DIY LEDs - The write-up

[swenholz]

how did ya remove the stars? or did you ruin them trying to scrape off old epoxy. I Appreciate the input, i want to order the new LED's already but dont want to order only 12 more if i am going to have to rebuild the whole array haha.

Used the razor blade to start under the edge of the star, then used a small flat blade screw driver and they just popped right off. I don't know if it will ruin a working LED since mine were dead. I would suggest epoxying a single LED to an aluminum bar, removing it and then using a multi meter on the LED test setting to see if it effects the LED. I would guess the it should still work just fine. As for getting the epoxy off the LED, probably just some careful razor blade work.

 

[swenholz]

scott i appreciate the draw up, i would just be changing the blue to whites, and whites to blues.... I am running XPG R5 whites, and XRE blues, so i have the 40/60 in that manner. Sorry for any confusion. I just didnt want to create anything that would give me spot light effect.

Thanks

No worries. That is going to have a very blue look to it. Depending on the look you are going for, you may want to consider adding a few reds and greens.

 

[PurpleMonster]

right around 15k, at the moment my 48led kit is a little too blue but only bc im running all the LED's at 750ma, i can ramp the XPG's up a little more just have not done so yet... once i order the remaining 12led's i will make sure that the XPG's are all running at 1050ma. Again thanks for the sketch.

 

[swenholz]

Glad I could help

 

[brassmonkyballs]

right around 15k, at the moment my 48led kit is a little too blue but only bc im running all the LED's at 750ma, i can ramp the XPG's up a little more just have not done so yet... once i order the remaining 12led's i will make sure that the XPG's are all running at 1050ma. Again thanks for the sketch.

Boy....48 XPG/XPE on a 36" tank sure seems like a lot...especially when you ramp them up to 1000ma. If you haven't run them there yet i think you'll be turning them back down IMO. Good luck.

Anyhow, thought I would mention that I did a little build a couple weeks ago and rather than epoxying (couldn't imagine making them near permanent) and rather than drilling and then tapping (which I have done and is a PITA).... I drilled holes using a #41 drill bit. Then I used #4 3/8" sheet metal screws with #4 nylon washers on each one. They screwed right in very nicely and snug up tight without problem. This was a massive time saver and have been able to quickly swap out individual ones for difference mixes very easily...minutes. Used Arctic silver paste on each one. FWIW.

 

[PurpleMonster]

Brass, i currently run 48LED's on the 36X30 area, and its def a lot of light but im concentrating too much of it in the center which is why im going to change it to 2 heat sinks(12X8) vs 1 heatsink(24X8). Its plenty of light for my sps for sure, and infact in some areas its too much light! might raise the lights a little more but i have to make the enclosure look pretty for the wife to approve lol.

Thanks for the tips too.

 

[brassmonkyballs]

but i have to make the enclosure look pretty for the wife to approve lol.

ain't that the truth Mine doesn't like big chunks of metal with a bunch of bright lights suspended in mid-air either :uzi:

 

[PurpleMonster]

hahahah for sure man, i myself love the look of aluminum since a lot of my appliances are stainless steel and what not but in the dining room(where the tank is) she like wood.... blah! so i had to make a canopy 36X30X12 just to put a a 24X8X6 box in there lol.

Going to start working on my new array tonight, soon as i get out of work going to home depot to get some angle aluminum to make the frame to hold up the heatsinks, and hopefully be done tomorrow as i have the day off woohoo

 

[westreef]

ain't that the truth Mine doesn't like big chunks of metal with a bunch of bright lights suspended in mid-air either :uzi:

Yea, wives don't like UFOs!:mixed:

 

[PurpleMonster]

^^^^^^^^
Great stuff lol

 

[koensayr]

I got home early enough to check out the clam under the LEDs. In my case, at least, the greenish fluorescence was directional. When looking down on the clam from above, it shows. So it is due to the angle between incident light and observer.

I am sure adding the red and green and other LEDs will also enhance how different color shows up though, as was shown.

I'll try to take a look at the clam one of these days when I am able to get home early enough before the lights turn off. Then it should shed some light between the theories on incoming wavelength or incoming/viewing angle.

 

[patmack]

how did ya remove the stars? or did you ruin them trying to scrape off old epoxy. I Appreciate the input, i want to order the new LED's already but dont want to order only 12 more if i am going to have to rebuild the whole array haha.

I used a chisel and a hammer to remove mine on my test fixture, didnt mess up any out of 24. I epoxyed them down to the heat sink then tried to solder them... Didnt work!

 

[brassmonkyballs]

Which is why screwing them down makes so much more sense

 

[DFason]

If you still dont want to drill and tap try Bond Ply 100. You can pick this up at Digi-Key. Easy to cut and very easy to use.

-Dave

 

[brassmonkyballs]

If you still dont want to drill and tap try Bond Ply 100. You can pick this up at Digi-Key. Easy to cut and very easy to use.

-Dave

I tapped with 4-40 1st time..PITA...recently used a #41 drill and #4 sheet metal screws. Very easy and fast...and most importantly...replaceable

 

[Troy McClure]

Hi all
I remember seeing a link in this thread a while ago (6 months to a year or longer?) linked to a web magazine article where someone had tested different leds on small acrapora samples. I found it quite informative at the time, and I do remember the article mentioning that red leds had quite a negative effect on growth, if I remember they measured "x" amount of growth under a cool white led and then no growth when a red led was added to the mix. I may not be remembering exactly how they conducted this test, but does anyone else recall reading this article , or even better, does anyone have the link to the article?
Ben

 

[jsndvl]

Hi everyone, My eyes are burning from all this reading. But a good read and alot of info. I have learned alot in so little. Well I have a plan to build a 48 led 60/40 split. XR-E RB and XP-G CW. I have a 110g 48x18x22. Still in the build process. My question/ idea is to either do a 36" heat sink and figure out how to layout stars, or do 2 x 18" heat sinks. I plan on using my APEX for dimming. So since i have been reading the XP-G are very brite and that's why alot of people keep suggesting the 60/40. I plan on doing 1 string of RB for moon light, but then ramp up to help with the other RB. If I go the 2 heat sink route, and since the XP-G's are so brite, I was wondering if I should split 6 on each heat sink and still be able to just use 1 driver? Or should I just go with the 1 single 36" heatsink. Also when actually building the setup, I know I have to set to 10V on POT, but can I do that from the APEX first, or do I need to set it up with a 3-12V power adapter? Thanks.

 

[JAustin]

What driver can I use for XPG and XPE LED's? Also, how many can I string together?

Thanks for any help. There are so many options out there I'm confused.

Jason

 

[TheFishMan65]

Meanwells?

 

[JAustin]

For my 120g 48x24x24 I'm going to be running 84 LEDs. How does this sound:

Two separate pendants over my tank. Each pendant will be 20"x12" and have the following:

18 XP-E Royal blue
6 XP-E Blue
18 XP-G Cool White
3 Meanwell "D" Drivers

22g copper wire for the LEDs / Thermal adhesive to stick them to the heat sink / and 60 deg optics on all LEDs.

It Looks like the Dimmable Meanwell driver will even work with my RKE for future control, that's cool. I'm going to be doing 84 LEDs over my 120g so it would seem I'll need 6 Meanwell drivers.

Thanks TheFishMan65 for the recommendation.

There is a neat how to link on repid led's website.