Removing 120V transformer from LED light strip and connecting to 12V battery power

Jades
Jades Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭✭
Hi all,

This question has nothing to do with solar so I didn't want to post it in the actual solar forum, but it does relate to batteries, and it seems like there is a good deal of knowledge for wiring on this forum.

I converting a van to a camper and wanted lights for underneath the kitchen cabinet.

I purchased this led light strip for Home Depot (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Commerc...-RGB-LED-Strip-Light-Kit-DT8800-16F/312590609). The first one I bought with USB connection just wasn't bright enough. 

I checked the brightness of the first led light strip by plugging it into the inverter, and it was plenty bright. I also like that it comes with a remote.

My first question is whether connecting it to a 12v battery would at all change the brightness of the LEDs and my second question is where in the schematic I would cut out the existing wires and connect to a red/black from my battery (which runs through a Blue Sea Fuse Box and would then run to a dimmer switch (this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L3MT41G/?tag=cpf0b6-20). I know that the second box (transformer that plugs into the wall isn't necessary, but I wonder if the first one is...whether that connects to the remote or provides any other value), or if the remote goes directly to the light strips themselves, then how to a take a black and a red wire from battery and feed it into a light strip that wants four separate wires (red/black/green/can't remember fourth).

I assume that the dimmer switch would be operable with this, since both would be 12v and that I could use both the remote and the actual dimmer switch, but will that actually work?

Thanks much!

James

Comments

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    "dimmer" switches are a trick for LED's.   LED's are current operated devices, not voltage.  They need a minimum voltage to begin to operate, but playing with them like this, might or might not , work.  Usually there is a Current Driver used to brighten/dim LED's
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Jades
    Jades Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭✭
    Ah, so it seems that the smaller box prior to the transformer is probably the current driver.

    How would I take the four output wires and bring them down to the black and red. (In the past, I’ve seen only three wires, where green is a ground, never four)?

    Thanks,

    James

  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    So many different ways this can be done, you are sort  of on your own.   Don't electrocute yourself.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • mike_s
    mike_s Registered Users Posts: 155 ✭✭
    You don't need the wall transformer/power supply. It just converts 120 VAC to 12 VDC. The other box will take 12 VDC directly, but is designed to use a common DC power plug. You could cut the wire/connector off the wall plug and connect your 12 VDC to that. Make sure positive goes to the center conductor, as shown in the diagram on the box.

    That box also has the "smarts" to accept commands from the remote and control the LED strip. You can't use a dimmer, you'll have to use the remote. You could switch the power going to the box, I have a similar one and it remembers the last setting when power cycled.