DIY lighting

For what? A 300 gallon system or a 8g cube?

The simplest self contained setup is a PAR38 bulb
 
aiq25 said:
I mean to say which brand. I was looking at some before too and found some on Amazon but not sure which one will be a good kind to get.
Click to expand...
good quality requires good money.
ebay:
Royal blue CREE Leds 15$ for 10pc ebay + 7$ driver
+ White CREE Leds 15$ for 10pc + 7$ driver
....
+ as much colors as you want
= 10-22$ per channel
 
kapelan said:
good quality requires good money.
ebay:
Royal blue CREE Leds 15$ for 10pc ebay + 7$ driver
+ White CREE Leds 15$ for 10pc + 7$ driver
....
+ as much colors as you want
= 10-22$ per channel
Click to expand...

Not sure about that pricing since you will need heatsink, LEDs, drivers(the ones you mentioned require a power source), power source, mounting solution, and some odds and ends ...

I agree that putting some money into it is the best way to go but the calculation you provided is not a full picture.


I agree that a Par38 is probably the cheapest way to go. They can be decent as well especially for a small nano tank. Probably not enough for a 28 gallon nano though. It will probably still cost more than $40.

Get a light that has royal blue and white if possible. Some people prefer different spectrum but I find that 2 Royal blue to every white is my personal favorite.



P.S. CREE is considered the best LED ...
 
Clownfish2004 said:
Does any one Know how to do a DIY led lighting system for under $40.:fish1:
Click to expand...

Sure w/ cheap LED's , scavenged computer power supplies, scavenged aluminum and 3W resistors..
You "might" be able to do something fairly decent.
You'd have to run them constant voltage in sets of 3 in series and parallel groups..

This is based on estimates and is certainly NOT particularly efficient nor recommended. But it "can" be done..
And this would be duplicated so to have a 2 channel design..though it is not limited to this. V(f) and drive current was chosen at random..

cheap5.jpg

Now for someone elses opinion:
I've used fixed voltage supplies for high powered LED arrays, and it's simply not worth the hassle 99% of the time. Your forward voltage total needs to match the fixed voltage out-put, and if it doesn't you're either under powering your array or over driving it. Resistors are dangerous when mixed with high powered LEDs because they can easily get hot enough to set fires. Resistor / LED calculations assume you're using 20-50mA LEDs.
Click to expand...

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/299100-pc-power-supply-for-led/

I do find that interesting since "we" have been using large power resistors for decades.. ;)

http://www.amazon.com/Amico-Axial-Ceramic-Cement-Resistors/dp/B0087ZDGGU

5w2.2.jpg
 
Last edited:
beolson25 said:
Well Played Oreo ... Well Played ... :) :fun2:
Click to expand...

it may soon not matter...
http://ledwaves-projects.com/2014/07/14/led-merger-mystery/

Philips announced their intention to spin off Lumileds "“ which covers LUXEON, the line of LEDs built into the Illinois PAR30, the New York 3.0 PAR38, the Genesys 3.0 T8 tube, and a growing number of more industrial LED lights we are developing "“ into a separate company, after making an impressive $1.91 billion in sales last year.
This news coincided with Cree announcing their intention to grow through strategic acquisition. The makers of the LEDs in our Midtown recessed lights, Andromeda high bay, the California MR16 and other bulbs made in the USA by LED Waves; Cree is a direct competitor to Philips Lumileds, having shown comparable success with $1.4 billion in 2013 sales.
Click to expand...
 
I'd be interested in seeing the same comparison run with more modern LEDs. If Cree suggested XPE HEW and XPG as their best, that report must be a good few years old. I don't know if the Rebel ES is any different now (couldn't find binning info for the model listed in that report) but XPG2 is up to 60% more efficient than either the XPE HEW or XPG they used. Never mind comparing it to the XML2!

Tim
 
just curious, where did you come up with that number? $40? Why not $50 or $100 or even $20? Is it because $40 is all you have or because that is what you are willing to spend?
 
I would think, based on XTE white and royal blue, maybe 5 white & 10 RB, a single driver & PSU, heat sink & fan, you could do it.

Use a meanwell APC 35 700, all LEDs on a single string and one of these heat sinks:
http://www.newark.com/abl-heatsinks/345ab1500b/heat-sink-0-85-c-w/dp/07WX4342

Should be able to get that lot for not much over $40 (APC looks to be available for $10, heatsink is $17 and should be up to the job without fans, LEDs for less than $20 - you can get XTE for less than £1 each over here and you guys usually have cheaper suppliers for them).

Very basic light, but should do the job :)

Tim
 
perkint said:
I would think, based on XTE white and royal blue, maybe 5 white & 10 RB, a single driver & PSU, heat sink & fan, you could do it.

Use a meanwell APC 35 700, all LEDs on a single string and one of these heat sinks:
http://www.newark.com/abl-heatsinks/345ab1500b/heat-sink-0-85-c-w/dp/07WX4342

Should be able to get that lot for not much over $40 (APC looks to be available for $10, heatsink is $17 and should be up to the job without fans, LEDs for less than $20 - you can get XTE for less than £1 each over here and you guys usually have cheaper suppliers for them).

Very basic light, but should do the job :)

Tim
Click to expand...

Could you give me the link for were I could get led:uzi:
 
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