DIY LEDs - The write-up
- Thread starter JohnL
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iLLwiLL
Codename: Dutchess
Anyone know of a dimable driver that will run 36 cree XPE's and G's? I'm about to start a 3 pendant setup for my 180 . . . mostly lps, softies and anemones right now but I will want some sps down the road. Should I be looking at 108 (72 RB, 24 CW, 12WW), or 72 (48 RB, 16 CW, 8 WW) count for what I want to accomplish? Heatsinks will be 8.5 x 18 if that matters any.
Thanks,
~Will.
Thanks,
~Will.
I can get hold of these LED's through work
http://ledz.com/?p=led.power
Looking at the 3W White LED product code - S12N3W6C for $2.95
Looking to use 60 of the 3W White and 36 of the 1W Royal Blue a little up that page Product code - S12EB7CB.
What drivers would be reccomended and how many per string ?
http://ledz.com/?p=led.power
Looking at the 3W White LED product code - S12N3W6C for $2.95
Looking to use 60 of the 3W White and 36 of the 1W Royal Blue a little up that page Product code - S12EB7CB.
What drivers would be reccomended and how many per string ?
TheFishMan65
New member
IMO you won't have enough blue. Any of the drivers we have discusses should work. Just match the voltage and current.
Realize that you will pay about twice as much in electricity for these as you would a Cree. XP-G are 139 lumens at 350 ma. These are 160 lumens at 700ma. So twice the current, but not twice the light. And IIRC the voltage on these is also a little higher so you may not get the same number as discussed.
Realize that you will pay about twice as much in electricity for these as you would a Cree. XP-G are 139 lumens at 350 ma. These are 160 lumens at 700ma. So twice the current, but not twice the light. And IIRC the voltage on these is also a little higher so you may not get the same number as discussed.
dlp211
New member
Hey,
FWIW, I also have a 180 and am going with 3 pendants. I went with 108 LEDs, 60RB and 39CW and 9NW. I have everything I need except wire, fuses, resistors, and a couple other odds and ends so I can't comment on color as I haven't put it together. Also I went with 27 1"x8.5" heatsinks instead of those large heatsinks that go mostly unused.
DLP211
I am starting a led project for BC. I ordered all the stuff from Rapidled. I just want to make sure I got this right. To set the internal pot of the driver, I have to connect the multimeter between the +ve comming from the leds and the +ve of the driver. The negative from the led go to the -ve of the driver. I am also going to connect 10v supply directly to the dim wires of the driver.
I am thinking about doing this before I connect my potentiometer to the dimmers. Will this work?
I am thinking about doing this before I connect my potentiometer to the dimmers. Will this work?
dlp211
New member
inthesea,
Yes you connect the positive to the positive and the negative to the negative to create the loop.
To adjust the internal pot, you need to open up the driver and turn it counterclockwise as far as it will go without forcing it. Also if you are using the HLG *B driver there is no internal pot.
As for hooking up the 10v directly to the dimming wires, I don't know why you would do this is if you are going to put a pot on it, just put the pot on and hook it up right the first time.
Yes you connect the positive to the positive and the negative to the negative to create the loop.
To adjust the internal pot, you need to open up the driver and turn it counterclockwise as far as it will go without forcing it. Also if you are using the HLG *B driver there is no internal pot.
As for hooking up the 10v directly to the dimming wires, I don't know why you would do this is if you are going to put a pot on it, just put the pot on and hook it up right the first time.
brassmonkyballs
BMB
My new build for my 120g
My new build for my 120g
Finally finished my latest build a couple weeks ago and just getting around to posting it here. Its a standard 4x2x2 120g. Its a new tank build and getting that up and cycling was the priority obviously before building the fixture.
Initially went with 24CW, 6 NW, 44 RBs. After a week I pulled out 6 whites and replaced with RBs.
I am now running 44 RBs on a MW HLG 185-42 in 4 strings of 11. At full power each string is running from 1070-1150...a little larger spread than I wanted but I'm running them dimmed back about 80% because they are XPEs so life is good.
After replacing some CWs with the RBs I have a mix of XPE and XPG balanced between 3 strings of 10 running off a MW HLG 120-42. Full bore am getting anywhere from 910-970ma so not bad.
I'd like to note that each string of 10 only has 30.9 to 31V across it...my meter resolution only has 1 decimal.... and the 11 count strings on the other driver also a very low 34V. This suggests you could run strings of 13 on the 42V version with current XPG/XPE.
here's a couple pics
Heatsink - yes big...10" profile 36" long, mounted on frame which is for mounting in canopy. I know alot of people like to glue them on but thats crazy to me.... a #40 drill provides a perfect hole for a #4 x 3/8" sheet metal screw. Screws rights in.....no tapping required.....with nylon washers under the heads makes it quick, easy, and serviceable.
in the canopy...you can see I included the drivers on the frame using acrylic sheet mounted to the frame....and I put 2 fans in the top of the canopy...fixture runs very cool to the touch
Current look - very difficult to get a good pic of the color...this is shade more blue than it appears to the eye.
Again its a new tank so its still pretty bare but I'm loving it so far. Trying to locate a PAR meter still to get an idea of whats happening in various locations. No optics on this build and the fixture is 8" off the water.
I have the whites dimmed back quite a bit on the dimmer...maybe 60% based on position of the pot but didn't take measurements. RBs at about the 80% position.
My new build for my 120g
Finally finished my latest build a couple weeks ago and just getting around to posting it here. Its a standard 4x2x2 120g. Its a new tank build and getting that up and cycling was the priority obviously before building the fixture.
Initially went with 24CW, 6 NW, 44 RBs. After a week I pulled out 6 whites and replaced with RBs.
I am now running 44 RBs on a MW HLG 185-42 in 4 strings of 11. At full power each string is running from 1070-1150...a little larger spread than I wanted but I'm running them dimmed back about 80% because they are XPEs so life is good.
After replacing some CWs with the RBs I have a mix of XPE and XPG balanced between 3 strings of 10 running off a MW HLG 120-42. Full bore am getting anywhere from 910-970ma so not bad.
I'd like to note that each string of 10 only has 30.9 to 31V across it...my meter resolution only has 1 decimal.... and the 11 count strings on the other driver also a very low 34V. This suggests you could run strings of 13 on the 42V version with current XPG/XPE.
here's a couple pics
Heatsink - yes big...10" profile 36" long, mounted on frame which is for mounting in canopy. I know alot of people like to glue them on but thats crazy to me.... a #40 drill provides a perfect hole for a #4 x 3/8" sheet metal screw. Screws rights in.....no tapping required.....with nylon washers under the heads makes it quick, easy, and serviceable.
in the canopy...you can see I included the drivers on the frame using acrylic sheet mounted to the frame....and I put 2 fans in the top of the canopy...fixture runs very cool to the touch
Current look - very difficult to get a good pic of the color...this is shade more blue than it appears to the eye.
Again its a new tank so its still pretty bare but I'm loving it so far. Trying to locate a PAR meter still to get an idea of whats happening in various locations. No optics on this build and the fixture is 8" off the water.
I have the whites dimmed back quite a bit on the dimmer...maybe 60% based on position of the pot but didn't take measurements. RBs at about the 80% position.
:lol2:
TheFishMan65
New member
I wasn't going to say anything, but since you did +1.
:rollface::rollface::rollface::rollface::rollface:
:rollface::rollface::rollface::rollface::rollface:
brassmonkyballs
BMB
err....thanks...i think:hmm4: lol
brassmonkyballs
BMB
Thanks Patmack....that is where I started but it was clear it would be far too white for my taste considering I had to dial back the whites at least 50%....luckily I had another 6 RBs on hand. i removed 6 CW and replaced with 6 RBs. So now I have 18 CW, 6 NW, 50 RB. The HLG 185-42 is running 44 of the RBs and the other 6 RBs are mixed in with the CW and NW with balanced amounts of each in each string. Now I can push the white driver up and still have a nice color. Overall i am happy with the color mix.
That tank shot is a bit more blue than it appears to the eye...hard to get a good photo representation of the color
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