DIY LEDs - The write-up
- Thread starter JohnL
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Thanks. I think I found a short in 2 places. I changed the mounting of the bar last week and must have disturbed something in the process. I guess I didn't expect the other LED's to work if one was shorted to the heatsink.
TheFishMan65
New member
You probably had 2 shorted so the three LEDs got bypassed. You got one so the short is broken, but I expect there was/is another.
IIRC the Typhoon only does PWM. What is your driver? The ELN D will work with a PWM. Chec k the Typhoon Thread (I think) someone just posted the values to use for 10% changes in dimming.
IIRC the Typhoon only does PWM. What is your driver? The ELN D will work with a PWM. Chec k the Typhoon Thread (I think) someone just posted the values to use for 10% changes in dimming.
Great Thread here! I just swapped out all of my VHO super actinics over my 450g reef to RB Crees, a DIY job for sure. I was not as interested in PAR with the blue, it was more just for the actinic pop. I added 96 of them over the tank, and the results were awesome. Now I am considering going and swapping out the 250watt halides for white/blue LED's. I read through many pages of the thread, and can't seem to find if there is PAR data for these CREE LED's...I realize the combination of lenses and drivers can change PAR, so I am looking for a general starting point to try and get similar PAR to a depth of 30" that I get with my 12k reeflux halides. Any PAR data will help! Thanks!
katchupoy
New member
Try reading Taqpol's build... Par readings start at page 3
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1826521
Santokis' Build...
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1761942
Soundwave's Build (which is the very beginning of this thread)
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1587273
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Has anyone seen the latest module from Profilux for controlling LED's? They have one they call Active and one that is passive.
If I see it correctly, does the active version allow me to run via drivers built into the module? How do I tell how many can be run...I know it says 3 Amps per channel with 4 channels.
Apparently this is to allow the DIY LED lamps to have the fancy lighting effects of those provided by some of the manufactured systems.
If I see it correctly, does the active version allow me to run via drivers built into the module? How do I tell how many can be run...I know it says 3 Amps per channel with 4 channels.
Apparently this is to allow the DIY LED lamps to have the fancy lighting effects of those provided by some of the manufactured systems.
lpsouth1978
New member
I have read basically every page of this thread and have to say I find it facinating. I have already attempted one DIY LED Setup for one of my pico tanks. It worked well and I am now looking to finish a larger setup, but need a little help. I have already soldered all of the LED's, screwed them onto the heatsink, and built the light and stand. All I need now is power. Originaly, I was going to use two seperate power supplies, one for the whites and one for the blues. I am now looking to add nighttime LED's to the mix and do not want a third power supply. Will a 24W 6A power supply power all of the whites and blues, or do I need to stick with the seperate 2.5A power supplies I already have? I am running 12 Cree XRE Cool white, 6 Cree XRE Royal Blue, and 6 Cree XPE Royal Blue. All are using 1000mA Buck Puck's with pot. I know that the amps are good, but I am not understanding the voltage forward concept. Any help is appreciated.
TheFishMan65
New member
One power supply will work. The pucks may get warm so make sure they are properly cooled.
TheFishMan65
New member
mseepman, Sorry my eyes are going. Do you have a link?
nuclearheli
Member
I will be using my Neptune Apex when my LED build is complete. They have programming functions to manipulate your 0 - 10 Volt output. Basically they use a ramp technique. You specify the start time, the end time and the intensity (start and finish if I am not mistaken), then it ramps the signal to meet your requirements.
Have not tried it but that's what they say.
Garage1217
GET OFF MY LAWN
Correct, the apex works that way. I have been testing mine / prior to my build completion to make sure it is stable and all is working fine. You can actually do quite a bit with it, even weather but takes a little bit of annoying, but simple programming.
nuclearheli
Member
Excellent, thanks for the information. I have been counting on it working. Been a few times while I build this LED for my 210g that I wondered if that thing was going to work. Perhaps when the time comes you might share your experiences and programming with me.
widmer
Drug Enthusiast
Anyone on board here who has a fixture just running Cree royal blue and Cree neutral white emitters? I keep hearing such good things about this combo I think I will be giving it a try. If we revisit the spectral distribution:
We can see that basically it is shifting energy away from the green part of the spectrum and more toward the yellow-orange-red. Heck, I am almost tempted to try a warm white/royal blue combo because this seems to come close to some of the bulbs (ie radium) that we love so much with the deep blue and then spike in the red and not a whole lot else...
Thoughts?
We can see that basically it is shifting energy away from the green part of the spectrum and more toward the yellow-orange-red. Heck, I am almost tempted to try a warm white/royal blue combo because this seems to come close to some of the bulbs (ie radium) that we love so much with the deep blue and then spike in the red and not a whole lot else...
Thoughts?
kcress
New member
You're kidding right?
You can reach deeper with LEDs than you ever could with MH.
If you are going to use any LEDs don't bother with the MH at all. That train has already left the station.
katchupoy
New member
Widmer, to add on your spectral distribution...
This is what XP-E royal blue
XP-G Cool White.
You can see more graph here...
http://www.aquashoponline.com/29-maxspect-3w-high-power-led-bead-red.html
This is what XP-E royal blue
XP-G Cool White.
You can see more graph here...
http://www.aquashoponline.com/29-maxspect-3w-high-power-led-bead-red.html
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Anyone on board here who has a fixture just running Cree royal blue and Cree neutral white emitters? I keep hearing such good things about this combo I think I will be giving it a try. If we revisit the spectral distribution:
We can see that basically it is shifting energy away from the green part of the spectrum and more toward the yellow-orange-red. Heck, I am almost tempted to try a warm white/royal blue combo because this seems to come close to some of the bulbs (ie radium) that we love so much with the deep blue and then spike in the red and not a whole lot else...
Thoughts?
I'm running cool, neutral and warm whites. I'd say the Neutrals are a clean ivory color. I think it's a good bet. In my early T5 days I ran a Blue Plus/Aquablue mix of lamps and it came up short like the Cool White/Royal blue does. Adding a GE Daylight which was a little more ivory colored but it made all the difference in the world. I think the neutral/royal blue mix will look good.
I built a couple of linear strings with mixed XR-E neutral whites and RB's. I used 2:1 ratio of RB:NW. While it looks good, it's a touch too blue for my taste. If I did it again, I would probably go with closer to a 1:1 ratio or 1.5:1 and separate the colors on dimmable ballasts.
I just changed one string that had 6 RB and 3 NW, replaced 1 NW and 1 RB with CW. It made it much brighter overall.
I tried a couple of the warm white XP-E's mixed in with CW's. They almost look orange compared to the CW's.
I just changed one string that had 6 RB and 3 NW, replaced 1 NW and 1 RB with CW. It made it much brighter overall.
I tried a couple of the warm white XP-E's mixed in with CW's. They almost look orange compared to the CW's.
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