Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[jtrasap]

Would a single 100w 20000k multi chip be enough light for a 60 gallon 2 foot cube (mixed reef)

I was looking at the following items and wasn't sure if it was enough or to much. I'm wanting to replace a 250w de halide fixture with a Phoenix 14k bulb. Any help would be appreciated.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100W-20000K...978?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0f68e002

http://www.ebay.com/itm/85-265VAC-1...ultDomain_0&hash=item33750fce5b#ht_1346wt_689

Also has anyone used the housings that Ac-rc sells for drivers? I'm curious if there worth the few bucks or better to go with a project box. Also if their worthwhile, what size?

A single 100w LED will be plenty of light for a 60g cube. I have three of them over a 220g tank. You might consider getting a few royal blue's to put around it for some added color.

Same chip, a whole lot cheaper--->http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123#ht_2621wt_1270

Just send them a message saying you'd like it in 20'000k.

I haven't used any of the housings, my driver's are going in a seperate cabinet so I can't help you there.


My build thread-->http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153893&page=3

 

[kahkah]

A single 100w LED will be plenty of light for a 60g cube. I have three of them over a 220g tank. You might consider getting a few royal blue's to put around it for some added color.

Same chip, a whole lot cheaper--->http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123#ht_2621wt_1270

Just send them a message saying you'd like it in 20'000k.

I haven't used any of the housings, my driver's are going in a seperate cabinet so I can't help you there.


My build thread-->http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153893&page=3

Actually it was your build that I was looking at and really liked. I have been going back and forth on switching to LEDs and seen the light output on your tank and figured one would give me the coverage I needed at a descent price.

That's good to know about the LEDs. I was thinking about going with the same as yours, but a lot of people kept mentioning epistar so I was a little hesitant to stray from it.

 

[joelespinoza]

Maybe it would run cooler if you manually dimmed it.

Running it at 1000mA instead of 2100mA IS manually dimming it.

There must be something wrong. I have the same chip an a 405 nm UV chip mounted on a 400 mm (15.75 ") long square aluminum tube (50 * 25 mm - 1.97" * 0.98 ") with a 50 mm fan blowing into a hole from the upper side of the tube. At 1.8 A, I get a temperature of about 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) at the heatsink and it's a total of about 36 watts.

It is the temperature at the back of the chip and the heatsink temperature you should worry about. If you put your finger on the front of the chip - when you burn yourself - but it is so with all types of chips.

With my 10-watt chip that has worked for nearly 1.5 years, I can not tuch at the front but my heat sink temperature is around 35 degrees C (95 F)

Sincerely Lasse

This is good to know, I am used to 3w LEDs that stay cool back and front, as I said the heatsink is not even getting to body temp, just the front of the chip is hot.

 

[jtrasap]

Actually it was your build that I was looking at and really liked. I have been going back and forth on switching to LEDs and seen the light output on your tank and figured one would give me the coverage I needed at a descent price.

That's good to know about the LEDs. I was thinking about going with the same as yours, but a lot of people kept mentioning epistar so I was a little hesitant to stray from it.

It's up to you whether you want to spend $100 more for a name but I'm pretty sure these are the exact same chip, probably made on the exact same equipment. When I look at my LED's they look identical to the close-ups of the LED's you linked to.

 

[kahkah]

It's up to you whether you want to spend $100 more for a name but I'm pretty sure these are the exact same chip, probably made on the exact same equipment. When I look at my LED's they look identical to the close-ups of the LED's you linked to.

I did a bit more reading and seen some post mentioning epicon also. So I would not be surprised if they were the same. Wouldn't be the first time same product had different names


Edit. I guess it was epiled not epicon that I read. Too many epis

 

[garbled]

Most people say that LED's do not put out "forward heat", that all of it goes out the back into the heatsink. I find that to be true with the little 1w-3w chips, but not so with these. If you set your hand in front of one of the 100w chips, you feel heat. However, the heatsink side remains pretty cool (assuming you have an adequate heatsink).

I think in reality, the 1w chips put out forward heat too. But with these, we have 100 of them in a tiny little area, so, it builds up.

 

[joelespinoza]

Most people say that LED's do not put out "forward heat", that all of it goes out the back into the heatsink. I find that to be true with the little 1w-3w chips, but not so with these. If you set your hand in front of one of the 100w chips, you feel heat. However, the heatsink side remains pretty cool (assuming you have an adequate heatsink).

I think in reality, the 1w chips put out forward heat too. But with these, we have 100 of them in a tiny little area, so, it builds up.

I didnt say warm, its HOT. driving them at less than half compacity (1000mA) I CAN leave my finger on the front of the chip, its uncomfortable but I can do it. At 2000mA I can tap it with my finger but its REALLY hot. If it was larger I could cook eggs on it without a problem, and this is not heat buildup, I can plug it in, pick up the chip and it is that hot within seconds.

I assume that reflow soldering the chip to the heatsink is the best thermal solution, it doesnt seem to make a noticable difference, but I am assuming its better than arctic silver adhesive for thermal transfer, has anyone ever tried it before?

 

[propeine]

A single 100w LED will be plenty of light for a 60g cube. I have three of them over a 220g tank. You might consider getting a few royal blue's to put around it for some added color.

Same chip, a whole lot cheaper--->http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123#ht_2621wt_1270

Just send them a message saying you'd like it in 20'000k.

I haven't used any of the housings, my driver's are going in a seperate cabinet so I can't help you there.


My build thread-->http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153893&page=3

I pulled the trigger on one of those 100w chips just now. Thats too cheap to pass up! Seller was quick to respond with my request for a 20,000k chip and invoiced me directly. If they don't work out for my tank I'll use it as a floodlight outside haha! Thanks for the tip.

 

[jtrasap]

I did a bit more reading and seen some post mentioning epicon also. So I would not be surprised if they were the same. Wouldn't be the first time same product had different names


Edit. I guess it was epiled not epicon that I read. Too many epis

LOL, yeah funny you say this, I messaged the guy I got them from this morning just to ask what brand they are and this was his reply.

"Hi, dear friend, thanks your message

this led chips brand is Epicon/Epiled from taiwan

same tech for the Epistar, so it is very good, but price cheaper than Epistar ^_^"

I pulled the trigger on one of those 100w chips just now. Thats too cheap to pass up! Seller was quick to respond with my request for a 20,000k chip and invoiced me directly. If they don't work out for my tank I'll use it as a floodlight outside haha! Thanks for the tip.

Cool...I think you'll like them.

 

[kahkah]

LOL, yeah funny you say this, I messaged the guy I got them from this morning just to ask what brand they are and this was his reply.

Hi, dear friend, thanks your message

this led chips brand is Epicon/Epiled from taiwan

same tech for the Epistar, so it is very good, but price cheaper than Epistar ^_^




Cool...I think you'll like them.

I think I might pull the trigger soon. I'm really digging the look and can't beat the price. Now I just have to figure out how to make a housing to give it a orphek dif / Ecoxotic cannon pedant look.

I seen a DIY where the person used PVC tubes to get the look but that just doesn't seem safe

 

[kahkah]

I pulled the trigger on one of those 100w chips just now. Thats too cheap to pass up! Seller was quick to respond with my request for a 20,000k chip and invoiced me directly. If they don't work out for my tank I'll use it as a floodlight outside haha! Thanks for the tip.

What driver did you decide to go with?

 

[miatawnt2b]

Yea, that 100W is cheap. I think I am going to go with his 50W model for my 18" cube. I was thinking of going with the 100W, but i'd have to dim it so much i'm sure the spectrum would change.

-J

 

[propeine]

What driver did you decide to go with?

I'm working on that at the moment while I should be actually working.

There are some simple NFET circuits that would probably work but I'll probably wind up buying a driver.

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

Although that 100w is cheaper the quality is far from the same, the cheaper cannot be driven over 100w because it has 100x1w diodes, the epistar in question has 100x2.5w diodes and can be run at much higher power, if you wanted to. My choice is to always go with the expandable option rather than something i may end up replacing later, just my two cents

 

[jtrasap]

Although that 100w is cheaper the quality is far from the same, the cheaper cannot be driven over 100w because it has 100x1w diodes, the epistar in question has 100x2.5w diodes and can be run at much higher power, if you wanted to. My choice is to always go with the expandable option rather than something i may end up replacing later, just my two cents

Have you actually inquired about this or is this just a guess?

 

[propeine]

For the moment at least my bank account says go with cheaper and replace later. In addition I can always supplement that chip with another set of Crees or another multichip.

I agree I am getting no more bang for my buck though. If I had more disposable income than I do I would have probably gone with your option. I was opting to use 30 3W LEDs originally. This is slightly more power output and 1/3 the cost.

However I don't need 252W I only need 100W. This is the same mindset of the people that buy 1 3W LED/gallon then turn them down to only running 20% because it is too bright and they are bleaching corals. I like to have more money in my bank account than LEDs I'm not using to their potential.

 

[kahkah]

I have a 3w DIY setup on my frag tank and I'm leaning towards the cheaper option because that will allow me to try something else out with little investment. I can always swap out or decide to go with 3w Crees and I'd only lost $30 instead of $120.

Working with a different/new tech is half the interest for me. It's the reason I chose to purchase a DIY kit for my frag tank instead of just buying a fixture. In the end I spent more but I enjoyed the learning process of research and hands on

 

[jtrasap]

My reasoning for going as cheap as possible was the fact that this technology is moving forward so fast. I didn't feel that I should invest a whole lot in something when most likely within the next year or two there will be something bigger, better, and more efficient to replace it with. I went from needing about 1500 watts of light over a 220 to what will probably end up being a total of around 550w, that's a big chunk out of my ever-growing electric bill. And all three fixtures cost less total then what I was paying to replace bulbs every year.

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

Not a guess it's actually in the specs, my 50w is made with 50x2.5 watt diodes well worth $80 for me

 

[007Bond]

The cheaper chip don't state max current, just voltage. The other can be run to 7A 252W. Still 2 35$ is less than 1 $125. Also you can figure a driver suited for 100W max. instead of one that can go to 250W now take coolers into account, decisions--decisions:uhoh3: