DIY LEDs - The write-up

[The Grim Reefer]

Thanks, my main concern is frying the corals at a closer range. My current canopy is accessible by lifting the top open via hinges on the back (e.g. like the hood of a car). So I figured I could just replace my T5s with a similar LED rig, if the close range seems doable. Definitely going with a shield in either case.

I'd be worried about using optics on LED's that close to the corals.

 

[chris023]

I'd be worried about using optics on LED's that close to the corals.

You think no optics would penetrate deep enough (splash guard or course)?

BTW, those T5s in my pic are a combo you recommended to me a couple years ago from ReefGeek (4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K Daylight 1 UVL 75/25 and 1 UVL Actinic White... Changing out every 10 months)... Nothing but BAM! POW! color and growth since.... Almost a shame to risk it all on the LEDs... Thanks :beer:

 

[The Grim Reefer]

You think no optics would penetrate deep enough (splash guard or course)?

BTW, those T5s in my pic are a combo you recommended to me a couple years ago from ReefGeek (4 ATI Blue Plus, 1 GE 6500K Daylight 1 UVL 75/25 and 1 UVL Actinic White... Changing out every 10 months)... Nothing but BAM! POW! color and growth since.... Almost a shame to risk it all on the LEDs... Thanks :beer:

30 inches with no optics aint the answer either. I am opticless at 24 inches tall and get PAR in the 140's at the bottom with the LED's a few inches above the tank. My LED's are spaced 2 3/4 inches apart and the 6 rows of LED's are about 2 1/4 apart over a standard 120.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

I agree - no optics that close. You'll get good penetration if you keep your counts and current up.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I agree - no optics that close. You'll get good penetration if you keep your counts and current up.

You really think he can get enough light to the bottom with no optics?

 

[TheFishMan65]

chris023, I posted this a few pages back that allow tilting. Maybe you can do something similiar.
Aiming LEDs

 

[chris023]

30 inches with no optics aint the answer either. I am opticless at 24 inches tall and get PAR in the 140's at the bottom with the LED's a few inches above the tank. My LED's are spaced 2 3/4 inches apart and the 6 rows of LED's are about 2 1/4 apart over a standard 120.

I agree - no optics that close. You'll get good penetration if you keep your counts and current up.

You really think he can get enough light to the bottom with no optics?

I admit that my knowledge of what constitutes good par numbers is lacking, so I'm a bit confused, is 140 on the bottom not good enough? Because Grim's first post sounds like what he is doing is good for him (24 inch deep, mounted a couple inches above water, no optics). Then Grim, your last post seems to be questioning if it would penetrate enough?

One thing I just read back a few pages from Tagpol when checking out Fishman's adjustable rig:
"I really think that my 60 degree optics, 14" height, and high intensity caused a lot of coral bleaching."

 

[chris023]

chris023, I posted this a few pages back that allow tilting. Maybe you can do something similiar.
Aiming LEDs

Dude... very very sweet...

 

[widmer]

Gee I expected more pages since I have been gone. Come on DFason what did you fix? Here is what I got working - finally.

Don't know how I missed this until today, I've been playing with the idea of building something very similar for my next tank. So maybe before building it I'll just ask you how it's working out :lol:

So how is it working out so far? I'm thinking at this point I might just have my next fixture rotate the LEDs by one axis instead of two just like my original fixture, due to the fact that the next fixture will be on the ceiling as well, and I don't know if the effect would really be worthwhile when it's projecting from a few feet away. Of course with your fixture being closer to the tank, you can work with many more angles of light entering the water..

 

[widmer]

And for a topic this thread hasn't seen yet:

Can anyone point me toward a good LED that could be used in a small UV sterilizer? This is for a non aquarium related project. I've never had a UV sterilizer, so I don't even know what wavelength they generally operate at...

 

[firechild]

And for a topic this thread hasn't seen yet:

Can anyone point me toward a good LED that could be used in a small UV sterilizer? This is for a non aquarium related project. I've never had a UV sterilizer, so I don't even know what wavelength they generally operate at...

At this point in time you won't find anything suitable. There are some long wave UVA emitters available (generally in the 395-405nm range) but nothing even approaching the short wave (UVC) end of the spectrum. UV light is harmful to biological tissue at the short wave UVB and UVC ranges but UV sterilisers make use of the UVC range (100-280nm) which is most effective in germicidal and algicidal applications.

 

[TheFishMan65]

It is working fine, about 18 inches above the water. But they are mostly flat, most don't have lenses and are running about 500ma. But the few corals I have seem happy. I am waiting for a man made rock to finish soaking and then I am going to arrange my corals and brighten the fixture some.

 

[chris023]

Drivers for large apps: Differences? What have you used? Where do you get yours?

I am having some trouble understanding the differences between the potential drivers for my build. My calculations indicate the need for a minimum 134.4w driver (7Amps X 4 (strings of 12) = 2.8Amps. 48V x 2.8A = 134.4W). A 150w driver would leave me room to run some at .8Amps if desired.

So I was looking on the following Mean Well site to pick and I don't get the differences between the CLG-150, HLG-150, and HLG-150H
http://www.meanwell.com/webnet/search/seriessearch.html

Can someone explain? Thanks.

 

[chris023]

Okay, just found this section of a thread after doing some digging
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1934355&page=4

Quoting DWZM: "I really think you want the HLGs, not the CLGs - unless you don't care about dimming. The HLG series has much more convenient dimming functionality."

Looks like they are hard to find though...still looking around.

Still not sure on what the diff is between HLG-150 and HLG-150H.

 

[chris023]

Only diff I can see on the HLG-150 and HLG-150H datasheets are the 'H' series has a higher "Input High". Guess that what 'H' means "High" maybe.

 

[chris023]

Only diff I can see on the HLG-150 and HLG-150H datasheets are the 'H' series has a higher "Input High". Guess that what 'H' means "High" maybe.

 

[GEORGEDOPE]

I remember ready a while back, don't know how long or how many pages ago, about the LED's run on the ELN-60-48D would flash after they were dimmed all the way down and the power turned off. I've looked through probably 100 pages and can't find it. Does anyone know if why this happens and was there a solution? It's happening to me.

 

[MosMike]

My calculations indicate the need for a minimum 134.4w driver (7Amps X 4 (strings of 12) = 2.8Amps. 48V x 2.8A = 134.4W). A 150w driver would leave me room to run some at .8Amps if desired.
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Can someone explain? Thanks.

You mixed the characteristics of several models.
To obtain 700mA per string you need this model: HLG-150-54
The output is 2.8A and 54V max. So each string can contain 10 (min) -17 max LEDs.
2.8Amps per string will toast your LEDs.

 

[TheFishMan65]

Mike now you have me confused. Assuming they make it an HLG-150-48 would work. A HLG-150-54 might work 54 volts * 2.8 amps is slightly over 151.2 watts. Yes 2.8 is bad, but he already said 4 strings.

 

[S2minute]

Leds

Leds

Don't know how I missed this until today, I've been playing with the idea of building something very similar for my next tank. So maybe before building it I'll just ask you how it's working out :lol:

So how is it working out so far? I'm thinking at this point I might just have my next fixture rotate the LEDs by one axis instead of two just like my original fixture, due to the fact that the next fixture will be on the ceiling as well, and I don't know if the effect would really be worthwhile when it's projecting from a few feet away. Of course with your fixture being closer to the tank, you can work with many more angles of light entering the water..

So i was talken to the Fishman. I REALLY like his setup so, i too, am going to try something simular. The frame for my new fixture is 6` long 18" wide, made of 2" Aluminum flat stock, 1/4 ' thick and weilded. I had each end bent at a 15 degree angle at the 2` mark. I will fabricate 6 of these channels,(since they are approx 18" long anyway), and use 8 leds per channel,( 6 XR-E RB@700MA and 2 MX-L White@1500MA). This will give me a 3:1 mix and 48 leds per section for a total of 144 LEDs. So, by the time i actually do it, a newer LED wil lbe out and i`ll start over whereby i`m functionally DOOMED.