Dimmer switch issues on SF2000

[Budtirement]

I bought this SF2000 back in 2020 when Virginia legalized growing. It has been a good light until recently I noticed that sometimes when I opened the tent the light was less bright then I had set it. I tried adjusting the dimmer and I noticed that it was no longer working properly. I could set it to a percentage but later it would not maintain that same reading on a PAR meter. I tried turning off the light and adjusting the dimmer from minimum to maximum 20 times to see if that would improve anything. No joy. I tried turning off the dimmer function which means the light shines 100% and moving it to the top of the tent. I didn’t like this solution so I bought a new Ionframe AC-IF3K and replaced it.

With the unit unplugged, I took the dimmer box off the SF2000 and opened it up. The dimmer is a potentiometer. It looks just like a pot on a guitar so I got a can of contact cleaner and sprayed into the opening slot while twisting the spindle back and forth. This seems to have fixed it, at least for now.

I’m not recommending that anyone else should do this. I’m reporting what I did.

Now I have 2 lights so I guess I’m going to have to get another tent too!

 

[Brother_Antioch]

I bought this SF2000 back in 2020 when Virginia legalized growing. It has been a good light until recently I noticed that sometimes when I opened the tent the light was less bright then I had set it. I tried adjusting the dimmer and I noticed that it was no longer working properly. I could set it to a percentage but later it would not maintain that same reading on a PAR meter. I tried turning off the light and adjusting the dimmer from minimum to maximum 20 times to see if that would improve anything. No joy. I tried turning off the dimmer function which means the light shines 100% and moving it to the top of the tent. I didn’t like this solution so I bought a new Ionframe AC-IF3K and replaced it.

With the unit unplugged, I took the dimmer box off the SF2000 and opened it up. The dimmer is a potentiometer. It looks just like a pot on a guitar so I got a can of contact cleaner and sprayed into the opening slot while twisting the spindle back and forth. This seems to have fixed it, at least for now.

I’m not recommending that anyone else should do this. I’m reporting what I did.

Now I have 2 lights so I guess I’m going to have to get another tent too!

I have a can of DeoxIT 5 contact cleaner for cleaning the pots on my amp and bass guitar. I thought about using it on my SE4500 dimmer, but I'm using their GGS controller, so all dimming is done from that instead of physically touching the knob itself. Good to know it fixed your problem though, and I'll most likely give mine a spray down when I finish this grow and take the tent apart for a good cleaning and sterilization.

Cheers,

BA.

 

[Galgrows]

I bought this SF2000 back in 2020 when Virginia legalized growing. It has been a good light until recently I noticed that sometimes when I opened the tent the light was less bright then I had set it. I tried adjusting the dimmer and I noticed that it was no longer working properly. I could set it to a percentage but later it would not maintain that same reading on a PAR meter. I tried turning off the light and adjusting the dimmer from minimum to maximum 20 times to see if that would improve anything. No joy. I tried turning off the dimmer function which means the light shines 100% and moving it to the top of the tent. I didn’t like this solution so I bought a new Ionframe AC-IF3K and replaced it.

With the unit unplugged, I took the dimmer box off the SF2000 and opened it up. The dimmer is a potentiometer. It looks just like a pot on a guitar so I got a can of contact cleaner and sprayed into the opening slot while twisting the spindle back and forth. This seems to have fixed it, at least for now.

I’m not recommending that anyone else should do this. I’m reporting what I did.

Now I have 2 lights so I guess I’m going to have to get another tent too!

WoW that's excellent and i also have a Viperspectra 2500p that's abit older than yours has the dial. Sure has been a good light for a 3x3 i'm gonna miss it when it goes. Eck.....knock on wood

 

[MercDod]

Same thing happened to me on my MarsHydro TS3000. Mine was still under warrenty and they sent me two new dimmers. The first they sent was wrong and the second they sent was not like the orignal but worked. I still have the screwed up one and never thought to try the contact cleaner (duh) even though I have a can of CRC contact cleaner. I might give it a try so I have a backup dimmer.
Thanks for the post.

 

[Grownsince95]

I have the same light, same year, same problem. Except mine is also losing diodes now, just randomly going dark 2 or 3 at a time. The writing is on the wall I guess

 

[MercDod]

Wonder if you can replace just the pontentiometer. It looks like it may be easy to replace if you can find a replacement.

 

[Putthataway]

Good ole spider farmer. At least all you got more life than the humidifier that I won here that lasted 7 days. Then they played games about replacing it. I just gave up.