Ultimate LED guide

[sammy113]

Thanks!

[sammy113]

Okay, got a 10V PSU for the DIM wires one ELN60-48P (not gonna dim for now) Now I'm scared about the mA's the driver could be set from factory. I saw the data sheet and I know where's the adjusting screw inside but I can't seem to measure mA with my multimeter. My brother has one but i believe it measures Amps, not miliamps. The lowest dial it has is 20 and it stays in 0.00 seems like i need to get a full DC thing! Crap

[evilc66]

How are you measuring the current? You are putting the meter in series to the LEDs like you are adding another LED right? You have the positive lead in the right port too?

[sammy113]

How are you measuring the current? You are putting the meter in series to the LEDs like you are adding another LED right? You have the positive lead in the right port too?

No, I didn't measure it with LEDs trying not to fry them. I measure directly from the wires of the meanwell and yes, positive is in its place

[evilc66]

The driver may need a minimum load to operate. I'd hook up three LEDs and put the meter in series and see what you get. The drivers are supposed to be set to 1.2A from the factory. If you are feeling paranoid, turn SVR2 all the way counter clockwise to set it as low as it will go.

[sammy113]

Alright, I'll try that. Does the SVR2 has an end turning counter clockwise? I turned it a few times and didn't see an end

[evilc66]

Not good. It's only supposed to turn 270 degrees lock to lock. You may have damaged the pot and may not be able to adjust it.

[sammy113]

Oh dammit. It doesn't even suppose to turn 360! I didn't force though. Did i? Nah don't think. Maybe I did

[evilc66]

You wouldn't be the first to do it. You might get lucky and still have the pot work.

[sammy113]

lol. Hopefully if the lowest setting is 950mA or so, I'm there.... even at the lowest it isn't too low.

[sprinterpd]

Early in design. 20" long 10gallon. 12" wide and 14" deep. Plan on 17 total (8 White, 7 Royal Blue, 2 UV) in the following order:

W B W B W B

W U B U W

B W B W B W

White on outer rows on 1 "channel", Blue outers on 2nd "channel", Middle 5 on 3rd "channel".

I'll use 3 Buckpacks and a single Power Supply. The cooling will be with an A/C fan, so that I can time the cooling to go off a little after the lights turn off.

 

3 questions:

1) layout and planned configuration seem okay?

2) for my proposed 20" length, how WIDE should I order the heatsink?

3) I'm VERY curious about an X10 for sunrise/sunset control. I would use dim-able buckpucks to "tune" the temperature of the lights.

 

There will be many more questions, but let's start here.

 

TIA

 

Michael

[sammy113]

Can't say much about it. Evil will come and tell you about the configuration. To me seems ok. I wouldn't care much about the UV though. I'm just gonna say about the fan, if you are going with the 24V power supply, you can get a 24V fan and just hook it along with the LEDs so the same timer that turns the light will work with the fan. Another option is just to put a multi plug on the timer and ran a 12V power supply along with the lights cause maybe most 24V fans are noisy.

[redfishsc]

As a side note, let me play devil's advocate here (no pun intended, Evil )

 

What if I were to use this MCE kit as a fuge light? I'd have to toss the reflector since I don't need it to throw a beam across a football field. For around $40 for the WC bin (cool white), a heatsink, and other misc stuff..... you'd have a very long lasting fuge light that, seems to me, would really fry some macroalgae.

 

I have a 5.5g fuge.... would one be gross overkill??

 

http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut947

Edited December 2, 2009 by redfishsc

[xcracer]

Early in design. 20" long 10gallon. 12" wide and 14" deep. Plan on 17 total (8 White, 7 Royal Blue, 2 UV) in the following order:

W B W B W B

W U B U W

B W B W B W

White on outer rows on 1 "channel", Blue outers on 2nd "channel", Middle 5 on 3rd "channel".

I'll use 3 Buckpacks and a single Power Supply. The cooling will be with an A/C fan, so that I can time the cooling to go off a little after the lights turn off.

 

3 questions:

1) layout and planned configuration seem okay?

2) for my proposed 20" length, how WIDE should I order the heatsink?

3) I'm VERY curious about an X10 for sunrise/sunset control. I would use dim-able buckpucks to "tune" the temperature of the lights.

 

There will be many more questions, but let's start here.

 

TIA

 

Michael

 

if you really want UV led's then i would go 18 (max for 3 pucks.. uv's will have to go with something else at 700mA) and have 2 rows of 7 and then put the UV's 4-5 inches of the center either way..(where my dashes are.. leds spaced maybe 2.5inches apart

 

W B W B W B W

- -

B W B W B W B

 

 

heatsink as big as you can get.. maybe 17" x 8" (roughly)

 

just guessing anyway

[evilc66]

Early in design. 20" long 10gallon. 12" wide and 14" deep. Plan on 17 total (8 White, 7 Royal Blue, 2 UV) in the following order:

W B W B W B

W U B U W

B W B W B W

White on outer rows on 1 "channel", Blue outers on 2nd "channel", Middle 5 on 3rd "channel".

I'll use 3 Buckpacks and a single Power Supply. The cooling will be with an A/C fan, so that I can time the cooling to go off a little after the lights turn off.

 

3 questions:

1) layout and planned configuration seem okay?

2) for my proposed 20" length, how WIDE should I order the heatsink?

3) I'm VERY curious about an X10 for sunrise/sunset control. I would use dim-able buckpucks to "tune" the temperature of the lights.

 

There will be many more questions, but let's start here.

 

TIA

 

Michael

xcracer is pretty close. I'd go with two rows of eight though and ditch the UVs. With the LEDs that are currently available, they don't add that much benefit to worry about them. Eight LEDs per row will give great coverage. Space them 2" apart, and the rows 3" apart.

 

When it comes to driver configuration, I would so something like this:

 

WBWBWBWB

BWBWBWBW

 

13121232

21312321

 

This way you can use channel 3 as your dawn/dusk channel for reduced output. It's not perfect, but it should look pretty good. I staggered the LEDs on channel 3 on purpose.

 

As a side note, let me play devil's advocate here (no pun intended, Evil )

 

What if I were to use this MCE kit as a fuge light? I'd have to toss the reflector since I don't need it to throw a beam across a football field. For around $40 for the WC bin (cool white), a heatsink, and other misc stuff..... you'd have a very long lasting fuge light that, seems to me, would really fry some macroalgae.

 

I have a 5.5g fuge.... would one be gross overkill??

 

http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut947

One MC-E could work quite well as a fuge light. Lot's of light.

[kaya]

Hi,

I am trying to find a reasonable LED fixture for my 24"X24"X24" tank,

 

I found two relatively reasonable prices

one is

 

http://www.ledwholesalers.com/store/index....p;productId=512

 

which I contact the producer in China and asked their price, they want 252UDS including shipping,

 

and they say

"We use 1W as light source, the brand of led is Bridgelux(USA manufacturer).

one electric timer can control three part of the light, that is 42pcs-white, 42pcs-blue, 35pcs-white."

 

Is this Bridgelux any good ?

 

Or there is the

 

http://www.lck-led.com/p670/MaxSpect-Aquar...oduct_info.html

 

which is 288 + 60 (shipping)

 

it looks way nicer than the first one but pricier.

 

Please let me know which one would be better,

thanks,

Yasar

Edited December 2, 2009 by kaya

[evilc66]

Both of those fixtures have been discussed here before recently. The first one I'm not convinced they can hit those PAR numbers with the coverage area they are claiming. The only way they can hit that PAR at that distance is with optics, and that will severely cut down the coverage.

 

The Maxspect unit has some potential, but not the unit you were looking at. The 110W unit doesn't include the 30W LEDs that will be responsible for getting PAR up. The 110W model uses just 3W LEDs (of unknown quality), and may not be able to provide ample light for a tank of your size. The 160W model would be better suited.

[kaya]

Both of those fixtures have been discussed here before recently. The first one I'm not convinced they can hit those PAR numbers with the coverage area they are claiming. The only way they can hit that PAR at that distance is with optics, and that will severely cut down the coverage.

 

The Maxspect unit has some potential, but not the unit you were looking at. The 110W unit doesn't include the 30W LEDs that will be responsible for getting PAR up. The 110W model uses just 3W LEDs (of unknown quality), and may not be able to provide ample light for a tank of your size. The 160W model would be better suited.

 

I appreciate it greatly,

Thanks,

Yasar

[sprinterpd]

If it's okay, I'd like to be really sure BEFORE I buy, but purchase in steps. The first component is the heatsink. http://heatsinkusa.com/storename/heatsinku...l-10502650.aspx

 

May I ask if these, http://www.cree.com/products/xlamp7090_xre.asp, are the correct LEDs, and how do I get them pre-mounted on the star PCBs? (basically, I guess I would like to confirm part numbers, and just call and order).

 

I would like to get these in the next few weeks, then I can get drivers and PS after the holidays.

 

Cheers,

 

Michael

[evilc66]

Heatsink looks good, and those are the right LEDs. Most of the US retailers like Nanotuners, RapidLED and LED Supply all have them pre mounted. Nothing to worry about.

[quietstorm]

Hi guys,

 

I've updated my schematics so here it is. For your information, I'll use an Arduino to dim the lights and to control the 2 fans attached to the heatsink. I'll also have a RTC module and a LDC display to monitor temperature and change lighting settings. I only have one 12V power supply to power the LM317 circuit (which provides 10V to both Meanwell drivers), the Arduino and the 2 fans. What do you guys think about it ? Am I good with this ? Should I add pull up resistors to the RTC module SDA and SCL lines (if so, what values ?) ? Is there anything else I should pay attention to ? Thanks !

[oceanahollic]

Ok, this is it. I have been reading here for a couple of weeks and nobody has a 24gal aquapod they modified yet. So the closest i came to that was Minadin's JBJ Nano-Cube 24 DX. I believe that everything he has from his list would suit me just fine and fit perfectly in my hood. If you look at his link i plan to do pretty much the same thing on the order list. I believe that the heatsink will be perfect size and weight. Any ideas from anybody else who did some measuring and what not? and with the 24 leds it will be perfect with some 60 degree optics maybe just up front to get to the sand bed. This will be a project that will take me some time as i gather up the funds to get this going but i plan to be done by summer or late spring as i get more info and what not. Evil, i know your out there. Have you checked out the 24ap and would Minadin's set up pretty much synchronize with mine???

[evilc66]

1K pull-ups wouldn't be a bad idea. The Atmega chips are supposed to have internal pull-ups, but most run external anyway.

[Deleted User 6]

Evil, add an elf hat to your av. This has nothing to do with LEDs.

[oceanahollic]

Just wondering has anybody checked my first post above #1372, thankyou