DIY LEDs - The write-up

[shackscs]

Soundwave,

Great thread!!!

I have read it from the beginning to the end and boy what a thread.

I own a 72" Solaris and was worried about replacing blown LEDs but thanks to all of the post written here, I ordered CREE starboard LEDS and am working on totally reworking two boards, one for me and one for another RC member.

I would have never even considered such a project without having read this thread.

Everyone has contributed so much useful information that I can see LEDS becoming more and more common place.

I wil post pictures of the old board and the new board when I complete a set.

Again, job very well done to you and the other members that posted pics of their units.

 

[Soundwave]

Thank you.

 

[kcress]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15120215#post15120215 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fernandokng
Does anyone know whether these buckpucks overheat? I have them all tightly sealed in a project box with no ventilation. I don't want to kill them because they are $20/each.

That would be very bad form to box them up in a sealed enclosure. Even if they don't zorch immediately their lives will be greatly shortened from what they would've been.

 

[HD Fatboy®]

zorch?

 

[fernandokng]

Sh*t. Now I have to fix it. I'd prefer it to leave it alone as Soundwave suggested, but I just don't want to take a chance...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15120992#post15120992 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kcress
That would be very bad form to box them up in a sealed enclosure. Even if they don't zorch immediately their lives will be greatly shortened from what they would've been.

 

[james3370]

is it a plastic project box??? drill some holes in the each side & slap a small fan on one side blowing in & you're done.....sometimes ghetto only has to work LOL

 

[kcress]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15121913#post15121913 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HD Fatboy®
zorch?

zorched = extra torched = burnt up

 

[fernandokng]

AKA "Keeping it real" lol

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15123380#post15123380 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by james3370
is it a plastic project box??? drill some holes in the each side & slap a small fan on one side blowing in & you're done.....sometimes ghetto only has to work LOL

 

[CJerome21]

After completing the pico build I posted above I moved onto the one for my bio cube 29 that will be a upgrade from my 14.

I am using two power supplies one for blue LEDs and one for White. The blue one will also power the fans. There are four DC lines into the project box from the power supplies, one for the UV, one for the Fuge, one for the blue and one white. There are separate AC plugs for the white, fuge light and the blue and UV share one AC plug. The other side of the box has a 12 pin molex type connector, 10 are active- 2 for blue, 2 for white, 2 fuge, 2 UV, 2 hood fan, and then a separate pig tale for the stand fans. Once the DC lines go into the project box the white, UV and fuge go right to the molex out. The blue DC in is split to the blue molex pins and then split for the hood and stand fans which first go to the pots so I can control them. See three related photos below.

Next i put together my wiring which consists of three four conductor cables. If you can find a 12 conductor 18 gauge that would be ideal but I could not find one near me. I labeled all the wires put one end into to the connector and the other up to the hood. I also put them into a wire loom to keep it nice looking. I used the stock hole in the rear of the hood but drilled a new one into the light area right near the fan and sealed up the two stock holes.
I made all the connections with these little wire nuts I purchased at home depot, they are in little boxes on the shelf not on the peg board if you are looking for them.
Below everything is connected(except the fuge light which I have not built yet) and cleaned up

I think it looks like it could be an OEM hood from the outside.
The only thing that could make it better is if HD had mat gray black paint for the knobs in place of the mat black, but I think I can live with it ;-)

And the money shot!

The tank is not set up yet so I can not show any tank shots at this time, sorry :-(

The LEDs have been over the pico going on three weeks now and some of the LPS are still adjusting and seem to be taking the increase a little hard. The leather, most zoos, pallys, gorg and GSP have mostly come around. I am still running at only about 30% but I guess even at this low level its a huge increase from the 36w of PC I had over it before. I just have to wait it out and let them come around in their own time. When I see them starting to look a little better I will turn up the dials a tad.

Jerome

 

[Soundwave]

That's awesome looking!

Keep us updated.

 

[apt220]

Lookin' good Jerome. How far apart did you mount those LEDs?

 

[CJerome21]

Thanks! I cant wait to get the tank set up and transfer over everything.

I think I settled on 2.5 inches on center.

 

[james3370]

i like the blue wire for blue LEDs & white for white....nice asthetic touch

i assume the black starboard LEDs are moonlights??

 

[CJerome21]

I thought the blue and white would be nice too!
The black boards are the two 3w "UV" (410nm) LEDs that I posted about before, for moon lights I took apart the three stock moon lights from their bulky plastic housings and re mounted them but after I took this photo. You can see the little PCB to the right of the wires with the three open plugs that they went in to.

Jerome

 

[apt220]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15126435#post15126435 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CJerome21
Thanks! I cant wait to get the tank set up and transfer over everything.

I think I settled on 2.5 inches on center.

I'm going with 2.5 spacing as well for my build but I will have 44-FWHM optics on mine. I hope there is good mixing of light...

 

[jimnrose]

heat sink design - I'm designing a 16" x 60" LED fixture for a 24" x 72" (x 17") tank. Initially I looked at the solid heat sinks but the weight& price were prohibitive, plus the heat sink is mounted horizontally which isn't ideal for convection flow. So, I'm going with 5 aluminum channels (1.5 x 1.75") on 3.5 centers with cross straps (physical & thermal use) as well as aluminum vanes to enhance convection flow. [The vanes will also behave as light shields to avoid viewers looking at the leds]There are 6, 3" diameter fans (3/side) to blow air across the fixture. The LED's are on 5" centers with a 50% mix of white & blue. The fixture is in a wooden enclosure with slots along the horizonal panel for heated air exhaust. I'll also use optics to control the light beams. Jim

 

[CJerome21]

I purchased 6 60 degree and 6 80 degree optics to use if I want/need to crank up the PAR in any part of the tank, sand bed for example.

 

[lilmonster]

What are the 2 UV lights for?
are they for the shimmer effect?

 

[herring_fish]

Blue LED replacement for VHO or T5 actinics to produce SHIMMER?

Blue LED replacement for VHO or T5 actinics to produce SHIMMER?

I want to have a distinct shimmer for my blue lighting to go with my 10k Metal Halide. I have a 72”x24”x18” tank with a single white 250 watt MH to make a single bright side to go to the left of a lower light area.

(I started at the beginning to read the whole thread but there are way to may pages, particularly since I am just in the conceptual phase. I will go back and zero in on specific posts once I form a plan. I apologize for asking questions that my have been answered several times already.)

1. I have the impression that if you want a strong shimmer, I need to have as few bright points of light as possible, rather than lots of lower powered points of light. Is that true? Here is a link to a demo of a 5 watt blue LED compared to a 1 watt. 5 Watt blue LED compared to a 1 watt LED


2. I read, in another thread, that two guy uses their moon lighting 24/7 and started burning and bleaching corals because of the tightness of the columns of light. Thes posts were referring to the lower range of blue, perhaps leaning toward UV. Would blue 5 watt’er burn corals if they are used during main lighting periods?

3. Could about four 5 watt blue LEDs be visible in the presence of the metal arc?

4. Would I want several 5 watt 455nm LEDs and one or two 3 watt 380nMs. Could I simply give up the tight 420nM range shimmer by having several of these lower watt LEDs and just have a 455nM and 10k shimmer?

5. Do you have any other thoughts that I might need to know about?

 

[Soundwave]

1. I have 60 LEDs going and the shimmer is awesome. I'm willing to bet that in your demo, you have more surface agitation on the left side of the tank. That effects the shimmer.

2. I've killed a few corals but bleaching has never been the case.

3. Not sure. Get good LEDs. Not ebay. Cree.

4. ?

5. Just that you don't want to skimp on quality. As with anything else in this hobby, you get what you pay for. Research research research. The crees seem to put out the exact wavelengths for what we want.

On a side note, I picked up a gray digi a few weeks ago from my LFS for cheap because they couldn't figure out exactly what it was and it was kinda ugly. Turns out, my LEDs made it turn BLUE. I about crapped.