Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[lookout888]

Need a little More help

Need a little More help

Ok so I got the 25 x 20w led's ( 5x 20k, 5x 16k, 5x 14k, 5x 10k, 5x royal blue) Now I need to decide on how to place them. (Each will be on its own driver). I was going to do 5 tight groups of 5 (with 60 Deg. Optics). The tank is 40"x36", Should I do 5 groups of 5 and put each group of 5 on their own heatsink ( 10" x10" is that is big enough with a fan on top of the fins) Or should I spread them out over the top of the tank and get 2 x 10" x 24" heatsinks to give me a surface of 20" x 24" with fans on top of course. Please give me some suggestions.
Mike

 

[Bcamp]

Thanks for the input on the Peltier, scrap that... Back to a low profile heatsink with heat pipes and a fan...

I also just requested a quote for a multichip along the lines of what Orphek is doing, they seemed interested in making it for me... As soon as I have more info I will let you know...

100 Watt
60 Chips 18Kwhite, 10 chips 450nm blue, 10 chips 430nm actinic, 10 chips 410nm UV, 6 chips 590nm orange, 4 chips 660nm red

What do you guys think???

I can't get anybody to do a special order.
Who did you get to do it?

 

[jg210302]

I can't get anybody to do a special order.
Who did you get to do it?

jtrasap had a link in his build to the supplier he got to custom make him his 20k Leds... I emailed him and asked, he is looking into it currently... He said it should be no problem, but needed to clear it with an engineer. I figured it doesn't hurt to ask and he didn't tell me no yet?

 

[Bcamp]

jtrasap had a link in his build to the supplier he got to custom make him his 20k Leds... I emailed him and asked, he is looking into it currently... He said it should be no problem, but needed to clear it with an engineer. I figured it doesn't hurt to ask and he didn't tell me no yet?

Please keep us posted!
The suppliers I talk to won't do it because they say it shortens the life of the chip.

 

[Lassef]

I also just requested a quote for a multichip along the lines of what Orphek is doing, they seemed interested in making it for me... As soon as I have more info I will let you know...

100 Watt
60 Chips 18Kwhite, 10 chips 450nm blue, 10 chips 430nm actinic, 10 chips 410nm UV, 6 chips 590nm orange, 4 chips 660nm red

What do you guys think???

I think this a bit problematic. The 100 watts chip´s are constructed as 10 parallell strings - each consist of 10 LED in a serie connection. To have this construction to work you need the same total FV in each parallell string. I think it will be difficult with a combination of different LED because they have different FV. With blue and white - its not a big problem because the whites is basical blue LED:s but with a phophorus layer (the yellow) over the LED:s. If you put in red LED:s and other colors - when you will have different FV in the strings and therefore different currents to them. Its possible to solve but its not so easy as to do a combination of blue and white.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[jg210302]

I actually just looked at Orpheks website and thought that was a good idea so I asked if it could be made...

http://orphek.com/led/orphek-products/dif-pendants/

 

[propeine]

I actually just looked at Orpheks website and thought that was a good idea so I asked if it could be made...

http://orphek.com/led/orphek-products/dif-pendants/

Phew those are pricey but look to be very cool as far as being able to order it custom made. I like that they are all in one too. No meanwells to mess with etc. I like that the provide the output graphs as well. However I have more time than money.

I wonder if a guy with a reflow oven and some solder paste could make a custom small pendant setup. I'm not equipped to do such things but I know people that could.

 

[garbled]

I did notice while digging around on ebay, some people had led mounting rings for sale. Just the rings, like the little stars that cree/brigdelux chips come on. So in theory, you could make color rings to go around your 100w chips. I'm not sure how hard it would be to solder a cree chip to a star. Looking at the stars I have, it looks like it could be done easily enough, in theory at least. (assuming you got the little ones with the lens/mounting tabs, not the bare chips)

 

[propeine]

I did notice while digging around on ebay, some people had led mounting rings for sale. Just the rings, like the little stars that cree/brigdelux chips come on. So in theory, you could make color rings to go around your 100w chips. I'm not sure how hard it would be to solder a cree chip to a star. Looking at the stars I have, it looks like it could be done easily enough, in theory at least. (assuming you got the little ones with the lens/mounting tabs, not the bare chips)

I saw that too. I'm wondering about getting a 50w or 60w and surrounding it with some RB and UV for moonlight/actinitic/color mixing. I also found stevesleds and still am not sure which direction to go again. $3 a piece for singulars works out to be similar cost to 4 or 5 20w multis. TOO MANY OPTIONS!

 

[noj3333]

Lassef,
I'd like your opinion on this heat sink I just bought. I've been looking for a single large heat sink to act as the mounting point for 8x20w leds. I think I got a good deal on ebay.
I was thinking I'd add a few computer fans to provide some convection and help with the cooling.
Should I be ok????

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300720481733?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648

 

[Lassef]

I think this works well. Especially if you put three pieces of 120 mm (4.7 ") fans in the middle and let the blow outward and along the fins. Sincerely Lasse

 

[somespam]

Hello All-
I have been wanting to upgrade my lighting for quite some time and was very excited when I stumbled across this forum. You guys (and gals) have been extremely helpful, to say the least! I am really looking forward to building my own set of lights but honestly, I have found some of the information assembled here quite overwhelming. There is soooo much information, I am a little confused and don't want to waste money of equipment i won't be satisfied with. I don't want to risk a fire and, though I am a bit handy, I'm not very familiar with working with electricity.

My tank is a 92 gallon corner bow front. The bowed from measures 55 inches (including the bow), the height is 23 inches and the two back sides are 34 inches (imaging it being basically a quarter of a circle). I have some Zoas, Yumas, frogspawn and a couple other softies. I would like the capability to put in whatever I want. I am hoping someone could suggest what I would need in terms of lights, dimmable drivers, dimmers and heat dispersal.


I was thinking of using a single heat sink (similar to the one noj3333 inquired about) with some fans on it. I was also thinking of using two 20 watt leds (not sure if they should be all white) with some smaller blue leds surrounding the white (not sure what size I would need). I would want my set up have stronger light than I would need, and then dim it back to be healthy for the tank and pleasant to the eye.


Are 2 20 watt leds enough? What size blues should I use. I would like to control the colors independently so can I run all the blues in series and the white on a separate series? And help would be greatly appreciated. Again thanks for all the great info.

 

[propeine]

Somespam, no 2 20W LEDs would not be enough even without room for overhead. I'm considering using 4-5 20w LEDs and my tank is half your size and similar depth. I'm shooting for around 100-150 total watts of LED light on my 44gal and I believe even that is considered under standard. The only reason I'm considering going that low is A, my tank is oddly shaped (corner tank as well) and B most people aren't running their LED's even close to capacity.

I would think you would want somewhere more in the neighborhood of 8-12 20w chips or you may be able to get a 100w white and some blue 20w for fill. All depends on what you want to keep in your tank as well.

 

[noj3333]

I'm looking to build a light to go over a 45 gallon cube (24x24, 16 inches from the sand to waters surface). I bought 8 20w LEDS...

 

[somespam]

WOW! Ok thanks Propeine. I way underestimated. So you think one 100 w will be sufficient? how many and of what wattages of blue do you think I should have. Would it be better to do two 50 watt whites? Can they all be installed on the same heat sink with fans? Sorry for all the questions. I want to do it right.

 

[mr.wilson]

I actually just looked at Orpheks website and thought that was a good idea so I asked if it could be made...

http://orphek.com/led/orphek-products/dif-pendants/

The reds need to be in quantities of 10 in order for it to work. Red is a very overpowering colour, so it would ideally be dimmed on its own channel. Running a separate 10w PWM driver and making the custom frame is expensive and difficult. Running red LEDs without lenses is an option for 3w LEDs, but not possible with multichip optics.

 

[garbled]

I saw that too. I'm wondering about getting a 50w or 60w and surrounding it with some RB and UV for moonlight/actinitic/color mixing. I also found stevesleds and still am not sure which direction to go again. $3 a piece for singulars works out to be similar cost to 4 or 5 20w multis. TOO MANY OPTIONS!

I think the win of the singular ring would be better color mixing and less disco effect. That being said, I ended up going with 20w's because I like using the CPU heatsinks for the 100's, and combining that with a ring would be problematic. There is no good ring shaped heatsink to go with them. I guess if you got a square and a dremel you could make one though.

I think the non-star mounted chips were cheaper though on ebay, like in the $1.50 range.

 

[propeine]

I think the win of the singular ring would be better color mixing and less disco effect. That being said, I ended up going with 20w's because I like using the CPU heatsinks for the 100's, and combining that with a ring would be problematic. There is no good ring shaped heatsink to go with them. I guess if you got a square and a dremel you could make one though.

I think the non-star mounted chips were cheaper though on ebay, like in the $1.50 range.

I looked into quite a few of those rings. There are some 6 LED rings that I think would work well. 4 RB / 2 NW or CW. The problem is then you can't control color temperature by independently dimming them. I looked online for aluminum pcb material to roll my own and haven't got too far yet without sending it overseas for a very expensive custom PCB. I'm pretty confident I could use an air pencil and solder paste to make it work though.

 

[jg210302]

The reds need to be in quantities of 10 in order for it to work. Red is a very overpowering colour, so it would ideally be dimmed on its own channel. Running a separate 10w PWM driver and making the custom frame is expensive and difficult. Running red LEDs without lenses is an option for 3w LEDs, but not possible with multichip optics.

I thought the key was to have the forward voltage the same accross all of the diodes? This looks like an actual picture of their chip off of their website???

At this point I am not even sure I would want some of the wavelengths they used, but I am interested in finding out if the supplier can make custom multichips... My plan was always to add additional 3 watt chips to add to the spread... With my tank being 30" deep I like the punch of the 100 watt chips and less than 100 chips to wire...

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

Hey Lassef, you had recommended I use red LEDs in conjunction with my 10000k 50w because I'm using it for a planted freshwater tank. However I'm mounting the 50w with cooler and all in a par56 can "stage light" to put it on display. How would you mount the two extra 20w red LEDs and still keep it looking nice? None of these LEDs will be at full power btw lol. I have since ordered all the parts to get the light working, no par can as of yet. Also the red LEDs, most of my plants are red, they will likely reflect the light I know a few will love it though, should I worry about algae growth with the extra reds?