0-10v dimming circuit for LED high bays

[schurtjl]

I'm finishing out the interior of my shop, and starting to install the metal on my ceiling. I'm installing LED high bays, either 135 or 165 watt fixtures, 15 total in the main part of the shop. I have the lights split up on two 20 amp circuits (15 amp would've been fine in hindsight). I'm planning on running 18-2 security (shielded) wire to control the 0-10v dimming. Is there an LED dimmer than can run all 15 of these fixtures, or would I need to split the dimming up to match the two lighting circuits? I'm planning on surface mounting an outlet box on the ceiling at the location of each light fixture so I can plug in for line voltage. Any suggestions on how to make a quick connect for the 0-10 volt low voltage wiring circuit at the ceiling, so those can be plugged in from the light fixture as well?

Do they make a remote dimmer controller for 0-10 volt circuits, so I wouldn't have to run wiring down the wall to another box? I didn't think ahead on this, so it'd have to be surface mounted to my walls otherwise.

 

[cybrdyke]

It sounds like you've already decided to do it, but FWIW, I dont like the idea of boxes and plugs in the ceiling. But....it's your garage...

For 0-10 dimming, you have options.
1) The most expensive: You can put a small transceiver on each fixture and then control all of them wirelessly with one remote, regardless of which circuit they're on. Or you can use two remotes and match them up with your 2 line voltage circuits. It's easy to do, but expensive because you need so many transceivers.
2) Same funtionality, but less expensive: You can put a transceiver in the ceiling, run your purple and gray low voltage wires from all your fixtures to the transceiver, and control all the fixtures with one remote. Or, you can put two transceivers in the ceiling matched to your line voltage circuitry, and then control them with two separate remotes.
3) Run your line voltage and low voltage wires to one device in the wall. The device will use line voltage to turn them on/off and low voltage to dim them. Google Eaton SF10P for an example. This will give you the same intuitive on/off/dim as any dimmer switch that you've ever used in a house or commercial building.
4)Run your line voltage to one on/off device and your low voltage purples and grays to a cheap low voltage dimmer. There are tons of them out there and they're really inexpensive. This set up is not intuitive, but it works OK. Just google low voltage dimmer or 0-10 dimmer and you'll find plenty.
There is no "quick disconnect" for the low voltage leads, other than just disconnecting them. It's low voltage, so there's no worry about shock hazard. You can probably make something yourself.
All the wireless remotes mentioned above just stick on the wall, which answers your question about running wire down the wall.
Hope that helps,
Good luck
CD

 

[schurtjl]

It sounds like you've already decided to do it, but FWIW, I dont like the idea of boxes and plugs in the ceiling. But....it's your garage...

For 0-10 dimming, you have options.
1) The most expensive: You can put a small transceiver on each fixture and then control all of them wirelessly with one remote, regardless of which circuit they're on. Or you can use two remotes and match them up with your 2 line voltage circuits. It's easy to do, but expensive because you need so many transceivers.
2) Same funtionality, but less expensive: You can put a transceiver in the ceiling, run your purple and gray low voltage wires from all your fixtures to the transceiver, and control all the fixtures with one remote. Or, you can put two transceivers in the ceiling matched to your line voltage circuitry, and then control them with two separate remotes.
3) Run your line voltage and low voltage wires to one device in the wall. The device will use line voltage to turn them on/off and low voltage to dim them. Google Eaton SF10P for an example. This will give you the same intuitive on/off/dim as any dimmer switch that you've ever used in a house or commercial building.
4)Run your line voltage to one on/off device and your low voltage purples and grays to a cheap low voltage dimmer. There are tons of them out there and they're really inexpensive. This set up is not intuitive, but it works OK. Just google low voltage dimmer or 0-10 dimmer and you'll find plenty.
There is no "quick disconnect" for the low voltage leads, other than just disconnecting them. It's low voltage, so there's no worry about shock hazard. You can probably make something yourself.
All the wireless remotes mentioned above just stick on the wall, which answers your question about running wire down the wall.
Hope that helps,
Good luck
CD

Thank you for the detailed response! I like option 2, as my wall sheathing is already on the walls and painted. Is there any transceiver that you recommend, especially one that would run all 15 fixtures? I’m not committed to running boxes and plugs on the ceiling, I just figured that’d be easiest, but I’m open to suggestions.

 

[outdoorspace]

You can get a Zigbee one if you want to integrate it with your "smart home". YMMV and all that.
https://www.hubbell.com/hubbellligh...nsors/OEM-Fixture-Controls/TCM-ZB-D/p/2688296

 

[cybrdyke]

Lutron RMJ-5T-DV-B 5amp max
Lutron Pico Remote to go with it.

The newest model is RMJS-8T-DV-B. It's 8amp max.

 

[schurtjl]

Lutron RMJ-5T-DV-B 5amp max
Lutron Pico Remote to go with it.

The newest model is RMJS-8T-DV-B. It's 8amp max.

Cybrdyke,

You appear to have experience with these, and after reading up on them, I have a couple questions. I spoke with tech support at Lutron, but the gent I spoke with couldn't quite understand what I'm trying to do. The Lutron installation guide calls for a hot line in, and a switched line out to the fixtures, with a max of 5 or 8 amp per circuit. I don't want to turn the lights on or off with this Lutron Powerpak RMJ-8T-DV-B. I just want to wirelessly control the 0-10 volt dimming circuit. Can I feed the hot line in (to power the Powerpak), cap the switched line out, and only utilize the grey and purple 0-10 volt lines to the fixtures? My on/off will be controlled by the wall light switches. So it would appear to me that the 5 or 8 amp limit wouldn't apply to me, as I'm not feeding the fixtures through this, only controlling the 0-10 volt circuit of the drivers.

Also, you mentioned not liking surface mounted boxes to plug the light fixture into. What would you recommend instead? With a metal ceiling, I'm not sure what other options I have.

 

[cybrdyke]

If you run a constant hot to the powpak(it has to be powered to work), you can connect the 0-10v wires to it and dim the lights with the pico. Then you can use the wall switch to turn the lights on/off. Although to me, it seems like it would be easier to just use 3 powpaks and 1 or 2 picos, and mount the picos on the wall wherever you were going to put the switch. But, I might not completely understand your situation.
I dont like receptacles in the ceiling because it seems redundant to me. You would have to wire up a receptacle in the box, then add a cord to the highbay. Seems easier to just wire in a fixture whip from the box to the fixture. I dont see what benefit the receptacle brings to the party. Also it adds a connection point that's another potential point of failure.
CD

 

[schurtjl]

If you run a constant hot to the powpak(it has to be powered to work), you can connect the 0-10v wires to it and dim the lights with the pico. Then you can use the wall switch to turn the lights on/off. Although to me, it seems like it would be easier to just use 3 powpaks and 1 or 2 picos, and mount the picos on the wall wherever you were going to put the switch. But, I might not completely understand your situation.
I dont like receptacles in the ceiling because it seems redundant to me. You would have to wire up a receptacle in the box, then add a cord to the highbay. Seems easier to just wire in a fixture whip from the box to the fixture. I dont see what benefit the receptacle brings to the party. Also it adds a connection point that's another potential point of failure.
CD

Running a couple powerpaks is a good idea, but I have the two light circuits wired up with three way switching at two locations, and each circuit would be over the 8 amp max that each powerpak could handle. I’ll just use the powerpak to control the dimming circuit, and the light switches for on/off.
I like your idea of a fixture whip to each fixture, that’s what I’ll do. Trying to do all this myself as I’ve went way over budget building my shop, even doing most of the work myself. Thanks for the advice.

 

[jptbay]

How did this work out for you?

 

[schurtjl]

Slower than expected, as usual. Finally finished installing the metal on the ceiling, and the high bays arrive this week, so I'll start installing them soon.

 

[jptbay]

Thanks for the update.

I'm getting ready to retrofit led high bays and am going to use a Powpak, so this thread was interesting to me.

My lights total at 9 amp draw max, so I have been considering using only one Powpak because my light setup is too bright on paper, and I was anticipating not running them at full power. Planning on putting an amp meter on the load to see how much it draws at various brightness levels.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Voltage applied directly to a single LED has little to do with making it brighter or dimmer. The only to "dim" an LED is to pulse width modulate it.

 

[cybrdyke]

o I have been considering using only one Powpak because my light setup is too bright on paper, and I was anticipating not running them at full power. Planning on putting an amp meter on the load to see how much it draws at various brightness levels.

This doesn't sound right. The powpak is 8A max. How do you intend to make LEDs that draw 9A run less than 8A?

 

[jptbay]

This doesn't sound right. The powpak is 8A max. How do you intend to make LEDs that draw 9A run less than 8A?

So you are claiming that led lights will draw full amperage at any brightness level?

 

[cybrdyke]

So you are claiming that led lights will draw full amperage at any brightness level?

I was asking a question.