IKEA Bäve dimmer hack II

Updated 2025-01-10 !

Dimming not dimmable LED, IKEA Bäve, produced before 2019-11 and a new idea for later products !

In former post I used a Fibaro Z-Wave RGBW controller but in this post I will use an IKEA original or an external dimmer ?!

Intro 

The main idea is to put the dimming controller after the LED driver since You can't dim the LED:s on incoming 240VAC.

Or

One of my blog readers found, 2024-12 comment, that a newer Bäve had LED drivers that was labeled "Dimmable". They were tested with an external LED dimmer and worked ! So please check it out before you rebuild anything. 😀

Bäve(old)

The Bäve LED driver(BLD) is a constant current driver which outputs 350 mA and the output voltage is 15 - 30 VDC max 33VDC. 

Solution

There are some LED controllers, 12-24VDC supply, available but in this case I used the controller, ICPSLC24-10NA, from an IKEA LED driver. It's also so small that it fits within the actual casing !! So just disassemble the driver and pick out the Zigbee controller(ZC). Check picture.

As seen in the schematics above, Bäve with 3 LEDs, the ZC is just connected in series to the LED:s.

If You are using a 6 LED Bäve there is 2 BLD:s supplying 2 groups consisting of 3 LEDs. In this case You have to put the 2 BLDs in parallell and also the LED groups in parallell.

I think this solution could work together with many LED drivers, which outputs at least 12 VDC and not more than 32 VDC, since the BLD i using PWM.

Sync it with an IKEA remote, or other control device, or use it together with the Dirigera Gateway(old version is Trådfri). (If you are adding the driver to the gateway you must use a control device that is already connected to the gateway as the "link"). Using the direct integration with Homekit it will be available in Apple Home app.

Proposed solution for the new Bäve
From 2019-11 a new version of Bäve have been introduced. 

• 5 LED rated 18W, power supply rated 140mA, 130VDC 
• 3 LED rated 11W, ?

Issues
The supply DC to the ZC must be reduced to 20 - 30 VDC
The switching transistor, FET, must handle 130 VDC, Drain - Source

Solution ?  Not tested !!!

The ZC is measured to draw about 3 mA. For a Bäve 5 LED the solution could be; 

The serial transistor, TIP 132, must handle 100 VDC Collector - Emitter and 0,5 W 

Components
Resistor, 33 kOhm, 1/2 watt
Transistor darlington NPN, TIP 132/TO220,
MosFET, N channel, IRF630NPBF
Zenerdiode, 1n5255b, 28V, 0,5 W
(Other components could be used but must have similar ratings)

Instructions
 "+" and "-" output from ZC should not be used !! 

The new FET could probably be soldered on top of the mounted, DMN3009SK3, se picture above. Solder pins, gate and source, to the mounted FET and bend, with pliers not to close to the body, the drain upwards and connect it with the "-" wire on the LED

Connect the "+" wire of the LED direct to the powersupply according to the schematics.

 

If someone is testing the proposal, please confirm the outcome !