ReefEnabler
Premium Member
can anybody recommend a good 2-wire quick disconnect that would make it easier to wire up multiple small fixtures inside of a canopy?
DIY LEDs - The write-up
- Thread starter Soundwave
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stugray
Premium Member
"can anybody recommend a good 2-wire quick disconnect"
I actually found them in HD near the wirenuts.
They are for flourescent lights.
Or you can order these:
http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1419
Stu
I actually found them in HD near the wirenuts.
They are for flourescent lights.
Or you can order these:
http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1419
Stu
rcgates
Premium Member
weather resistant, 2 connector cables:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/category/116/Cables-2-Cond.-Waterproof/1.html
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
thanks for those links
rcgates, this seems very close to what I am looking for.
Except its only 12" leads. My buckpucks are probably going to be around 6' from the LEDs, since I want them in a box on top of my canopy, so the wires will have to snake around the back and hug corners etc.
Would it be simple to replace the leads?
Stu, the one you posted looks great and has 30ft leads solid copper.... you think it would be ok to use inside an aquarium canopy??
Also, is 18 Gauge Solid Copper Wire something that could be soldered onto a luxeon star base??
The technical data for a buckpuck says thicker wire should be used if the LED's are far from the buckpuck, would I need thicker than 18guage for a ~6' distance?
Maybe better off with some automotive ones like this (one per wire) and just crimp in my own leads??
Thanks!
rcgates, this seems very close to what I am looking for.
Except its only 12" leads. My buckpucks are probably going to be around 6' from the LEDs, since I want them in a box on top of my canopy, so the wires will have to snake around the back and hug corners etc.
Would it be simple to replace the leads?
Stu, the one you posted looks great and has 30ft leads solid copper.... you think it would be ok to use inside an aquarium canopy??
Also, is 18 Gauge Solid Copper Wire something that could be soldered onto a luxeon star base??
The technical data for a buckpuck says thicker wire should be used if the LED's are far from the buckpuck, would I need thicker than 18guage for a ~6' distance?
Maybe better off with some automotive ones like this (one per wire) and just crimp in my own leads??
Thanks!
Last edited:
rcgates
Premium Member
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14629592#post14629592 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefEnabler
thanks for those links
rcgates, this seems very close to what I am looking for.
Except its only 12" leads. My buckpucks are probably going to be around 6' from the LEDs, since I want them in a box on top of my canopy, so the wires will have to snake around the back and hug corners etc.
Would it be simple to replace the leads?
Stu, the one you posted looks great and has 30ft leads solid copper.... you think it would be ok to use inside an aquarium canopy??
Also, is 18 Gauge Solid Copper Wire something that could be soldered onto a luxeon star base??
The technical data for a buckpuck says thicker wire should be used if the LED's are far from the buckpuck, would I need thicker than 18guage for a ~6' distance?
Maybe better off with some automotive ones like this (one per wire) and just crimp in my own leads??
Thanks!
The website has different length leads, up to 48". You can always splice in additional length of wire if needed.
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-...D.-WEATHER-RESISTANT-CONNECTOR-48-WIRE/1.html
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
man I must be horrible at finding stuff! thanks 
ya I know I can splice it but its so much nicer to just buy one with the leads already set to go
I think I should have everything this week. Ordered some buck pucks, Luxeon Rebel Tri-Emitter stars and some royal blue stars... and the heatsinks, should be fun!
ya I know I can splice it but its so much nicer to just buy one with the leads already set to go
I think I should have everything this week. Ordered some buck pucks, Luxeon Rebel Tri-Emitter stars and some royal blue stars... and the heatsinks, should be fun!
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
soundwave, I got two of the same extruded aluminum heat sinks that you used, but I got them sized 5" x 12".
They feel much heavier than I was expecting for an aluminum heat sink. For some reason the 4.4lbs / foot listed on the site didn't quite register for me until I handled them!
I'm basically thinking of mounting mine on the front of my aquarium hood, angled down ward at somewhere between 45-60 degrees.
I am hoping to help supplement my existing lighting and get more intense lighting on the sides of sps coral branches, and also to increase PAR in some low spot areas between my lumen max elite reflectors.
Four 700ma buckpuck will each receive 32vdc input, and will be outputting 30v to each series of LEDs with a total of about 120v at 700ma, so should be around 84w total.
They feel much heavier than I was expecting for an aluminum heat sink. For some reason the 4.4lbs / foot listed on the site didn't quite register for me until I handled them!
I'm basically thinking of mounting mine on the front of my aquarium hood, angled down ward at somewhere between 45-60 degrees.
I am hoping to help supplement my existing lighting and get more intense lighting on the sides of sps coral branches, and also to increase PAR in some low spot areas between my lumen max elite reflectors.
Four 700ma buckpuck will each receive 32vdc input, and will be outputting 30v to each series of LEDs with a total of about 120v at 700ma, so should be around 84w total.
Last edited:
lilmonster
New member
Ok, I'm very impressed, very nice DIY.
here i was planing to replace my PC lights with a $500 MH system, which i will have to replace the bulbs every 6mo to a year.
But i'm cheap and I hate giving the electric company more of my money every month.
So here i wait.
But, for around a $100 more, i could build an LED system that could last 10 years and cost less to run.
i've already started designing mine.
Your the man!
here i was planing to replace my PC lights with a $500 MH system, which i will have to replace the bulbs every 6mo to a year.
But i'm cheap and I hate giving the electric company more of my money every month.
So here i wait.
But, for around a $100 more, i could build an LED system that could last 10 years and cost less to run.
i've already started designing mine.
Your the man!
Has anyone looked at this lens? Seems promising but I'm still trying to catch up. Are the cool white or warmer whites the recommended LEDs? The cool white seem pricier.
http://www.l2optics.com/flare.aspx
http://www.l2optics.com/flare.aspx
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
definitely cool white. Warm white will be like an incandescant bulb.
But I think it depends on the LEDs, see if you can get info on the correlated color temperature.
Ive seen a few different "cool whites", some look around 6500k which is still "warmer than white" but definitely much "cooler" than incandescant. most are warmer than what I would consider "cool white", but that could have just been compared to the Royal Blue LEDs that were side by side.
I've also seen some Luxeon Stars that were labelled cool white and looked it.
But I think it depends on the LEDs, see if you can get info on the correlated color temperature.
Ive seen a few different "cool whites", some look around 6500k which is still "warmer than white" but definitely much "cooler" than incandescant. most are warmer than what I would consider "cool white", but that could have just been compared to the Royal Blue LEDs that were side by side.
I've also seen some Luxeon Stars that were labelled cool white and looked it.
ReefEnabler
Premium Member
those lenses you posted look very promising. I think something like that would work very well for my application where I am trying to force light down into the tank at an angle but still spread along the length of the tank.
thanks.
thanks.
tahiriqbal
Sialkot
Need some help on LED
Need some help on LED
Having looked at your wonderful thread on DIY LED setup, I have decided to embark on the same path. I am very lucky that my company have access to 3 watts LED light bulbs ranging from 5000k to 25000K. I know many of may raise your concern and may find hard to believe, how and where my company has managed to secure such a high Kelvin rating LED’s in 3 watt star type.
The company I work for deals with LED lighting systems and having our own R&D we have managed to achieve such high Kelvin rating LEDs from white light source.
These LEDs are not by any top brand such as Cree or Luxone or any other world-renowned company but from our own manufacturing.
My purposed size for the light housing would be around 60 inches long x 16 inches wide and around 4 inches tall. The light itself will have four sections, each section containing 30 x 3 watts LEDs, 90 watts per section with correct mixture from below.
white in 10000K, Bin E 40 PC (140-180 typical lumen)
White in 15000K, Bin E 20 PC (140-160 typical lumen)
white in 20000K, Bin E 20 PC (120-145 typical lumen)
white in 25000K, Bin E 20 PC (100-120 typical lumen
white in 5000K, Bin E 10 PC (160 190 typical lumen)
Red, Bin E 5 PC
Green, Bin E 5 PC
10 x 10K, 5 x 15K, 5 x 20K, 5 x 25K, 2 x 5K, 1 x GREEN, 1 x RED (1 Green and Red will be used for night view or just to create abnormal moods.
Each section will be run independently from 12 Volt 100 watts waterproof constant LED power driver. I have deliberately left 10 watts of power for any surge or if I need to add few more LEDs to the existing system. I will also be adding a programmable dimmer controller on each section which means 4 programmable dimmer controllers in total to run all four sections. There were several reason to go with this idea as I found it very hard to find a waterproof LED constant power driver which could handle 400 watts worth of LEDs (360 currently). It was also virtually impossible for me to find a programmable dimmer to run 360 watts worth of LED’s unless someone could suggest otherwise.
Ideally I would love to have one programmable dimmer controller which could control and run all four sections independently. If anyone could suggest or help me to find out if there is 12Volt, 400 watt waterproof constant LED power driver. I would also like to know if anyone could help me or suggest what type of programmable dimmer controller I could use in conjunction above 400 watts LED driver.
I will be mounting these LEDs on the best aluminium heatsink panels x 4.I have bought these ones which were highly recommended.
I may also add two cross flow fans for better airflow to keep the LED’s nice a cool, unless you could suggest something better. These cross flow fans will be placed on each ends, one for the inflow and other one for to suck the air from the other end. I will also add four small fans on top of each section too which will eliminate for any heat rising if any cross flow fan fails.
Here is the picture of cross flow fan which I have bought and hoping to use.
.
I am doing few test runs for the prototype
Picture with 10K LED
Picture with 20K LED (very blue)
I have also bough 120 x 60 degree lens and lens holders, which I think are good for more consternated and focused light.
Here is the picture of my lenses
I open to take any positive critique
Need some help on LED
Having looked at your wonderful thread on DIY LED setup, I have decided to embark on the same path. I am very lucky that my company have access to 3 watts LED light bulbs ranging from 5000k to 25000K. I know many of may raise your concern and may find hard to believe, how and where my company has managed to secure such a high Kelvin rating LED’s in 3 watt star type.
The company I work for deals with LED lighting systems and having our own R&D we have managed to achieve such high Kelvin rating LEDs from white light source.
These LEDs are not by any top brand such as Cree or Luxone or any other world-renowned company but from our own manufacturing.
My purposed size for the light housing would be around 60 inches long x 16 inches wide and around 4 inches tall. The light itself will have four sections, each section containing 30 x 3 watts LEDs, 90 watts per section with correct mixture from below.
white in 10000K, Bin E 40 PC (140-180 typical lumen)
White in 15000K, Bin E 20 PC (140-160 typical lumen)
white in 20000K, Bin E 20 PC (120-145 typical lumen)
white in 25000K, Bin E 20 PC (100-120 typical lumen
white in 5000K, Bin E 10 PC (160 190 typical lumen)
Red, Bin E 5 PC
Green, Bin E 5 PC
10 x 10K, 5 x 15K, 5 x 20K, 5 x 25K, 2 x 5K, 1 x GREEN, 1 x RED (1 Green and Red will be used for night view or just to create abnormal moods.
Each section will be run independently from 12 Volt 100 watts waterproof constant LED power driver. I have deliberately left 10 watts of power for any surge or if I need to add few more LEDs to the existing system. I will also be adding a programmable dimmer controller on each section which means 4 programmable dimmer controllers in total to run all four sections. There were several reason to go with this idea as I found it very hard to find a waterproof LED constant power driver which could handle 400 watts worth of LEDs (360 currently). It was also virtually impossible for me to find a programmable dimmer to run 360 watts worth of LED’s unless someone could suggest otherwise.
Ideally I would love to have one programmable dimmer controller which could control and run all four sections independently. If anyone could suggest or help me to find out if there is 12Volt, 400 watt waterproof constant LED power driver. I would also like to know if anyone could help me or suggest what type of programmable dimmer controller I could use in conjunction above 400 watts LED driver.
I will be mounting these LEDs on the best aluminium heatsink panels x 4.I have bought these ones which were highly recommended.
I may also add two cross flow fans for better airflow to keep the LED’s nice a cool, unless you could suggest something better. These cross flow fans will be placed on each ends, one for the inflow and other one for to suck the air from the other end. I will also add four small fans on top of each section too which will eliminate for any heat rising if any cross flow fan fails.
Here is the picture of cross flow fan which I have bought and hoping to use.
.
I am doing few test runs for the prototype
Picture with 10K LED
Picture with 20K LED (very blue)
I have also bough 120 x 60 degree lens and lens holders, which I think are good for more consternated and focused light.
Here is the picture of my lenses
I open to take any positive critique
Soundwave
New member
I like. However, you said that you aren't using cree or luxeons. The picture you have is obviously cree. It says so on the board, as well. The other looks a whole lot like my luxeons I have laying around.
Also, can you help explain how you will wire that many LEDs to a 12V power source? From my experience, you would only be able to run 4 LEDs at the absolute max on 12 volts. 4 will be underdriven and 3 would be just right.
I is confrused.
Also, can you help explain how you will wire that many LEDs to a 12V power source? From my experience, you would only be able to run 4 LEDs at the absolute max on 12 volts. 4 will be underdriven and 3 would be just right.
I is confrused.
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