Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

This seller is not the cheapest, however I have run 27 pcs 10 watt chip´s from him for one and a half year without any problems. I have also 20 watts and 100 watts Epistar-based chip´s that have run for shorter time (3 - 12 months) without any problems (from the same seller) I do not know the qualities from other seller´s - but I´m satisfied with the quality from this seller.

Sincerely Lasse

Good to know. Thanks!
 
Thanks Tickle, mind if I ask where you got your chips from? How long have you've been running them for?

Ac-rc on ebay. Ive run them for a month and a half and my corals showed a immediate response. I dim them with my reefkeeper and i love thwm

the phone in my hands
 
What heat sinks are y'all using? Right now I'm thinking what RTMA is using: Artic Cooling Alpine 64 PRO Rev.2

Depends on what your needs are. I prefer a little bit of margin and use the Arctic Cooling Accelero L2 plus VGA cooler rated for 120W for both the 50W and the 60W multichips. They can be had for $20 with free shipping on EBay.
 
A single Kessil gooseneck can hold pretty good weight. I'll measure how much a single gooseneck can hold this weekend. At one point I measured how much but I dont remember at the moment. I'd guess about a pound but let me experiment and I'll report back in. There's nothing wrong with using two goosenecks but if it only takes one then why use two.


Thanks, looking forward to it.
 
Depends on what your needs are. I prefer a little bit of margin and use the Arctic Cooling Accelero L2 plus VGA cooler rated for 120W for both the 50W and the 60W multichips. They can be had for $20 with free shipping on EBay.

Either would work just fine. With the fans running the outside fins are cool. I can hold the heatsink after 6 hours running just fine. The fans need to be on. Without the fans you would need a much bigger sink. I'll see how long it takes without the fan to take the led to 60 Celsius, which is the max operating temp of the led tomorrow. I think with these CPU coolers, the fan is essential.
 
Im using heatsink stock from heatsink usa or something or other. 5x24 piece was about 30 bucks slapped a couple of 10 pc fans on top hooked to a old cellphone charger and all is well.

the phone in my hands
 
Wow, over 100K views. I did not think this thread would be som massive when I started it. Very happy about this.

I have recieved far more PM's than I manage to answer. So sorry for not answering them all. But place your questions in the thread and I'm sure they will be answered.

Best regards,
Magnus
 
Wow, over 100K views. I did not think this thread would be som massive when I started it. Very happy about this.

I have recieved far more PM's than I manage to answer. So sorry for not answering them all. But place your questions in the thread and I'm sure they will be answered.

Best regards,
Magnus

Dude we need an update from you and I loved the video you made! How's your tank doing with these lights?
 
Well, the tank is absolutely thriving. I have been a little busy with other stuff recently so haven't had the time or energy for another video. Tomorrow I'm off to Thailand for three weeks of diving and UW Macro photographing but come late August I think it's time for a video update with the tank. :)
 
for those of you guys running your leds on a controller. What driver are you using? do i need to get one thats labeled dimmable? I have an apex controller and id love to test out my 20watt blue chip on my controller to adjust the intensity. Can someone explain this to me? These are the pieces i purchased and im pretty sure i cant dim this driver on my apex correct? If not which driver would you guys recommend for me to be able to do this?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/22077327295...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2064wt_1139

http://www.ebay.com/itm/27083150819...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_3254wt_905

http://www.ebay.com/itm/27086587693...NX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_1606wt_905

advice is greatly appreciated.
 
Im currently running a nova extreme pro. Half the lights are 10k bulbs and the other half actinic. I currently have the actinics on for 12 hours and the 10ks on for 8 hours.

I want to go slightly more blue so Im looking at the 16k chips.

I have a 125 with 3 equal partitions on the top of the tank. I was thinking of building 3 pendants, one over each section, with each pendant in a sort of star formation.

1 50W 16k chip in the middle(total of 3)
2 10W 445nm on opposite corners(total of 6)
2 10W 450nm on opposite corners(total of 6)

I was planning on running the blues 12 hours a day and the 16k 8 hours a day. Do you think this will give me a good color balance similar to what I run now only slightly more blue?

Change of plans. What about this over a standard 125g. 3 pendants.

1 50w hybrid 20 20k/30 447-450 run 12 hours
2 20w 10k run 8 hours

Total of 270W total. Is that enough?
 
hi.. i'm reading from 1st page to 50 page and still confuse to choose what led should i build.
my tank was 100cm x 50cm x 50cm

what should i build ? are 1x20W 20K white and 1x20W blue ? or 2x20W 20K white and 2x20W blue ?
also please help me to choose the driver.

does anyone would help me please ?

hi.. does anyone know the result (in my tank with 100cm x 50cm x 50cm dimension) if i use :

5pc
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5pc-10Watt-...764?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b17194f4

and

5pc
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pcs-10W-Ac...721?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d27e5799

in design like lassef like picture o attach.

are this design was good enough to replace my 2x39W T5 ? most in my tank was LPS.

please help me..

also if i use a 2x50W dimmable driver for each series LED (5xwhite and 5xblue) will it work ?
 

Attachments

  • undersidan.jpg
    undersidan.jpg
    55.4 KB · Views: 5
You're still saving over $100!

Not to mention the flexibility in power for the DIY build:

DIY build power output: 93.6W-187W.
Kessil A350 power output: ~90W max.

...and the DIY build looks good too!

I have to say though that I really would have expected a much larger savings, I mean compared to something like the smaller 3W led fixtures where you really have a major savings in price, take something like the AI Sol unit, someplace like RapidLED has a kit that even has the 3LED pucks just like the unit for about half the price. (nearly $200 savings).

I wonder what the actual light output of these overseas units vs something like a Kessil is too.
 
I have to say though that I really would have expected a much larger savings, I mean compared to something like the smaller 3W led fixtures where you really have a major savings in price, take something like the AI Sol unit, someplace like RapidLED has a kit that even has the 3LED pucks just like the unit for about half the price. (nearly $200 savings).

I wonder what the actual light output of these overseas units vs something like a Kessil is too.

This is DIY. Saving cash is part of the satisfaction. Flexibiltiy is a big part of it too. For me, power output more than makes up any shortcomings even if the build cost was equivalent to a Kessil. It's not for everyone. Part of the attraction of the multichip LED light point source is to get away from having to wire up multiple smaller 3W LEDs. To quote someone who's built mutliple 3W fixtures, "And so much less annoying then the 3watt builds (I've built 5 or so 3w fixtures and they get annoying)."

Like I said, it's not for everyone.
 
This is a verry nice thread with lots of information.
I have a tank with this dimentions: 200 x 70 x 70 cm with 2 dividers.
Now, I have 4 x 250w mh 14.000k and I want to replace this with leds.
Witch leds do I need?
Is it enough to have 3 x 50w like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-40mil-5...800?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33779e0520
And some other chips of 20w 20000k?
Maybe its better to use leds of 100w?

Thanks for the help and information!

That's a pretty deep tank. I'd start with a 60W (10000K/445-447 royal blue) hybrid for each section of the tank. Then supplement with a few more multichip LEDs to get each section up around 100W total.
 
Back
Top