My DIY NC fuge light

[Qwank]

well after reading many post and almost buying the nanocustoms LED fuge light i decided to try stoney waters idea from his fuge light since the parts were very inexpensive. I was going to use a ballast frrm a 13w drop light and a 2 pin PC, but the ballast was too big and i couldnt find a 2 pin in the proper kevin temp. so i used a screw in bulb i found at walmart in the fish section. its made by lights of america and is part number 2110aq. i did some research before buying it and found out its a 6500K bulb and it only cost $4.88. the screw in socket i got at walmart too for about $2. i bought a a heavy duty cord for $6 at home depot along with the 1 1/2 electrical case for $4.20. i got the 60mm 12v pc fan out of my old 300mega hertz AMD processor, and for a 12v adapter that i wasnt using. i took the reflector out of a 5g hood i wasn't usng. it was all dull from sitting in the cellar but a little mother's mag and aluminum cleaner shined it up really good. so for a little under $20 my light was made. the fan is a little loud though.

 

heres the pics:

 

 

 

[apologeticlies]

Could you please explain how you did the wiring on all of that? I'm not sure how to write those fans. For mine was was gonna get one of those clamp on work light things, and just screw the bulb into that. But anyways, i would really appreciate it!

[Qwank]

it was really easy. i bought the screw bulb socket. it has a black wire and a white wire. i bought the heavy duty power cord. it also has a black wire and white wire. hook the black up to the black and the white up to the white. put a bulb in and plug it in to make sure it works. i like to keep my projects simple so that was all there was to that part. the fan is actually on a separate power source. i used a 12v PC fan. i found out you can get them for less then $3 online. i searched the house for a 12v power adapter that wasnt being used. i cut the round connector off the end and wired the 2 wires of the fan to the 2 wires of the adapter. i dont remember which ones went where but it only works one way. if you use a fan with 3 wires- red, black and yellow. the yellow one is a nuetral wire and you dont need it just use the red and black and tape off the yellow one. i found a piggyback adapter at work that i tied into the power cord and i plugged the fan into it. so when the light comes on the fan comes on too. i dont know were you can buy those though. hope this helps ,i'm horrible at explaining stuff.

[RBuddha]

you should put some reflective material inside there to reflect the light into the fuge instead of it abosbing into the back.

[nanoty]

Great job! I really like it. The only thing that I am worried about doing that to mine is like you said the noise of another fan. Is there much spill over from the light? I want to run mine opposite of the main lights to further reduce heat.

[apologeticlies]

it was really easy. i bought the screw bulb socket. it has a black wire and a white wire. i bought the heavy duty power cord. it also has a black wire and white wire. hook the black up to the black and the white up to the white. put a bulb in and plug it in to make sure it works. i like to keep my projects simple so that was all there was to that part. the fan is actually on a separate power source. i used a 12v PC fan. i found out you can get them for less then $3 online. i searched the house for a 12v power adapter that wasnt being used. i cut the round connector off the end and wired the 2 wires of the fan to the 2 wires of the adapter. i dont remember which ones went where but it only works one way. if you use a fan with 3 wires- red, black and yellow. the yellow one is a nuetral wire and you dont need it just use the red and black and tape off the yellow one. i found a piggyback adapter at work that i tied into the power cord and i plugged the fan into it. so when the light comes on the fan comes on too. i dont know were you can buy those though. hope this helps ,i'm horrible at explaining stuff.

you explained it very well! I can't wait to start my new project. i think i'll have to go to like comp usa or something to get a comp fan. OR, i'll ask a friend of mine if he has spares... whatever. With mine, i decided to go with a a 6500K daylight bulbt that screws in. the light I have on my chaeto now is a 5100k, but I wont be able to use the bulb on my new tank... Oh well, i hope it comes out OK! Thanks for the help!

[moraymadness]

you should put some reflective material inside there to reflect the light into the fuge instead of it abosbing into the back.

 

i did you must not have read the whole post.

[RBuddha]

i did you must not have read the whole post.

 

Ah, i just saw the pics.

[Qwank]

i did you must not have read the whole post.

 

that was me. my friend must have been logged in on the work computer still. lol

[nanoty]

Great job! I really like it. The only thing that I am worried about doing that to mine is like you said the noise of another fan. Is there much spill over from the light? I want to run mine opposite of the main lights to further reduce heat.

[Qwank]

sorry nanoty i missed your post. yea the fan is noisey as hell at 12v. when i get the VVA's for the MH retro i'm getting an extra one or the fuge light. the bulb makes hardly any heat at all so i can probbly run it at 7.5 volts and that should quiet it down a lot.

 

 

 

theres not much spill over. a little comes through the sides past the velcro, a little out the bottom hole and more then little out the fan. does that make sense?

 

 

 

i took a pic of the cheato i put back in today and i'll check it in two weeks to compare the growth.

[nanoty]

That's cool, I figured you just didn't see me . That is good about the spillover, I just didn't want a big halo coming from behind my tank. I can't decide whether I am going to try and stuff the light in the hood or put it behind. I suppose it depends on how many fans I have to cram into there

[Qwank]

i would definatly put it behind. its so much convienant.