Help with 6 led driver

[bKelly]

I need help with a driver to run six 3 watt LEDs. I want to run 4 blue and 2 violet LEDs on one driver.

 

I have two DC power supplies. One is a 12 volt and the other is a 19 volt supply.

[jedimasterben]

What are the forward voltages of the LEDs?

 

Neither of those power supplies will work unless you are powering a DC/DC constant current driver from them. What is the amperage of each power supply?

[bKelly]

12 volt is 5 amps. 19 volt is 4.6 amps

 

Both are computer power supplies.

[jedimasterben]

Computer as in an ATX PSU or as in like a laptop PSU?

 

What are the forward voltages of the LEDs?

[bKelly]

12 volt is atx and the 19 is a laptop.

 

The LEDs will either be blue and violet Cree or blue bridelux

[jedimasterben]

Skip the ATX power supply, for being anywhere near a tank you want something that is at least semi-sealed.

 

Well, forward voltages can be very different between different types of LEDs, so once you decide, you figure out your forward voltage, and that will let you know how many LED drivers you will need if you plan to run them on the 19v power supply. LDD drivers will give ~16v output, typical Cree chips will pull 2.9-3.3v depending on current, and knockoff chips will pull 3.4-3.9v.

[bKelly]

Thanks for all your help so far.

 

I was thinking about trying the bridgelux from Ledgroupbuy. I want to use 6 chips, I was thinking 4 blue and then 2 hyper violet.

 

If I wont gain much from the hyper violet I will just use 6 of the blue.

 

It would be great to dim with a pot but its not necessary. If there is a AC to DC driver that would work I would look into that as well.

[1reefluvr2]

Pick drivers, tiny built in pod easy to wire.

[bKelly]

after looking i think XT-E royal blue would be better than bridgelux. would there be much PAR increase using the violet?

[jedimasterben]

Well, to start off, what is your goal? Is it to make your tank look more blue? What light do you have currently?

 

For an AC/DC constant current driver that is dimmable, the Inventronics series will do what you want.

[bKelly]

Im building a 12 nano for macroalgae, GSP, and zoas. My budget is tight and I have recycled what I had laying around.

 

I am currently using two marineland light bars that I had from a fresh water build.They are 4.62 watts each with a Lux of 990 and 310 lumens @ 12"

 

I also have two 3 watt warm white leds.

 

Im looking to add some blue to the tank and also trying to increase the PAR for the tank.

 

The marinelands are one at the front and one at the back. the warm whites are in the center about 4" from the edge.

 

I want the blues to fill in the rest of the center between the warm whites.

[bKelly]

This is the tank with all lights on

[jedimasterben]

The Marineland strips really won't do much. You could replace both of them with a single 3w chip and have more light output. Plus, you'd only have one thing to power instead of three.

 

Use a 25w Inventronics 700mA driver, 2x XT-E neutral white, and 8x XT-E royal blue in addition to the warm white LEDs you have now. While not optimal, it would still be a good light.

[bKelly]

It says its dimmable, can it be used with a pot?

[jedimasterben]

Yes, or a 0-10v controller.

[bKelly]

I dont have a controller right now so I would have to use a pot. I hope to continue to upgrade componets at a later date.