Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

Yeah I'd have posted but my son spilled a bunch of water on my laptop keyboard - so it's been a PITA to check postings.. I am using a reef angel (arduino) to control my lights. My corals are still unhappy but still seem to be growing despite being partially bleached. I think the green mushrooms look the most unhappy but are recovering. I don't think the acropora has slowed down at all, nor the australiensis monti.

In the meanwhile I have replaced the goby that got eaten by the maxi mini - new guy has already found the pistol shrimp. he's a metallic red shrimp goby. Very neat patterns on the fins.
 
But you have a wealth of experience with multi chips other than 'that one' that we can all benefit from. Please don't leave us to flounder!

Let's see how Google Translade manages "Please don't leave us to flounder!" into Swedish ... "Please lämnar inte oss flundra!". I bet that only works if your name is flundra! How about "Please lämnar inte oss att kämpa ensamma!"?

Peter

:) :)

I thought that Google was west coast people - but they translate flounder in the way Swedish east coast people do -> "flundra". Real west coast people would translate it to -> "skrubbskädda". :) And we do not even eat it. :)

Sincerely Lasse
 
Could you pm me a link to these. I wanna set some of ese up :)

Could you pm me a link to these. I wanna set some of ese up :)

Yes, heatpipes have fluid in them, the fluid turns to vapor and that's what facilitates the cooling. I'm not sure if there are any limitations on how you can mount them, but I have seen many 90 degree mods on computers (this is where you mount all cards vertically instead of horisontally) and that works. I'm going to hang these horisontally exactly as they would be in a standard computer setup.

The coolers have a small loop in each corner, I'm going to run a wire through it and hang it up as any normal light.

I buy multichips with Epistar led in them. Not sure if it is ok to post links to resellers for the chips / drivers. But I buy them from Hong Kong over Ebay. I have used MeanWell 240W drivers very successfully for these chips also.

Mounting the chips to the copper heatsink is done by first polishing both surfaces and then applying arctic silver thermal adhesive and pressing both surfaces together. In a matter of minutes it's rock solid.
 
I can´t (and also - will not) post in this thread because if I mention certain chips - the mods has stated that it is comercial promotion.
Sincerely Lasse

Lasse, you have been an asset to this thread and have helped a lot of people with their DIY projects. You are more than welcome to continue to discuss this very broad topic without the agenda.
 
are they, or will the dream chips be available?
running 2 50w 20K chips now corals seem to be doing fine curious to see the difference
 
Once again and for the last time - I have no agenda more than to help people to get the good stuf and have it to work. There is an old saying in Europe that if you repeat a lie often enough - it will be the true. Some people at this forum still belive in that doctrine.


If people not belive me - its not my problem - its their problems.


I´m forbidden to write in a way that means promotion of certain chips. In reality this means that I´m only allowed to write in a negative way - if I´m positive - its promotion (Read the good book Catch-22 - you will understand what I mean)

There is rules here (I can´t find them however) and the mods has clearly told me that I have violated them and forbid me to do that in the future.


Sincerely Lasse <O:p</O:p
 
Once again and for the last time - I have no agenda more than to help people to get the good stuf and have it to work. There is an old saying in Europe that if you repeat a lie often enough - it will be the true. Some people at this forum still belive in that doctrine.


If people not belive me - its not my problem - its their problems.


I´m forbidden to write in a way that means promotion of certain chips. In reality this means that I´m only allowed to write in a negative way - if I´m positive - its promotion (Read the good book Catch-22 - you will understand what I mean)

There is rules here (I can´t find them however) and the mods has clearly told me that I have violated them and forbid me to do that in the future.


Sincerely Lasse <O:p</O:p

Altruism is one of the words that is the same in English & Swedish.

There are many participants in this thread that are in the aquarium industry, myself included. I develop and sell reef lighting; however, I am willing to help people with their individual projects without the mention of my products.

If you cannot help people without promoting products you are clearly affiliated with, you have an agenda. If you are willing to help people without a tangible reward, you are altruistic.

Now, let's return to the subject at hand and move past all of this nonsense that is holding the thread back. Please stop posting invitations to your other forums and playing the victim of persecution.
 
It would be helpful to know the PAR values people are getting out of their various multichip projects. Lens selection is still difficult for many people. Real world PAR numbers with lens angle, suspension height above water surface and multichip wattage would be a great resource.

I find 120˚ lenses are good for 24" tall tanks, and 90˚ suitable for 30" tanks (based on 100w multichips). I suspend the lights 12" above the water in most applications, but I see some people go a lot closer to the surface.
 
There are PAR numbers with 60 degree optics a few pages back. I think 60 degrees is a poor choice of lens however, unless you are using a very deep tank around 42 inches deep, which is much less the norm compared to ~24-30. Testing with 60 degree optics is basically a way to inflate PAR numbers otherwise.

Based on the 60 degree numbers, PAR seems comparable to what a 120w chinese fixture with 3w emitters would output, using 60 degree lens and 630-700mah. They are made from the same emitters after all. Cree chips would provide higher PAR per current, but they do not have as wide a choice of chips (spectrum) as Epistar/Bridgelux. The best fixtures would combine the two.
 
There are PAR numbers with 60 degree optics a few pages back. I think 60 degrees is a poor choice of lens however, unless you are using a very deep tank around 42 inches deep.

Based on the 60 degree numbers, PAR seems comparable to what a 120w chinese fixture with 3w emitters would output, using 60 degree lens and 630-700mah. They are made from the same emitters after all. Cree chips would provide higher PAR per current, but they do not have as wide a choice of chips (spectrum) as Epistar/Bridgelux. The best fixtures would combine the two.

I agree, 60˚ lenses are a silly choice for a small tank and that's one of the reasons why I brought the topic up. 3w fixtures do a great job of providing lots of PAR, but they really limit colour mixing and cast yellow & purple/blue shadows; however the price certainly makes them tempting for most applications. For that matter, PAR38 lamps are great for many of the smaller tanks that have appeared in this thread. You really can't beat the price & simplicity. Colour channel control and dimming is limited though.

Sometimes combining technologies gives you the best of both world's, while other times you get the worst of each or at least a conflict.

Par numbers are more useful if taken over a 24" x 24" or 30" x 30" square. Having the average PAR value over that area gives you a more realistic measurement.
 
Unless my trig is rusty...
if you wanted to hang your LED's 8" over a 24" tall tank (32"total) and wanted the base of the cone to be 24" (no use lighting up the glass on my 120 gallon tank).... You need a 126 deg lens.
Lol Mr. Wilson your 120deg call for the lens seems to be spot on. ;)
 
must be rusty my 60 degree setup hangs 5" over my 27g cube and the coverage is great, my tank is 20x20x20, the only place that it does not hit is the back to top corner, I have rock right up to the overflow
 
must be rusty my 60 degree setup hangs 5" over my 27g cube and the coverage is great, my tank is 20x20x20, the only place that it does not hit is the back to top corner, I have rock right up to the overflow

Just double checked here... lol

http://www.cleavebooks.co.uk/scol/calcone.htm

Base radius of 12 and a perp height of 32 = 126 deg. ;)

Vertex Angle = 2tan(-1) *(r/h)

(can,t superscript the -1 to put it in better math notation on this post)
 
Unless my trig is rusty...
if you wanted to hang your LED's 8" over a 24" tall tank (32"total) and wanted the base of the cone to be 24" (no use lighting up the glass on my 120 gallon tank).... You need a 126 deg lens.
Lol Mr. Wilson your 120deg call for the lens seems to be spot on. ;)

This did not seem right with me as 126 degrees would be an extemly wide angle. So I ran the number and to get a 24" Diameter cone on the bottom of a cone 32" tall you need a 44 degree angle. The 126 degree lense would make your cone base 57" across.
 
Just double checked here... lol

http://www.cleavebooks.co.uk/scol/calcone.htm

Base radius of 12 and a perp height of 32 = 126 deg. ;)

Vertex Angle = 2tan(-1) *(r/h)

(can,t superscript the -1 to put it in better math notation on this post)

The S angle that is calculated above is NOT the the lens angle. What it is if your creating a cone from a piece of paper or other flat material the angle you would cut from the tip of the cone to the base. Then you would roll the cone with these points touching.
 
Back
Top