DIY LEDs - The write-up

[luisagos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15231365#post15231365 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by serhiyi
Quick question.
If I buy buckpuck with External Dimming Control but no Potentiometer (3023-D-E-1000mA) is there anything else I would need to run LED from it (just add LEDs and power supply)?

I'm not going to use dimm function at the begining and want option to add controller later. Will this type of buckpuck run out of box or I need to add somthing to it in order to use it?

Thank you

People been having problems with the buckpucks more then I care for, I personally would stay away from them.

Meanwell is a much better LED Driver, you can have 13 LED per Driver ar 1000ma and you do not need a Power Supply.

The group buy that Evil had, I got my for $29.75 each.

 

[jdrabek]

luisagos

So just any 0-10 vdc dimmable driver directly to any of the Profilux lighting control ports?

I was looking at the AI LED system and it connects to the Profilux using the RS232 connection.

I just want to make sure that I use the best connection for the controller.

 

[apt220]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15231776#post15231776 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luisagos
People been having problems with the buckpucks more then I care for, I personally would stay away from them.

What kind of problems?

 

[dtech]

If you get the dimmable version you without the pot you will still need to get a pot to complete the circuit.
From what i gathhered readding the posts on the meanwell that was in that group buy the dimming still required more stuff, was I missing part of it? But the line voltage part is a great part to them makes hooking up so much easier.
As far as the buckpucks being bad I only gathered there were isolated instaces, did I miss some posts on that? I am interested as I have already recieved my buckpucks but haven't messed with them yet, I am waitting on my led's.

 

[luisagos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15231838#post15231838 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdrabek
luisagos

So just any 0-10 vdc dimmable driver directly to any of the Profilux lighting control ports?

I was looking at the AI LED system and it connects to the Profilux using the RS232 connection.

I just want to make sure that I use the best connection for the controller.

The AI system using the serial port lets Profilux give direct commands to the AI controller.

GHL also lets you assign full AI goodies to the 1-10vdc AO (Analog Outs).
Like Clouds, Lightening, SunRise/SunSet and lunar cycle.
You will need a least 3 AO, for full control.

1 channel for all the blue LEDs.
1 channel for all the white LEDs.
1 channel for all the moon lights.

Only thing, I am not sure, how many drivers can Profilux control with one channel. In my case, I will need 4 drivers per channel, because my tank being so big. I am using over 100 LEDs.
I believe it should do it.

 

[apt220]

No problems with my dimmable buckpucks..

 

[luisagos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15231856#post15231856 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by apt220
What kind of problems?

Just seeing too many reports of users having their buckpucks going bad on other websites.
Enough problems that warrant looking for a new product, in this case we did.

 

[luisagos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15231885#post15231885 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dtech

From what i gathhered readding the posts on the meanwell that was in that group buy the dimming still required more stuff, was I missing part of it? But the line voltage part is a great part to them makes hooking up so much easier.

Correct, you will need a controller (Profilux) or make $10 PWM Circuit to drive the MeanWell Drivers.

 

[jdrabek]

luisagos

It sound like you will have your system up and running long before I even order my first part. Will you post pics of your set-up?

Are you still going to use EVG-AP2 like you described in an early post. I would like Profilux to be able to dim and turn the LED's off using this board, rather than use AO's and still have to use an switchable outlet to power them off.

 

[luisagos]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15231930#post15231930 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdrabek
luisagos

It sound like you will have your system up and running long before I even order my first part. Will you post pics of your set-up?

Are you still going to use EVG-AP2 like you described in an early post. I would like Profilux to be able to dim and turn the LED's off using this board, rather than use AO's and still have to use an switchable outlet to power them off.

Yes, I plan to have a full DIY thread for us Profilux owners.
My LEDS and Driver might ship next week.
EVG-AP2 is a must have for my project.
I am also waiting for my Analog card from GHL, that will allow me to hook up my PAR Sensor to Profilux and maybe have PAR levels dictate my brightness levels.

Its going to be a fun project, because of Evil and Soundwave they laid the foundation for my build., thank you guys.

 

[james3370]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15231885#post15231885 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dtech
If you get the dimmable version you without the pot you will still need to get a pot to complete the circuit.

when i was putting all my wiring in the project box, i managed to break the wire on the pot (orange & green in pic below). i connected the 2 wires together & they worked at 100%, so that would be a temp workaround for somebody wanting to dim later

 

[hlem]

please give input on this design. click on image. thanks

 

[dtech]

I am glad to hear they work no problem doing that , especially if I screw one up, I am deffinatly interested in reading about the control circuits for dimming with controllers,I would like to get into a nice controller setup after this project.
+1 on the Kudos for the insparation, Soundwave and Evil got me all in when I was just thiinking of it as a possibility before.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15227244#post15227244 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hlem
has anyone done any test to see how many LED per square feet for 1/3W LED, or how much Lumen per W per square feet?

And does it really have to be a buckpuck or just any type of constant current source? here is what i'm looking at to rig up a constant current source... source alot cheaper than a buckpuck..

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15227275#post15227275 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hlem
or this http://www.instructables.com/id/Super-simple-high-power-LED-driver/

I've spent the last month or two learning everything I can about DIY drivers for these sorts of projects, and though I have yet to build one, I think I can speak with at least a little bit of knowledge.

The two projects you linked to will certainly work, but will likely be inefficient, depending on the forward voltage of the LEDs and the input voltage you are feeding the driver. Both of those designs are basically burning off the "excess" power, which means lots of waste under many conditions. The current "sensing" is done at full power, not off a separate low-voltage circuit as on buckpucks or other efficient drivers.

If you were doing 6 LEDs for a little desktop nano that might not be a big deal, but if you are attempting to drive 100 for a big tank, you might as well just stick with halides!

There *are* ways to build DIY drivers that are cheaper than buckpucks and at least as efficient (if not more) but there doesn't seem to be a ton of documentation of people doing it successfully on the web. And they have more than two parts. Within the next week or so, I'm going to be placing a digikey order to build 5 drivers based on the OnSemi NCP3065. They should cost about $6 each and easily hit <90% efficiency. I'll be sure to post here when I get it put together.

please give input on this design. click on image. thanks

I don't see an image!

 

[hlem]

the image should be in my Gallery.

 

[g8gxp]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15231965#post15231965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luisagos
Yes, I plan to have a full DIY thread for us Profilux owners.
My LEDS and Driver might ship next week.
EVG-AP2 is a must have for my project.
I am also waiting for my Analog card from GHL, that will allow me to hook up my PAR Sensor to Profilux and maybe have PAR levels dictate my brightness levels.

Its going to be a fun project, because of Evil and Soundwave they laid the foundation for my build., thank you guys.

looking forward to this luisagos!! i also was part of the group buy, 100 led's + 10 meanwells, and hoping to connect to my profilux. Lot's of pics please when you start!!!!!

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15236606#post15236606 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hlem
the image should be in my Gallery.

Just looked. That'll certainly power the LEDs but IMHO is probably pushing the limit - you'll probably want to heatsink the LM317's and depending on which brand/package you use, you may be over the max power dissipation (i.e. you'll let the smoke out).

A common theme in the material I have found about powering multiple high brightness LEDs on DIY drivers has suggested shying away from linear regulators (like the LM317) because of inefficiencies inherent in that approach. Maybe someone with more real-world EE experience can provide a more positive outlook, but IMHO it's not worth it.

 

[hlem]

hm.. the chip i'm looking at can handle 1.5A output, so the LED i'm thinking of is only requiring 700mA, which is only half, so is it realy pushing the chip?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

What brand and package are you looking at? Do you have a datasheet?

Typically the max current is listed with a disclaimer that there is some max power you (also) can't exceed. So while the chip may be able to handle 1.5A dropping 5V to 4V, it may not be able to handle 1.5A dropping 24V to 12V, for example.

A common theme seems to be that using linear voltage regulators puts you squarely in the inefficiency camp, vs. switching regulators. And, maybe this only bothers me because I'm an efficiency geek, but even *if* a chip can handle dissipating 4 or 5 watts (probably about what you're asking them to do in your design), IMHO it's not ideal, if there are other designs out there that'll do the same thing but only burn .1 watts.

 

[hlem]

I'm looking at digikey, searching on LM317, and this is the datasheet

http://www.onsemi.com/pub_link/Collateral/LM317-D.PDF