chinese led lights

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jefftse said:
so did you get it working with apex?
Click to expand...

Yes. It took me two sets of drivers to find the right combo that would work. I posted the specs many pages back, but they look like this:

0-10v dimmable (must dim down to 10%)
650mah
60-90v DC

They are also too big to fit inside the d120 fixture, but fit into the Nova A4. They were $52 shipped.
 
Buzzard. Is there a site that shows the hard ware connections to attach an apex. Also. I have a connection in the heating and ac business . He has machines that can make amazing stiff from sheet metal ect. Wonder if could use him to make some housings. Hmm.

Is there a computer board to attach LEDs to. Is that what the Chinese units are doing. ?
 
bhazard451 said:
Yes. It took me two sets of drivers to find the right combo that would work. I posted the specs many pages back, but they look like this:

0-10v dimmable (must dim down to 10%)
650mah
60-90v DC

They are also too big to fit inside the d120 fixture, but fit into the Nova A4. They were $52 shipped.
Click to expand...

Wow.. amazing!! you should show these chinese manufactures how it's done!!! Is it hard to do?
 
jefftse said:
Wow.. amazing!! you should show these chinese manufactures how it's done!!! Is it hard to do?
Click to expand...


DriversAndFans by TKIY, on Flickr

b80d9d6f.jpg


Use wire nuts, solder and heat shrink, or the same molex plugs if you can find them. Molex would be plug and play and really easy.

- The bottom 2 wires connected to the AC plug is the input, which gets replaced with the 2 input wires on the new driver. The third wire from the AC plug leads to the grounding screw.

- Brown and blue output on the new driver connect to the other end of the red molexed wire that the one on the original driver leads to (the leds).

- Connect the 2 dimming wires from the new driver (DIM+ DIM-) to wires 1 and 2 of a cut ethernet CAT5 cable (1: Orange-White,2: Orange). For driver # 2, connect to wires 5 and 6 of the same ethernet cable (5: Blue-White, Green). (Drill a hole in the back for the wire to go through)

- Disconnect the fans from the drivers. Cut the red and black wires from each fan so they are on their own, and not connected to the heat shrunk board they are attached to.

- Get a 12v Universal AC adapter plug, and cut the multiple plug piece off. Run the cut cord into the fixture. Connect the red wire from each fan to the striped cord, connect the black wires to the solid black cord. If you use a 12v Adapter, you can control the speed of the fans by flipping through the different voltages on the adapter. Make sure the fans blow air into the fixture. If they dont, flip the polarity switch on the adapter, and the fans will reverse.

- Put the fixture back together, and test the dimming via the Apex. Make it ramp from 0 to 100 in 1 minute.

If you are good with wiring, it would take you minutes. If you aren't, it will take hours.

This makes the Nova A4 Apex dimmable. It will only dim down to 10%, which is still sort of bright. All DIY drivers basically do this though.

You will not be able to control it with the Pot switches anymore. It will only work with an Apex or other 0-10v dimming controller.

This probably wont work on the d120 or other Novas. I haven't seen how those are wired or what the specs on the drivers are.
 
Last edited:
Ok I need some help. I want to order from Sam for my 40g breeder tanks. Will one d120 be enough? Also what diy ratio should I request? One tank will be coral/fish and the other will be a frag tank.
 
Here is a summary of the DIY that have already been ordered:
* (and = separate dimmers)

1) 26 blue + 4 violet and 25 white

2) 23 blue + 4 violet and 19 white + 9 blue

3) 26 blue + 4 uv and 25 white

4) 24 blue + 4 uv and 27 white

5) 26 blue + 4 violet and 21 white + 4 uv (with 90 degree optical lens)

6) 28 blue and 14 white + 9 blue + 2 uv + 2 violet

7) 24 blue + 4 violet and 27 white
 
Just a reminder I bought two of those replacement dimmable LED drivers that bhazard has but I'm not going to use them. PM me if you want them, I'll sell them cheaper than China :)
 
WinnipegDragon said:
Just a reminder I bought two of those replacement dimmable LED drivers that bhazard has but I'm not going to use them. PM me if you want them, I'll sell them cheaper than China :)
Click to expand...

I'm surprised you didn't do the mod. What changed your mind?

Not gonna lie, I did miss the ease of the pot switches, instead of having to re program the controller each time I wanted to play around with light color.
 
So I am going to order 3 d120s with optic lenses and was wondering if this is a good setup, Dimmer one: 28Blue, Dimmer two: 14White+9Blue+2UV+2Violet(440nm) or should I get 4 less blues and 2 more uv and violets.
 
bhazard451 said:
I'm surprised you didn't do the mod. What changed your mind?

Not gonna lie, I did miss the ease of the pot switches, instead of having to re program the controller each time I wanted to play around with light color.
Click to expand...

Way too much light for my tank which is an 18" cube. 48 x 3w LEDs was overkill and then I also decided to go full spectrum. I figure now was the time since I resold the A4 for the exact same price I paid for them :D

The LFS here are really limited for LED, I was seriously considering importing ten and selling them off locally for a $100 per unit profit! The only LED fixtures in town are rebranded dimmable 120s for $399!
 
ghrorick said:
So I am going to order 3 d120s with optic lenses and was wondering if this is a good setup, Dimmer one: 28Blue, Dimmer two: 14White+9Blue+2UV+2Violet(440nm) or should I get 4 less blues and 2 more uv and violets.
Click to expand...

This is the DIY ratio i sent to sam. 3 to 1 white to blue and I put the 2UV+2Violet because I have seen a few posts of people saying they wish they had only got 2 or 3 Violet because it made the tank to pink.

So 4 of each would be way to much I think. You would have a full on purple or pink tank :)
 
Thanks for posting this, I might give it a try when(if) I ever get a new tank. I bought the lights and just before they arrived i found out that i had to move across the country.

bhazard451 said:
Use wire nuts, solder and heat shrink, or the same molex plugs if you can find them. Molex would be plug and play and really easy.

- The bottom 2 wires connected to the AC plug is the input, which gets replaced with the 2 input wires on the new driver. The third wire from the AC plug leads to the grounding screw.

- Brown and blue output on the new driver connect to the other end of the red molexed wire that the one on the original driver leads to (the leds).

- Connect the 2 dimming wires from the new driver (DIM+ DIM-) to wires 1 and 2 of a cut ethernet CAT5 cable (1: Orange-White,2: Orange). For driver # 2, connect to wires 5 and 6 of the same ethernet cable (5: Blue-White, Green). (Drill a hole in the back for the wire to go through)

- Disconnect the fans from the drivers. Cut the red and black wires from each fan so they are on their own, and not connected to the heat shrunk board they are attached to.

- Get a 12v Universal AC adapter plug, and cut the multiple plug piece off. Run the cut cord into the fixture. Connect the red wire from each fan to the striped cord, connect the black wires to the solid black cord. If you use a 12v Adapter, you can control the speed of the fans by flipping through the different voltages on the adapter. Make sure the fans blow air into the fixture. If they dont, flip the polarity switch on the adapter, and the fans will reverse.

- Put the fixture back together, and test the dimming via the Apex. Make it ramp from 0 to 100 in 1 minute.

If you are good with wiring, it would take you minutes. If you aren't, it will take hours.

This makes the Nova A4 Apex dimmable. It will only dim down to 10%, which is still sort of bright. All DIY drivers basically do this though.

You will not be able to control it with the Pot switches anymore. It will only work with an Apex or other 0-10v dimming controller.

This probably wont work on the d120 or other Novas. I haven't seen how those are wired or what the specs on the drivers are.
Click to expand...
 
Bhazzard. Would your mod work on an a6? I assume so. I like your comment on dimming by pot. Turning the knob on a pot might be easier.
 
Chicago said:
Bhazzard. Would your mod work on an a6? I assume so. I like your comment on dimming by pot. Turning the knob on a pot might be easier.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't think so. You'd need a different driver since each is now running 36 LEDs, not 24.

Get the driver sorted out, then yeah it should?
 
ghrorick said:
I see they now have red and green http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...-and-15W-4Green-4Red-4B/317880_586828063.html I like the middle of the page tells you how many fixtures you need for certain size tanks. 4 a6s for a 72 inch tank seems like alot considering you only need 1 for a 36 inch tank. I have 2 on a 4ft 120gal, can't imagine 4 on a 6 ft tank unless it is 30 inches wide
Click to expand...

Just noticed it too. Seems like a good ratio. They also have the fixtures with optics right next to it.
 
Yeah think I am going to order 3 with optics, I have lots of red and green zoas and think the lights will help them show up even better
 
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