I’m trying to make a lamp smart. Exactly I want to control the light state (on/off) and the intensity (0-100%).
The lamp has a controller attached to it with which I can adjust said things. The controller has a regular on/off Switch, rotary knob with fixed stages and two RJ11 ports.
When I turn the rotary knob completely to the right, the lamp then goes into “external” mode and 100% light intensity. I know that I could hook up a second lamp over these RJ11 ports. While in external mode it acts as “slave” of the other lamp.
I was thinking if I could not kinda imitate the second lamp with an ESP32. And send signals to the connected lamp. At the end, I would like to integrate the ESP with ESPhome and HA.
Has anyone an idea or tips on how to achieve this?
I’ve put some pictures of the controller from the lamp to the post.
I would expect Vaux is just external low amp 12V source. You need to find out what dimming method your driver uses. 0-10V? Or current control? Or something else…
I know it because I’ve seen many videos about those lamps. Even from other manufacturers, they use the same setup like mine in the pictures.
My friend also has a lamp like this and he can controll the lamp in external mode with his other lamp hooked up via RJ11 cable.
Here is also a video showing what mean. Although the lamp in the video is from spiderfarmer but it technically uses the same setup as my lamp
Additionally, I’ve checked the RJ11 ports on my lamp and they are internally connected with a cable to the big black transformator in the background. So I guess they are functional.
I didn’t have doubts about controlling. I meant if you had additional info for the control method. I expect it uses the same method that your dimmer uses, but can’t be sure.
If you have multimeter and know how to use it, you can experiment with the dimming.
Look up the model of the led transformer(black box) not the light, it will tell you what type of signal it expects. It’s some times listed on the label of the transformer.
I found the spec sheet for the led driver. You can use 0-10v, pwm, or resistive. I personally use 0-10v for my lights.
The driver has a 12v aux power supply, you would use this source to power the converter board posted above. Bring a pwm signal and ground from the esp to control the unit.
0-10V is analog voltage control, pwm can only imitate it. There is no guarantee that pwm works. There are ready made smart dimmers with 0-10 output, like Shelly Plus 0-10
I use 0-10v because it is easily measured with a multimeter, similar to the documentation you posted. Your transformer has a 12v accessory supply. So the 12 - 30v connection shown in your link can come from the .
Cut a phone cord in half, strip and separate the cut end, then stick it in the output jack. With the light power off/unattached, the MM in continuity mode, find your 2 neg connections. blue/white is the 12v neg. Put one probe where the blue/white wire attaches to the board and match it to the phone line wire. Do the same with the pink, that is the 10v neg.
Power up the light keeping all the phone wires separated. Us the MM in DC volts. One probe to 12v neg wire, then one of the phone lines with the other probe will give you 12v. That powers the converter board.
