Total electircal noob needs help with DIY LED

[NateDawg]

Hello guys, heres my story. I am running 2 250w metal halides, 20k bulbs on my 110g, 5 foot tank. After much thought to what kind of LED's I should go to, from AI Sols or Ebay LEDs, I decided maybe DIY would work for me. I am a TOTAL beginner with electrics, so when reading the LED builds I get lost after a few lines.

I want to achieve a look something like AI Sol Super Blues look like, and that I could connect to a Apex Dimming Module, if at all possible. I have Softies, Zoas, RBTAs, LPS, minimal SPS, and want a clam sometime so I would need lighting that would fit the needs of these corals.

If anyone knows a write up that someone made that I could follow almost directly, that would be great. Otherwise I'm just looking for help on what to do. I'm very tired of my cheap Chinese MH system falling apart on me every month, or ballasts burning out.

A few questions I have are:

Would I be able to create a dawn dusk effect by having my Apex increase and decrease the brightness gradually, as well as actinics and moon lights?

Will I be able to imitate clouds and a thunderstorm as on the AI Sol

What is an estimate on how much it will cost me?

What is the difference between Cree Blue and Cree Royal Blue?

And will I have a shimmer?

Thank you guys!

 

[NateDawg]

Did some research and wanted to hear what you guys thought about this:

8.460" Wide x 12" Long Heatsink x3
Each heat sink will house 24 3w Cree Cool Whites, Blues, and Royal Blues. Resulting in 72 LED along the tank. 80 degree optics on each

I guess each heat sink will need three drivers (?) so I will be using Mean Well ELN-60-48D dimmable driver x9

If there is anyway I can control all the white, all the blues, and all the royal blues with with one driver in each, please let me know.

Will I be able to control all 3 colors with the Apex module.
What is the point of "drilling and tapping" heat sinks, do I need to do it?
Thanks

 

[stevetcg]

I dont have a lot of answers for you. As an electrical noob like yourself having just completed a DIY LED build (24 emitters and 2 drivers), i'll tell ya - its not that hard, really.

The first 3 solder connections took me about 10 minutes. The following 50 connections took me about 15 minutes total.

Drilling and Tapping: there are 2 ways to connect an LED to the heatsink. You can use thermal epoxy or drill and tap. So far as I can tell, the only real difference is the ease of removal if you ever need to replace or move an LED. I used epoxy.

Not sure why you are going with regular blues. A standard array is white and royal blue. Adding a third color increases your cost significantly. I dont know if your apex will control 3. I know my reefkeeper will not.

Best guess for cost for 3 colors would be about 800. 600 for the LEDs from one of the most popular suppliers and then 200 for heatsinks and random other needs (soldering iron, wire etc)

There may be a way to control all of each color with a single driver each but they are not the "standard" 48D/P meanwells. Ive read threads that use larger drivers and also read about DIY drivers that might fit your use, but there was a lot of technical stuff in there so I wouldnt even consider it, personally.

 

[cbellm]

Would I be able to create a dawn dusk effect by having my Apex increase and decrease the brightness gradually, as well as actinics and moon lights?

Yep you will have to use the variable dimming slots on the apex module or get a VDM for the dimming.

Will I be able to imitate clouds and a thunderstorm as on the AI Sol

Yes but you will have to read up on some programming but ppl can and have discussions on it. Apex threads are great for that

What is an estimate on how much it will cost me?

depends on you really more LEDs and more drivers increase the cost

What is the difference between Cree Blue and Cree Royal Blue?
Different nm of light they put out
RB fall somewhere at 450-465nm wavelength
blue at 465-485nm wavelength

And will I have a shimmer?
Yes granted you have enough for your tank and have a decent combination of light I built one a for a 29 g BC and it shimmers

 

[cbellm]

about your drivers I agree with steve tcg blues arnt the best royal blues are usually the way to go and it might save you from buying another driver

You will have to get a seperate driver for each color if you want to change the color individually I believe (I dont know of a way out of this one)

You can link the dimmable drivers of each color together from each heat sink and use individual ports for your APEX (you will be using the 10V dimmable ports lables V1/V2 and V3/V4) or you will have to obtain a VDM. I have heard that you can use up to 6 drivers per port on the APEX.

This is alot or reading you will have to do. I would learn to solder, use a multimeter, and take your time

http://reefledlights.com/how-to-diy-led/
Good place to read about APEX and how to link them up they also sell parts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I_5uh4R_QQ
this guy has a number of videos on LED building (ricket's reef)
Rapidled is where I got my parts they were great
You can get drivers at a loweer place you may want to look around make sure the are dimmable with 10V if you plan on using your apex
you can get heatsinks at a decent cost at places like "Heatsink USA"

 

[Dirrk]

Nate: unless you want a BLUE tank you probably have way too many blue LEDs, most people use only 2 or 3 or none mixed in with the Rbs. and you have too few whites IMHO. From what I've seen done to date, most people use a ratio of around 1.5 Rb to 1 Cw or mixed whites. Neutral white has been a popular addition to add a little red to the visual effect. Of course multiple dimmable drivers give you a lot of control over color, but if you end up running with your blue/Rb turned way down all the time, to overcome the "too blue" effect, you've left some photons ($) on the table. take the time to skim thru many of these diy threads and see what is said about color mix. Almost any question you may have has been covered in detail. use Search in the DIY forum- search for "led build". There are summaries too.