Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[TropTrea]

I would like to light my 48x24x24 tank with only two chips. The spectrum on the 100 super actinic sounds to be too blue for my taste from what I'm reading. Could the 60 watt epistar 30 10k 30 royal blue be driven up to 100 watt if necessary possibly with a meanwell hlg 100h 36b to cover this size tank with sps at the top half? Would optics be necessary?

The meanwell hlg 100h 36A outputs a max of 2.65A @ 36 Volts. I do not know the rating on your 60 Watt Epstar however with this driver it can only be run at a max of 2.64 Amps and 36 Volts. If the Chip requires a higher Voltage or Current you will not be running at even 60 Watts. In the event you can drive it up to 100 Watts keep in mund that runnig it at 167% of its intended wattage will drasticly shorten its life span.

If you do like this LED so well and looking for about 200 Watts of power consider using 4 of them and running them at 50 Watts which will actualy give you a longer life span on them.


As far a lenses are concerned this is realy dependent upon how high you want to position your lights over the water surface. Some things to keep in mind is that the higher they are the less PAR you will receive at any given point. However the lower they are the greater that difference in Par between the surface and the sand bed.

 

[007Bond]

Dennis, what is your last sentence mean?

 

[ronreef]

The meanwell hlg 100h 36A outputs a max of 2.65A @ 36 Volts. I do not know the rating on your 60 Watt Epstar however with this driver it can only be run at a max of 2.64 Amps and 36 Volts. If the Chip requires a higher Voltage or Current you will not be running at even 60 Watts. In the event you can drive it up to 100 Watts keep in mund that runnig it at 167% of its intended wattage will drasticly shorten its life span.

If you do like this LED so well and looking for about 200 Watts of power consider using 4 of them and running them at 50 Watts which will actualy give you a longer life span on them.


As far a lenses are concerned this is realy dependent upon how high you want to position your lights over the water surface. Some things to keep in mind is that the higher they are the less PAR you will receive at any given point. However the lower they are the greater that difference in Par between the surface and the sand bed.

Keep in mind one power formula is V*I=P in watts. If indeed max current for the driver is 2.65A and assuming VF is 36V, then max driven power will be 95.4W.

 

[Electrobes]

After going through this thread, I think I've found what I am looking for to light my 40Br mixed tank:

(Multiply the list by two, for two light sets)

50W SMD LEDs

50W Dimmable Drivers

The heatsink and the rest of the needed materials I have done... but I have a problem with the above list.

The amperage of the LEDs is 2500mA peak.. but the drivers only go to 1500mA. Am I missing something... won't that only allow the LEDs to function at 50% power?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Electrobes]

Ack I just saw the above post.. if the driver is 1.5mA, then * 30-36V = 45-54W, right?

 

[007Bond]

Correct. I checked your led link, where do you see that it can run at 2500ma? Some led's like this 100W http://www.ebay.com/itm/EPISTAR-100W-Super-Actinic-Blue-Hybrid-Led-Panel-Aquarium-/220926012078#ht_1605wt_700 can actually be pushed to 7A = 252W @ their speck sheet, but will shorten the leds life span. If you have a led that can run at higher wattage, you need to size your driver to whatever amperage you are planning to run them at.---Rick

 

[miatawnt2b]

I must've missed his post with 16K leds. Jtrasap also posted previously with his 20Ks and they also have yellow in them too. Hopefully Lassef and Maglofster can help me identify if I got the right color.

Jtrasap is who I was talking about, I thought he used 16k's. Sorry I didn't verify before I opened my cake trap. You are correct... he used 20's, and he said they looked like Phoenix 14k bulb.

-J

 

[Electrobes]

Correct. I checked your led link, where do you see that it can run at 2500ma? Some led's like this 100W http://www.ebay.com/itm/EPISTAR-100W-Super-Actinic-Blue-Hybrid-Led-Panel-Aquarium-/220926012078#ht_1605wt_700 can actually be pushed to 7A = 252W @ their speck sheet, but will shorten the leds life span. If you have a led that can run at higher wattage, you need to size your driver to whatever amperage you are planning to run them at.---Rick

You know, I have no idea where I saw that 2500mA.. I know I saw it somewhere a second ago. Sigh.. myst be a senior moment y'all. :spin2:

 

[Electrobes]

I take it there's prob not a way for my Apex Jr. to control the dimming of these set ups?

 

[TropTrea]

Dennis, what is your last sentence mean?

"As far a lenses are concerned this is realy dependent upon how high you want to position your lights over the water surface. Some things to keep in mind is that the higher they are the less PAR you will receive at any given point. However the lower they are the greater that difference in Par between the surface and the sand bed. "

Lets take a hypocriticial example. If we have a point light source that would give us 10,000 PAR at say 3" from the source.

2" = 10,000Par
4" = 2,500 Par
6" = 1,500 Par
8" = 625 Par
12" = 380 Par
16" = 156 Par
24" = 100 Par
32" = 39 Par
48" = 25 Par
64" = 10 Par

so if you have a tank 24" tall and put your lights 8" over the surface you would get a PAR of 625 at the surface and 39 at the substrate. This would give you a ratio of 18 to 1.

Now if you put your lights at 24" above the surface your par at the surface would be 100 and at the substrate 25 giving you a 4 to 1 ratio.

This is why I believe more in multi sources of light rather than fewer sources of light. With multi sources you have can have only one source hitting the surface at a given point but several sources hitting at the substrate. In the case of having the lights at 24" high only 4 lights might hit the surface at a given point yielding a PAR of 400 but when you get to the substrate level 16 lights would be hitting the substrate at one point, each producing 25 Par for a total of 400 PAR.

The use of Lens do not drasticly chage the equasions for the distribution of light per distance. The formula still remains that if double the distance you will reduce the light by 1/4 th. What lenses do however is concentrate the light in a smaller area.

 

[TropTrea]

After going through this thread, I think I've found what I am looking for to light my 40Br mixed tank:

(Multiply the list by two, for two light sets)

50W SMD LEDs

50W Dimmable Drivers

The heatsink and the rest of the needed materials I have done... but I have a problem with the above list.

The amperage of the LEDs is 2500mA peak.. but the drivers only go to 1500mA. Am I missing something... won't that only allow the LEDs to function at 50% power?

Thanks for the help!

Looking at the LED they are not listing a Cureent but claim it uses 50 Watts at 30 to 36 volts. This would mean that 50 Watts/30 Volts = 1.666Amps, or 50 Watts/ 36 volts=1.388 Amps. A 1.f Amp driver would work fine on this since it is right in the middle of that range.

 

[007Bond]

Dennis, Thanks much for the info. I cut and paste for my multichip build file. I'll definitely will use this info when I start collecting build parts. In fact I'll most likely come back with a few more questions for you.---Rick

 

[miatawnt2b]

getting close to pulling the trigger, recommendations.

getting close to pulling the trigger, recommendations.

I am getting very close to starting my build. I have a couple of questions.
First off, my tank is a 29 nano cube, 18x18x18 inches. I currently keep LPS/SPS under a 175W hamilton SE pendant.

I was thinking about one 50W 20k, and suplimenting with two 3w Cree RB and two 3w Cree UV. The crees would be wired in series and on a dimable balast seperate of the 50W chip of course. Sound good or should I tweak it? Is 50W enough?

Another question regarding optics.

My plan is to mount the 50W chip in the center of the fixture, then surround it with the UV/RB. I was thinking UV's front and back, RB left and right.

I figured I should probably put some sort of optic on the 50W, and was thinking I should let the cree's go without optics. Here is where I am up for suggestions... I am wondering what optics to go with for the 50, and how far I am going to need it from the surface of the water... or would you just go without optics altogether. Or should I go optics all around, and if so, what? Very confused here...

-J

 

[ronreef]

My tank is 23x23x20. Just a tad larger than yours but not much. I went with a hybrid 60W actinic blue hybrid (10000K,445-447nm) and a 50W 16000K. Not convinced any UV should be purposely supplemented. I plan to exclusively keep SPS. The 10000K and the 16000K have enough blue in the spectrum to add more than enough to keep the coral thriving. 50W would be enough to start with. You might want to add more in the future. Also went with the 62mm 90 degree lens for both the multi chips.

I am getting very close to starting my build. I have a couple of questions.
First off, my tank is a 29 nano cube, 18x18x18 inches. I currently keep LPS/SPS under a 175W hamilton SE pendant.

I was thinking about one 50W 20k, and suplimenting with two 3w Cree RB and two 3w Cree UV. The crees would be wired in series and on a dimable balast seperate of the 50W chip of course. Sound good or should I tweak it? Is 50W enough?

Another question regarding optics.

My plan is to mount the 50W chip in the center of the fixture, then surround it with the UV/RB. I was thinking UV's front and back, RB left and right.

I figured I should probably put some sort of optic on the 50W, and was thinking I should let the cree's go without optics. Here is where I am up for suggestions... I am wondering what optics to go with for the 50, and how far I am going to need it from the surface of the water... or would you just go without optics altogether. Or should I go optics all around, and if so, what? Very confused here...

-J

 

[gtfcniles]

Had a little play earlier.... this is the 50w royal blue chip

 

[ronreef]

Just got my 60W hybrid and 50W 16000K along with the (2) 90 degree lens. I received the two Arctic Cooling Accelero L2 plus 120W VGA coolers. Ready to wire to the HLG-60H-36B and HLG-80H-36B. I plan on mounting each one to a Kessil gooseneck and mount.

Will update with build.

 

[Electrobes]

Just got my 60W hybrid and 50W 16000K along with the (2) 90 degree lens. I received the two Arctic Cooling Accelero L2 plus 120W VGA coolers. Ready to wire to the HLG-60H-36B and HLG-80H-36B. I plan on mounting each one to a Kessil gooseneck and mount.

Will update with build.

Which LED chip did you use? And what dimming device will you be using with this? I wish my Apex Jr. could dim these lights.. that would be sweet!

 

[007Bond]

Ron, what current are planning to run you chips at?---Rick

 

[ronreef]

Ron, what current are planning to run you chips at?---Rick

Initially I plan to run the chips at the rated power. 50W and 60W respectively.
With the drives I chose I have enough margin on both sides to drive the chips lower or higher if needed. It really depends on the needs of the coral. For the 60W chip using the HLG-80H, I can drive the chip as high as 82.8W. For the 50W chip using the HLG-60H, I can drive the chip as high as 61.2W.

I don't mind the driving the chips higher. Maybe the spectrum shifts some and maybe you cut the life in half. That okay with me. Theoretically, some LEDs are rated for a lifespan of 25K-30K hours. Even if you take 20K hours at 10 hours per day. You'd get 2000 days which equates to about 5.5 years of daily use. Even if you cut that lifespan in half because of some level of overdriving... again... thats okay with me.

 

[Electrobes]

Why not just go with the 16K only? Or are you looking at going more blue than that with this combo?