Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[Lassef]

Yes they are 2.5 W indidual LED´s

11V*2.1A= 23,1 /9 = 2.57 W/each

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ReefUrchin]

Oh, okay, I was getting all caught up in the hype and not paying attention. This guy lists his 45mil 20w at 20w and his 100w 45mil at 50w. So, I thought 20w = 40w. Next time i will study the math a little closer :facepalm:

 

[ReefUrchin]

Oh, okay, I was getting all caught up in the hype and not paying attention. This guy lists his 45mil 20w at 20w and his 100w 45mil at 50w. So, I thought 20w = 40w. Next time i will study the math a little closer :facepalm:

I will have one more question for you later Lassef when i get my heatsinks today. They are gonna be so friken cool I am stoked, lol. I just have to figure how I am gonna space everything.

 

[trggerman]

i did some share of leds DIY starting using china leds then cree. some months back, i dumped everything and bought several AI Super Sol as I got tired of maintaining several DIY rig.

Now the DIY bug bites again, and i looking at the multichip because of minimal components involved - 1 LED, 1 driver, 1 heatsink/cooler. No more solder, fuses, resistors, etc.

I'm looking at "EPISTAR 100W Super Actinic Blue Hybrid Led Panel for Aquarium" which has the specs ...

PAR reading(Instrument: Apogee MQ-200):
1360 (3A current)
2045 (6A current)
DC forward Voltage: 32-36V
DC forward current: 7A max


Here are the questions ...

1. the same site sells 100W drivers but has a max A of 3.1A. Is it under rated for 100W bulb if i want to hit the 6A max for the led? do I need to look for a different driver?

 

[Punkalflufen]

Well 3.1Ax 36V=111.6W so the driver you mention would be driving the chip at around 100-110w i reckon.

A lot of EPISTAR multichips are like this, they are 2.5w individual LEDs but the suggested power input is ~1w per LED this means they are capable or running a lot more power through them 216w at 6A and 252w max at 7A but at the higher levels they are not as efficient and produce a lot more heat.

 

[Punkalflufen]

Sorry extra post

 

[WaterSkiier]

This thread is great thanks!

So I am setting up a 10-11 ft tank. And before I get into the colors and models of lights etc I want to settle on a general layout.These all seem to cost about $1500 USD

Since the tank will be ~ 120"x25"x27" high it seems like I will have to use more of lower wattage lights. Would something like 24x 20w multichips work for this with the color mix decided later? That would given pretty even color and light intensity along the way, but it is a little more $ per watt of light. 528 Watts total

I could get something like 9 name brand 50w epistar multichips overdriven up to 120w each for the same price, but this seems like the color and light intensity would be VERY all over the place if I used say 6x blue and 3x white chips. 1101 Watts

I could also do something like 12x ebay 50w lights which would give slightly better distribution for the same price, but the total wattage is less at 691 Watts

 

[ReefUrchin]

Since were talking 100w LEDs, how big of a passive heatsink do we need to run a 100w LED with no fan? I cant remember if it was mentioned or not? Any links of one or two?

 

[joelbegt]

Does anyone know how lens diameter affects the intensity and spread or other characteristics?

Example:
100w chip with 45mm lens 60 degrees vs. 78mm lens 60 degrees.

Also how does changing/increasing the distance between the lens and chip affect the intensity and spread or other characteristics?

 

[GRTTSOU]

Thank you all for your quick response!

 

[tomservo]

Since were talking 100w LEDs, how big of a passive heatsink do we need to run a 100w LED with no fan? I cant remember if it was mentioned or not? Any links of one or two?

Look up the NoFan CR100A or CR95 - these are 95/100w fanless coolers. You still need *some* circulation in the vicinity, though.

WaterSkiier: Have you considered instead using 5 bigger multichips, each covering a 25x25 area? I think the ac-rc units running at ~150-200w each would do you well. There are some available with both blue and white LEDs on the same multichip. There is an experimental/prototype 100w (252w) with 5 channels, white/445/420+430/455/white but these were a limited run and not generally available yet.

 

[reef kid96]

I am looking to retrofit my old t5 fixture with 4 20w epistar 14000k led's from ebay with 4 epistar 20w 445nm royal blue actinics or 4 epistar 20w super actinic blue hybrid led's over my 90 gallon mixed reef tank. I would really like your input before i go ahead and buy it. thanks in advance
Andrew

 

[WaterSkiier]

WaterSkiier: Have you considered instead using 5 bigger multichips, each covering a 25x25 area? I think the ac-rc units running at ~150-200w each would do you well. There are some available with both blue and white LEDs on the same multichip. There is an experimental/prototype 100w (252w) with 5 channels, white/445/420+430/455/white but these were a limited run and not generally available yet.

That really gets away from being able to adjust each of my colors on their own, or it gets away from the $1500 mark! For about $2k I can just buy 5x 120w fixtures so I am trying to stay away from there.

 

[tomservo]

That really gets away from being able to adjust each of my colors on their own, or it gets away from the $1500 mark! For about $2k I can just buy 5x 120w fixtures so I am trying to stay away from there.

Well the 5 channel chips were about the same price as the regular 100w ones, although there was a discount because of the size of the total order.. I think any in the future will only be a bit more than the normal ones, though, and mostly because the UV chips are more expensive then the blue. Someone on here mentioned getting some 3 channel chips made as well. ac-rc may be able to get the chips he already has as multichannel as well, but you'd have to ask him of course. Then you'd be able to adjust the blue and white seperately.

 

[Lassef]

i did some share of leds DIY starting using china leds then cree. some months back, i dumped everything and bought several AI Super Sol as I got tired of maintaining several DIY rig.

Now the DIY bug bites again, and i looking at the multichip because of minimal components involved - 1 LED, 1 driver, 1 heatsink/cooler. No more solder, fuses, resistors, etc.

I'm looking at "EPISTAR 100W Super Actinic Blue Hybrid Led Panel for Aquarium" which has the specs ...

PAR reading(Instrument: Apogee MQ-200):
1360 (3A current)
2045 (6A current)
DC forward Voltage: 32-36V
DC forward current: 7A max


Here are the questions ...

1. the same site sells 100W drivers but has a max A of 3.1A. Is it under rated for 100W bulb if i want to hit the 6A max for the led? do I need to look for a different driver?

There is also a 30-36V 6A 200 Watt Waterproof LED Driver at the same site. But it is not dimmable. There is also MeanWell HLG-185H-36B and HLG-240H-42B (5.2 and 5.72 A resp.) that is dimable.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[FREAKABHISHEK]

Hi

I have ordered

One set of 5 of these
http://www.ebay.in/itm/290739819764?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
4 of these
http://www.ebay.in/itm/221116650656?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
2 of these
http://www.ebay.in/itm/200798805322?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

And the power supply is
12V 10Amp 120W DC Switching Switch Power Supply Driver


I was thinking of connecting the blues and whites with individual dimmers


So please can someone guide me how should i set up the leds with the power supply.

Thanks

 

[danielcassar]

Hi Lasse!!

First of all thanks for sharing with us your MAGNIFICENT LED project!! im interested in doing a similar project like yours. I need your help in telling me how many LED Chip-sets i need and what Wattage is the best for my set-up....My tank measurements are as follow

Length of tank is 134cm (53")
Height 33 cm (13")
Depth 34cm (13")

The tank has a glass lid to prevent for splashes and to avoid fish from jumping.

Most of the corals are at the surface and middle part of the tank and they consists mainly of leather type corals, polyps, mushrooms and 2 hard corals.

I would greatly appreciate if you give me an advice!!

Thanks
Daniel

 

[Lassef]

Hi

I have ordered

One set of 5 of these
http://www.ebay.in/itm/290739819764?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
4 of these
http://www.ebay.in/itm/221116650656?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
2 of these
http://www.ebay.in/itm/200798805322?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

And the power supply is
12V 10Amp 120W DC Switching Switch Power Supply Driver


I was thinking of connecting the blues and whites with individual dimmers


So please can someone guide me how should i set up the leds with the power supply.

Thanks

You have choise a constant voltage driver. With power LED is this choise not an easy way to use constant voltage driver. Most people use a constant current drivers. With constant current drivers is the current given and the voltage will vary (in some limits)

This driver ELN-60-48 P or D (P= dim by PWM, D= dim by 1-10V) and with constant current region of 24-48 V works well with 3 - 4 of your 10 watts chip (in a daisy chain (33 - 44 V)) You have to adjust the internal potentiometer to 1000 mA constant current.

Sincerely Lasse[FONT=_R1495-ArialNarrow-Bold-Bold][FONT=_R1495-ArialNarrow-Bold-Bold]

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[Lassef]

Hi Lasse!!

First of all thanks for sharing with us your MAGNIFICENT LED project!! im interested in doing a similar project like yours. I need your help in telling me how many LED Chip-sets i need and what Wattage is the best for my set-up....My tank measurements are as follow

Length of tank is 134cm (53")
Height 33 cm (13")
Depth 34cm (13")

The tank has a glass lid to prevent for splashes and to avoid fish from jumping.

Most of the corals are at the surface and middle part of the tank and they consists mainly of leather type corals, polyps, mushrooms and 2 hard corals.

I would greatly appreciate if you give me an advice!!

Thanks
Daniel

The aquarium is shallow - you can probably use 10 or 20 watt chip without lenses. I believe that 10 - 12 pieces of 10 watts is sufficient. and you can get more variety with 12 pieces of 10 watt compared to 6 pieces
of 20 watt.

Try to avoid the glass lid below the LED

Sincerely Lasse</SPAN><O</O

 

[ReefUrchin]

There is an experimental/prototype 100w (252w) with 5 channels, white/445/420+430/455/white but these were a limited run

Is there a thread link for these? That seems to be the new wave direction I would think!?