MBJ CTR-51 Controller
Mechanical Integration
The CTR controllers are supplied with plug-contacts for the LED light, control signals, RS232 interface and input power. The controller is made for top hat rail mounting, a clip locks the unit to the top hat rail.
More 2D and 3D drawings can be found online: www.mbj-imaging.com
Safety Notes
Before working with this unit, read the warning and application instruc-tions carefully and completely.
- The device is designed for indoor use only.
- Health – The device must be disconnected from the power source before the installation and/or maintenance can start. The device must not be used when a failure may cause a personal injury.
- Electricity – The housing is electrically isolated from the ground of the power supply. Exceeding the permissible operating voltage or exceeding the maximum allowed switching current per channel can lead to the destruction of the device or to a significant shortening of the lifetime of the connected LED lighting module.
- Mechanical integration – The controller is made for top hat rail mounting. A clip can be used to lock the unit to the top hat rail. For optimal heat flow a left/right distance of 10mm to next unit is recommended.
Status LED’s CTR-50/51
| LED | Status | Meaning |
| LED | Status | Meaning |
| 1 Power | OFF ON | Controller power input – off
Power input – on |
| 2 Status1) | OFF ON | LED light switched off
LED light switched on |
| s-s-l-l | No current, no LED connected | |
| s-l-l-l | Trigger received while still in IRQ2) (Flash + gap zone), trigger lost | |
| s-l-s-l | max allowed temperature reached | |
| s-s-s-s | check serial RS232 status in logs | |
| 3 Trigger | OFF ON FLASH | Trigger low state Trigger high state
4x: system boot sequence |
| 4 MBJ | OFF | Not in use |
- s = short flash, l = long flash
- IRQ = interrupt request
Models in Series
| CTR-50 CTR-51 | |
| Current controlled 1-channel operation for steady LED light and simple LED flash light applications | Voltage controlled 1-channel operation for short, very precise and high-power LED flashes, precise flash pulses from 1µs to 100ms |
| Easy set-up of LED current via rotary switches | Easy set-up of LED flash duration and cur- rent via rotary switches |
| Straight flash control via the camera’s ‘exposure’ or ‘strobe‘ signal or manual flash set-up | |
Electrical Connections
| Pin | CTR-50 Function | CTR-51 Function Comment | |
| 1 | 24V DC | Controller power input | |
| 2 | GND | Device ground | |
| Pin | Function | Function | Comment |
| 3 | Dimmer 0V … 10V1)
0V= 0% of sel. current 10V=100% of sel. current |
Time base multiplier for rotary switch2)
Ground: 10 – 90µs Not connected: 100 – 900µs 24V: 10.000 – 90.000µs |
On CTR-51 pin 3 has three status: connected to ground, left un- connected (open) or connected to 24V. |
| 4 | Trigger 12-24V | ||
| 5 | Trigger GND | Trigger ground, isolated | |
| 63) | Trigger 5V – TTL | Signal low < 0.8V Signal high > 2.0V | |
| 7 | GND | Ground RS232, int. connected to device GND | |
| 8 | RxD | Receive data RS232 | |
| 9 | TxD | Transmit data RS232 | |
| Pin | Wire4) | Wire4) | Output to light |
| 105) | black + blue | LED (-) | |
| 11 | white + brown | LED (+) | |
- Dimmer switched off by factory default. Needs to be enabled via RS232. Without con-nection to pin 3, when dimmer is activated, intensity is like 0V = 0% of selected current
- Longer flash times can be set via RS232
- Input voltages above 5.5V will destroy the trigger input circuit!
- for MBJ connecting cable and MBJ LED light (-x) without integrated controller
- Do NOT connect to the external ground of the power supply or the ground of the trigger signal! This might destroy connected lights or devices.
Operating mode
| Mode CTR-50 Function Mode CTR-51 Function | |||
| STEADY | Continuous light, LED always on | – | no support for continuous
light, use CTR-50 |
| AUTO1) | LED-output follows the trigger | AUTO | LED-output follows the trigger |
| FLASH | Manual set-up for flash, delay
and duration (via RS232 only) |
FLASH2) | Flash-on-trigger with set flash duration (RS232) |
| OFF | LED outputs switched off | OFF | LED outputs switched off |
- The CTR-50 factory setting of the operation mode is AUTO. Other operating modes are selectable via the RS232 interface.
- The CTR-51 factory setting of the operation mode is FLASH. Other operating modes are selectable via the RS232 interface.
Detection of the light source
After the CTR is supplied with voltage, it remains in Detect Mode until an illu-mination has been detected. Then the CTR changes to the selected mode.
Application Samples for CTR controller
Steady light
Steady light with brightness control (CTR-50 only)
RS232
The serial interface allows changing the operation mode and setup of individ-ual timings and currents. The control commands are described in a separate RS232 manual.
Rotary Switches
Use the rotary switches to set-up the allowed current for the connected LED. Please check the LED light manufacturer’s manual to make sure not to exceed the maximum LED current.
Upper rotary switch
| Position CTR-50 CTR-51 | ||
| LED current 1A steps | Flash current 2) | |
| 01) | 0A (to 0.9A) | Controlled via RS232 (0 – 30A) |
| 1 | 1A (to 1.9A) | 1.0A |
| 2 | 2A (to 2.9A) | 1.5A |
| 3 | 3A (to 3.9A) | 2.1A |
| 4 | 4A (to 4.0A) | 3.1A |
| 5 | 4.5A | |
| 6 | 6.5A | |
| 7 | 9.4A | |
| 8 | 13.7A | |
| 9 | 20.0A | |
- CTR:50: If both rotary switches are set to ‘0’, the current is 50mA, the factory default setting for the current is 50mA
- CTR-51: The factory default setting is 150mA.
Lower rotary switch
| Position CTR-50 CTR-51 | ||||
| LED current 0.1A steps1) | Flash duration 2) | |||
| Pin 3 on GND | Pin 3 – open | Pin 3 on 24V | ||
| 0 | add 0mA | Controlled via RS232 (0 – 30A) | ||
| 1 | add 100mA | 10µs | 100µs | 1ms |
| … | … | … | … | … |
| 9 | add 900mA | 90µs | 900µs | 9ms |
- CTR-50: If both rotary switches are set to ‘0’, the current is 50mA, the factory setting for the current is 50mA
- CTR-51: Shorter and longer flash times (1µs – 100ms) can be set via RS232.
Triggered light with NPN sinking output (inverted strobe signal, open collector)
| Specification CTR-50 CTR-51 | ||
| Electrical parameter | ||
| Operating Voltage | 24V DC/ 4.5A
5V – 26V, min. 2V above the forward voltage of the LED light source |
|
| LED steady current1)
(ON & AUTO mode) |
50mA … 4000mA | 150mA … 1000mA
(AUTO mode only) |
| LED flash current2) | 50mA … 4000mA | 150mA … 30A |
| Min flash duration | 2ms depending on LED work- ing point and duty cycle | 1µs depending on LED work- ing point and duty cycle |
| Max. flash duration | 59s | |
| Max. flash latency3) | <500µs | <1µs |
| Flash duration & delay:
smallest adjustable step |
10µs | 1µs |
| Voltage range for LED
modules |
approx. 2.5V to 22.0V | |
| Mechanical parameter | ||
| Dimension (H x W x D) | 36mm x 80mm x 93mm | |
| Weight | 350g | |
| Connectors | 2 Pin plug contact (RM5.08), 7 Pin plug contact (RM3.81), 2 Pin inv. plug contact (RM3.81) | |
| Certifications | CE, RoHS, EN61000-6-2, EN61000-6-4 | |
| Degree of protection | IP20 (made for control cabinet) | |
| Humidity | 30% to 70% | |
| Operating temperature | 10°C to 30°C | |
| Accessories | Top rail mounting clip and plugs (scope of delivery). For cable, mounts and lighting modules please check www.mbj-imaging.com | |
- LED current less than 100mA may cause LED light jitter
- The flash energy is provided by a capacitor and requires sufficient time for recharging. The flash energy (flash frequency * flash duration * current) is limited to 1A. E.g.: 100 flashes/s * 100µs * 30A = 0.3A
- The higher the current and the shorter the cycle time, the greater the latency can be.
TTL triggered light with PNP sourcing (open emitter)
MBJ Imaging GmbH
Jochim-Klindt-Strasse 7 49 41 02 77 89 0 – 31
22926 Ahrensburg, Germany sales@mbj-imaging.com www.mbj-imaging.com
Manual CTR50/51 Controller: Revision 05 – 18 Mai 2021. INDD file Rev09.
Documents / Resources
 |
MBJ CTR-51 Controller [pdf] Instruction Manual CTR-50, CTR-51, CTR-51 Controller, Controller |
