DIY LEDs - The write-up

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I saw the piece, I was wondering if it was acrylic or glass. I read your build page and like how you have done everything.
 
seeing how it matched up the curved shape of the acrylic box perfectly, i kinda assumed it was acrylic & an edging bit in a router was used to match the 2 edges

that curved edge of the acrylic box could be matched w/ a glass bottom, but it'd be a pain
 
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unless you have a really deep tank, most posts i have seen on people doing them at 1000ma are turning them down quite a bit from the intensity

i am doing a shallow tank (16" or less), so 700 is probably gonna be overkill

i'm also planning on adding a uv led or 2 in the mix as well & the max they will take is 700ma, so no sense in having to to get a seperate driver for just them
 
screws

screws

You guys show really think about dropping the screws for the stars and using Thermal tape. It was sooooooo much easier.
 
Re: screws

Re: screws

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15361775#post15361775 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kecked
You guys show really think about dropping the screws for the stars and using Thermal tape. It was sooooooo much easier.
Click to expand...


I have a hard time trusting tape to prevent the death of the entire aquarium. Or possibly a fire if the LED drops onto an acrylic shield.

I will probably use the tape, but I will strategically route all the wires thru several screwed down cable grips. That way if the tape fails the LED will still be held out of the water or off the splash shield.
 
I can't seem to find this fixture on their website...anyone have a link?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15328994#post15328994 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JoshuaG
Here is my build so far. This will be lighting a 39g Cadlight tank.

Going with 3 Meanwell ELN 60-48-D drivers to power 33 CREE XRE Q5 LED's, 17 white and 16 Royal Blue. 3 rows of 11. My plan is to have them controlled by my RKL once they release the ALC module for it. The fixture I bought bare from Catalina Aquarium, fits great!

IMG_1440.jpg
Click to expand...
 
Nice Housing for heatsinks

Hey guys. I'm building a 4 LED setup for a pico tank and I'll be using a 700mA buckpuck. Can I use a spare power supply from a Macbook with this specs:

85W
18.5V --- 4.6A

???
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15364332#post15364332 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sammy113
Nice Housing for heatsinks

Hey guys. I'm building a 4 LED setup for a pico tank and I'll be using a 700mA buckpuck. Can I use a spare power supply from a Macbook with this specs:

85W
18.5V --- 4.6A

???
Click to expand...

should work.....cree leds at 700ma have a forward voltage of 3.5v so (3.5*4=14v) so you have plenty of headroom since the wall adapter puts out 18.5v & the buckpuck will only draw 700ma & the wall adapter has 4.6a (4600ma)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15365733#post15365733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by widmer
I have an aquarium. It's pretty neat.
Click to expand...


Methinks you've had too much of the Pharmaceuticals over there at University of Michigan...
 
Was wondering where everyone is buying the mean wells. I contacted powergate llc earlier and elizabeth was pretty clear - OEM only. So no luck.

Unless there is another source with something in stock, then it is the buck pucks, huh?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15366484#post15366484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saf1
Was wondering where everyone is buying the mean wells. I contacted powergate llc earlier and elizabeth was pretty clear - OEM only. So no luck.

Unless there is another source with something in stock, then it is the buck pucks, huh?
Click to expand...

Many folks got them through a group buy organized on another reef forum.

There are LOTS of other options though, if you want a mean well-style driver (AC-DC constant current) - I thought I had posted some in this thread but I don't see the list now. Magtech, Advance (under the Xitanium brand), Lightech, and Dialight all make this sort of product. And, Luxdrive makes a version of the buckpuck that'll run off (low voltage) AC, so you could go that route, too.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15366484#post15366484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saf1
Was wondering where everyone is buying the mean wells. I contacted powergate llc earlier and elizabeth was pretty clear - OEM only. So no luck.

Unless there is another source with something in stock, then it is the buck pucks, huh?
Click to expand...

I ordered my Meanwell supplys from powergate a couple of months ago and didnt have any problems.....
I spoke with Maria Cornejo and she just made me sign a waiver that stated that I was using these for a personal project, and they would not be warranted or returnable. I only ordered two for my first build....

HTH
 
Thanks Sphil - I'll see if I can send her a email based off of Elizabeth's return address. Maybe I'll get lucky.

If not - then I'll work with what der_wille_zur_macht provided. I like the idea of mean wells for the all in one unit and how it can handle a couple more led's. But if not, then I'll work something out.

Thanks everyone.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15366484#post15366484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saf1
Was wondering where everyone is buying the mean wells. I contacted powergate llc earlier and elizabeth was pretty clear - OEM only. So no luck.

Unless there is another source with something in stock, then it is the buck pucks, huh?
Click to expand...

check my post near the top of this page for some i found on ebay that look promising....kinda pricey though

also, if you are wanting just the std meanwells, several places i looked (including powergate) had them in stock.....it's just the dimmables that are all but extinct right now LOL
 
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