DIY LEDs - The write-up

[hlem]

You are mixing up supply voltage with control voltage. All of the mean well drivers (at least the ones being used for these sorts of projects) must be wired to 120VAC (i.e. put a plug on the driver and plug it into a standard outlet in your house.)

so no power supply is needed for the meanwell driver? cable from wall directly to driver then to LED, and that's it?

 

[hlem]

but you're not done yet LOL....you still need heatsinks. w/out looking at it exactly, i'd say figure another $500 or so for those

Why cant you get one of those long heat sink at heatsinkusa.com? you can even get the 3ft long one for like $80

 

[lynxvs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15288169#post15288169 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gguertin
First I have not read this entire thread and if its been covered I appologize...

Has someone done any testing on an led system like this or commercial and proven that it can support the light intensity required to maintain hard corals?

If so its time for new bulbs for me... something like this would probably be worth the investment... but what I am curious about is this still in the testing were not sure stage or is this a system that is ready to be used???

I have been been running an LED light for over a year and have not had any luck with SPS... not from lack of trying I've tried many species including some of the same soudwave reported growth on. The soft coral growth is excellent however. I tested all water parameters and measured excellent PAR and don't see a reason they wouldn't thrive. I want to believe.... I have spent a fortune on building a light but the fact is no SPS growth. I think your question has been asked many times in this forum and I have yet to see any real facts presented to prove the case otherwise.

 

[MerDoX]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Kcress, I'm only supplementing my T5s with LEDs. I love the colors from T5 combo, but it just doesn't have the WOW factor of shimmering. With royal blue LEDs, I got both shimmering and popped out colors like a psychedelic 3D poster. It's too expensive to build a full out LEDs set up.

supertech99, total cost for me was around $100. Break down is LED $6ea x6($8 for shipping from group buy), buckpuck $20($5 shipping), aluminum bar $5, tap bit $4.25, misc (screws, washers, thermo compound, project box, wires) $20. I found an old power supply from HP scanner so it's like no cost to me.

Hlem, you can plug Meanwell directly into the wall (110v-120V) and it can power 13 LEDs. I chose buckpuck cuz it has potentionmeter preinstalled = dimmable. You'll need to build a dimmer for Meanwell, if you want that function.

 

[gguertin]

lynxvs

can I ask what you used for your led system? how large of a tank... how deep? How many leds? what powersupplies?

I am looking at a 125 so the light would be pretty big but i spend quite a bit on the halides yearly and monthly with electric that make me think led would be great... I have some research to do as well.. havent looked into any of this just saw the thread on the bottom of rc....

 

[lynxvs]

gguertin
My tank is 29 Gal. standard size 30L X 12W X18D. I am using 60 rebel LEDs, 36 cool white, 20 royal Blue and 4 Cyan and use a 24 V power supply. The lights are controlled by a microprocessor that simulates sunrise and sunset. the lights are on from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

 

[lynxvs]

I pretty much copied the Solaris unit Identical LEDs and LED count...I figure they put in more research then I could how can I go wrong?

 

[gguertin]

have you verified that your sunrise and sunset simulation are getting you max light for the amount of time needed? I wonder if making sure your getting 7-8 hrs full light?

I work with cpu's all day... never put it past a failure their... hehehe

what about trying just an on off system for a while?

 

[lynxvs]

Here's one version with 50 LEDs.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

gguertin, I'm sure you've seen this, but here is Soudwave's original configuration:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1587273&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

His tank's surface area is about 60% of yours (I'm guessing at the dims of your 125), so if you doubled his configuration (i.e. LEDs per surface area) you should be more than satisfied. That would mean 48 whites and 48 blues.

Here is lynxvs's tank with PAR readings:

He had a slightly higher LED density (i.e. LEDs/square inch) than Soundwave, and used optics.

Here are growth shots Soundwave posted earlier in the thread:

That was ONE WEEK under LEDs, and you can see growth!

Here's a photo of the same coral he posted more recently. No date, but it shows that the coral continued good growth:

Here's another growth sequence he posted. This one was just under 2 months:

Considering that Soundwave's rig is less PAR than others (i.e. lynxvs's), it's pretty solid results, IMHO.

 

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Lynxvs and Soundwave, I hope you guys don't mind me reposting your images - but since there were questions more recently about the viability of LEDs, I wanted to summarize the evidence that has been posted to date so newcomers to the thread don't have to dig through 60 pages.

 

[lynxvs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15288704#post15288704 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gguertin
have you verified that your sunrise and sunset simulation are getting you max light for the amount of time needed? I wonder if making sure your getting 7-8 hrs full light?

I work with cpu's all day... never put it past a failure their... hehehe

what about trying just an on off system for a while?

I'm positive it's working my tank is in a spot where it is seen all day. My first prototype just had an on off switch. Believe me i've spent lots of time on this....

 

[lynxvs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15288765#post15288765 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by der_wille_zur_macht
Lynxvs and Soundwave, I hope you guys don't mind me reposting your images - but since there were questions more recently about the viability of LEDs, I wanted to summarize the evidence that has been posted to date so newcomers to the thread don't have to dig through 60 pages.

thanks der_wille_zur_macht!
I would like to see more long term data.... my SPS did good for the first month or so....

 

[lynxvs]

Here is what i have been seeing..

New
Jan 2 2009

March 7 2009

 

[lynxvs]

after that dead.

 

[james3370]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15288552#post15288552 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MerDoX
Hlem, you can plug Meanwell directly into the wall (110v-120V) and it can power 13 LEDs. I chose buckpuck cuz it has potentionmeter preinstalled = dimmable. You'll need to build a dimmer for Meanwell, if you want that function.

actually the dimmable meanwell has the wires for the pot...just no pot. you can also order the buckpucks the same way for about $5 cheaper than the ones w/ the pre-wired pot

i will be using buckpucks for mine & getting them dimmable w/out the pot so i can take them to a gang pot to control all of them w/ one knob

 

[gguertin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15288859#post15288859 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lynxvs
after that dead.

hmm... doesnt make me feel to good about trying it... may have to buy another set of halides and wait for a year to see what happens...

Thanks for all your help!

 

[dtech]

LEDs are on the way, or of sorts , being assembled on boards then on the way, 30 CW and 30 RB, I will start the assembly as soon as they arrive.

 

[MerDoX]

James3370, you're right. If you plan to have more than 1 or 2 buckpucks, a gang pot is easier to control everything. I only need 1 buck puck to control 6 LEDs so ordering buckpuck w/pot is easier for me.

 

[anj1204]

This is a sketch I threw together right quick. It is for a 75g mixed reef. Right now it doubles the amount of LED's that are on Soundwaves. But the more I look at it, the more I think it is to much. Your opinions and comments would be appreciated.
Thanks
Alan