Diy led

[lastresort]

I have all my parts together. I'm going to start working with the drivers and setting up strings. I was thinking. 2:1 18,000 to rb ratio with dimmable drivers, but I would say I really like the look of blue leds. Is anyone using a 1:1 ratio? I'm on the fence. Any input would be appreciated

 

[dunedinplankton]

Please list where and what type of led's and driver you used and where to get it this cheap...MUCH APPRICATED!

3W 700mA $ 1.27 or few cent less..
18000-20000k 220lm 3.2v 60 degree

power supply : $ 39.00.. It can run up to 88 LEDs (11 in series 8 in parallel)
(no dimming)

and plus shipping fee.

C channel aluminum $ 2.00 per foot (local metal store)

few Arctic Alumina terminal adhesive $ 6

stainless nut & bolts,

just in case if need blue LED
3W 700mA Blue is $0.97, 25-30lm

 

[TropTrea]

I have all my parts together. I'm going to start working with the drivers and setting up strings. I was thinking. 2:1 18,000 to rb ratio with dimmable drivers, but I would say I really like the look of blue leds. Is anyone using a 1:1 ratio? I'm on the fence. Any input would be appreciated

If I were using 18,000K LED's I would probably be close to a 1 to 1 ratio since the higher K's produce more blue light and less green and red light. But I found using Cree Neutral Whites allows me to get more pop and a wither look even with a 1 White to 3 Blue ration.

Another thing is individual sensativity to light in the shorter wave lenghts which for some people Royal Blue looks Blue and to other Purple. For this reasom I like to mix in some True Blues (465 nm) with my royal Blues.

but5r remember color has a lot to do with personal choice. What Johnny thinks is too Blue or too Pink, Jack will say it is not Blue enough. You will be looking at it yourself so I advise people to only put in 75% f the LED's they want to in the end then after getting used to the color add the last 25% to adjust it to your eyes perfection.

 

[josephv]

Im having trouble with oneof my displays. It is wired with the resisters and quick blow fuses and some of the legs are bright and others are much dimmer. They were all working fine for quite some time. Any ideas?

 

[Steven M]

Check the resistant of the resisters, one may be bad.

 

[Bugcrusher]

Has anyone got the FEDY driver (20V 4.2A) running? How many leds?

Yep, just got it done, Would have to agree that this PS is overdriving 30 feddy leds...heatsink gets very hot, but fan cools it right off. Running 6 legs of 5 leds each..haven't measured the current yet....should I measure it between the string and the resistor?

 

[Bugcrusher]

Led makeup in my 30 led fixture is as follows: 15 RB, 5 RED, 10 CW. Seems to light up my 100 gal display nicely with some reflections under the rockwork. Looking at adding an additional led to each leg to drop current...without fan heatsink runs up to 130+ degrees within 30 min...so must be overdriving 700+mA.

 

[lastresort]

Wow thats hot. I have 84 leds on 4 pieces of 3" channel 38" long and at 700ma with no fan 86° but not all temp guns are created egual. but they are usually within 10-15° Man I miss my exergen!

 

[Bugcrusher]

ahh, got it figured out. Using the small chinese PS 20W@4.2A, I have mixed reds/RBs/CW on the same legs. The current is the same but fV is different. My digital meter detects 0.615mA /leg so if I am doing this right,~2.5V to each led. Reds are rated at max fV= 2.7, they are the heaters, have 5 of them on the fixture. The 20 RB and 5 CW are rated at 3.7fV. Is this the cause of high heat??? Fan is currently keeping everything cool...but if this is a problem, then tear down is coming.

 

[jangofat25]

Given that a lot of us have been using these LEDs for a while now, how are you finding growth rates for coral?
I am also not sure how well clams do under these lights as have had a couple of losses. Also a maxima I had under T5s for a few years perished under these LEDs.
It could have been other factors of course but wanted to hear your observations.
Thanks,
Daniel

 

[rogergolf66]

My clams have grown very fast under DIY led

 

[Typlus5]

Not always the light with clams...calcium is key. Mine grew the same rate with MH as they did with LEDs

 

[TropTrea]

Yes clams are very interesting. A few years ago I read they like Blue light and high nitrogen levels as well as higher calcium levels than most corals. Suposedly the optomium conditions for speedy clam growth would kill many corals.

 

[jangofat25]

Cheers for replies - will keep an extra beady eye out for calc/alk. then.