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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dwe.ai/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Read this guide thoroughly before operating or installing the lights. Failure to follow these procedures will result in out-of-warranty damage to the lights and cameras.

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1. Power Requirements & Hardware Safety

Input SpecificationRange
Power Input Voltage6-60V
PWM Signal3-6V

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Power Sequencing

These lights draw extremely high peak power. Strict power sequencing is required to avoid permanently damaging the lights and cameras.
1

Secure all cables before powering on

Never connect or disconnect the Cobalt connectors while the system is live. Always power down completely before unplugging any components.
2

Verify your PWM output is ≤ 6V

Unlike the aquaLUX Nano, exceeding 6V on the PWM signal will immediately damage the LED driver.
If you are driving the lights from an explore3D or stellarHD Elite, no configuration is needed — both output a safe 3.3V PWM strobe signal automatically.

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2. Operational Limits & Thermal Management

Peak power draw is 120W. Sustained peak brightness will overheat and melt the LEDs even underwater.
ParameterValue
Maximum Strobe Brightness (dweOS)500
Recommended Camera Framerate15 FPS
The lights support up to 60 FPS, but 15 FPS is strongly recommended: it allows the LEDs to reach their full peak brightness for the best image quality.

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Thermal Failsafe

The controller has an internal temperature sensor that throttles output during overheating. This is a last-resort safeguard, not an operating mode — repeatedly triggering it will significantly shorten the lights’ lifespan.

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3. Configuring Exposure & Strobe Brightness

The lighting system currently supports manual exposure only. Set a fixed exposure first, then dial in the strobe.
Auto-strobe brightness is planned for a future update.
1

Set baseline exposure (lights OFF)

With the strobe lights off, dial in your camera’s exposure time.
Start at an exposure time of 500. This caps the maximum strobe output, keeping the lights within safe thermal limits.
2

Adjust strobe brightness

With the baseline exposure locked, increase the strobe brightness to taste.
Signal delay: There is a small hardware delay between the strobe signal and the LED firing, so the LED will not activate until a minimum brightness value is reached.In dark scenes this is invisible because the strobe dominates the exposure. In bright, caustic scenes the ambient light dominates, making the delay more apparent. A signal-offset fix is in development; in practice the delay does not affect overall performance.
3

Use distance — not settings — to control brightness

Once exposure and strobe are locked in, you should rarely touch them again. Use your physical distance from the subject to control scene brightness:
  • Too bright → you’re too close
  • Too dark → you’re too far
This naturally enforces a consistent standoff distance, which is critical for mapping quality: too close and surface features become hard for the software to track; too far and water turbidity degrades image clarity.