Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[Newbie Aquarist]

Hey Wayne, that site is actually banned here.. but most of us know what clay-boa is...

That said that LED is 5 channels, how many drivers you'll need will depend upon what you want to do with the chip. You could run run all of them at the same rate by tying all the V+ wires together and all the V- wires together, in which case you'd need a driver that could output ~ 100watts at 700 mA for each multichip. Or you could tie 2 or 3 channels together and run 2 drivers per multichip. Now if you want all 5 channels independently dimmable (or able to be turned on/off) you'd need a driver for each channel, now with most drivers aimed at the LED market that we work with they handle about 14 LEDs max, and since each channel is 10 LEDs that's 5 drivers per chip, of course you could tie multiple channels from multiple chips together but.... you'd need something with a higher voltage than the 48V which I'm not sure if they make.

If you're going to go with these, I would say I hope you have good soldering skills, and can wire up a project box to serve as a power supply, use some of those LDD driver boards from the other thread otherwise you're going to be crowded in an octopus of wires. If it were me, I'd probably just spend the extra money on a premade units (e.g. Kessil 360) and be done with it. Basically what I'm saying, is if you have the skillset to do this, than it could be worth it, but for many (even with the skillset) the convenience factor trumps any cost savings.

I didn't know that. Thanks for the advice. The only octopus I want is calamari.

 

[Lassef]

I need some help, guidance or assistance if possible. I am building a 96"L x 48"W x 24"H tank and thought about using this multichip LED:

http://www.clay-boa.com/lumia-5-1-100w-full-spectrum-5-channel-led/

I will need 8 over my tank(because I plan on having this as a dominant SPS tank) and I dont know how many drivers I will need and will it be worth the time.

Wayne

Look at post 3633 above. It shows a solution with 5 channels 100 LED chip from another vendor. It has been running for 3 months now. Every channel is individually controlled and dimable. I´m very pleased with it.

And there is now octopus involved

Sincerely Lasse

 

[gablett]

Im really thinking of doing this. I have a 220 that is 72L x 24D x 30H. Anyone done this on a tank like that? Does anyone have any suggestions what to run as far as combos, quantites, and lenses? THanks in advance.

Anybody wanna take a stab at this?

 

[mr.wilson]

Anybody wanna take a stab at this?

I think your question is too vague to get a decent answer. You are welcome to ask general questions, but this is a DIY thread so most members will expect you to read the whole thread.

Having said that, your tank is 30" high and most of the contributors in this thread have shallow tanks (16-20" high). A lot of the builds are using 50w multichips without lenses which would be inadequate for your tank. You will need 90˚ lenses, 100w multi chips, and suitable drivers for three fixtures.

Read the Mean Well LDD-H threads for driver selection and configuration.

 

[mr.wilson]

Look at post 3633 above. It shows a solution with 5 channels 100 LED chip from another vendor. It has been running for 3 months now. Every channel is individually controlled and dimable. I´m very pleased with it.

And there is now octopus involved

Sincerely Lasse

Still shilling :deadhorse:

 

[BeanAnimal]

Still shilling :deadhorse:

Nah...

I am sure that the expected response was not:

"Where does one buy the parts to build said octopus..."

It is clear that he just wanted folks to comment on that beautiful red and white plaid throw rug. I simply did not know plaids were the "in thing" in Sweden.

Candidate for Pinterest?

 

[007Bond]

Despicable!

 

[sfsuphysics]

I didn't know that. Thanks for the advice. The only octopus I want is calamari.

Don't get me wrong, if you have the skills and the patience you can make it look nice. I just do not know what your level of skill set is with regard to wiring.

 

[iced98lx]

I didn't know that. Thanks for the advice. The only octopus I want is calamari.

You've seen my thread, I believe about my multichips? They're exactly what your'e doing but with different colors (mine are two different whites, two different blues and 420nm) so it can be done. Mine doesn't look super nice (tank in wall == doesn't have to look nice) but I am sure you could make it look nice. I enjoy having the ability to dim each and every channel, though I tend to dim my blues and whites together (could have done with 3 channels per pendant, I guess).

These 'full spectrum' ones are interesting. I may have to build a pendant to compare to my white/blue/uv/blue/white ones since I'd just have to switch out my 350ma uv driver for another 700. Come play along in my thread if you want, no products being sold there. :headwally:

 

[sfsuphysics]

I seriously want to kick someone whenever they refer to these as full spectrum and don't use quotes as you have

 

[meintn]

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has contributed to this thread as I've just finished building a 4 x 20W LED light setup to go over a 46 gallon bowfront. I'll probably add another string of 4 x 10W lights for added midday light. I used AC RC for the LEDs and driver and it went together easily. Thanks again!

 

[mr.wilson]

I seriously want to kick someone whenever they refer to these as full spectrum and don't use quotes as you have

I assume you mean it needs to have UV & IR to be full spectrum?

 

[BeanAnimal]

I think he was eluding to the fact that reflective color being additive can be "seen" by the human eye and brain to be "full spectrum" but in reality that light could be just a few simple isolated spectral peaks with huge gaps in between.

 

[sfsuphysics]

Basically yeah... but you said a lot more technical that what I was thinking, I was eluding to the fact that throwing in a 5nm wide FWHM spike at a particular wavelength that already exists doesn't make it any more "full", it just gives you a bit more energy at that tiny bandwidth of color

 

[black74]

What is everyone's chip suggestions on a 75 gal SPS/Zoo tank?

The tank measures: 30L x 24W x 24W

2 - 50W Actinic Royal Blue Hybrid Led for Aquarium Lamp + Waterproof Driver
AND...
2 - 50W 10000K-14000K Cool White Led Lamp + 50Watt Waterproof Driver 85-265V AC

Please help me decide.. I would like them to be dimmable.

 

[TropTrea]

What is everyone's chip suggestions on a 75 gal SPS/Zoo tank?

The tank measures: 30L x 24W x 24W

2 - 50W Actinic Royal Blue Hybrid Led for Aquarium Lamp + Waterproof Driver
AND...
2 - 50W 10000K-14000K Cool White Led Lamp + 50Watt Waterproof Driver 85-265V AC

Please help me decide.. I would like them to be dimmable.

There is a big difference between what people will tell you on this. Personal color taste is a big factor. But I'll give you what I found works well for me as far as pleasing color and good coral growth.

For lighting ratio I like to keep close to a wattage ratio of

3 Watt Near UV (410 to 430 nm)
9 Watts Royal Blue ((450 to 455 nm)
3 Watt True Blue (460 to 470 nm)
5 watts Neutral White LED's.
Note if you use cool white LED's you need to up the White Wattage and also include RED (620 nm)

For your tank being a 75 Gallon I would look in the range of 225 Watts of total light. So you are looking at roughly

33 Watts of near UV
99 Watts of Royal Blue
33 Watts of True Blue
55 Watts of Neutral Whites.

The next thing you need to consider is all chips are not equal as far as light/ wattage. The range of light can change presently by roughly 30% between different chips at the same wattage. Presently getting 120 luims per watt is the average which I use but the range is presently from 80 to 120 lums per watt. Cree is suposed to be comming out with a new line that they claim reached 260 lums per watt in the research setting.

The other thing to consider that is personal preference is how many point sources of light do you want. For a 48" long tank 2 sources should be the minimum. But the more sources you have the less shadows you will have. Some people prefer sharp shadows other like to eliminate the shaddows as much as possible. On personal point, I would not consider less than 4 piont sources for a 75 gallon tank.

 

[mr.wilson]

I have had a few multichips with burnt out rows when run at 500mA/row. Anyone else have any rows burn out? I'm using a large active CPU cooler with heat pipes, and temps seem fine.

 

[asid61]

The Lumia 5.1 is a really nice multichip that recently came out. It's a full-spectrum chip that goes up to about 120w.
Better than the dreamchip IMO due to the increased number of violets.

 

[TropTrea]

The Lumia 5.1 is a really nice multichip that recently came out. It's a full-spectrum chip that goes up to about 120w.
Better than the dreamchip IMO due to the increased number of violets.

I'm not enthused with the combinations for the channels on that chip.
Channel 1 = max 25 Watts 4,500 K
Channel 2 = Max 25 Watts Royal Blue
Channel 3 = Max 25 Watts of 430 nm Atinic
Channel 4 = Max 12.5 Watts Deep Red and 12.5 Watts of Cyan
Channel 5 = Max 12.5 Watts True Blue and 12.5 Watts of 410nm Atinic

I particularly do not like the Deep Red and Cyan mix. You should be getting enough red from the 4,500K chip. And If I was running a near blance between the others I would want to red to be at or near 0 with the Cyan at or near max. I think it would be easire to balance out if they put that deep red on the same channel as the 410 nm Atinic. And the True Blue with the Cyan.

However looking at a artistic combination the red and cyan do neutralize each other making the appearance look less noticable between the individual colors.

Also the total wattage of these might be great for someone running a tank 30" or taller but on say a 120 Gallon tank I do not like sharp shadows so I would want to use at least 8 of them spread across the tank. That would give me up to 1,000 Watts of LED lighting So I'd only be running these in the 20% to 35% range.

Then look at the Cost 8 Chips = $785 Cooling probably as much, and drivers another $250. Before your done you spent at least $2,000.00. But you have enough lighting power to handle a 240 gallon tank that is nearly 48" tall.

 

[iced98lx]

I have had a few multichips with burnt out rows when run at 500mA/row. Anyone else have any rows burn out? I'm using a large active CPU cooler with heat pipes, and temps seem fine.

I'm only running my chips at 350ma a row (700ma drivers on dual row colors and 350 ma drivers on a single row color), no burnouts here yet.