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DIY Project Arcadia Stretch LED Dual Timer Installation

OllieNZ

Member
Joined
11 Nov 2009
Messages
990
Location
Witney, UK
Hi All,
This is a quick how to for a dual timer installation on an Arcadia Stretch LED luminaire the objective is to replace the two switches with timers to give individual control of the moonlight and the main light.
Before I continue a quick disclaimer:
WARNING! this project requires the use of tools that are dangerous if used incorrectly and by even considering to attempt this project you hold me in no way responsible for any injuries/destruction of property that may occur.

To start off you need to disconnect the power supply from the mains and the light.
Remove the 4 no1 phillips screws from the underside of the psu this will allow you to lift the lid off you will see several wires going to the blades on the switches you need to cut these as close to the switch blades as possible. this will allow you to remove the lid completely the switches can then be pressed out from the inside.

This next step is a bit tricky. You need to remove the three no1 phillips screws that hold the pcb(printed circuit board). At the end that plugs into the lamp you will see two cables one black and one white. The black one should be labeled gnd(negative) and the white one +ve(positive) you need flip the board over to desolder these two wires. Once they have been removed you then need to replace them with longer cables I've used brown for the gnd and blue for the +ve.
IMG_1316_zps6718c6bd.jpg
I'll now move on to the timer setup.
You will need x2 12volt timers I used 2 of these New LCD Digital Power Programmable Timer AC 12V 16A Time Relay Switch | eBay
IMG_1317_zps3462885e.jpg
I'll draw a proper wiring diagram for this when I get a chance. The annotations on the pic should help in the meantime. What I've done is supply one positive and one negative and then used wires to create a flexible bus bar.
Your exact wiring requirements will depend on the timers you use. I had a play with these on a variable power supply and they dont have a specific polarity requirement (you can wire pos and neg either way) and seem to have a negligable power draw as well.

The next step is to wire everything together. You need to connect the positive on the pcb to the timers,
the gnd on the pcb to the timers and to the gnd on the lamp lead (black wire)
Then connect one timer to the red wire on the lamp lead and the other to the white wire on the lamp lead.
IMG_1319_zpsaa5a1435.jpg
(Please note these connections in the photo are for illustration and testing purposes only and not a good way to make permanent connections so please don't copy as you may fry yourself or the pcb)

You should end up with something like this
IMG_1323_zps9c956a71.jpg
Then all you need to do is screw the top back on:)

If I did this again I'd use spade crimps for wiring the timers rather than soldering everything just to make life easier but all my tools live at work and I'm impatient and just wanted to get it done.

Feel free to ask any questions
 
Does this in anyway invalidate the warranty? Lol Great little guide. I have just purchased this light but think I will wait for a few months before considering this mod.
I've only recently purchased mine, not having timers was annoying me:mad: I should put the warranty thing in the disclaimer.
 
Very clever fix, how did you come up with that ? Are you a sparky ?
Thanks:) no an aircraft engineer. Just sat down looked at what I wanted to do, what I needed to do it and went from there. Tbh if it had been a bit more complex like the psu being a funny voltage or the timers having a higher load I would have needed help but luckily I have access to that at work so would have been able to get it done anyway.
 
Big thumbs up, I can see a lot of people copying this, I'm bookmarking it just in case I get some stretch led ;)
 
Very clever, and very nicely executed. I would love to do this with mine for my shrimp tank, I'm also willing to give most things a go and usually manage to pull them off. This however, I think, is beyond my capabilities.
The only difficult bit is putting the new wires into the pcb and as far as soldering on a pcb goes it's pretty easy. You could use crimps for the rest of it making it easier to do.
 
IMG_1439_zps1958a5ce.jpg
Another one I did for one of the guys at work for his cs90f. All crimps this time so a lot quicker to do just the soldering on the pcb.
 

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I am looking at doing the same thing but wiring two13w CS30M stretch units together . Actually I have a Siemens LOGO programmable logic module which needs a 24v supply. So my plan is to separate the blue and main lights wire the two blues in series and run them from the same 24v supply, obviously do the same with the main lights and run them from two individual outputs on the module. I have a level of electrical know-how but I suppose need reassuring, see any problems with the 24v supply ?

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Hey Ollie,
Are you still using this setup? I wasn't clear on how you re-sealed the unit after making your adjustments? Does the wiring for the timers come out the switch holes? Could you post a pic?
Cheers
 
Hey Ollie,
Are you still using this setup? I wasn't clear on how you re-sealed the unit after making your adjustments? Does the wiring for the timers come out the switch holes? Could you post a pic?
Cheers
I'm not currently using it but it will be back in use soon for a different project. The power supply is not sealed in the first place so I didn't bother making any special effort to seal it. The wiring comes out a hole drilled in the side. The switches were removed to allow the timers to sit nicely on top.
 
Hi
Is there any way this could be wired to the plugs that separate using a separate power supply to keep the arcadia power supply in guarantee
 
Hi
Is there any way this could be wired to the plugs that separate using a separate power supply to keep the arcadia power supply in guarantee
Would be fairly easy to in line the timers but I think finding matching plugs would be difficult.

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Thanks ,found the plugs on ebay for £1.91 each from Hong Kong, what size power supply would you use to power 2 complete units, ie 12volt 3amp
Cheers
Chris
 
I'd use the stock power supplies and make up a harness with the timers to go between the lamp and power supply
 
I'm out tonight, I'll draw up a wiring diagram tomorrow to show what I mean
 
Thanks that would be a great help

Cheers
Chris
Done, please excuse the hand drawing.
20160116_093930_zpsdczd1o9z.jpg
The timers I used had 4 pins, 2 for powering the timer and 2 for the switch. For this to work you need to plug the psu into the left end and the light into the right and leave both switches on the psu permanently on.
 
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