SWINGRRRR
Premium Member
Whats that?
DIY LEDs - The write-up
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Whats that?
Psionicdragon
New member
Sorry if this was asked before, but per blue XR-E, are they 1watt or 3 watt leds? What would be the difference between using 1 vs 3?
Thanks
Thanks
kcress
New member
That's one of my guesses of the problem.
Thanks Jesse for the info!:thumbsup:
Bzar; I would switch to this setup as soon as possible...
Those flashes being uncontrolled really bother me with respect to your LEDs.
Small gumdrop LEDs can take insane current pulses without damage but HBLEDs have very low peak current allowances. As an example a gum drop LED that has a maximum continuous current of only 20mA may be fine with a 1A pulse. This is like a 50:1 pulse to maximum continuous ratio. But with HBLEDs a typical average current of 1A may be coupled with a 1.6A peak pulse current - above which you can be damaging the LED. A ratio of only 1.6:1!
Those pulses you are seeing are likely very large.
If you don't want to use a PC4 you can use two timers and just set the brightness one to come on 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the main one.
Jay1982
New member
Hey everyone, I've been running my LEDs for about 2 months now and over the last few weeks I've been losing SPS colony after SPS colony (RTN) while my LPS are actually growing. I have 72 LEDs (24 CW 3w cree XPG and the rest are RB XPEs) 28 inches over my 135 gallon aquarium (58 inches long; 24 inches high, and 23 inches wide) with 40 degree frosted optics. I checked my other parameters and everything checks out. I'm keeping the LEDs on from 1pm to about midnight. Could it be I'm giving them too big of a photoperiod?
I expected some bleaching would occur but I'm losing everything and I'm not even turning the lights on all the way with my meanwells which are set at .750. Has anyone had issues with their SPS colonies. I've lost about 80% of my SPS but a few of them remain completely intact at various depths of my aquarium.
Thanks to everyone who can help.
I expected some bleaching would occur but I'm losing everything and I'm not even turning the lights on all the way with my meanwells which are set at .750. Has anyone had issues with their SPS colonies. I've lost about 80% of my SPS but a few of them remain completely intact at various depths of my aquarium.
Thanks to everyone who can help.
frontosa_man80
PROP member
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I'm not a fan of referring to HP LEDs by wattages - it's misleading, since they can be run over a wide range of power levels. Note also that Cree does not label or market their LEDs by wattage. The datasheet specifies a 1A max current, and a 3.7 Vf at that current - so if you go by the max power level, they are 3.7w LEDs. However, many people run them at 700mA, which results in a power level closer to 2.5w.
I suppose technically you were right, the output wasn't completely shorted, but you were headed in that direction - and your test method still ran the risk of drawing unsafe currents from the device, which depending on the protection features built in, could have been dangerous. My point was basically that you certainly CAN test for a given current level, or a max current level, via your method, but you have no way of knowing if it's safe or not!
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
How high up are the LEDs?
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
You have a low mounting height and a shallow tank. I'd stick with wider optics than 40's.
CJO
New member
I doubt that it is the LEDs. High lighting doesn't normally cause RTN and you don't have a lot of lighting for that size tank. Also, the photoperiod is long, but not extremely so, unless you went from something like 8 hours to 11 hours immediately after switching to the LEDs. I would look for something else. However, to be safe, have you tested the PAR readings?
CJ
CJ
Taqpol
New member
Hey guys, from a DIY standpoint what power connectors and wires do you use to get from your power supplies to your drivers and then from your drivers to the LEDs? I want something that I can quick disconnect, like molex computer plugs, but I don't know if they make cords long enough for that or in the correct gauge. My cord run will be anywhere from two feet to a possible six feet depending on where I mount my drivers.
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
You can use molex mini fit or micro fit depending on your needs. Micro fit generally only go down to 20awg wire. You can go much larger with the mini fit connectors. Then you choose the wire and make the harness however you like.
Taqpol
New member
The Molex Mini Fits do sound good, but I am still open for suggestions. What gauge is recommended for the type of power and distance I am putting through this? Is there any way to pretty up the cables besides just wrapping them in electrical tape? I would much rather have a few cords then a mess of wires behind my tank.
Bzar
New member
Taqol: I did just this on my new fixture. I have two, what I call "spines," that run the power to the fixture. The "spines" can be disconnected at each end. One end is the fixture connections, and the other is a remote ballast box that houses my drivers, ballast (T5) and electronics. I got molex connectors off ebay. I use 18g wire between the connectors, and the wire is in a flexible plastic wire tube wrap that can be found at home depot electrical section for $5 each 8' length. The nice thing about the tube is it has a slit down the middle that the wires just push in and then you just zip tie the ends. I've tested the power with a multimeter through the wire and there's no losses.
kind of looks like this: ( " ---" means wire)
AC Power Cord ----- Driver --- Molex Female/Molex Male ------------------- Molex Male/Molex Female ----- LED Panels.
Spine #1: T5's cords, Moonlight cords, fan cords
Spine #2: LED panel cords
So far it seems to work like a charm
kind of looks like this: ( " ---" means wire)
AC Power Cord ----- Driver --- Molex Female/Molex Male ------------------- Molex Male/Molex Female ----- LED Panels.
Spine #1: T5's cords, Moonlight cords, fan cords
Spine #2: LED panel cords
So far it seems to work like a charm
tahiriqbal
Sialkot
http://www.ledssuperbright.com/3w-led-c-11/3w-ultra-bright-uv-violet-led-p-187
but still not in the magic 410-415nm range....
but still not in the magic 410-415nm range....
XSiVE
New member
I'm using serial (db9) connectors and cables to connect from my drivers to my pendants... you could probably do a db25 also.. I've got 15ft cables with no issues so far, but I only hung my pendants 2 days ago ;-)
Mattias (owner of GHL) confirmed this a while ago, approx. 10mA is the maximum current draw permitted on a single L port.
The Profilux can handle 10mA per L port. If you use the EVG-AP-2F Board this will let you take L1L2, connect it to the board, and connect your Meanwells directly to it. The EVG board will cut power to the Meanwells on 0v automatically.
I have seen several builds using this board combination with the Meanwells and have had users report anywhere from 2-5 Meanwells per dimming channel. I would definately measure the mA draw on the dimming channel before commiting to several drivers on a channel. I think the "safe" range is 2-3 drivers per dimming channel. I'll be testing this within the next week as I have all these parts in now. I have 5 Meanwells to test with, and several EVG-AP-2F Boards. Will keep you posted.
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