X-10 Dimmable LED moonlight!

[Mickey]

I really want to try this for the new tank I am planning, but I just don't understand the schematic. Can someone translate this into English and step by step instructions? or am I better of leaving it alone if I don't understand it?

Mickey

 

[Trackz]

Short answer....leave it if you don't understand it.

Good thing is..it isn't complicated at all. It is two resistors and a rectifier. The 6K 5w can be almost anything (it just needs to put a load on it) but I wouldn't go any smaller. Like he mentioned, these things get really really hot. You definately need a volt meter though. I ended up having to put a bunch of different 5w resistors in parrallel to get the right resistance (they were all 10%). They all get really hot, so I also put a heatsink/fan setup on it all.

 

[Henna Ojisan]

Cool - Looks like a good project for this weekend...

 

[nezw0001]

I am thinking about doing this project this weekend but have two questions.

1. Where does one find the full wave bridge rectifier
2. What was used for the power source?

Hoping to get my electrician friend to help me out.

thanks

 

[eric2524]

tagging along.

 

[jerseyreefer]

1. Where does one find the full wave bridge rectifier

I found mine at rat shack.

2. What was used for the power source?

Just plug it in to your x-10 lamp module.
They also didn't have any 5w resistors so I found 6 1k ohm 1w in series to get the 6k. And 10 1/2w 390 ohm in series to get the 3.9k ohm. Hey, they were cheap and I was already there so thats what I did.

 

[szwab]

you can also get all the parts from digikey.

 

[nezw0001]

szwab

do you have the digikey part numbers? I tried to find it on there but it is a huge site.

 

[eric2524]

Forgive me for not knowing but what is an x-10 lamp module?

 

[reefer20G]

Playfair, awesome idea and diagram. I will make one, one of these weekends. Thanks for all the info.

 

[A Reef Scene]

tag

 

[jerseyreefer]

Forgive me for not knowing but what is an x-10 lamp module?

Here you can read about them on this page .

 

[eric2524]

So the X-10 allows you to adjust/dim the led moonlight to acheive the desired effect, is this right?

 

[jerseyreefer]

Yup. All phases from new to full.

 

[szwab]

nezw0001
I'll try and find my order invoice and get part numbers.

 

[nezw0001]

szwab

thanks. I went to radio shack and the guy was less than useful. My electrician friend will come over and help me once I have the parts.

 

[cinnamongirl]

So is someone building these to sell to those of us who are absolutely clueless about electronics, but who still want the perfect moonlight

 

[eric2524]

So, I have the lights wired up and now I just need to get the dimmer and full bridge and connect it to the power source. Thanks for all the help. By the way I used 10mm leds and boy are they huge, about the size of my small finger, tons of light though.

Thanks
again
Eric

 

[eric2524]

So, I have the lights wired up and now I just need to get the dimmer and full bridge and connect it to the power source. Thanks for all the help. By the way I used 10mm leds and boy are they huge, about the size of my small finger, tons of light though.

Thanks
again
Eric

 

[szwab]

cinnamongirl


pm playfair I think he was making some extras