(Another) DIY LED Build - Linear Design

[katchupoy]

And the shimmer.... Oh my! Oh my! I really missed this shimmer. Whats amazing is the blue shimmer... can you do that on actinics? hahaha... Just this alone, made me so very very happy.

This is the shimmer im talking about in HD 720p...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yp4aFc45v0
@0:50 - turned down the whites to 50%
@1:20 - turned off the whites

compared to my previous light setup...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg2JrDpTDo8&feature=player_embedded



If you have questions... now this is the time to ask....
Thank you for reading and stopping by.

 

[katchupoy]

Temperature...

Temperature...

I bet with those optics and spacing if you turn the LED up to 750mah or so you will not need any more light for the corals you have. I made a fixture out of the square aluminum also and it got too hot to touch quickly. I added a small 12v cpu fan to one end that blows through the tubing. I never measured the temp difference but now I can hold my hand on any part of it without burning myself.

Jgrog76, I wonder why your setup is too hot to touch. On my setup using 1/16" thick aluminum square only goes up to 100F on full blast even after hours of use. It is just warm to the touch. At first I thought I am going to have issues but to my surprise, the 1" square tube handled it really well.

Awwwwwww Sooooooo Sweeeeeeetttttttttttt NICE!!!!
:bounce1::bounce2::bounce3:

Thank you.

 

[katchupoy]

My current (24) LED setup right now is similar to what I used to have. 2 x 250 watt metal halide.... but more even and do not have hot spots (reflector?).

Here is the all cool white.... still using the same camera settings as above.

I know, I know, that is not white, that is green. I need activated carbon very bad, lol....

Seriously, I was disappointed when I saw this color on my tank. Im guessing that since they are selling cool whites, that it should look like similar to at least Ushio 10k... This one looks like 65k Iwasaki's... I dont know if thats bad or good... because some people are changing their cool whites to warm whites since their LED combo 1:1 is too blue....

One thing I noticed though is that being blue is true when they order both blue and cool white and all are XR-E. And since my XP-G are overpowering my blue (bigtime) I might need to order another set of 12 blues...

And yes, i really need to run carbon on my tank and do water change... I did not notice this on my mostly blue T5's but now it is very obvious.

.

 

[katchupoy]

double post

 

[ludnix]

I want to remind all about the meanwell drivers before you connect these drivers to your LED circuit that "you have to adjust the internal trim pot". This is true whether your driver is dimmable (ELN) or not (LPC).

I'm not LED expert myself, but I don't think LPC are designed to be opened or adjusted. I believe it is only the ELN that need the adjustment.

 

[ArmanS]

Great thread, Love the pictures and illustrations.

 

[fjr_wertheimber]

Fantastic write-up, man. One of the best I've seen yet, as far as actually make it clear and concise and easy to follow... Thanks!!

 

[greeneyed]

At work, and don't have time to run the numbers. How much do you think the current LED setup cost?

Looks good and has inspired me.

 

[marinelife]

I'm not LED expert myself, but I don't think LPC are designed to be opened or adjusted. I believe it is only the ELN that need the adjustment.

I agree, I did not open mine!

 

[jgrog76]

Mine might have run so hot because I have 9 LED on a 18 inch length of tubing. Your spacing is much larger so you have more surface area per LED to dissapate the heat. Mine is also in the stand as a fuge light so it get less natural air movement. My main tank light hits 115 within a few minutes and stabilizes there. That is 36 led at 700mah on a 10x10 heatsink and no fan.

 

[widmer]

Very nice write-up. This thread is going to help a lot of people get started, and you might even want to make rapidled aware of it so they can point people this direction. Happy reefing.

 

[katchupoy]

I'm not LED expert myself, but I don't think LPC are designed to be opened or adjusted. I believe it is only the ELN that need the adjustment.

I agree, I did not open mine!

I stand corrected. Since I dont have personal experience with these LPC drivers, I believe Ludnix and Marinelife is correct, and I am wrong. For some reason I thought I read it from the Big Thread about LPC's being adjusted.

My only question to both of you then, did you bother to check the amps of these drivers if indeed they are giving your LED the correct current? I mean via a tester?

Thank you.

 

[katchupoy]

Very nice write-up. This thread is going to help a lot of people get started, and you might even want to make rapidled aware of it so they can point people this direction. Happy reefing.

Thank you, likewise to your great build.

 

[katchupoy]

Great thread, Love the pictures and illustrations.

Fantastic write-up, man. One of the best I've seen yet, as far as actually make it clear and concise and easy to follow... Thanks!!

Thanks for the kind words.

How much do you think the current LED setup cost?

Usually run around $10 per LED. Actually you can do 8 LEDs per strip and maybe fit it under $100. Or even lower with Stevesleds.

Hope this helps.

 

[cveverly]

Nice write up and documentation. I am in the process of building a new LED setup. I ordered two XR-E for every XP-G. You have reassured me that I made the right decision.

 

[cveverly]

Usually run around $10 per LED. Actually you can do 8 LEDs per strip and maybe fit it under $100. Or even lower with Stevesleds.

FYI.

I ordered mine from Cutter and got the XP-E for 3.49 and the XP-G for 5.69.

 

[katchupoy]

Nice write up and documentation. I am in the process of building a new LED setup. I ordered two XR-E for every XP-G. You have reassured me that I made the right decision.

This is very good combination.

 

[katchupoy]

FYI.

I ordered mine from Cutter and got the XP-E for 3.49 and the XP-G for 5.69.

That is a very good deal. What i meant with $10 per LED is the estimated cost of how much to do the whole thing. This includes the driver, the optics, misc items, etc, etc. Not the $10 per LED as an item.

 

[cveverly]

That is a very good deal. What i meant with $10 per LED is the estimated cost of how much to do the whole thing. This includes the driver, the optics, misc items, etc, etc. Not the $10 per LED as an item.

That explains it. I misunderstood (that happens to me a lot)

 

[ludnix]

I stand corrected. Since I dont have personal experience with these LPC drivers, I believe Ludnix and Marinelife is correct, and I am wrong. For some reason I thought I read it from the Big Thread about LPC's being adjusted.

My only question to both of you then, did you bother to check the amps of these drivers if indeed they are giving your LED the correct current? I mean via a tester?

Thank you.

I've only tested after wiring them all up and found them to be within the range I expected. I have had to setup about 30 of the drivers though, and haven't tested them all.