Diy led build

[110galreef]

well if its safe /stable to 52v you will be fine.:thumbsup:

Makes me wanna drive 14 XP-G's at 1300mA which is 3.504fV...net of 49V! :blown:

 

[lighthouze08]

well if its safe /stable to 52v you will be fine.:thumbsup:

Makes me wanna drive 14 XP-G's at 1300mA which is 3.504fV...net of 49V! :blown:

that's a $35 dollars question :beer:

 

[110galreef]

Haha...yeah,

Also i did some math assuming its right:
1 LED at 1.0A is 347.7 lm...... assume 14 LED's @ 347.7lm = 4,868lm
1 LED at 1.3A is 421.6 lm...... assume 12 LED's @ 421.6lm = 5,059lm...

So id be better and safer to just run the 12 at the 1.3A and still get more light!
This chart is sweet!

 

[lighthouze08]

Haha...yeah,

Also i did some math assuming its right:
1 LED at 1.0A is 347.7 lm...... assume 14 LED's @ 347.7lm = 4,868lm
1 LED at 1.3A is 421.6 lm...... assume 12 LED's @ 421.6lm = 5,059lm...

So id be better and safer to just run the 12 at the 1.3A and still get more light!
This chart is sweet!

that's true but you get more spread using 14 vs 12, i don't know about the temperature at 421 lumen vs 347 lumen... if i recall correctly, the temp graph is pretty linear

Lumen Maintenance Projections
Cree currently recommends a maximum drive current of 1000 mA for XLamp XP-G white in designs seeking the ENERGY
STAR* 35,000 hour lifetime rating (≥ 94.1% luminous flux @ 6000 hours) or 25,000-hour lifetime rating (≥ 91.8%
luminous flux @ 6000 hours).

so running it higher than 1000mA will reduce the life of the led

 

[110galreef]

that's true but you get more spread using 14 vs 12, i don't know about the temperature at 421 lumen vs 347 lumen... if i recall correctly, the temp graph is pretty linear

That is true....But my intent with the XP-G's on my rig is to accent my MH's with an extra intense punch in the spectrum for the chlorophyl in my corals and get some extra growth. Also these will only be ran a few hrs a day at max. Plus it's only 12 led's so if i have to replace them in 5 yrs...oh well!

I could also just get 14 and ramp them up in the 1100mA range??
DECISIONS DECISIONS......

Lumen Maintenance Projections
Cree currently recommends a maximum drive current of 1000 mA for XLamp XP-G white in designs seeking the ENERGY
STAR* 35,000 hour lifetime rating (≥ 94.1% luminous flux @ 6000 hours) or 25,000-hour lifetime rating (≥ 91.8%
luminous flux @ 6000 hours).

so running it higher than 1000mA will reduce the life of the led

reduced life won't be a huge concern as I don't have many. Plus it seems many drive these at 1.1-1.2A easily with out issues and as we see Radion unit has these in the 1.4A range!

 

[lighthouze08]

reduced life won't be a huge concern as I don't have many. Plus it seems many drive these at 1.1-1.2A easily with out issues and as we see Radion unit has these in the 1.4A range! <===== Ecotech is going to make a killing on replacement leds + they'll use the same driver in the existing fixture to drive the new CREE XM-L once they release the replacement module = more profit

 

[110galreef]

interesting point!

Given that the XM-L have more lumens, lm/w and lower fV given the a driven at....why are most not using these now in builds over the XP-G?

costs, drivers, mA, color spectrum????

Just looked at it via the chart:

I can drive max: 14 XM-L on the ELN 60-48D or 12 XP-G's at 1.3A
At 1.3A they have lm of 453.3 compared to 421.6
14 XM-L running use 56w (55w for 12 XP-G) yet puts out a total of 6342lm (5052lm XP-G).

 

[lighthouze08]

for manufacturer i believe these leds are new on the market so they need R&D for drivers, heat management... ect, so i don't expect to see any fixture with the XM-L in the next 5 months (except Ecotech, which will most likely use the same driver). for DIYer, i think it's the lack of drivers to take the advantage of the new XM-L. Most people who wants to drive the XM-L will use the LPC-60-1750 driver, which is non-dimmable, and will burn the crap out of the corals if not careful.

 

[110galreef]

So you done with your build yet?!!

Thanks,

haha....carry on!

 

[lighthouze08]

haha i should just call in sick and stay home to work on the build, rather than sitting at work thinking about it

 

[110galreef]

Hahaha :beer:...I am in the same boat....THINKING and ANALYZING all the ways to make this light rig work and save every last dime and watt/lumen when i spend more money and time figuring all this out! :headwally:

 

[lighthouze08]

done with the royal blue string

make sure there's no short when you're soldering the leds

the leds from rapidled come non pre-tinned, so do it first first before you solder

done with both modules, now have to wait for violet leds to complete the shared driver

 

[lighthouze08]

worked on the build a bit last night, i was gone all weekend. For easy maintenance, i've decided to use connectors to connect the 2nd fixture to the first, and the first to all the drivers, so if i need to take one fixture off for maintenance i can just unplug the connector instead of dragging wires around

To do list:
finish the violet/red/blue string (violet still not shipped)
wiring from 2nd module to first, first module to all drivers
3 channel dimming, 1 royal blue, 1 white, 1 red/blue/violet
mount

 

[110galreef]

looking pretty slick!

 

[lighthouze08]

a bit of wires organizing

testing white string on fixture 1

testing white string on fixture 2

everything fired up, blue and royal blue strings are almost ready for testing

 

[110galreef]

can't wait to see them over the tank and how the color balance looks!

 

[lighthouze08]

violet leds finally shipped after a few emails back and forth. Better be worth it or i'll smash it w/ a hammer:furious:

 

[110galreef]

violet leds finally shipped after a few emails back and forth.

:lolspin: Yeah seems these are still in short supply!

Better be worth it or i'll smash it w/ a hammer:furious:

Thats why I am letting you test drive these first!

I am sure they will add some nice color and pop based on what I have read!

 

[lighthouze08]

hahaha lesson learned, next time i'll order these violet leds in advance. i haven't seen them in person but ehh there's a first time for everything, i'll be the lab rat this time.

 

[Ruminari]

Oustanding thread so far great work. I'm looking to DIY a similar setup for my upcoming 120 that's been setting in my office waiting to roll. I can't wait to hear your thoughts on the LED color selection you have made. That has definitely been my sticking point for not pulling the trigger on my own build.