DIY LEDs - The write-up
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
- Status
widmer
Drug Enthusiast
http://www.meanwell.com/search/eln-60/default.htm
88% for the ELN-60-48. Am I interpreting that wrong?
88% for the ELN-60-48. Am I interpreting that wrong?
TheFishMan65
New member
Not sure what you are getting at. The LEN-60 are 82-88% efficient. That seems like 80something. I think he was asking you how efficient the buck pucks and DIY drivers are in comparison.
[EDIT]
Common Widmer let's get him
[EDIT]
Common Widmer let's get him
widmer
Drug Enthusiast
Blagh... Maybe I should refine my question...
Kcress, you hinted toward the meanwells being less efficient than other options, which inspired me to see how they do in fact stack up against each other:
Per my link from like ten minutes ago, it appears that the meanwells run @ 88% efficiency.
Meanwhile, the buckpucks are running at what appears to be 86% efficient @ the 24 volts most of us are driving them at (or is that just me and soundwave, because everyone else is using meanwells? :lol if I am interpreting the data sheet correctly ( http://www.luxdrive.com/download/?dltf&dmid=1109 ). But this 86% must actually be stacked on top of the efficiency of whatever power supply they're running on, which likely pushes it down into the 70s. Eek.
I guess the question that remains, is what the DIY drivers are achieving for efficiency?
Also, it could be noted here that your LEDs driven on a resistor have the potential to be the very most efficient option out of everything, if you are able to match the LEDs well enough with the power supply :lol:
Kcress, you hinted toward the meanwells being less efficient than other options, which inspired me to see how they do in fact stack up against each other:
Per my link from like ten minutes ago, it appears that the meanwells run @ 88% efficiency.
Meanwhile, the buckpucks are running at what appears to be 86% efficient @ the 24 volts most of us are driving them at (or is that just me and soundwave, because everyone else is using meanwells? :lol
if I am interpreting the data sheet correctly ( http://www.luxdrive.com/download/?dltf&dmid=1109 ). But this 86% must actually be stacked on top of the efficiency of whatever power supply they're running on, which likely pushes it down into the 70s. Eek. I guess the question that remains, is what the DIY drivers are achieving for efficiency?
Also, it could be noted here that your LEDs driven on a resistor have the potential to be the very most efficient option out of everything, if you are able to match the LEDs well enough with the power supply :lol:
Reefobsession
New member
Thanks for your reply. I could just go ahead and add another 12 LED's to make 72. I feel that is a lot of light for a 93 gallon tank, but you would know better than I would. I will deffnitlly change to the Warm White XP-G sense the use the same lenses as teh XR-E's.
I am probably going to use some kind of light hanging system in my canopy or I will just use some conduit to put between the heat sink and the top of my wood canopy.
I have some more questions though.
1) Has anyone used the rapidLED kits and had any issues putting stuff together. I see they provide hermal adhesives so I still need to solder?
2)I would relaly appreciate some input on any users that have made a DIY LED fixture and is controlling it wih a Reef keeper.
3)How much should I dim my LED's down at first so that my corals can make the transition from a 400W MH?
4) With that much light, will I ever have to ramp my LED's up to full power for a small portion of the day? Like 30 Minutes. I realize that my corals only need about 6-7 hours of high light for growth.
5) It seems really easy to put together these LED fixures. Anyone have any issues that they encountered?
TheFishMan65
New member
I will try and get some measurement tonight on one of these. However a few comments. 1 a ohm resistor at 700 ma would use .7 watts on a string of 18 watts (maybe a little less) so 18 /18.7 takes us down to 96.26%. Now 21 volts appears to be a good operating voltage for a string from what I have seen so 21 / 21.5 (.5 for the CAT) is 97.67%. Combining (I think this is the way we do this) 97.67 * 96.26 = 94.02%. Now factoring a power supply
80% PS so 80% * 94.02% = 75.22%
90% PS so 90% * 94.02% = 84.62%
95% PS so 95% * 94.02% = 89.32
Yep we better use a smaller resistor or ditch it. .1 ohm
(.1 ohm * 700ma) = .07 watts
18 / 18.07 * 21 / 21.5 = 97.3% and with the three power supplies (77.84, 87.57, 92.44)
Honk Honk Honk look a punch buggy Honk Honk Honk
80% PS so 80% * 94.02% = 75.22%
90% PS so 90% * 94.02% = 84.62%
95% PS so 95% * 94.02% = 89.32
Yep we better use a smaller resistor or ditch it. .1 ohm
(.1 ohm * 700ma) = .07 watts
18 / 18.07 * 21 / 21.5 = 97.3% and with the three power supplies (77.84, 87.57, 92.44)
Honk Honk Honk look a punch buggy Honk Honk Honk
TheFishMan65
New member
The XP-G and XP-E use the same lens the XR-E uses a different lens.
1) I used someone kit - don't remember whose and I felt that their wire was lacking. The insulation melted much to easily in my opinion.
2-4) Sorry not enough experience to comment meaningfully here.
5) My biggest problem has been shorts.
1) I used someone kit - don't remember whose and I felt that their wire was lacking. The insulation melted much to easily in my opinion.
2-4) Sorry not enough experience to comment meaningfully here.
5) My biggest problem has been shorts.
TheFishMan65
New member
Assume you have 12 fans that need 24 volts at .3 amps each. You have to basic choices run them in parallel or run them in series.
If parallel the currents add up so you would need 24 volt supply at 3.6 ( 12 * 0.3) amps.
In series the voltage adds up 288 (24 * 12) volts at .3 amps.
Now you can get tricky and do three string of four. So for each string the voltage adds up 24 * 4 = 96. And for each string in parallel the current add up (3 * .3) .9 amps.
If parallel the currents add up so you would need 24 volt supply at 3.6 ( 12 * 0.3) amps.
In series the voltage adds up 288 (24 * 12) volts at .3 amps.
Now you can get tricky and do three string of four. So for each string the voltage adds up 24 * 4 = 96. And for each string in parallel the current add up (3 * .3) .9 amps.
Silly question but I want to make sure before I wire up 300 LED's!
I am using Euro style terminal blocks. I liked the design better than everything being opened. In kcress's diagram of running LED in a parallel, the positive and negative wires from the driver go in the center of each block. Do I need to send a wire to each position I am using on the terminal block or will the wire in just the center send electricity through the entire block?
Thank guys!
-Dave
I am using Euro style terminal blocks. I liked the design better than everything being opened. In kcress's diagram of running LED in a parallel, the positive and negative wires from the driver go in the center of each block. Do I need to send a wire to each position I am using on the terminal block or will the wire in just the center send electricity through the entire block?
Thank guys!
-Dave
widmer
Drug Enthusiast
That's easy enough to determine with a continuity detector (one of those things where if you touch both tips to something conductive it will light up), or a multimeter set to the continuity function. Grab one and start poking things to see what's connected to what, as I should hope you spent a few bucks to acquire a multimeter if you've got 300 LEDs :lol:
widmer
Drug Enthusiast
Duh.
I just wanted a quick answer, I mean RC is like google.
-Dave
Duh? Quick answer? Lol, while virtually no one here has experience with those connectors, your multimeter will give you an answer within ten seconds.
Happy reefing
kcress
New member
DFason; Unless it's a "busbar" you need to jumper them.
This occurs so often that virtually all those companies sell some form of pre-made jumpers. Usually a bar of fingers that you break off at the length you need. Otherwise you just use a bunch of short wires and daisy chain them.
You hook to the middle so the little jumpers don't have to carry all the parallel strings as the first one would if you hooked the supply lead to the top and and the bottom string current would have to travel down every jumper.
This occurs so often that virtually all those companies sell some form of pre-made jumpers. Usually a bar of fingers that you break off at the length you need. Otherwise you just use a bunch of short wires and daisy chain them.
You hook to the middle so the little jumpers don't have to carry all the parallel strings as the first one would if you hooked the supply lead to the top and and the bottom string current would have to travel down every jumper.
kcress
New member
As for ELN60 efficiency.
As you unload the driver the efficiency drops. In some cases a lot. They don't actually say in the data ELN data sheet how much it drops.
Half loading is usually good for quite a hit in eff.
Someone should measure it. It would be interesting to know how bad it is. I'd guess you'd be in the 70% region on a single string 700mA loading but I could be off a ways.
The DIY current controllers are probably in the 75% region once you toss in the supply.
As you unload the driver the efficiency drops. In some cases a lot. They don't actually say in the data ELN data sheet how much it drops.
Half loading is usually good for quite a hit in eff.
Someone should measure it. It would be interesting to know how bad it is. I'd guess you'd be in the 70% region on a single string 700mA loading but I could be off a ways.
The DIY current controllers are probably in the 75% region once you toss in the supply.
Oblivionis
Member
I have a 12 XR-E fixture suspended 7 inches over my 20 gallon tank. Do I need lenses? Do they actually make the fixture provide more light or are they just for spreading/narrowing the light?
katchupoy
New member
For 7" you dont need lenses. And yes they are for narrowing the light thus making it more intense/concentrated.
If you look here... http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1678127&page=200 Scroll down on TheFishMan65's post... you will see about lenses...
scroll halfway down. Post 4995 to be exact.
If you look here... http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1678127&page=200 Scroll down on TheFishMan65's post... you will see about lenses...
scroll halfway down. Post 4995 to be exact.
CJO
New member
How would I know if I really have XP-G R5???
The one on the left is XR-E??
Is there a way other to know other than the seller tells you it is?
Thanks
The one on the left looks to be an XR-E and the one on the right looks like and XP-G. AFAIK, the only way to know the series is to look at the original packaging.
CJ
- Status
