My DIY Netduino Controller and Multi-channel Multi-chip LED Cannons

are you getting good separation on each channel? can you take a close up of the led?

I've only lit one channel up so far, so I can't comment to "Separation". I did take this picture, overloading my sensor on my camera, to make sure only the channel I had on was lit up, this is at 100% power for that string:

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Here is the best I can do for closeup until I have something handy other than my phone.

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Small setback, an improperly secured ground wire did a little damage, fried one driver , so instead of the pretty dimming and alternating light show video I was getting ready to film I'm ordering parts.

A low blow on a day like today but a valuable lesson. I ordered the rest of the stuff that I need to shore up the wiring side for the light so that the next time I fire everything up nothing goes wrong. First night in a long time I've had the opportunity to work on it too
 
Thanks man, things are looking good, working on getting the chip more securely mounted on a new heatsink and fan combo right now so I can get it up over the tank and take a look at the coloration we've got and start on a scheduler for the controller.
 
the layout on your chip is different from the dreamchip, it has 5 channels with 2 banks of led per channel

is that center led channel the 420nm?
 
the layout on your chip is different from the dreamchip, it has 5 channels with 2 banks of led per channel

is that center led channel the 420nm?

Correct, and Correct. The 420nm channel is just 1 string of 5 vs 2. I am driving the 420nm with a 350ma driver, vs the 700's on the other channels.
 
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Just found this thread. I made my own LED drivers that use the PCA9685 and wrote an arduino library for them. I've recently gotten interested in the netduino and got a N+2. Do you have your code on github or anywhere else? I would be interested in working on the code with you to add support for the PCA9685 to the netduino.

I currently have 24 channels of LED's running off 4 PCA9685 based driver boards. I need to get the dusk/dawn and moonlight programming done. Would also like to add cloud and storm support too.

I'm waiting on parts for 2 more led fixtures so I'll be adding at least 12 more channels soon.
 
Question. Can you post your code for the D18B20?

Also where did you get that PCB for the Meanwell 700's? That is so clean looking that I would love to purchase something like that.

"Z"
 


I just finished attaching the chip to the heat sink for the final time after soldering longer wires to the chip, etc. Hoping to have it hanging above the tank yet today, possibly tomorrow or thursday though. Good amount of R&D already done here so sort of 'Picking back up' where the story left off ;)
 


Anyone who has done custom wiring harnesses before knows what I just went through. Terminal block used to never have to re-ID wires. will put sheathing etc on it but this way the terminal and driver boards won't be anywhere near the tank.
 
The amount of shimmer is nuts. I see why people love halides / kessils etc. ONe thing I'll have to build right away is a 'canopy' of some sort to shield the room from the side view of the LED. it's crazy bright at 25%.

some top down pictures (my phone is having problems after I dropped and shattered it this morning) I am very impressed with the colors- I am currently driving all channels off 1 dimmer so I haven't played with different %'s of colors but once I get my other piece working it'll be fun.

(PS Keep in mind my wife left my lights on 24/7 for 4 days a couple weeks prior to this due to bumping the timer so I had some serious bleaching)



 
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