Aquastyleonline.com LED questions.

[redfishsc]

Thanks for the info I will keep that in mind. Are your Meanwells hooked up to the bridgelux royal blue stars? if so would you consider a sting of 12 or more of them at minimum brightness to be too bright to be used as a moonlight at night.

The only Bridgelux LED's I own are actual true Bridgelux (402 whites) from Newark.com but they are 10-watt class. But, they do run at 50mA indeed.

A string of 12 Crees (or 8 Crees and two 10-watt BL402's) is way, way too bright for moonlight.

Hell, a single XPE at 300mA is gross overkill on a 45g tank. I bought a DealExtreme driver (300mA) just for this, and put a single XPE white on it, and it actually lights the tank up like a solar flare lol. So now I use that XPE as a reading lamp, no joke. I verified the current with my multimeter at about 300-350mA (depending on the power supply, for whatever reason).

 

[arentspowell]

Well I finally built mine. I went with 40 rb 8 6.5k and 24 10k. Got them all wired up and they are looking great. I put the drivers and the pots in a large project bow and have it mounted to the wall next to the tank. I decided to use a pot per driver that way I can dim one side of the tank if I need to acclimate corals and keep the other side at whatever intensity it is.

Right now I am running about 60% blue and 50% white. How long do I have to wait to turn it up a bit since I was coming from 250w halides? So far I am very pleased with the kit I just need to see how my corals like it. Here are some pictures. They are not the best since they are from my iPhone camera but they give a pretty good idea. They might look a little more purple in person.

 

[dread240]

Actually glad to finally see a 72 kit over a 75g tank lol. I was wondering how good my coverage was going to be. My kit won't be here till this week most likely though

 

[symon_say]

What about led mixture, what are you using, right now i have 36 kit all white and RB but i need to get another kit when i start adding corals, so what leds should be in the mixture in my next kit??

 

[milkman55]

arentspowell - Great Job! Very clean build.

I am surprised you can fine tune your blue and white to that fine a degree. Mine seem to take a big jump in intensity with the slightest movement of the rheostat?

I would give it a couple of weeks before you start turning up the intensity. I think I started mine too high and while nothing browned out, it did look stressed for awhile.

 

[dread240]

Putting aquastyles customer service to the test as we speak apparently Nothing major, they just put down the wrong shipping address with fedex (Order actually went out fairly quickly considering the holidays all over the world) and all they have to do on their end is update it.

They did create a new city in the process though, Marylanda, MA.

Don't take this as a complaint on the company though, just seeing how quickly they can fix it if it will delay me any. So far they've been great on communication and I can easily see this happening because I don't expect them to be familiar with the US like that

Probably 20% of Americans could screw that up with ease sadly

 

[D-Captain]

I'm thinking of putting their 14 LED, 7 RB and 7 of the 10K, dimmable kit over my 14 gal fuge. I've been in contact with them...I'm considering the dimmable Meanwell drivers instead of the included Maxwellen drivers. Apparently they allow substitutions. Anyway, I have a question that I couldn't get answered from them: are the dimmable Maxwells controllable with the ReefKeeper lite 1-10v capable controller? And, would you be able to simulate sunrise and sunset with that setup? Thanks in advance!

 

[zachts]

I'm thinking of putting their 14 LED, 7 RB and 7 of the 10K, dimmable kit over my 14 gal fuge. I've been in contact with them...I'm considering the dimmable Meanwell drivers instead of the included Maxwellen drivers. Apparently they allow substitutions. Anyway, I have a question that I couldn't get answered from them: are the dimmable Maxwells controllable with the ReefKeeper lite 1-10v capable controller? And, would you be able to simulate sunrise and sunset with that setup? Thanks in advance!

I've also been researching this subject but havn't found an answere yet.

As discused on page 10 of this thread, in theory it should work with the dim4 but someone needs to test the driver and find out.

Would anyone out there who is using Maxwellen driver and who owns a multimeter be willing to test the dim leads of thier driver. Just disconnect you potentiometer and measure the voltage between the wires when the driver is powered up. then power down, swicht you meter to measure currnt and measure the current being produced between the two wires. That should tell us all we need to know to determine how to set up the DIM4 to run this driver.

only other variable would be the that the two circuts need a common ground as you'd be caping off the + lead from the driver and not using the - lead from the DIM4. So as long as long as both circuts go to a common ground (ie, the wall outlet) then it should work "in theory".

if you don't have a DIM4 handy then a wall wort that outputs the appropriate current at a voltage somewhere between 1-10volts (assuming you measured 10volts with the multimeter) will give us the same answer as to whether this is doable.

 

[gammer_100]

Just put in my order for the 36 diy dimmable and 72 dimmable kits to cover my 125 gallon 72-18-21d. The LEDs will be roughly 7" off of the water.

I did order some extra 80 deg lenses to help with the spread if needed. I just need to find some 6' c-channels.

I will try to find someone with a meter to check the par once the lights are put together.

What is the Diameter of the LED star?

 

[FishNFun]

I'm thinking of putting their 14 LED, 7 RB and 7 of the 10K, dimmable kit over my 14 gal fuge. I've been in contact with them...I'm considering the dimmable Meanwell drivers instead of the included Maxwellen drivers. Apparently they allow substitutions. Anyway, I have a question that I couldn't get answered from them: are the dimmable Maxwells controllable with the ReefKeeper lite 1-10v capable controller? And, would you be able to simulate sunrise and sunset with that setup? Thanks in advance!

If it's going over your fuge why not just use the 6500K LEDs and maybe mix in a few red LEDs? That would seem to be a better spectrum for growing macro algae than the RBs and 10K LEDs. Also, when I contacted them for my fuge light (29g fuge) they suggested their 12 LED kit with the Meanwell non-dim driver.

 

[D-Captain]

If it's going over your fuge why not just use the 6500K LEDs and maybe mix in a few red LEDs? That would seem to be a better spectrum for growing macro algae than the RBs and 10K LEDs. Also, when I contacted them for my fuge light (29g fuge) they suggested their 12 LED kit with the Meanwell non-dim driver.

Hello FishNFun, I was thinking the same thing....but, I'm just venturing into LED and wanted to try this out to see if I like the output of the RBs and 10K combo for a possible build for my display. Not sure if I want to shell out the extra for the Meanwell drivers if it's not going to work.

Has anyone tried the ReefKeeper Lite with these LEDs and the Meanwell driver?

 

[mc-cro]

I ordered one of their 14LED kits with 2 dimmable ballast for my QT tank. The only complaint I had was that the pots(dimmers) were poor quality and would cause the LEDs to flicker, or go off as your turned the dial slowly. I tried to find a suitable replacement locally, but couldnt.

I ended up taking the pot apart and bending the contact spring a little to get them to perform better. still not perfect, but useable.

 

[00Warpig00]

I'm thinking of putting their 14 LED, 7 RB and 7 of the 10K, dimmable kit over my 14 gal fuge. I've been in contact with them...I'm considering the dimmable Meanwell drivers instead of the included Maxwellen drivers. Apparently they allow substitutions. Anyway, I have a question that I couldn't get answered from them: are the dimmable Maxwells controllable with the ReefKeeper lite 1-10v capable controller? And, would you be able to simulate sunrise and sunset with that setup? Thanks in advance!

The meanwell Drivers will work with a 0-10V I believ the meanwell needs to be a D model not a P model unless you are doing PWM

The Maxwellen drivers at this point look like they are NOT controllable by a controller only potentiometer. My test thus far of applying various voltages <10V to the dim leads of a Maxwellen driver have not produced any fruitful results at this time.

I've also been researching this subject but havn't found an answere yet.

As discused on page 10 of this thread, in theory it should work with the dim4 but someone needs to test the driver and find out.

Would anyone out there who is using Maxwellen driver and who owns a multimeter be willing to test the dim leads of thier driver. Just disconnect you potentiometer and measure the voltage between the wires when the driver is powered up. then power down, swicht you meter to measure currnt and measure the current being produced between the two wires. That should tell us all we need to know to determine how to set up the DIM4 to run this driver.

only other variable would be the that the two circuts need a common ground as you'd be caping off the + lead from the driver and not using the - lead from the DIM4. So as long as long as both circuts go to a common ground (ie, the wall outlet) then it should work "in theory".

if you don't have a DIM4 handy then a wall wort that outputs the appropriate current at a voltage somewhere between 1-10volts (assuming you measured 10volts with the multimeter) will give us the same answer as to whether this is doable.

I will probably play around with mine again at some point soon. I have done basic experiments that have me leaning strongly on the side of maxwellen drivers not working with a controller. I have worked in electronics professionally, although admittedly it was only for about 10 years and that was 15 years ago. (I was a Sony Certified 8mm camcorder repair technician) not saying I cant be wrong, but I'm not a complete idiot with electronics either. I made a living at it for 10 years. If someone else also wants to play with theirs and give their opinions and ideas and feedback great. Id love to get this dragon slayed! NOBODY wants the maxwellens to work with a controller more than I do, believe me. I haven't given up hope yet, but my first results don't inspire any confidence or have me hurrying back because I feel I'm close to a breakthrough.

Nick

 

[dread240]

You can make an arduino controller for them with a DPIC.

I do promise you guys, I'll bring my fluke 1587 home from work, hell even my scope and I'll find out exactly what the maxwellen drivers are doing

 

[nemosworld]

that would be great! Dread240

 

[dread240]

Yea, hopefully this weekend if all goes well. Fedex is estimating delivery on the 6th but we had that address issue so it may put it off till next week

 

[zachts]

I will probably play around with mine again at some point soon. I have done basic experiments that have me leaning strongly on the side of maxwellen drivers not working with a controller. I have worked in electronics professionally, although admittedly it was only for about 10 years and that was 15 years ago. (I was a Sony Certified 8mm camcorder repair technician) not saying I cant be wrong, but I'm not a complete idiot with electronics either. I made a living at it for 10 years. If someone else also wants to play with theirs and give their opinions and ideas and feedback great. Id love to get this dragon slayed! NOBODY wants the maxwellens to work with a controller more than I do, believe me. I haven't given up hope yet, but my first results don't inspire any confidence or have me hurrying back because I feel I'm close to a breakthrough.

Nick

Nick,
I didn't intend to pick on your methods or put you on the defensive. I'm just one of those people that can't put a problem down untill I've exhasuted all possible solutions. You may be entirely correct in that these are NOT controllable by an outside source there's just a few more things that no one has tried yet is all.

 

[zachts]

dread240,
Thanks for volunteering to test this out! Can't wait to hear the results.

 

[dread240]

Nick,
I didn't intend to pick on your methods or put you on the defensive. I'm just one of those people that can't put a problem down untill I've exhasuted all possible solutions. You may be entirely correct in that these are NOT controllable by an outside source there's just a few more things that no one has tried yet is all.

The simple fact that you're controlling them by a pot varying the resistance means they're either going off of voltage on the sense wire (which reduces with increased resistance) or the current of the line, which also reduces with resistance. Regardless of how or what they're reading, we already know a potentiometer dims the lights, therefore a digital pot on a controller will also dim the lights.

The only thing I really need to test is the max current/voltage of the lines and the cutoff point. That information will allow a digital pot on an arduino within the proper specs to control the dimming circuit, and considering you can order a 10k pot with 1024 steps, complete control won't be difficult

It may turn out that it's not possible to use an existing commercial controller, but honestly programming an arduino to do it wouldn't be hard at all. I'll probably use a plc and webserver from work when I go to do my controller as I don't pay for them at all (they've already told me to just make a wish list so I can tinker with the i-watch and eschelon systems more.. I get asked to do really weird stuff with some of these jobs in our area) so I won't be of much help on that aspect.

 

[00Warpig00]

You can make an arduino controller for them with a DPIC.

I do promise you guys, I'll bring my fluke 1587 home from work, hell even my scope and I'll find out exactly what the maxwellen drivers are doing

that would be great. I busted out my meter tonight and have some findings. It may be doable. I'll explain what I found below.

Nick,
I didn't intend to pick on your methods or put you on the defensive. I'm just one of those people that can't put a problem down untill I've exhasuted all possible solutions. You may be entirely correct in that these are NOT controllable by an outside source there's just a few more things that no one has tried yet is all.

No it's all good. no worries. It's very hard to tell what someone else knows about something. Not trying to make it sound like I'm an electrical engineer either... far from it... in fact my semiconductor electronics skills these days are VERY rusty from lack of use. Doesnt help that the world has turned digital either... lol I love building and putting electronics projects together. I am much more in tune these days with automotive electronics in the 12V world than anything else due to my love for cars, car audio systems etc. I don't get much into design any more. Just don't have the desire or the required attention span to design something well. Usually someone else has already done it so I just buy what I want. It's much quicker. lol I have been out of the electronics world for a long time. But at the same time I could tell enough in preliminary testing that this was NOT a standard 0-10V control.

The simple fact that you're controlling them by a pot varying the resistance means they're either going off of voltage on the sense wire (which reduces with increased resistance) or the current of the line, which also reduces with resistance. Regardless of how or what they're reading, we already know a potentiometer dims the lights, therefore a digital pot on a controller will also dim the lights.

The only thing I really need to test is the max current/voltage of the lines and the cutoff point. That information will allow a digital pot on an arduino within the proper specs to control the dimming circuit, and considering you can order a 10k pot with 1024 steps, complete control won't be difficult

It may turn out that it's not possible to use an existing commercial controller, but honestly programming an arduino to do it wouldn't be hard at all. I'll probably use a plc and webserver from work when I go to do my controller as I don't pay for them at all (they've already told me to just make a wish list so I can tinker with the i-watch and eschelon systems more.. I get asked to do really weird stuff with some of these jobs in our area) so I won't be of much help on that aspect.

OK so here is what I found screwing around. Seems it *may* be workable. All I did is meter around and do a few tests. Simple ohms law... here is the strangeness. If you look at the end of the Maxwellen driver with the 4 wires coming out of it Lets call it the DC end. you have the two LED driver wires clearly marked +(pos/red) and -(neg/black) above those you have the two "dim" wires that are not marked and are both white. The dim wire directly above the +(pos/red) wire is actually common ground to the -(neg/black) led driver wire but NOT to earth ground. This is good. We are referencing ground on the DC side of the driver to dim the driver. this should simplify things. Battle half won. The other white wire, lets call it the "sense" wire when floating sits at -0.6V when compared to the -(gnd/black/white) wire. From here some ohms law and current reading verifications shows current readings from about 27ma up to almost 600ma When you connect your potentiometer and read current/voltage through/across the pot it all is pretty clear. As your resistance in the pot decreases, voltage measured across the pot (on the "sense" wire) decreases toward ground, current increases and your LED's get brighter.

If a DIM4 is truly a digital 10K variable resistor varying resistance at the contacts it should work right out of the box no? If YES i need to get out my credit card. It would just take allot of the 1024 steps to see a noticeable brightness difference. Another Plus in my book.

Nick