DIY LEDs - The write-up

[^GeNoME^]

Yes, ground your aluminum to the ground wire. You can use a ring terminal under a screw.


As for that switch. You need to break the AC power NOT THE LED STRING.

That is a lit switch which makes NO sense on a light fixture that lights up when it's on. :lmao:

If you insist, two of those terminals are just to run the lamp. All lamps have a required voltage. You'd need to know what that one is and supply that power whenever the switch is on. The only one that would be easy for a typical commercial driver would be the 120Vac the switch is directly controlling. You'd just hook the lamp up to the switched side of the power - like the driver.

I'd probably ditch that switch and use a double pole - single throw switch. Those switches completely separate the power wires from the fixture when in the OFF position. With that single pole switch only one line is disconnected. That means if something, like the wall outlet, is miswired you'll still have the HOT conductor hooked up - even with the switch OFF.

thanks for ur input! will hook a double pole switch instead.. any schematic to show how the connection shld be done?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

thanks for ur input! will hook a double pole switch instead.. any schematic to show how the connection shld be done?

DPST switches will have four terminals. Here is a schematic:

Basically, there are two actual switches inside, connected to the physical switch you throw. When you throw the switch, you will either be connecting or disconnecting both circuits within the switch.

So, determine which terminals on your switch are paired up, and wire each leg of the 120v AC cable across a pair of terminals. In the drawing above, you'd put one leg across the top two terminals, and one across the bottom two. Most switches have a stamp or molding that will look similar to this schematic right between/next to the terminals to show you which is which.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Hello
I have a question as I am a big noob to this and have read quite a bit, but no one seemed to cover this.

If I am going to use 4 ELN-60-48D drivers and want a dimmer for 24 blues, and a dimmer for 24 whites, I am going to need 2 wall warts and 2 Pots? One wall wart and pot for 2 drivers? And if so, do I just connect the 2 drivers to the 1 pot by sticking 2 wires (from each driver) onto one prong (of the pot?)

There are a few different ways of solving this problem depending on your personal preferences for operating the drivers.

One typical solution would be to use a single wall wart (make SURE the output is not over 10v) with multiple pots, depending on how many discrete "dimming circuits" you wanted.

For instance, if you had four drivers, and wanted to dim them in two pairs, you'd need two pots. You'd wire the voltage from the wall wart across the outer terminals of both pots, such that they're in parallel with each other across the wall wart. Then, you'd connect the DIM- wires from all four drivers to the negative lead from the wall wart (it would be convenient to make this connection at one of the pot terminals but it doesn't HAVE to be there). Finally, you'd connect the DIM+ wires from each pair of drivers to the wiper (middle terminal) on the appropriate pot.

can someone suggest some LED moonlighting? Ill be using an APEX to dim them. Anyone give some input on how they did their moon lights?

There really aren't any obvious straightforward solutions to this. HP LEDs at typical currents are WAY WAY too bright for moonlights, IMHO. This leaves you with a few options:

1) Run a very small number of HP LEDs on a typical dimmable driver set to a very low current. This would get you your controllability but there really aren't any commonly used off the shelf HP LED drivers that operate at a low enough current to make this practical.
2) Run a small number of HP LEDs or even just a few plain old 3mm or 5mm gumdrop LEDs on a low voltage wall wart with a resistor inline to regulate current. This is cheap and effective but not controllable.
3) Modify one of the common controllable DIY driver designs to run at a low current and use that with your choice of LEDs. This is probably the route I would go but if you're not comfortable with DIY it might be overwhelming.

I would just go with a 3.5" cool tron fan and a 12Vdc supply. Just lay it on the top of the heatsink.Total cost less than 15 bucks. They are quiet 23db and last. The current draw is next to nothing.

Keep It Simple

Bill

I agree - the cooling fan is best on it's own circuit. It's not straightforward to wire it to a typical LED driver. If you want the fan to come on and off at the same times, just plug it into the same timer or splice the fan's power supply into the AC supply cord for the driver. Just don't try to wire the fan to the output side of your driver unless you understand the required modifications to the circuit!

 

[CJO]

can someone suggest some LED moonlighting? Ill be using an APEX to dim them. Anyone give some input on how they did their moon lights?

If you don't mind buying something off the shelf, try out the Neptune Systems Lunar Simulator. You can use the Apex MOON command to vary its duration and intensity with the lunar cycle:

http://www.marinedepot.com/Neptune_...riums-Neptune_Systems-NS9111-FILTFIML-vi.html

CJ

 

[mseepman]

DWZM, you indicated that you put your LED's in "Bunches" rather than spread them as so many other builds on here do. Could you show a picture of what this bunching looks like on a heat sink for us?

 

[DFason]

After taking a day off at work I brewed a pot of coffee, put on Pandora and went at it. Half a day later I mounted 297 LED's with optics. My hands are raw and I smell like silicon but its VERY close to being finished.

I am doing a 2:1 ratio of RB to NW in rows. Spacing is 1.5" apart with 40 degree optics. The fixture will be 12" off the surface of the 3' tank. I mounted the LED with Bond Ply and Gap Pad which are both AMAZING products. Not having to worry about drilling and tapping eases the mind

Bond Ply

A Few Optics

It has Begun!

All Mounted

The 300 Army with there shields

Hope you enjoy. When I am finished I will make sure to add a video. This will be dimmable from 40-100%.

-Dave

P.S - Kcress, I posted the parallel image on NR lighting forum. I hope you dont mind! Thanks for all your help!

 

[chriscobb]

Dumb question, but the guys using "U or C " channel. How are the channels being tied together?

 

[TheFishMan65]

Bond Ply and Gap Pad are those good for thermal transfer? Never heard of them before.

L or U both work. I am using nuts and bolts for my build. In a lot of cases I used the channel as the nut. I did not use typical channel but the principal is the same.

 

[DFason]

They sure are. Look them up, there thermal transfer is VERY good. While you will pay for them its well worth it.

-Dave

 

[widmer]

Wow, that looks like it took quite a while. What made you decide to go with the size of heat sinks vs the amount of LEDs? Planning on going without fans?

 

[DFason]

I went larger because I wanted to ensure that the LED would be ok for years. Its for a local friend.

-Dave

 

[DFason]

I went larger because I wanted to ensure that the LED would be ok for years. Its for a local friend.

-Dave

 

[Flazky]

Hey guys
Im pretty noob to this but would this work for dimming controls? It is my old sony camcorder (who knows where it is) charger. I am going to be running 4 drivers with two 10k Ohm pots (one pot for 2 drivers).

 

[Milad]

DFason

Where you get the bond ply? And does it hold the LEDs down or do you need to screw them in also? What if you need to move an LED?

 

[DFason]

Its not the easiest stuff to come about or cheapest. You can find sheets on digikey but they are pricey for 12x11 sheets.

It holds them down. Imagine a piece of double side tape that acts like Arctic Silver but is a tape. You need to clean the surface first then apply. To remove you can use MEK or pry it off. It really has a strong bond!

-Dave

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

At least a few hobby vendors have bondply in precut star shapes for the purpose of sticking LEDs down. If you use it, be sure to apply LOTS and LOTS of pressure when you stick the LED on - thermal performance improves when the bond is made under greater pressure.

Flazky, what drivers are you trying to dim?

 

[onetrickpony]

Will this work

From the RC LED guide on heatsinks
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost...;postcount=4994

(“Power of Single LED = 3.4 Forward Voltage X 700 mA = 2.38 W, Using a 3mm plate looks about 20 cm^2 per LED converting to inches is equal to 3.1 in^2”)

I would be over in sq. inches 4.5 vs. 3.1
Heat sink 12” x 9” = 108, 108 / 24 = 4.5 sq. inches per LED,

And under in Watts @ 1.085 W vs. 2.38 W
3.1 Forward Voltage X 350 mA = 1.085 W

Heatsink 12” x 9” x 1/8 plate

2- Mean Well ELN-60-48D dimmable drivers


String A = 8 Neutral-White EndorStar + 2 Blue EndorStar @ 350mA
String B = 12 Royal-Blue EndorStar @ 350mA

Arctic Silver Premium Adhesive

Soldering iron is this ok, or is there something better
Aoyue 937+ Digital Soldering Station
$53.99 @ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I30QBW/ref=oss_product

Thanks
Ken

 

[Flazky]

I am using it to dim 4 eln-60-48d drivers

 

[Milad]

anyone used this thermal grease:
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=101700F00000G-ND

or got a link to some they would recommend. Need it for ~200 LEDs. Anything i should watch out for on grease?

 

[kcress]

P.S - Kcress, I posted the parallel image on NR lighting forum. I hope you dont mind! Thanks for all your help!

Don't mind a bit though it would be nice to have it attributed to me.


That's a hellofah build there!!

Bet it weighs a bit.

You should check that "foot above". It's my experience that popping spritzes reach about 12 to 14 inches. I think if you could squeeze a few more inches into that you'd reduce any salt a lot.