DIY LEDs - The write-up

[jpccusa]

I have an ethics issue. I found this light by clicking on the add banner at the top of the page. I thought these were only adds by sponsors. Does RC qualify there sponsors? I come here for reliable advice. Maybe I am reading something wrong but 20 LEDs being equal to a 400 watt MH. Using 90% less electricity so 40 watts - 2 watts per LEDs.

I always took it that the sponsor took as much care as the folks that posted. To me this is like an LFS saying sure you can put a tang in a 10 gallon tank. Does this mean RC has gone commercial.

Sorry for the rant, but I would love some opinions.

I agree completely, although I KNOW that for the right PRICE I could certainly buy a tang for my nano cube.

 

[TheFishMan65]

I forgot to mention it goes 3 linear feet and a depth of 3 feet. I wish someone would find those LEDs. You all were wrong about Cree's were the most efficient

Hey anyone want to buy a bridge.

Widmer, I went through a few pages and could not find that thread. Do you have a link handy?

 

[widmer]

Reef Central does not "promote" companies. It does provide a venue for businesses to do so, however. It is the responsibility of the consumer to judge the relative merits of each company and the products it offers.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18305899&postcount=437

and a couple posts later

It would be incredibly presumptious of Reef Central to determine which products were "worthy" to be marketed to the community. It would also put Reef Central in the position of having in-substance put a "stamp of approval" on any product offered on this site. We leave those decisions to the informed consumer.

 

[kcress]

Yes, but any site can stop ads bearing blatant lies. That doesn't mean they're being "presumptuous". You should always notify a site when you see grossly misleading advertising on it.

 

[wfournier]

Yes, but any site can stop ads bearing blatant lies. That doesn't mean they're being "presumptuous". You should always notify a site when you see grossly misleading advertising on it.

I think the issue is that what someone sees as grossly "misleading" another person sees as perfectly reasonable. I'm sure we've all seen instances where "experts" disagree and it get's downright nasty. While I don't agree with that company's statements (AI claims that one sol module can replace a 400w halide too) I think it becomes a slippery slope.

 

[rpp]

I've got problem with my DIY lamp.

To Meanwell ELN-60-48D I connected 12 XP-G in series.
I gave from 5 to 9V to DIM +/- on Meanwell and only first 5 leds and last one in series works. Others don't :-(
When I try them using 2 AA batteries everything works fine.

Additionally when I switch off power on Meanwell leds still lights and after few seconds even brighter then for a moment off and there is one very short flash.
Is it problem with power supply or it's normal on Meanwell?

 

[chris023]

I've got problem with my DIY lamp.

To Meanwell ELN-60-48D I connected 12 XP-G in series.
I gave from 5 to 9V to DIM +/- on Meanwell and only first 5 leds and last one in series works. Others don't :-(
When I try them using 2 AA batteries everything works fine.

Additionally when I switch off power on Meanwell leds still lights and after few seconds even brighter then for a moment off and there is one very short flash.
Is it problem with power supply or it's normal on Meanwell?

I had the same thing happen to me once. Turned out to be a bad soldering job. Some solder was touching the heat sink shorting it out. Check your soldering work.

 

[perikaruppan]

I am also designing a similar system... but my spacings are 2" X 2" and 24 LED panels

Would like to know whether to stack the LEDs in straight Columns or diagonal columns like what chris has done.

the LEDS with by 4 Rows of 6 Each...
CW RB CW RB CW RB
RB CW B NW RB CW
CW B CW RB CW RB
RB CW RB NW B CW

 

[kcress]

I've got problem with my DIY lamp.

To Meanwell ELN-60-48D I connected 12 XP-G in series.
I gave from 5 to 9V to DIM +/- on Meanwell and only first 5 leds and last one in series works. Others don't :-(
When I try them using 2 AA batteries everything works fine.

You have two shorts. Both are shorts to the chassis. One is running into the chassis and the other is running back out of the chassis back into the string.

Turn it all off and using the 2AAs try to light up each LED from the chassis to the other (sign) pad. You should find this possible with the correct connections on the two LEDs bracketing the problem. A meter would be much faster.

 

[rpp]

chris023 & kcress thats it - shorts on Stars. Thanks.

And one more question - my Meanwell give more than 1.3A (ELN-60-48D should give maximum 1.3A). When I DIM it with 9V current is 1.5A and I still have possibility to increase it. Does the Meanwell is broken?
Second thing - on typical LED there should be 3.6-3.7V - I've got max. 3.2V - why? (XP-G, current set to 1.3A). DIM voltage is set to 9V (not max. 10V - at this moment I don't have such power supply) - is it because of this voltage?

 

[kcress]

And one more question - my Meanwell give more than 1.3A (ELN-60-48D should give maximum 1.3A). When I DIM it with 9V current is 1.5A and I still have possibility to increase it. Does the Meanwell is broken?

Possibly, but I would suspect your meter or other measurement tool first.

Second thing - on typical LED there should be 3.6-3.7V - I've got max. 3.2V - why? (XP-G, current set to 1.3A). DIM voltage is set to 9V (not max. 10V - at this moment I don't have such power supply) - is it because of this voltage?

??? These aren't "typical". They're the most efficient LEDs made by man so far. They are supposed to be around 3.3V each. Not 3.6 or 3.7 unless you are driving them extremely hard.

 

[aquaenthusiast]

I figured there would be no better place to get answers about led's than this thread with all the led gurus on here. I'm fairly noobish to led's in terms of their dimming/timing options so go light on me here. I have a RKL and wondering if the ALC module would be able to control/dim/on a timer etc with this light bulb?

http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=702

I guess my real question is: If this light can dim with the remote, then the actual dimming "control" is inside the fixture? Yes? No? If the dimming control is in fact inside the fixture then shouldn't the Reefkeeper ALC module be able to dim it on a lighting schedule?

 

[TheFishMan65]

You might be able to hack something. There is dimming iside the bulb, but who knows if it is RKL compatible. It is also only 12 watts. Do you are going to need a lot of them. You would get a lot more light for your money doing it with an ELNs.

 

[MosMike]

aquaenthusiast
I have a similar RGB bulb. The dimming is inside the bulb and worst of all it has no memory, so it resets to factory default at each power off.

 

[kcress]

Also you'd need to be reallly careful as there is likely no isolation from the mains inside it.

 

[aquaenthusiast]

Also you'd need to be reallly careful as there is likely no isolation from the mains inside it.

You mean insulation for excessive heat? The leds are 1 watt, would they get too hot ?

What about the possibility of finding a universal remote controller (IR) and programming it to be on a timed lighting schedule?

 

[kcress]

No. Isolation from 120Volts AC. All the drivers we use around here in DIY electrically isolate their outputs from direct connection to the power mains (wall outlet). This is a huge point of safety and likely is not done inside a fixture like that 'bulb'. The isolation costs money and can be avoided if the maker expects no one to mucking around inside their product.

 

[aquaenthusiast]

No. Isolation from 120Volts AC. All the drivers we use around here in DIY electrically isolate their outputs from direct connection to the power mains (wall outlet). This is a huge point of safety and likely is not done inside a fixture like that 'bulb'. The isolation costs money and can be avoided if the maker expects no one to mucking around inside their product.

Ok I see what you mean

 

[rpp]

So it's time to show my DIY lamp.

There are 27 white XP-G and 45 XP-E Royal Blue.

Project is not finished yet (there'll be fans for cooling) but it works.

At the begining all components: lamp + power supplies + Profilux which control it:

Focus on power supplies

And working lamp:

 

[kcress]

Nice job! I have a hard time believing you need any fans. If that thing is not enclosed you'll be fine.

I hope you're protecting that small fortune with a shield of some sort.