Anyone have any ideas in regards to controlling the LED this way?
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Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build
- Thread starter maglofster
- Start date
Anyone have any ideas in regards to controlling the LED this way?
cubanazo83
In Memoriam
Ok, so are you talking about this one?
Ebay link removed~dc
so if I use this one I'm not going to be able to regulated it?
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The drivers I will be using are constant current, I am just trying to balance the voltage / amps across the chip. Since the problem seems to be forward voltage I was thinking I could just adjust the input voltage until the amperage on each string is the same?
Lassef
Member
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dwolson2
New member
So you guys(lassef and Mr. Wilson) are talking about hitting spectrums of more white in the day then bluing it out at night for our pleasure.(Paraphrasing, and not sure if I got it right)
So here is the question, If you run whites all day for the growth, then turn the blues on at night does it over ride or cancel out the whites, so now whites are being absorbed by the corals?
I Don't really care what my tank will be set at during the day as long as during the evening I am close to 20K. I have BL(14), RB(14), Red(4), CW(14), Green(4), and UV(6). all in 3w chips. It will be the center fixture and I plan to run those 60w actinic/14 K epistar hybrids on the sides. All of my drivers are/will be dimmable.
What suggestion do you have for programming my tank?
Its a 135(4'*2'*28"T) tank that will have a mixed reef with mainly LPS.
So here is the question, If you run whites all day for the growth, then turn the blues on at night does it over ride or cancel out the whites, so now whites are being absorbed by the corals?
I Don't really care what my tank will be set at during the day as long as during the evening I am close to 20K. I have BL(14), RB(14), Red(4), CW(14), Green(4), and UV(6). all in 3w chips. It will be the center fixture and I plan to run those 60w actinic/14 K epistar hybrids on the sides. All of my drivers are/will be dimmable.
What suggestion do you have for programming my tank?
Its a 135(4'*2'*28"T) tank that will have a mixed reef with mainly LPS.
HeavyChicken
New member
Is there a multichip / Optics combination that would be capable of growing SPS at a depth of 8 feet?
cubanazo83
In Memoriam
ok do you think this one will work? http://www.onlinecomponents.com/mean-well_eln-30-15.html?p=11951918
Do you think it is dimable?? I've been looking for one on Ebay but I havent found it. If you know another page where I can find it let me know please. Thanks for everything.
hey not trying to direct you away from this forum it is great! but you might want to check out my forum joeogios diy multi chip led here on rc i have pictures of the 20k chips i ordered as well as a comparison with phoenik 14k bulbs over my tank
Lassef
Member
That driver comes in three variants, no dimable (the one you link to), dimable with 1-10 V and dimable with PWM. It looks like they do not have any of the dimable types in stock. There must be more suppliers in the US but it is ELN-30-15D or ELN-30 - 15P. If you have an aquarium computer - just found out which type of dim it use - if you should dim manually the 1-10 type (D) only need a 10 V source and a pot.
Sincerely Lasse
Lassef
Member
Mr.Wilson is talking of that
My opinion is the opposite - I would say that the most important wavelengths for photosynthesis is between 410 - 460 (470) nm and for some corals may 660 to 680 nm play a role. Photosynthesis is the basis for a rapid growth of corals with zooxanthellae.
Other wavelengths may play roles other than photosynthesis and one should not avoid the white LED that provides most wavelengths in the visible spectrum.
Sincerely Lasse
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
dwolson:
Nothing is being "overridden", while our eyes (in fact the combination of our eyes brains) may "see" light as a (reflected) combined "color" it is still in fact made up of all of the individual wavelengths that comprise it. The coral "sees" each of these wavelengths, not the "color" we "see".
It is (again) important to point out that an INFINITE number of combinations of spectral peaks can LOOK the same to the human eye/brain but in fact be very different with regard to the needs of photosynthesis. "FULL SPECTRUM" to the EYE/BRAIN and to the CORAL are very different things. A metal halide or the sun provides a true full spectrum light, an LED only a scant few wavelengths that the eye and brain can easily be fooled into thinking are full spectrum.
What some of us (Mr. Wilson included) have tried to articulate is that what "looks good" with regard to LED output may not "be good" with regard to coral growth. Our goal is to derive a combination of wavelengths that BOTH looks good to the eye AND contains enough spectral energy in the proper areas to grow coral. This may be eaier said than done. Many of the LED fixtures are simply far too purple/blue for our taste, though they do appear to be growing coral well. It follows that a compromise can be achieved by setting the fixture to a whiter output during viewing hours and bluer during non-viewing hours. The result, a pretty tank to look at that grows coral well when it is not being looked at. Of course, the end goal is to come up with a combination of emitters that provide BOTH at the same time. To date, most of the combinations that you guys are playing with are simply far too purple/blue for many of us.
Nothing is being "overridden", while our eyes (in fact the combination of our eyes brains) may "see" light as a (reflected) combined "color" it is still in fact made up of all of the individual wavelengths that comprise it. The coral "sees" each of these wavelengths, not the "color" we "see".
It is (again) important to point out that an INFINITE number of combinations of spectral peaks can LOOK the same to the human eye/brain but in fact be very different with regard to the needs of photosynthesis. "FULL SPECTRUM" to the EYE/BRAIN and to the CORAL are very different things. A metal halide or the sun provides a true full spectrum light, an LED only a scant few wavelengths that the eye and brain can easily be fooled into thinking are full spectrum.
What some of us (Mr. Wilson included) have tried to articulate is that what "looks good" with regard to LED output may not "be good" with regard to coral growth. Our goal is to derive a combination of wavelengths that BOTH looks good to the eye AND contains enough spectral energy in the proper areas to grow coral. This may be eaier said than done. Many of the LED fixtures are simply far too purple/blue for our taste, though they do appear to be growing coral well. It follows that a compromise can be achieved by setting the fixture to a whiter output during viewing hours and bluer during non-viewing hours. The result, a pretty tank to look at that grows coral well when it is not being looked at. Of course, the end goal is to come up with a combination of emitters that provide BOTH at the same time. To date, most of the combinations that you guys are playing with are simply far too purple/blue for many of us.
dwolson2
New member
I kind of got that, but wanted to make sure. Also, I didn't really know how to post it to both of you. Either way, If I am understanding it correctly, you are both trying to get the correct WAVE LENGTHS, not visible light, to the corals. Visible light would be more on the individual.Mr.Wilson is talking of that
My opinion is the opposite - I would say that the most important wavelengths for photosynthesis is between 410 - 460 (470) nm and for some corals may 660 to 680 nm play a role. Photosynthesis is the basis for a rapid growth of corals with zooxanthellae.
Other wavelengths may play roles other than photosynthesis and one should not avoid the white LED that provides most wavelengths in the visible spectrum.
Sincerely Lasse
Thanks for answering the "over riding question"
How do you know what your spectrum is and what is being hit. And how do you build your programing around it? Do you hit one side of the spectrum during the day, for growth, then at night change the led combination for visible color to suit the aquarist?
Lassef
Member
The 5 channel multi chip consist of 1 channel 445 nm, 1 channel 455 nm, 1 channel 420-430 nm, 1 channel white 10 000 K and 1 channel white 16 000 K. The blue wavelengths is chosen after the known absorption peaks for different molecules active in photosynthesis (See post 2950, this thread) The white is chosen in order to get a pleasant light and to give some red and other wavelengths.
I will manage the different channels independently, exactly how - I do not know yet - I have to test it out.
Sincerely Lasse
I will manage the different channels independently, exactly how - I do not know yet - I have to test it out.
Sincerely Lasse
TropTrea
New member
will the wattage ber equal for each of these channels? Sound to me like you will need five seperate drivers with the driver selection being dependent upon how many of each of these multichips you will use in the final build.
I do like the idea of using a 420-430 nm LED rather than the 380 to 420 so many use that is marketed as a near UV led. However rather than the 10,00K LED I personaly would select a 5,000K neutral white considering you have 3 LED's in the blue range plus the 16,000K led that is also strong in the blue range. To me this is roughly a 1 to 3.5 white to blue ratio. fortunatly with the seperate adjustable drivers it sounds like it is tunable to ones personal color taste. But if your turning some channels down to 50% or less to get a balance you like then you will need more total wattage potential than if it balanced so you ideal is with everything at full power.
guys a simple question,I dont understand the whole meanwell driver issue and how it works, as i noticed that its better to use meanwells and not the cheap hong kong drivers.
I want to use a mixture of 10W and 20W chips on the nano that have and there is a reefer here selling Meanwell ELN 60-48 P drivers, Can someone please tell me how do to figure out how many of the multichip 10W or 20W chips i can cannot to this driver?
Also how good are the drivers below?
are they worth getting?
anyone use them?
Ebay link removed~dc
thanks in advance
I want to use a mixture of 10W and 20W chips on the nano that have and there is a reefer here selling Meanwell ELN 60-48 P drivers, Can someone please tell me how do to figure out how many of the multichip 10W or 20W chips i can cannot to this driver?
Also how good are the drivers below?
are they worth getting?
anyone use them?
Ebay link removed~dc
thanks in advance
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virus
New member
Ebay link removed~dc
which contact is *+* and whih contact is *-* ?
http://ac-rc.com/images/original_size/LED/EPISTAR_60W_10KK+445nm.jpg
:worried2:
which contact is *+* and whih contact is *-* ?
http://ac-rc.com/images/original_size/LED/EPISTAR_60W_10KK+445nm.jpg
:worried2:
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From the picture, it looks like the inset contact on the left is negative and on the right is positive. There is a little imbosed "-" and "+" below each one. If you were wanting to use the strips at top and bottom, just test for continuity between them and the contacts at left and right.
