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LED Control & Lighting

Control interior and exterior LED lighting for visibility and identification.

⏱️ Time Required: 30 seconds

Overview​

Your EDC includes an integrated LED lighting system for illumination and identification:

LED Locations:

  • LED rectangular tiles throughout the interior
  • Top front panel LED lighting
  • Exterior hardcase panel LED indicators (near HiveRadar logo)

Current Configuration:

  • Color: Yellow (single color currently)
  • Control: Manual buttons near pole mounting mechanism on exterior
  • Power: Contact-powered via custom drawer rails and switches

[IMAGE: LED locations - datasheet diagram showing LED rectangular tiles, front panel, and exterior panel]

Note: LED color is currently yellow only. Future versions may include additional color options.

For Most Users: Simple On/Off Control​

The LEDs are controlled by two buttons on the exterior panel of the EDC.

LED Control Buttons Location:​

Where to find them:

  • Located on the exterior plate with the HiveRadar logo
  • Near the pole mounting mechanism (carbon fiber mast mount area)
  • Two separate buttons: one for interior lighting, one for exterior lighting

[IMAGE: LED control buttons location on exterior panel near pole mount and HiveRadar logo]

How to Control the LEDs​

Each button controls one lighting zone independently:

Button 1: Interior Lighting Control​

Controls the LEDs inside the case:

  • LED rectangular tiles
  • Interior illumination
  • Drawer lighting (on drawers with contact-powered LEDs)

Press to cycle through brightness levels:

  1. Press once: Full brightness
  2. Press again: Half brightness (dimmed)
  3. Press again: Off

Default setting: Full brightness when EDC is powered on

Button 2: Exterior Lighting Control​

Controls the LEDs on the outside of the case:

  • Top front panel LEDs
  • Exterior hardcase panel indicators

Press to cycle through brightness levels:

  1. Press once: Full brightness
  2. Press again: Half brightness (dimmed)
  3. Press again: Off

Default setting: Full brightness when EDC is powered on

LED Brightness Settings Explained​

Full Brightness​

Best for:

  • Nighttime deployments
  • Low-light environments
  • When visibility is critical
  • Equipment identification in large deployments

Power consumption: Slightly higher (minimal impact)

Half Brightness (Dimmed)​

Best for:

  • Normal lighting conditions
  • When full brightness is too bright
  • Conserving power (minimal savings)
  • Reducing glare in dark environments

Power consumption: Moderate

Off​

Best for:

  • Daytime operations with good ambient light
  • When LEDs are distracting
  • Stealth/low-visibility deployments
  • Maximum power conservation (minimal impact)

Note: Turning off LEDs has minimal impact on overall power consumption, but may be preferred in certain deployment scenarios.

LED Behavior and Operation​

Power On Behavior​

When you first power on the EDC:

  • Both interior and exterior LEDs turn on at full brightness by default
  • LEDs remain at the brightness setting you last selected
  • Settings are retained across power cycles

Contact-Powered Drawer LEDs​

Special feature for storage drawers:

Some editions include contact-powered LEDs in the storage drawers:

  • LEDs automatically activate when drawer is opened
  • Powered via custom rails with integrated switches
  • No separate battery needed for drawer lighting
  • Drawer fans (on applicable editions) also use contact power system

How it works:

  1. Unlock and open drawer
  2. Drawer contacts engage with power rails
  3. LEDs illuminate automatically (if interior lighting is enabled)
  4. Close drawer - contacts disengage, LEDs turn off

Note: Drawer LEDs follow the interior lighting setting (Full/Half/Off).

Using LEDs for Equipment Identification​

🔦 Multi-EDC Deployments

If you have multiple EDCs in one location, the exterior LEDs help identify units:

Identification strategies:

  1. LED brightness differentiation:

    • Unit 1: Full brightness
    • Unit 2: Half brightness
    • Unit 3: Off
    • Limited to 3 units with current settings

  2. Physical labels:

    • Use labels or tags on exterior
    • LEDs illuminate labels for visibility in dark

  3. Positioning:

    • Use LED-lit top panel as visual reference
    • Arrange units so lit panels are visible

Future versions may include multi-color LEDs for better differentiation.

🌙 Night Operations

Using LEDs effectively at night:

Interior LEDs:

  • Use full brightness when accessing components
  • Provides good visibility inside case
  • Makes cable identification easier
  • Helps with equipment installation

Exterior LEDs:

  • Use half brightness to locate EDC in dark
  • Prevents excessive glare
  • Conserves some power
  • Still visible from distance

Stealth operations:

  • Turn both off if light discipline required
  • Use flashlight only when needed
  • LEDs can be seen from considerable distance
🔋 Power Consumption Impact

LED power usage:

  • LEDs consume minimal power compared to compute nodes
  • Impact on battery runtime: < 5W total for all LEDs
  • Turning off LEDs saves negligible power

Battery runtime impact (estimated):

  • Off-grid with EcoFlow Delta 3 Pro (4096Wh):
    • LEDs On vs Off: ~5-10 minutes difference over 8+ hour runtime
    • Effectively negligible

Bottom line: Don't worry about LED power consumption. Control them for visibility and preference, not power savings.

LED Indicators vs LED Lighting​

Important distinction:

LED Lighting (this page):

  • Illumination for visibility
  • Yellow color
  • User-controlled brightness
  • Located throughout case

LED Indicators (status lights):

  • Switch port status LEDs (green/amber)
  • PDU status indicators
  • Compute node status lights
  • Not controlled by LED buttons

The LED control buttons only control the yellow LED lighting system, not the status indicators on individual components.

Troubleshooting​

🔧 LEDs not responding to button presses

Problem: Pressing LED control buttons does nothing

Solutions:

  1. Check EDC power

    • LEDs require main power to be on
    • Verify EDC is powered on
    • Check main power switch on rear panel

  2. Verify button location

    • Make sure you're pressing the correct buttons
    • Located on exterior panel near pole mount
    • Should be labeled or near HiveRadar logo

  3. Try both buttons

    • Interior button controls inside LEDs
    • Exterior button controls outside LEDs
    • Test each button separately

  4. Check LED power system

    • May be a connection issue
    • Contact your reseller/partner for support
🔧 Some LEDs not working

Problem: Some LED tiles or sections are dark, others work

Possible causes:

  1. Individual LED failure

    • LEDs can fail over time
    • Some sections may have separate connections
    • Note which specific LEDs are out

  2. Connection issue

    • LED tiles have connectors
    • May have come loose during transport
    • More likely after rough handling

  3. Drawer contact LEDs not working

    • Check that drawer is fully opened
    • Contact rails may need cleaning
    • Verify interior lighting is not set to "Off"

Solution:

  • Document which LEDs are not working (location, pattern)
  • Contact your reseller/partner for service
  • May be normal wear on high-use systems
🔧 LEDs flickering or unstable

Problem: LEDs flickering, changing brightness randomly, or unstable

Possible causes:

  1. Power supply issue

    • Main power connection loose
    • Voltage fluctuation from source
    • Check main power cable connection

  2. Contact rail issue (drawer LEDs)

    • Drawer partially open
    • Dirty or corroded contacts
    • Close drawer fully and clean contacts if needed

  3. LED control system issue

    • Electronic control problem
    • May need service

Solutions:

  • Verify stable main power connection
  • Try different power outlet
  • If issue persists, contact support

Future LED Features​

Note: The LED system is currently yellow single-color with 3 brightness levels. Future versions may include:

  • Multi-color LEDs (red, green, blue options)
  • Status-based color changes (green = healthy, red = alert)
  • Integration with IoT monitoring (automatic brightness adjustment)
  • Additional lighting zones for more granular control

Current version capabilities:

  • Yellow color only
  • Full / Half / Off brightness
  • Interior and exterior zones
  • Manual control only

Best Practices​

For visibility:

  • Use full brightness in low-light conditions
  • Interior LEDs help with maintenance and setup
  • Exterior LEDs help locate EDC in dark environments

For power efficiency:

  • LED power consumption is negligible
  • Control based on preference, not power savings

For equipment care:

  • Don't stare directly at LED tiles at close range
  • LEDs generate minimal heat
  • No maintenance required for LED system

For multiple EDCs:

  • Use different brightness levels to identify units
  • Consider adding physical labels illuminated by LEDs
  • Plan for future multi-color LED options

What's Next?​

After understanding LED control:

👉 Storage Drawers - Organize and access storage drawers

👉 Cooling Management - Manage fan profiles and temperature