I just now got around to putting together some DIY PWM dimmable moonlights for my 75g. I didn't have any on the tank before this, but I have a couple of biocubes and I wanted something for the 75.
After searching around for regular retail moonlights, I found that I just wasn't happy with what I was finding available out there. Mainly, the cost was too high for what was being delivered, or the reviews were coming back poor and for whatever reason I just couldn't pull the trigger.
So, that being said, when I stumbled across the SparkFun FemtoBuck LED Driver, and combined it with this 12v 600ma power supply, and three of these 3w blue LED and using Arctic Silver thermal adhesive to glue them to a 2" wide by 36" long strip of 1/8th inch thick aluminum bar from Home Depot...
I've now got myself a nice PWM dimmable moonlight.
Now one thing to note, is that they are (by default) being driven at only 350ma. I was originally debating if this would be bright enough or not. The Sparkfun driver has the capability of outputting 660ma if needed by simply soldering two jumper pads together. So I figured I would try the default 350ma setting and see how it goes. Well, I don't see any need at all to bump up the amperage, as three LED's at 350ma at 100% brightness is actually way too bright for my taste.
At the moment, I have them pointed up, at the top of the canopy, until I can hook up my ESP8266 and begin dimming them down to simulate the various moon phases. (which is another project I'm in process of finally putting together right now, after several months delay... school and work and family got in the way)
All in all, the cost was right around $42 all said and done, which was not too bad, as I know that these things should last darn near forever as there's no heat being generated at all, and I love that I can PWM control them to simulate the moon phases.
After searching around for regular retail moonlights, I found that I just wasn't happy with what I was finding available out there. Mainly, the cost was too high for what was being delivered, or the reviews were coming back poor and for whatever reason I just couldn't pull the trigger.
So, that being said, when I stumbled across the SparkFun FemtoBuck LED Driver, and combined it with this 12v 600ma power supply, and three of these 3w blue LED and using Arctic Silver thermal adhesive to glue them to a 2" wide by 36" long strip of 1/8th inch thick aluminum bar from Home Depot...
I've now got myself a nice PWM dimmable moonlight.
Now one thing to note, is that they are (by default) being driven at only 350ma. I was originally debating if this would be bright enough or not. The Sparkfun driver has the capability of outputting 660ma if needed by simply soldering two jumper pads together. So I figured I would try the default 350ma setting and see how it goes. Well, I don't see any need at all to bump up the amperage, as three LED's at 350ma at 100% brightness is actually way too bright for my taste.
At the moment, I have them pointed up, at the top of the canopy, until I can hook up my ESP8266 and begin dimming them down to simulate the various moon phases. (which is another project I'm in process of finally putting together right now, after several months delay... school and work and family got in the way)
All in all, the cost was right around $42 all said and done, which was not too bad, as I know that these things should last darn near forever as there's no heat being generated at all, and I love that I can PWM control them to simulate the moon phases.
