are correct as some power supplies can be different.

Now that we have the disclaimer out of the way.

Yellow normally = 12v (11.8v usually)

Black = Ground

Gather all the yellow wires and cut the connectors off, count wires and gather the same number of black wires.

This gives you Gnd and 12v

The switch i referred to needs to connected to turn the PSU on and off.
Connect Pin16 of the 20/24 ATX connector to a black wire via a SPST switch.
If you dont want the luxury of on/off then just connect Pin16 to Gnd.

Pin16 usually = Green Wire but not always.

Cheers
Phil

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Sloanhaus on June 15, 2009,

Cant I just turn the unit on off from the back, or just unplug it from the wall. Thanks for explaining the wiring, just want to make sure I get this switch thing right.

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: REM on June 15, 2009,

Yep, with pin 16 grounded just unplug it to turn it off.

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Sloanhaus on June 15, 2009,

OK, just so I get this right...

Take all the yellow wires and twist them up and connect them to the positive on the MR16. Than take all the black wires and the pin 16 wire and connect it to the negative on the MR16. Than just plug in the power source and I am ready to go?

Thanks for all your help... I only had one yellow and one black connected thinking that 24 volts was coming out of each yellow.

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: deplanche on June 16, 2009,

I think just 1 blank and 1 yellow would be sufficient.  At least, that is all I did.  Could be wrong, but it seemed to work.

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Sloanhaus on June 16, 2009,

OK, so one yellow and one black,,, and than where do you recommend I ground the green wire,,, or do I even do that?

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Aussiephil on June 16, 2009,

This is exactly the reason I created the ATX Adapter board, you just plug it in and turn on.

Yes you absolutely need to ground PIN 16 (green wire) for the PSU to work.

Check out
http://pinouts.ru/Power/atx_v2_pinout.shtml
Gives good information for all those wires

I would always use more than one wire just to lower the resistance even over the foot of wire from the PSU.

One will work - four or more 12v wires and ground wires would be better and safer.

Why Safer?
Wire size should be 18guage but seems to be trending on newer supplies to 20 guage, now an 18 gauge wire is rated somewhere up to 15A for chassis wiring and lower for any length and modern 400w/500w supplies will output 25A plus on the 12v, more than enough to overheat wiring and be a fire risk if only one wire is used and it gets shorted out.
yeah i know that the PSU should shutdown but....

Low voltage - high current is stuff that us aussies are used to.

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Sloanhaus on June 16, 2009,

Thanks for the advice Aussie Phil, I am going to use all the wires... still wondering what would be the best place to ground the green wire?

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Aussiephil on June 16, 2009,

Sorry dude

Green connect to one of the Black wires

Cheers

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: wbuehler on June 16, 2009,

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Thanks for the advice Aussie Phil, I am going to use all the wires... still wondering what would be the best place to ground the green wire?

Ground the green wire to the power supply chase.  This should allow the Power Supply to turn on.

Bill

Title: Re: What should I use to power my MR16's
Post by: Aussiephil on June 16, 2009,

Bill,

Personally i would not use the Case but would use one of the black wires.

The Case can become "live" at mains voltage if the Earth wiring is lifted, it will still work and turn on but not ideal.

Lessons learnt building the 48v supply

Cheers
Phil