Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[danielcassar]

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

Thanks Lasse for your reply!

do you recommend a mix of 10,000K, royal hybrid blue or 450nm leds!?
also how high up i should fix the leds on my tank!?
can i use a PC power supply instead of drivers?!

Thanks
Daniel

 

[Lassef]

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

The chip is described as a 5 channel multichip

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Lassef]

Thanks Lasse for your reply!

do you recommend a mix of 10,000K, royal hybrid blue or 450nm leds!?
also how high up i should fix the leds on my tank!?
can i use a PC power supply instead of drivers?!

Thanks
Daniel

I myself have used the 14,000 to 16,000 K white chip and RB chip at 445 and 455 nm. 1:1 and dimmable drivers.

No I recommend that you use constant current drivers. As I wrote in another thread -

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 watt chip (in a daisy chain (33 - 44 V)) You have to adjust the internal potentiometer to 1000 mA constant current.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Sonny n Colleen]

ReefUrchin, I believe you will start seeing more info soon when folks start posting their projects with the prototype LED.

 

[ReefUrchin]

Yea, I am sure, I am just chomping at the bit while my corals are giving me the middle finger with the light setup I have on there now. they are doing "okay" now but I think they are threatening to go on strike here soon. :uhoh3: :lolspin:

 

[dartier]

I am curious what everyone is doing for lenses? I have 24 10W & 20W leds that I am pretty sure I will need to get lenses for as my tank is 24" deep and only 18" wide. The cost seems excessive though ($240.00+) from ac-rc. I see all these cheap lenses online from China, but usually without the base. Also what types of lenses should we be looking for (double convex or plano-convex)? I want a contained spread, but some of the examples I have seen from the vendors look more like a very narrow focus point. Think beam of death! :furious:

The other thing I noticed is that most of these lens only deals show a range of angles (30, 60 & 90) all being possible from the same lens. I am wondering if the distance the lens is mounted from the LED changes its focal point and therefore the angle and ultimately spread? According to Lassef's spread calculator I really should be trying to get a 30-45 degree angle lens, but the package versions (lens with base) all seem to start at 60 degrees.

I have found some bases that I think would work for a 10W panel and separate lenses from a different vendor that should give me a ~$3/piece solution, but it is really tough to determine if they are indeed compatible from the limited info you often get presented with. E.g. should the base width and lens with be the same or does the lens fit into the base and therefore need to be smaller width than the base?

Anyway what is everyone else doing?

Dennis

 

[danielcassar]

I myself have used the 14,000 to 16,000 K white chip and RB chip at 445 and 455 nm. 1:1 and dimmable drivers.

No I recommend that you use constant current drivers. As I wrote in another thread -

Sincerely Lasse

Thanks Lasse for your advice

when u say dimmable is it automatic dim or u need to dim the leds manually!?
also if i do 12 10W leds...should i have 12 dimmable drivers per led?

as my tank is only 13" deep...you told me that i can go without lenses...how high should i place the leds above tank surface?

Thanks
Daniel

 

[marspeed]

...how high should i place the leds above tank surface?

i am also interested in the answer

 

[Lassef]

Thanks Lasse for your advice

when u say dimmable is it automatic dim or u need to dim the leds manually!?
also if i do 12 10W leds...should i have 12 dimmable drivers per led?

as my tank is only 13" deep...you told me that i can go without lenses...how high should i place the leds above tank surface?

Thanks
Daniel

One of the reasons that I chose the ELN-60-48 (p or d) is that it is possible to connect 4 pieces 10 watt LED in series to each driver. So you need 3 drivers to 12 chips. Both P and D version requires an external source of dimming. P requires a source that provides a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal and D variant an external 1-10 V signal. Many aquarium computers provide this capability and the channels dims according to a schedule you set for yourself.

A manual 1-10 V signals you can create yourself by using a 10 V battery (or battery eliminator) and a potentiometer.

My 10-watt LED is located about 12 - 15 cm above the surface and they are provided with a splashguard. If you use a splashguard (which you should do), you can be closer if you want it.

i am also interested in the answer

See above

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Lassef]

First test

Sincerely Lasse

 

[dwolson2]

lassef, are those chips in production yet? Or more information about building/buying one?
Thanks!

 

[hyperlitexr50]

actinics

actinics

I have read about 75% of this thread and its great. I am trying to add some actinics to my 400w halides. I bought a 10w flood and it works great for a dusk dawn affect but once the halides kick on the blue is gone. I was thinking of adding a 50w blue in between the 2 400w where I have a dead spot. Should I only buy epistar chips or will I be ok with the off brands since I am just trying to add some blue. Is 50w over kill or is that what it is going to take to over power the halides.

 

[DetroitReefer]

Managed to get all three heat sinks laid out, drilled and tapped today. Having a Machinist father with a mill in his basement helps.

The light is crisp, without looking like smurf pee. my iPhone didn't do a great job picking up the color.

2X 20W Cool White
4X 10W Actinic Blue
2X 10W Royal blue

Each of three heat sinks has the same. I drilled and tapped the center for a 50W, should I decide I need more light.

Each color is on its own driver (PWM dimmable). Two Actinic blues, Two Royal Blues, and the other Two actinics are on their own drivers, as well as each 20W being on its own driver. Planning on a sunrise/sunset pattern with random clouds and moon phases. (waiting on my 3W UV still, have drivers for them already).

-

-

Total cost is somewhere around $630 with all items included (Heat Sinks, LED Multi-chips, Drivers, Power Supplies).

 

[Lassef]

lassef, are those chips in production yet? Or more information about building/buying one?
Thanks!

See my answer to reefurchin

The chip is described as a 5 channel multichip

Sincerely Lasse

 

[tomservo]

I am curious what everyone is doing for lenses? I have 24 10W & 20W leds that I am pretty sure I will need to get lenses for as my tank is 24" deep and only 18" wide. The cost seems excessive though ($240.00+) from ac-rc. I see all these cheap lenses online from China, but usually without the base. Also what types of lenses should we be looking for (double convex or plano-convex)? I want a contained spread, but some of the examples I have seen from the vendors look more like a very narrow focus point. Think beam of death! :furious:

The other thing I noticed is that most of these lens only deals show a range of angles (30, 60 & 90) all being possible from the same lens. I am wondering if the distance the lens is mounted from the LED changes its focal point and therefore the angle and ultimately spread? According to Lassef's spread calculator I really should be trying to get a 30-45 degree angle lens, but the package versions (lens with base) all seem to start at 60 degrees.

I have found some bases that I think would work for a 10W panel and separate lenses from a different vendor that should give me a ~$3/piece solution, but it is really tough to determine if they are indeed compatible from the limited info you often get presented with. E.g. should the base width and lens with be the same or does the lens fit into the base and therefore need to be smaller width than the base?

Anyway what is everyone else doing?

Dennis

Dennis, the similar size multichips from other vendors use the same packaging (unless it is the mini/compact type). There is a place called satisled that has the optics MUCH more reasonable, be sure to check the prices on buying seperate reflectors and optics. The angle you want is really determined by how high you can mount the lights above the tank. The way the reflector works is it has little nubs that socket into the white plastic on the multichip. I don't know of any benefit of getting the larger diameter lenses, but there may be one? I used the 44mm/100deg type on a bunch of lights and they work well, good spread. I have also used the 65 degree version with good results, although with the 60w hybrid I have (alternating rows blue/white) you can see some color separation if you don't mount the lens and reflector as tightly to the base as possible.

Managed to get all three heat sinks laid out, drilled and tapped today. Having a Machinist father with a mill in his basement helps.

Please use 4 screws to secure those LEDs - it can make a substantial difference in the heat transfer.

 

[DetroitReefer]

Please use 4 screws to secure those LEDs - it can make a substantial difference in the heat transfer.

Not an option anymore, because of tooling breaking off in some of the holes.
If I have problems with heat (I ran them for 8 hours yesterday), I'll buy new heat sinks of a larger size and redrill and retap the new heat sinks. The thermal paste is 100% coverage. There are no gaps for air.

 

[ziyaadb]

HI guys Me again

My plans for the custom tank has gone but i will be getting a BoyuTL550 tank.
http://www.boyuaquarium.com/En_articleshow.asp?articleid=347
Tanks dimensions are 51cm L*57cm W*67cm H .
I want to be able to keep all corals, Can you please advise which would be the best wattage chips and colours to get?

 

[ziyaadb]

I would ideally like to use 10W or 20W chips with lenses but have no clue as to which lenses to use

 

[dartier]

Dennis, the similar size multichips from other vendors use the same packaging (unless it is the mini/compact type). There is a place called satisled that has the optics MUCH more reasonable, be sure to check the prices on buying seperate reflectors and optics. The angle you want is really determined by how high you can mount the lights above the tank. The way the reflector works is it has little nubs that socket into the white plastic on the multichip. I don't know of any benefit of getting the larger diameter lenses, but there may be one? I used the 44mm/100deg type on a bunch of lights and they work well, good spread. I have also used the 65 degree version with good results, although with the 60w hybrid I have (alternating rows blue/white) you can see some color separation if you don't mount the lens and reflector as tightly to the base as possible.

Thanks tomservo, that is a good tip on where to get reasonable lenses! They are much cheaper there then from the sellers of the LEDs.

Dennis

 

[Screener]

OM Goodness, my favorite thread was gone this morning after months of being right at the top of the DIY forum. I had to search for this to bump it back on the list.

It would be such a pity if strict adherence to rules and long banning/canning individuals drove away the resource that is the dream chip experiment. Could you all please repost important experiments and diy updates as I cant read sweedish.
Thanks if you can
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