Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

cubanazo83 said:
Hello Lasse, thanks for everything. First of all I do want to apologize if I ask the same question maybe towice, but inglish is not my first language and electronic neither..lol...:headwally:. I'm trying to understand everything you explain to me. But do you thing that due to my tank dimentions the idea that Mr. Wilson gave me a few post ago will fit better?

Ok Im going to tell you what I have in mind that way you can give me your opinion. In the link below I found two different LED, can you please tell me wich one you think is better? Because I dont have enough knowledge to differenciate which one is better.

Ebay link removed~dc

And apart I would like to put 3 LED x 3w white, and 3 LED x 3w blue. These LEDs I'm going to put it on the aluminum piece show on the picture below. Three in front of the fan and the other three on the back of the fan.


Do you think all those watt that I'm thinking to put would be enough for my tank or I'm going to need more watts?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The cooler will work to that multichip (it is from the same vendor that I use). However, I disagree with mr.Wilson - I think you need at least two such chips. If you then complements with your 3 watt LED so maybe that's enough. You do not need lenses to your multichip but a splash guard of some type.

Sincerely Lasse
 
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Lassef said:
The cooler will work to that multichip (it is from the same vendor that I use). However, I disagree with mr.Wilson - I think you need at least two such chips. If you then complements with your 3 watt LED so maybe that's enough. You do not need lenses to your multichip but a splash guard of some type.

Sincerely Lasse
Click to expand...

I concede to Lasse's experience with 20w multi chips. I know a 20w PAR 38 with 90˚ lenses will light the tank adequately if suspended 6-12" above the water, but multichips with no lenses, mounted close to the surface is another story.
 
007bond: The DS18B20 chips I have are the same as what is in the temperature probes for the reef angel controller. They are factory calibrated digital temperature sensors, based around a thermistor I believe.

For crimpers you may look for the ratcheting type as these apply more force, you could search on popular online auction sites for "crimper tab receptacle" and find a selection. I ordered an orange handled pair based on no information (other than the look of the dies and the indicated wire sizes). The pair I sent away for was labeled 18-28 awg sizes, and from what I can tell that means it should include two sets of dies. They are somewhat adjustable so I expect a reasonable crimp can be made with them, if it's not so good even with some tampering I will just crimp and then solder, it's still much faster than folding the tabs with my pliers and then soldering.
 
Thanks Tom, I read up on DS18B20. I see how they work. I wasn't sure what you were attaching yours to. I got some info from a ebay seller of arduino boards with plug in lcd screens. I could get a set up that would show 5 temp read outs,...the 4 coolers and the water temp. Not sure if I'll go that route.
I'm also looking at sites on crimping tools.---Rick
 
Lassef said:
The cooler will work to that multichip (it is from the same vendor that I use). However, I disagree with mr.Wilson - I think you need at least two such chips. If you then complements with your 3 watt LED so maybe that's enough. You do not need lenses to your multichip but a splash guard of some type.

Sincerely Lasse
Click to expand...

Hey Lassef, thanks again for everything. I dont worry about the splash guard because the top has one itself. I'm going to use 20w led, a cooler, 3 led x 3 watt blue which turn on independently, and 3 led x 3 white. My question is which driver do I need to use for each one? And if by any chanse de you have the links for the drives and you can share with me, that will be awesome. However if you have any other different opinion let me know please. the reasson why I would like to put everything separate it is because i would like the water to look blue.
 
Lassef said:
The AC-RC type of 20 watts chip manage 50 - 60 degree C at the backplate. They are in reality 2.5 watts invidual LED.

Whatever you chose - we want to see pictures of your built in this trhead

Sincerely Lasse
Click to expand...

Last of the parts came earlier this week, so I finished putting it together last night. Here are some pictures through the build. Once I figure out how to enclose all of the wiring, and clean it up, finish the box it will sit in, and figure out how I'm going to suspend the heat sink above the box, I'll post pictures with water.

8101953386_fc33012fd3_z.jpg


8101953896_3ef2dae884_z.jpg


8101954182_084da92a99_z.jpg


8100410383_aecc3f5db7_z.jpg



I only have the driver set up to run at 1.5A, both LED and driver have a max current of 2A, so I figure this should protect the LED. It still gets (to the touch) very hot, though I don't have it hooked up to any real thermometer. I feel like the output of light might actually be too much, though I don't know for sure, and will very slowly acclimate any coral.
 
Sorry about that Rick, I just had a look and yes, it definitely needs some work. It could be that it's fine as is, and maybe I'll try it, but I don't like the way the heatpipes stand out from the base in general, and the parts of the heatpipes that aren't swaged into the base also sit lower than the base, so if you were to mount the chip so it sat on those parts (as I did), it would need to be flattened. I would say that the pipes sit proud of the base maybe a .002-.004" - a huge amount to bridge with thermal paste.

I actually looked into low temp solder as a mounting option but all the aluminium safe stuff contains indium, which is quite expensive.
 
Again Tom, Thanks for the input.---Rick

One more thing,...Do they sell a replacement fan for the unit? I looked and really didn't see any.
 
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Could one of you multichip gooroos please advise me on what it will take to light a standard 75g (48x18x21"d). I want to be able keep anything I want with 2x dimmable drivers to be operated by a DIM4 controller (annelog) I think. I was thinking 3 to 4 20w 16k whites w/ 60 deg lens and maybe 6 10w royle blue w/ 90 deg lens? And can I put all the chips on 1 10"x 36 to 46" heatsink? I really need to get this going so I can set this tank up.
Thanks
Ed
 
hi everyone i finally got my leds up and running yesterday. i have 3 100w 20k leds running at the time i will add 6 20w rbs later but i am surprised at how well it looks with only the 20k leds
http://imgur.com/kPSOv

http://imgur.com/xxVru

http://imgur.com/UIMqp

the camera makes it look a tiny bit bluer than it actually is but they look very similar to my phoenix 14k bulbs. i would say just a tiny bit whiter than the 14k phoenix.
below is a pic of my tank with two 150w phoenix 14k. the picture above of my tank is with the leds running at about 60-70% power

http://imgur.com/N7lsX
 
Thanks

Thanks

Just wanted to say thanks to all posters on this MASSIVE thread.
I am only upto page 15 of it but have learnt heaps.

Now im subscribed as well :)

Graeme
 
hugh ngo said:
Is it ok to run this 60w multichip Ebay link removed~dc
At max watt? I think it stated 151w max?

I'm thinking of getting 4 and running it at 100w or 150w.
Click to expand...

From a quick review of the package this multichip array is basicly 60 epstar chips in an array. The Epstar chips are at there hieghest effeciency when they are running at 1 Watt. This is probably why they are rated as a 1 watt multichip. However it is possible to run these individual chips at 3 watts max wich would put the total power for 60 of them up to 180 Watts. But if you look at the multichips you will see that each of these 60 chips are generating heat so close to each other that it would be extremly difficult to despensate the heat fast enough to run them safely at 180 watts. This is why the manufacturer rated them at 60 watts where they are the most effecient. Now dependent upon how much you put into cooling these chips you can push that wattage up. Personaly with good cooling I'd feel good and safe up to 90 Watts, but would feel very scared if I pushed them over 120 watts for any lenght of time.

Remember that heat is the biggest destroyer of LED's. The higher the Wattage the greater the ratio of heat to light.
 
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firefightered66 said:
That looks great!!!!!! I wish someone could tell me what I'll need for my 75......
Click to expand...

You should be running somwhere in the rang of 150 watts total of LED's if your running them in there moost efficient power range. As far as color selection goes this is dependent a lot on the eye of the beholder. I personaly like between a 3 and 3.5 to one ration of Blues to Neutral whites (5,000K). Some like to use higher K rated whites and if you go that route you need more whites in the color ration.

As fat as the wattage of LED's you select to go with remember that higher wattages are best for deeper penetration. Usualy 3 to 10 watt LED's work best for tanks up to 24" tall. But when you go taller than that the higher wattages will give you more penetration.
 
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