DIY LEDs - The write-up

[qfrisco]

By the way, not sure if this is allowed, but here's a link to the LED build thread I posted on my local reef club forum. Tons more info and pics of my build over there.

http://www.dfwmas.org/Forums/viewtopic.php?t=61197

 

[qfrisco]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15157934#post15157934 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by der_wille_zur_macht
Thanks for the info, but man I must be a cheapskate - I'd like to pay $2.99 for a heatsink like that, not $12.99. :lol:

Hehe - true. By the way, I found a website that has that specific heatsink listed for $8.99. Still not $2.99 though.

 

[lilmonster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15157776#post15157776 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by der_wille_zur_macht
Do you have a (cheap) source for the heatsinks you used?

Looking around online to find cheap sinks in about that dimension is like trying to get a sip of water from a firehose.

Check with your local computer guy or store,(not best buy, the little guy) ask if they have old parts you can dig thru.



**removed**

 

[qfrisco]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15157516#post15157516 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lilmonster
That's a great idea.

What are you powering it with?

Thanks! Both clusters of three LEDs are wired in serial, and both clusters are wired in parallel to a 700mA Buck Puck. As a power supply I am using an old Compaq laptop charger that outputs 18.5v DC 2.7A. It's perfect for what I'm doing.

 

[dhraako]

My Setup

My Setup

Hey I have a BC14 and I was tinkering around with how I am going to organize my LEDs.

I'm going for a 2:1 ratio blue to whites and came up with the following:

<IMG SRC="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55632LEDs.jpg">

What do you all think? Will both options result in the same general effect?

 

[james3370]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15158065#post15158065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lilmonster
Check with your local computer guy or store,(not best buy, the little guy) ask if they have old parts you can dig thru.



**removed**

hmmmm.....my buddy has a car stereo store.....i bet he has some fried car amps in a scrap heap i can pillage for large heatsinks

 

[apt220]

Re: My Setup

Re: My Setup

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15158600#post15158600 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhraako
Hey I have a BC14 and I was tinkering around with how I am going to organize my LEDs.

I'm going for a 2:1 ratio blue to whites and came up with the following:

<IMG SRC="http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/55632LEDs.jpg">

What do you all think? Will both options result in the same general effect?

I think 'A' gives the better distribution of light.

 

[luther1200]

Has anybody read higher PAR numbers than on the first page? Is anybody getting good growth in an SPS tank with this type of set up? They seemed a little low to be compared with 175w MH. I have seen 150w MH with higher PAR than that. Is that because the 150W are double ended? I am not trying to knock anybody or anything, so please don't get the wrong idea. I actually like it very much and am thinking of trying something out on my nano tank. So I am trying to get an idea of what kind of success people are having with this type of set up. Any pictures would be great.

 

[apt220]

lnxvs has a webpage that shows much higher PAR with optics. 500-600 In the middle of his tank. Look at his pic that I posted on page 22 before the split.

As fars as SPS growth, I haven't seen many tanks with 100% LEDs and SPS, but soundwaves frags seem to be doing well without optics.

 

[dtech]

Can anyone tell me where I can find the stats on the spread pattern for the optics for Cree's, I am trying to decide if I am going to use them or not.

 

[apt220]

It says on the LEDsupply website, Wide is 44-FWHM, which I was told is okay to assume it's 44degrees optics.

 

[dtech]

I have read through that there too and I came to the same conclusion, I am looking to see what the pattern is(round, rectangle). tryng to figure out what I can get away with, there are some other angles available as well, they are getting them on nano-reef.

 

[Soundwave]

Luther1200:

The first pic is April 15th 2009 - The day I glued this purple digi to a rock.

The second is today, June 8th 2009.

This is not in direct light from the LEDs but more centered in the tank. They seem to do just fine.

 

[kcress]

Re: My Setup

Re: My Setup

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15158600#post15158600 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dhraako
What do you all think? Will both options result in the same general effect?

Go with C!



#$&#$&
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[apt220]

Nice soundwave. How is the bonzai doing?

kcress: I agree that's much better. It make more sense to go with 18 since the standard is 6 LEDs/buckpuck.

 

[Soundwave]

I'll have to take another pic of the bonsai this evening when I get home.

 

[fernandokng]

I have noticed that my AquaDelight SPS is starting to get its blue/aqua color (after being brown for like a year!). I really think it has to do with the Blue Crees. That thing is so powerful, and you can really see it penetrate deep into the tank.

My only issue is that with the 44" optics and 48 leds, and about 12 inches off the water, the overall coverage is not that great for a 36"L and 18"W 58 Gallon. The sides of the tank does not have that much light, so I can't put corals there, which bumbs me out.

I'm thinking I may just take off the optics near the outer edge of the heatsink, losing intensity, but gaining coverage. I'm not sure yet. I've noticed I see a lot less build up on the glass because there's less light hitting that area.

My nitrates are about 10, and phosphates are almost zero (elos kit) due to the gfo and cheato.

 

[qfrisco]

Can someone double-check my power budgeting? I understand that the voltage budget needs to cover the cumulative forward voltage drop from the LEDs (plus a couple volts), and that the current (amps) budget needs to cover the number of buck pucks I plan to use.

But how does this change when I'm only using one buck puck (700mA), but the buck puck is driving two parallel strands of 3 LEDs (3.5V forward voltage) that are wired in series?

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

The voltage drop across each of your LED stands will be 3.5 * 3 = 10.5v. Since you are putting two of these such strands in parallel on a 700mA buckpuck, each strand will "get" 350mA of current, and the buckpuck will be running against about 10.5v.

So, you need a power supply with an output of 12.5v (or a bit more) and capable of more than 700mA of current. MPJA has several 13.5v and 15v supplies rated above that current that would work, for instance.

 

[qfrisco]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15162631#post15162631 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by der_wille_zur_macht
The voltage drop across each of your LED stands will be 3.5 * 3 = 10.5v. Since you are putting two of these such strands in parallel on a 700mA buckpuck, each strand will "get" 350mA of current, and the buckpuck will be running against about 10.5v.

So, you need a power supply with an output of 12.5v (or a bit more) and capable of more than 700mA of current. MPJA has several 13.5v and 15v supplies rated above that current that would work, for instance.

Oh, gotcha! So I guess the LEDs in my spotlights (described above) are only getting 350mA? No wonder they were barely producing any heat! I thought they were plenty bright, but I guess should be brighter! I'm going to go back and wire all the LEDs in series - the shimmer should get even more pronounced.

My power supply outputs up to 2.7A so should be more than enough. But wait, it only outputs 18.5v DC so I guess I'm gonna have to get another power supply.

Thanks!