DIY LEDs - The write-up
- Thread starter JohnL
- Start date
- Status
widmer
Drug Enthusiast
der_wille: Well that was a great suggestion, I ended up getting exactly the answer I was looking for at candlepowerforums (regarding the two 8-degree options at LEDSupply):
From dom @ candlepowerforums:
"I have (since i checked) both the Cree and Carclo you linked to.
You would be right in choosing the Cree.
"Has been and still is a popular optic around here.
"I just tried some wall shots with both optics.
"The Cree at 6ft is approx 16" -nice beam with minor artifacts -no big halo or ring - slight hotspot blending well into the rest of the beam.
"The Carclo (10199) projects the die of the LED with lots of artifacts and aberrations.
(Note: The Carclo 10200 is one of the nicest optics i've used. No noticeable spot and slightly wider beam than the Cree at 6ft)
Also, another member posted a really cool pic to compare the different beams cast by different optics for XREs. I'll post it here pending permission.
From dom @ candlepowerforums:
"I have (since i checked) both the Cree and Carclo you linked to.
You would be right in choosing the Cree.
"Has been and still is a popular optic around here.
"I just tried some wall shots with both optics.
"The Cree at 6ft is approx 16" -nice beam with minor artifacts -no big halo or ring - slight hotspot blending well into the rest of the beam.
"The Carclo (10199) projects the die of the LED with lots of artifacts and aberrations.
(Note: The Carclo 10200 is one of the nicest optics i've used. No noticeable spot and slightly wider beam than the Cree at 6ft)
Also, another member posted a really cool pic to compare the different beams cast by different optics for XREs. I'll post it here pending permission.
laverda
Well-known member
"12 cents per kwh" I wish! It is around 25 cents a KWH in southern CA. but that just makes it that much more worthwile going with LED.
der_wille_zur_macht
Team RC
I'd have to look up what I pay - that's a "national average" I saw in some magazine a few months ago.
Someone else in here was posting that they were paying like 6 cents/kwh!
laverda
Well-known member
noobtothereef
I agree with you on one thing and that is I wish the up front cost was not so high. But looking at the numbers it will be well worth it for me to do it, as soon as I can afford to buy the LED's. If I was working I would have done it already.
You can do the way you want with a lot of small LEDs, but I think your forgetting one issue. I do not think even a hundred of them together is going have the ability to penetrate the depth of a typical tank. Now if your tank is real shallow, I think they might work fine. If you do try it, let us know how it works out.
I agree with you on one thing and that is I wish the up front cost was not so high. But looking at the numbers it will be well worth it for me to do it, as soon as I can afford to buy the LED's. If I was working I would have done it already.
You can do the way you want with a lot of small LEDs, but I think your forgetting one issue. I do not think even a hundred of them together is going have the ability to penetrate the depth of a typical tank. Now if your tank is real shallow, I think they might work fine. If you do try it, let us know how it works out.
Last edited:
noobtothereef
New member
mine is at .0803 per kwh currentlyI'd have to look up what I pay - that's a "national average" I saw in some magazine a few months ago.
Following the teachings of this thread and nano-reef, I am currently building an LED array for my tank consisting of 75 Cree XP-G and 75 XP-E RB LEDs. I just dropped over $1000 on the LEDs alone.
Using only the specs for the XP-Gs to keep the calculations simple, I expect 240-250 lumens out of each LED when driven at 700 mA, with each LED consuming 2.25 watts.
The SuperBriteLEDs 5mm LED's, cool white, 45 degree, according to their specs put out approximately 1.2 lumens at 0.08 Watts using the conversion calculator they link to for mcd to lumens.
So to replace my 150 CREE LEDs in the array with the 5mm LEDs and get the same lumens output, I would need approximately 30,000 of the 5mm LEDs, and they would be consuming 2400 watts of power as opposed to the approximately 375 watts for the Cree LEDs. The 5mm LEDs will be putting off a significant amount of heat too as is evidenced by the dramatic difference in power required for the same lumens.
I realize the XP-E Royal Blues are different, so I just used with the XP-Gs to keep the calculations simple, but you can see how infeasible it is to use the 5mm LEDs as a substitute for the latest generation Cree LEDs
Using only the specs for the XP-Gs to keep the calculations simple, I expect 240-250 lumens out of each LED when driven at 700 mA, with each LED consuming 2.25 watts.
The SuperBriteLEDs 5mm LED's, cool white, 45 degree, according to their specs put out approximately 1.2 lumens at 0.08 Watts using the conversion calculator they link to for mcd to lumens.
So to replace my 150 CREE LEDs in the array with the 5mm LEDs and get the same lumens output, I would need approximately 30,000 of the 5mm LEDs, and they would be consuming 2400 watts of power as opposed to the approximately 375 watts for the Cree LEDs. The 5mm LEDs will be putting off a significant amount of heat too as is evidenced by the dramatic difference in power required for the same lumens.
I realize the XP-E Royal Blues are different, so I just used with the XP-Gs to keep the calculations simple, but you can see how infeasible it is to use the 5mm LEDs as a substitute for the latest generation Cree LEDs
noobtothereef
New member
would you like me to post a pic of my bill??
MontyJack
New member
noobtothereef
Here in Europe is everything more expensive. So in my country we are paying 25 cents/kwh! So believe me, I count every single Watt to build my rig as efficient as possible! The upfront costs are PITA, but if I do my job well, it will pay off soon. And last but not least, shouldn't we also take in consideration the ecology of the whole thing? I mean you are about to grow a nice reef at home but you going to waste the environment with your energy consumption, like the dudes with MH? Isn't the whole point to use LEDs in saving money??? I thing more than one here did the account for you, so where is the point of your endless questions?
"¦forget what I wrote, just go and do it your way"¦
Monty
And sorry that I spoke to you with just 15 posts.:lolspin:
Here in Europe is everything more expensive. So in my country we are paying 25 cents/kwh! So believe me, I count every single Watt to build my rig as efficient as possible! The upfront costs are PITA, but if I do my job well, it will pay off soon. And last but not least, shouldn't we also take in consideration the ecology of the whole thing? I mean you are about to grow a nice reef at home but you going to waste the environment with your energy consumption, like the dudes with MH? Isn't the whole point to use LEDs in saving money??? I thing more than one here did the account for you, so where is the point of your endless questions?
"¦forget what I wrote, just go and do it your way"¦
Monty
And sorry that I spoke to you with just 15 posts.:lolspin:
noobtothereef
New member
as promised....
kwh's used
cost per kwh
notice date on bill is current
contact info of service provider so you can call and get rates if you like, just to make sure you dont think i chopped the pics
kwh's used
cost per kwh
notice date on bill is current
contact info of service provider so you can call and get rates if you like, just to make sure you dont think i chopped the pics
noobtothereef
New member
that definately puts it into perspective for me, i will definately not be going that route...
noobtothereef
New member
im not in any "special" program or solar b.s., its right there in black and white .08034 per kwh
Last edited:
stugray
Premium Member
NOW back on topic:
Lets just say that I were to do an experiment where I put ~18 CREE LEDs at 3.5 Volts ea. across a half wave rectified 120VAC line???
That would be 63volts of LED drop across a 0-60 volt drive.
Due to the AC variation, the average current would be below 700mA and could be adjusted with an inductor in series.
Now I know some will say that the variations in AC power peaks might blow them.
Solved: Use a decent UPS inline & it will guarantee clean 120VAC power.
Then we could just use a Triac to dim them.
I only have a couple of brews in me so I dont think I'm completely out of my mind.
Stu
Lets just say that I were to do an experiment where I put ~18 CREE LEDs at 3.5 Volts ea. across a half wave rectified 120VAC line???
That would be 63volts of LED drop across a 0-60 volt drive.
Due to the AC variation, the average current would be below 700mA and could be adjusted with an inductor in series.
Now I know some will say that the variations in AC power peaks might blow them.
Solved: Use a decent UPS inline & it will guarantee clean 120VAC power.
Then we could just use a Triac to dim them.
I only have a couple of brews in me so I dont think I'm completely out of my mind.
Stu
laverda
Well-known member
noobtothereef
If thats correct your darn lucky and I appologize. It probably does not make sense for you to spend the money on good LED's at this point, unless like Monty pointed out your concerend about the enviorment. For me it is a no brainer and will clearly save me a lot of money in the long run. Problem is I have 5 tanks so the cost is going to be significant. I think I will just do one tank at a time. Then when the eletric bill drops it will make it easier to get the CFO to let me spend money on LED's for the next tank.
If thats correct your darn lucky and I appologize. It probably does not make sense for you to spend the money on good LED's at this point, unless like Monty pointed out your concerend about the enviorment. For me it is a no brainer and will clearly save me a lot of money in the long run. Problem is I have 5 tanks so the cost is going to be significant. I think I will just do one tank at a time. Then when the eletric bill drops it will make it easier to get the CFO to let me spend money on LED's for the next tank.
MontyJack
New member
Hay guys, we are a bit off topic, or not? Let's gat back"¦ Does anybody have experience whit the new XP-G and the right amount of royal blue to them? Suggestions- experience? With der wille zur macht we already talked a bit about it, but I'm still not sure if 30% les whites will have the same 1:1 ratio effect?
And since a long time I'm missing some nice pictures of rigs in progress and someone's growth under his LEDs !!!:hammer:
Thanks Monty
And since a long time I'm missing some nice pictures of rigs in progress and someone's growth under his LEDs !!!:hammer:
Thanks Monty
laverda
Well-known member
The real cost it 9.11 cents an hour. Total bill divided by KWH used. Either way it is dirt cheap! The bills in CA are much more complex and are on a tiered system. The highest tier that I am on is tier 5 @ .29 cents per KWH. I am ding everything possible to get out of teir 5 but they keep changing things and raising rates.
- Status
