Opinions on Cree led chip (ebay)

[AdamD76]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/50Leds-5Channel-LED-Aquarium-Light-High-Power-Multiple-Color-LED-Light-Module-/321696652844?

I just picked up a new deep blue 65rr from the LFS and I am looking to upgrade my lights also. What do you think about these led chips? I did Email the seller to get more info on What the total wattage is and what Crees they are actually using. I also asked if they had any lenses or enclosures.

Parameters For the KW1 LED:

Quantity : 1pc
Model Name: CREE XPE+Epileds
CH1: 10x CREE XP-E 6000K 30V 350-1000MA
CH2: 10x CREE XP-E 450nm 30V 350-1000MA
CH3: 5x EPILEDS 420nm, 5x EPILEDS 395nm 30-36V 350-600MA
CH4: 10x CREE XP-E 450nm 30V 350-1000MA
CH5: 10x CREE XP-E 10000K 30V 350-1000MA


Adam D

 

[perkint]

My opinion? Cree make better LEDs than the XPE for everything other than 660nm so I would not get that. There is a seller on eBay who will make you a similar chip (may be less total LEDs I can't remember) with your own choice of emitters - 2012beautifullife

Tim

 

[AdamD76]

Thanks Tim,
I'll be sure to check out that seller.
I do like the use of the UV leds in this chip but was not sure about the combination of the 6000k and 10000k whites. I'm running a 50w 20000k at 60% and a 50w 465nm blue at about 30% right now in my bio-cube 29.

 

[acorral]

If you could share the one that makes custom leds it will be great ... Cant seem to find it

 

[AdamD76]

Yea, I don't see where the seller does custom leds.

 

[gblaszczuk]

I used a similar multichip light before and found them to have issues with color blending.

 

[perkint]

It is this item:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/50w-full-spectrum-5-channel-cree-led-/261575843064?hash=item3ce7229cf8

If you message her about it and ask for a custom layout she will provide a price for you when you've agreed the layout. At least she has been willing to in the past

Tim

 

[AdamD76]

Thank you for the link. Ill message the seller.

 

[AdamD76]

Just got a reply fron the seller. The crees are XP-E and the fixture is 150w. They also sell a 100mm lens for it.

 

[perkint]

Did you ask if it was possible to provide with alternate LEDs in? Apart from the XPE2 460nm blue and XPE 660nm red I wouldn't want XPE for white/royal blue. I must admit I didn't carry it thru to purchase, but I have had negotiations with them in the past about supplying a multi channel chip using more modern Cree chips. And have always found that seller very good for the things I have bought from them (which included custom packages).

Tim

 

[AdamD76]

My experience has been that they want a minimum purchase or a higher price. I will check.

 

[perkint]

They have request minimum purchase number on some stuff, but not silly ones on the things I have had. I know one person who bought three custom 5 channel chips similar to that I posted (but with the layout of their choice), so not unreasonable

When they had to buy stuff in for me, they only wanted a minimum order of 10 small multi chips, but I was buying some other bits at the same time...

Tim

 

[lpsouth1978]

I used a similar Multichip on my most recent build and LOVE them. Mine only have 4 channels (20 LED's), but include blue, royal blue, red, cyan, 420nm violet, and 6.5k white. The lenses they offer are less than worthless!! We used a good number of them and have the fixture only a few inches above the water surface and we can get up to 900 PAR on the sand (27") if we turn the lights all the way up.

Not using lenses has given us a better color mix, complete and even coverage, less shadowing, etc. The only draw back being that we used more of the chips, so power consumption is a bit higher.

Here is a link to the multichip we used. It also uses XP-E diodes, but they have worked fine for me. They are slightly less efficient than the XP-E2, but still great LED's. A couple of these, fairly close to the water (without lenses) would work great for a tank the size of yours.

http://www.topledlight.com/4-channe...n-purple-full-spectrum-led-20-dots_p1924.html

 

[Webmanny]

I used the one on the link below. I like them, but they can be a bit difficult to setup and they do generate more heat than the 3W LEDs on a star. Regardless, they work like they should and they do spit out a bunch of light and a better color mixture than with 3W LEDs.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/371283714840?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=640405558087&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[dartier]

What all these Chinese LED modules are missing is easy connections. They all seem to be using the same metal bases, but when they finally add molex connectors instead of the solder pads (E.G. like the LGB Lumia's use) then they will be far more attractive for the average person to use.

Soldering to those pads sucks, is messy, and they are reflowing them anyway, time for some nice SMT molex love

Dennis

 

[Webmanny]

I totally agree. I had a previous post asking for some help finding a nice terminal block connector that I could solder to it. That way you can unplug it and plug it back or change configurations without having to solder anything.

I would love it if someone could find a connector similar to the one below on the Lumia 5.2, but for this chip.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I used something like these. Sure, I had to solder them to the LED board, but it made installation very easy, and makes it possible for me to easily change things if ever needed.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20pcs-Male-...river-Strip-/221844681114?hash=item33a6f9319a

Here is a picture of them in my build.

 

[Webmanny]

Thank you for sharing. Very nice setup you have. What are you using to power three of these? Also, do you have a controller to dim these down?

 

[dartier]

I used something like these. Sure, I had to solder them to the LED board, but it made installation very easy, and makes it possible for me to easily change things if ever needed.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/20pcs-Male-...river-Strip-/221844681114?hash=item33a6f9319a

Here is a picture of them in my build.

That is a pretty good idea. Not as nice as real SMT connectors, but at least you have flexibility compared to being soldered into the wiring harness.

Dennis

 

[lpsouth1978]

Thank you for sharing. Very nice setup you have. What are you using to power three of these? Also, do you have a controller to dim these down?

Here is my build thread for the light. It will have all of the details. We used the Meanwell LDD drivers with StromX controllers for the dimming and programming. There are actually 4 x drivers for each 3 multi chips, 2 x 1000mA and 2 x 700mA. That picture is actually only 1/6th of the fixture. We had originally planned to power only 2 chips from the 4 drivers, but found that they could handle 3 of them, which saved us a lot of space.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2505059