Dimming LED lights

cdangel0 · 04-20-2015, 03:16 PM

My biggest complaint with my new camper (Cherokee 274 dbh) is the god-awful LED 'accent' light strips. I don't know why they're called 'accent lighting' I'm convinced that the International Space Station could use my camper as a fixed navigation point.

Anyway - I took a suggestion from someone here and purchased an in-line RF dimmer for both the awning lights and inside LED light strips like this one

Admittedly I'm not an electrician and became rather confused when I pulled the switch off - I was expecting a black wire, a white wire, and a green wire ... that's not what I found.

I could GUESS which wire was which, but thought I'd ask the experts here first and ask for a recommendation as to WHERE in this configuration to wire in the dimmers.

Do I need both, or is there a point in this wiring system that I could just use 1 to handle both sets of lights? (note: I'd prefer to be able to dim them separately)

Any insight or guidance would be phenomenally appreciated.

cdangel0 · 04-23-2015, 01:36 PM

Any ideas on which is the positive and which is the negative wire?

Happy Vibe · 04-23-2015, 01:50 PM

If I had to make an educated guess the white wires at the top of the switch are the incoming 12V and the yellow and brown are going to the lights. One thing you may run into is the two dimmers work off the same frequency so when you try to adjust one they may both change.

**wmtire** · 04-23-2015, 01:52 PM

I am curious as to what exactly those two switches do. Any way you can post a pic of the front side?

cdangel0 · 04-23-2015, 02:05 PM

I don't currently have any and the camper is an hour away at the moment.

One switch is for the outside LEDs, the other is for the inside. The switches themselves do light up as well.

cdangel0 · 04-23-2015, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Vibe

One thing you may run into is the two dimmers work off the same frequency so when you try to adjust one they may both change.

I can live with that if they do. The Ebay seller was adamant that one remote could not control both dimmers b/c they're on different frequencies - but either way I'm not too worried about it.

Happy Vibe · 04-23-2015, 02:32 PM

please keep me informed if they do work off different frequencies I want to do the same thing.

**wmtire** · 04-23-2015, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdangel0

I don't currently have any and the camper is an hour away at the moment.

One switch is for the outside LEDs, the other is for the inside. The switches themselves do light up as well.

OK, gotcha. Whichever position is on for the switch (usually up), the uppermost terminals are going to be the12v+ hot. The middle terminals are
going to be to the lights +. So when you turn on the switch, it's going to close the circuit and provide power to the lights.

The bottom should be the 12v-.

The wires going from the top and bottom of the right hand switch over to the left hand switch is just a jumper wire.....that provides the 12v+ and 12v- to the second switch.

I think Happy Vibe explained it already. White is the 12v +, yellow is the + to the lights, and brown is 12v -.

Happy Vibe · 04-23-2015, 03:03 PM

After looking at the picture again wmtire is correct. I said the brown was going to the light but that is not correct. the two wires, yellow with white stripe and white with yellow stripe, are going to the lights.

cdangel0 · 04-23-2015, 03:12 PM

You guys are awesome - thank you!

silver · 04-23-2015, 07:51 PM

Are your LEDs RGB or signal color? I think the dimmer you show is for a signal color LED. There are different types of dimmers needed for RGB. LEDs dim by pulsing the power not reducing voltage as an incontinence light does.

The switch you show just breaks bower to the LEDs with the white apparent being hot as it jumps to both switches. (should verify with a volt meter). I would put the dimmer on the other side and not the 12v source side of the switch. Your dimmer is looking for both a power and ground connection to the LED.

Can you actually get to the wires feeding the LED Strips rather than the switch? That is where your dimmer is designed to go. Right at the end of the strip as if you were going to replace the LED Strip? If you need RGB I can advise just give me a PM.

I have installed both types in my coach.

rockfordroo · 04-23-2015, 08:10 PM

Your pics aren't the best, but here's my take:

In your 2nd pic, I believe the white wire coming into the green terminal on the right is +12VDC. It appears that there's then a jumper to provide +12VDC to the switch on the left via the blue terminal. The brown wire at the other end of the switches seems to be similar, i.e., it feeds into one switch, with a jumper over to the other switch. Not sure why this would be, unless it's somehow supporting the lighting of the switches, i.e., it's supplying the -12VDC side of the switch lamps. That leaves the middle terminals (looks like white wire on one and yellow w/white on the other) that would go to the LED strips. The -12VDC of the LED strips should just tie in to ground somewhere; it doesn't need to come back to the switches.

Suggestion: Pull the green terminal with the white wires on the right switch. If nothing works, I would suspect that proves it's +12VDC to power everything. Put it back on and pull the green terminal with the brown wires on the right switch. If the LEDs still work, but the switches don't light up, then that would prove this is the negative side of the switch lights. Now pull the center terminals one at a time and if first one LED strip doesn't work and then the other one doesn't work (but the switch still lights up), that should prove the center terminals feed the LED's.

Note that I could be backwards about the white and brown wires, in that the brown wire could be the +12VDC and the white wire could be the -12VDC.

rockfordroo · 04-23-2015, 08:16 PM

Quote:

incontinence light

I think you meant "incandescent." Incontinence is something else entirely!

Otherwise, I think we're both on basically the same track.

silver · 04-24-2015, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockfordroo

I think you meant "incandescent." Incontinence is something else entirely!

Otherwise, I think we're both on basically the same track.

I guess it depends if you grab the wrong wires and they are live

At least you got my meaning

ebcobra93 · 08-18-2015, 10:12 AM

cdangel, just ran across your post and am following up on this. Did the dimmer work for your awning LED? I just found the exact same dimmer setup and am considering it. The factory awning lights on my Roo 183...although nice...are VERY bright.

Thanks!

cdangel0 · 08-18-2015, 02:11 PM

Sorry I've neglected this thread. The dimmer worked remarkably well outside.

I attached it to the wires running from the camper to the awning via the little plastic access panel.

Set the lights to the dimmest setting and put the remote in a drawer. Now when I flip the switch they are already dimmed and are at least bearable. (Still an ugly blue, but no longer blinding).

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