DIY LEDs - The write-up

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I was able to get the blue channel up to 660ma by bringing the voltage down just a tad also. Any lower and the current drops again, so it seems its possible to find a sweet spot. It's completely stable once you adjust the trim screw.

Here's my haphazard mix of optics:
led_strips_3_optics.jpg



BLAM!
led_strips_5_hood.jpg


led_strips_6.jpg


300w T5 + 200w LED
fts_01_300wT5_and_200w_LED.jpg


LED ONLY. Exposure reduced in post process to bring out colors since its BRIGHT!!!!
fts_02_LEDs_ONLY.jpg


fts_03_LEDs_ONLY.jpg



Really loving the colors on these leds. Still not getting 100% coverage of the tank in the back which is to be expected since my LEDs are all mounted within several inches of the front of the tank. But it achieves what I was going for. The tank looks like a halide tank. With only T5s it always felt so cold and sterile like something was missing... gotta have that shimmer back!

I kinda like the slight fade to darkness in the back of the tank with this LED arrangement, since it's a more dramatic sunrise-sunset look. Soon I will be wiring all the buckpucks to the profilux for dimming control.

oh ya stu I liked the idea of breaking apart the disconnects for easy insertion. I used some extra disconnects to temporarily add in the resistor without having to cut any wiring.
 
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love your back wall. followed the thread you had on it. Looks great installed. Bet it looks real good in person. Now i'm wishing I didn't do a black back on my tank. sigh.....
 
"Which Tyco connectors are these? (and where you get them)"

They are Tyco "light-n-lock" Ballast disconnects.
They sell them at Home Depot.

Stu
 
Stu,

Not to nit pick, but are you really using 18 gauge wire? That is what these connector are for. Also how are you crimping them? I have found with some connectors that they are really awkward to crimp without the $$$$ tool. The two issue with bad crimping are the wires fall out and/or that don't carry the rated current.
 
I used a slightly different disconnect from Stu. I also found them at HD only they're in the back next to the ballasts (Light-N-Lock was found in electrical next to crimp style connectors). Just push the wire in.

Ideal Powerplug Luminaire Disconnect
http://www.desertelectric.com/pdf/powerplug_brochure.pdf
powerplug.jpg


Only downside is they're one-time-use-only. Can't remove a wire to redo it. But I used 18g stranded wire that I pretinned. Had no problem pushing it in very snug. And these clips are easy to pull apart.
 
kcress said:
oooOOOoooooo

That drop off is nice!

What's the back exactly?


You need more fans! LOL
Click to expand...

Thanks. Behind the tank is a 1.5" wooden framebox with translucent blue acrylic covering it:

167670lightbox_02.jpg


Actually used to be lit by K2 emitters, but recently I swapped those for a 3000k T5 since the colormix creates a more blue/green look you see in the ocean.

And yes, these 40mm fans are much louder than I expected. They're also pushing way more air than I expected so I might wire them in series of 4 so each fan is only 6v. Will still get plenty of air. If I had to do it again I'd drill 3 larger holes in the top of the canopy and just use 3 120mm fans instead.

Obi-dad said:
ReefEnabler, please show an end-view photo of the fixtures you made
Click to expand...

Didn't take a photo at that angle yet, maybe this?
led_strips_2.jpg


The ends are very simply. Each heatsink has a tapped #8 hole at both ends.

Then I used Angle Bracket from HD on the canopy, and the heatsinks simply screw into the angle bracket, which means I can rotate the heatsinks a little bit to position the lights.
 
TheFishMan65,

"Not to nit pick, but are you really using 18 gauge wire?"

Yes for a number of reasons:
It holds it's shape making it easy to solder in place.
It is the smallest wire available at HD
It is the right size for those connectors.

You dont crimp them, the wire pushes right in.


ReefEnabler,

Those orange connectors were what I used at first.
When I went back to HD to get more I couldnt find them anymore & the Tycos were in their place.

Stu
 
Stu,

Ah, I think you better crimp them. Won't they pull right back out? I can't find anything but a PDF on them and it says crimp. Do you have a link? Maybe I am lookig at the wrong ones.

Thanks
 
ok this does not sound good. My wife called and said there was a strong chlorine like smell coming from the tank. Said it was coming from the top near the buckpucks :eek:

Told her to unplug everything. Sounds like I might have electrical trouble. Just what I needed to be thinking about right now ;)
 
Achieving 250w MH power with 150w MH + LED's...

Achieving 250w MH power with 150w MH + LED's...

OK people, I have a JBJ 28 NC with the 150w halide. I have already retrofit 8 Cree RBlue running at 700mA. I have ordered 8 more in order to get a bluer colour and to boost the PAR in the tank.

I love the actinic pop but also want more PAR, here is why:

After I put SPS corals in my tank they start to lose colour. I have accounted for water chemistry, transportation of corals etc, but still losing colour.

I then placed the corals higher up in the tank and they start to colour up again. I cannot put all the SPS at the top half of the tank, so need to ramp up lighting.

I am only using the Cree Royal Blues because I want a bluer colour etc.

So do you think running 16 CREE RB LEDs at 700mA with a 150w MH Phoenix bulb will get me close to a 250w halides "power"/PAR?

I will be placing the 16 LED's around the perimeter of the halide and will use 80 degree optics in certain places and the side etc.

Appreciate responses especially from the LED pioneers of this thread. Many thanks.
 
sahin,

Ok if they are buy the MH I am assuming they are up a ways. I would look at 40 or 60 degree lenses. They would be cheaper than more LEDs.

If you are three feet up at 90 degree you would have three of spread.
 
ReefEnabler said:
ok this does not sound good. My wife called and said there was a strong chlorine like smell coming from the tank. Said it was coming from the top near the buckpucks :eek
Click to expand...

my wife likes to make me worry for nothing. This "chlorine" smell turned out to be the subtle "new electronics" smell that is coming from my 12 new 40mm fans. Its only noticeable to me if i put my nose next to a fan but she claims it stunk up the house. Hopefully it dissipates in a few days.
 
ReefEnabler said:
my wife likes to make me worry for nothing. This "chlorine" smell turned out to be the subtle "new electronics" smell that is coming from my 12 new 40mm fans. Its only noticeable to me if i put my nose next to a fan but she claims it stunk up the house. Hopefully it dissipates in a few days.
Click to expand...

Glad to hear it was a false alarm. Gotta love that acidic electronics smell. I too am immune to it. I was doing a bunch of soldering the other day in the shed, and when I came out my friend asked me if I was doing some crazy barbie sacrifice, or something. Said I smelled like burning plastic. Hmmmm... had to laugh.
 
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