Singlefin's MakersLed 40B

[Singlefin]

Finally putting my led build together. I have 12- 3Up's, 4- OCW's, and 4- TV. I'm going to try run them in two clusters on a 24" MakersLed Heatsink with 4 Inventronics 40w drivers each having its own POT. This will be going over a 40B that is 36" long.

I'm trying to decide how to separate them to each driver. I was thinking driver A= 12-RB & 4-NW on left side. B= 12-RB & 4- NW on right side. Driver C= 4-OCW's (12-LEDs) & 4- NW. Driver D= 4- TV @ 500ma? Can I run only 4 LEDs @500ma on one driver? Or do need to add more to make the minimum 6? Any suggestions or if you see something I am missing, any help would be appreciated. This lighting job has me spinning. Thanks.

 

Fresh LR has been curing for a couple weeks not. Stand is almost done.

 

20 long sump

Glass holes 700gph overflow

Eheim 1262 return pump (635 GPH)

2x- Mp10w

Skimmer: iTech 100

[Singlefin]

 

[Mr. Microscope]

Looking nice! What kind of drivers are you using? Buckpucks can take 1 to 6 LED's. MeanWells need a minimum of 8. Others have different requirements that should be on the datasheet.

 

As for dividing up the channels, keep your Royal Blues on one channel. Trust me, it's fun to run them by themselves for sundown/sunrise time. Looks awesome! As for the rest, maybe NW and OCW on another and TV's on the last. Or, maybe NW's on one and tie in your OCW's with the TV's. To be really crafty, I'd split up the OCW's. Tie in the Blues and Cyan in with the RB's, and put the Reds with the Whites.

[Singlefin]

Thanks. I'm running 4 inventronics 40w drivers. I think you can run 7-16 LEDs on each driver.

[Mr. Microscope]

2 drivers for the blues:

12x RB + 2x Blue + 2x Cyan on each

 

1 driver for whites and reds

12x NW + 4x Red

 

Use a dimmable buckpuck for the TV's

 

The other option would be to use two drivers for the whites and reds split between the two sides. That way you could do sundown/sunrise over the expanse of your tank which would make for a cool effect (left side on/off first, etc.).

[Smity]

Its about time! Good choice on going with a single return instead of dual.

 

Also cant wait to see how the LED's turn out... I may switch to a T5/LED hybrid when my bulbs get older.

 

Keep us updated

[Singlefin]

I will. Thanks. My time doesn't start till about 9p. After the kids go to sleep. Hopefully I can take the lights to work tomorrow and wire them up.

[Smity]

hahaha sound like my house when I get home from work @ 10pm

[Singlefin]

I saw your comment about T-ing off the chiller. How effective is that? If you have a big enough chiller shouldn't it be able to handle the pressure?

[Smity]

Yeah wasn't worried about the chiller per say more so on the return itself and the load from all the head pressure. Just think how many bends are in the chiller itself then having to pump to the top from his last design with 4 90's.

 

I barely get 500gph because of my return is like his last draft with the 4 90's.

 

His return pump is going to be loud and not last long.

 

EDIT: plus a slower flow through the chiller will I think cool the water better. Chillers -1/15 to 1/10 from what I have seen want 200-300gph max thru put.

[Singlefin]

I was thinking of running soft tube instead of PVC for my return.

[Smity]

Running a hybrid here soft tube from the pump to the tee where its pvc.

[Singlefin]

Challenging the sun. Lights temporarily wired up. This is running 100% on each except the TV driver that is dimmed a little. Don't have a meter to make it exactly 500ma.

 

Driver 1:16 Royal Blue

driver 2: 12 Neutral White

Driver 3: 4 OCW (4- deep red, 4- turquoise and 4- cool blue)

Driver 4: 4 True Violet and 8 Royal Blue

 

Crappy iPhone pic.

[jT415Gz]

Challenging the sun. Lights temporarily wired up. This is running 100% on each except the TV driver that is dimmed a little. Don't have a meter to make it exactly 500ma.

 

Driver 1:16 Royal Blue

driver 2: 12 Neutral White

Driver 3: 4 OCW (4- deep red, 4- turquoise and 4- cool blue)

Driver 4: 4 True Violet and 8 Royal Blue

 

Crappy iPhone pic.

Cool build and love the heatsink. One day one day I sha'll have it.

I bought my led build just shy a month before I heard about the Makers.

 

How's the light blending together? Are all of the colors blending into a "white" light or can you see each color?

 

I would run the TV's at 450mA to prevent burning out prematurely and run them off their own separate driver for further control. More headroom. Speaking of that, I need to get my 4th and final driver. Hmmm

 

If you haven't already found a multimeter. I bought this one here it works and is inexpensive and reads Current Amps.

[Singlefin]

Thanks. I haven't put them over my tank yet. Just blasted the room. Looks pretty blended. I have the TV on their own driver with a few RB to make the minimum amount needed to run the driver. I just ordered a few more TV and RB to make up for the ones I used in the tv string tht had to be dimmed down. My thinking is with the extra LEDs I can dim the strings down and run them at a lower cooler level which will extend their life span. Really an impulse buy. Should have just waited till its setup to see how it looks. It's easy enough to add, subtract and move LEDs around with this heat sink.

[jT415Gz]

how are you planning to mount the 8lb. heatsink?

[Singlefin]

I'm thinking two 2" wide aluminum flat bars bent in an L shape. Maybe 24" tall. Bolted to the stand and drill two holes to match the channels on the heat sink. Still figuring that out.

 

Once I get the tank and stand finalized Ill take better measurements.

[jT415Gz]

Hanging off the ceiling is a no no?

Keep us updated on the mounting with pics.

[Singlefin]

not really. depends on what the wife say. i think i can run brackets off the wall behind the tank which would work too. once i get the tank into its final place, ill have a better idea. just been super busy lately. I'm also trying to figure out the final wiring. with the 4 drivers i have, i need to figure out a male female plug for the 8 wires, or two 4 wire plugs. something i can hide. plugs aren't really necessary, but they would help if i had to work on it or move it in the future.

[jT415Gz]

For a clean look you can use low profile DC jacks from Radioshack or the like online.

For a not so clean look but cheaper get 2, 3, 4, 8 pin "molex" type connectors.

For a inside your cabinet where no water will ever reach your wiring, use screw down terminals - +.

 

I went for the cheaper "molex" only because I wanted my lights running asap.

[Singlefin]

yes.. i saw the plugs at radio shack. i was thinking of the DC jacks like ecoxotic uses. i have to use one of those to wire up the fans. i was thinking the 8-wire molex but in the future it would be nice for each one to have its own plug. plus if a driver or light goes out, it would be pretty easy to troubleshoot with dc jacks. just switch plugs. i forgot to order power supplies from ledgroupbuy. Milad said i could use an old 12v 500ma power adapter from a phone, router, or charger i had laying around. i had a 12v 300ma that seems to work and not need a speed control to slow the fan down. if you are ordering from him, its much cheaper and easier to get everything from them then trying to piece everything together. even the soldering iron is like $12 and 60w which is impossible to find around here.

[jT415Gz]

Good to have a one-stop shop.

Yeah, if I do end up buying the Makers heatsink I may also get x2 sets of the Makers dimmer controls and possibly 3UPs and OCW's. Not sure if I want to change to Inventronics drivers as I currently have Meanwells. I have x3 pairs of the "molex" connectors, they certainly work and get the job done, but are ugly to look at, plus bulky, so I may swtich over to DC later on.

 

Are you running any type of controller for your lights or only potentiometers?

How do you limit the maximum current range with the Inventronics drivers? Is there a built-in SVR2 dial like the Meanwells have?

[Singlefin]

No controller yet. Maybe Apex in the future. I'm just using pots. That's why I need the meter to set the pots. I think the inventronics are sealed and waterproof. Can't open them and adjusters dial.

 

Here is its lights wired up.

 

 

Here are the lights after shut down. You can see the colors of each led.

 

[jT415Gz]

Man, those drivers look small (good thing), not sure if I dig the external potentios aesthetically.

Needs like a box or plate to secure them in.

Hmm... I dig the look of them 3ups and ocw's which make the heatsink look huge and overkill.

I understand that the size of the heatsink is mainly for providing adequate coverage over your tank.

I need a 24" Makers myself. I currently run a 6x20" with no fans. I don't run them at 100%. Mostly 25% and 50% otherwise it's hard to stare at the tank. 0_o

[Singlefin]

Yes. I'm thinking I can hide the drivers and pots in a cabinet or something. I have two sets of little hands that like touching stuff and have the 8 tiny wires going to the fixture. Yes it is blindingly bright. Not sure if I can even run these at 100%.