Ultimate LED guide

[kidrobot]

RB driver is the LED driver for the royal blue LEDs. 99% of the time thats where it makes the most sense to put the UV LEDs.

 

If you are using the Meanwell LED drivers, you don't need a power supply for them. You will need a power supply for the fans.

 

 

ohok i understand now i can run the two UV leds with the Meanwell PS that is running the Royal Blue leds right so u mean if im going to run UV parallel in the RB driver the rest of the RB will run at around 500mA?? did i get that right??

 

thanks

Edited April 26, 2009 by kidrobot

[kipsix]

First, Evil - nice write up(s)!

 

I've spent the last who-knows how many hours/days trying to read them all.

 

Just a couple questions for you, as I'd like to get in on the group buy (If you'll let Canadians in).

 

How do you decide a good number of LED for a tank, I'm looking to retro my BC29 - under the splashguard I have about 17"x9.5" and the tank's about 14" deep. I read the other BC14 mods, seem to have about 12 (ish) so should I go 24 (ish)? Thinking 3 rows of 8, or 8,7,8.

 

For the Meanwell driver, how many LEDs can be hooked to one unit?

 

 

I guess I'm really wondering what my best option will be. Thanks, in advance.

 

Chris

[evilc66]

ohok i understand now i can run the two UV leds with the Meanwell PS that is running the Royal Blue leds right so u mean if im going to run UV parallel in the RB driver the rest of the RB will run at around 500mA?? did i get that right??

 

thanks

 

If you put the two UV LEDs in parallel and consider them just one LED, the whole series string will run at 1A.

 

If you still consider the UV LEDs as one, there is 1A flowing through the LED. Because the LEDs are in parallel, you divide the current equally between the two.

 

First, Evil - nice write up(s)!

 

I've spent the last who-knows how many hours/days trying to read them all.

 

Just a couple questions for you, as I'd like to get in on the group buy (If you'll let Canadians in).

 

How do you decide a good number of LED for a tank, I'm looking to retro my BC29 - under the splashguard I have about 17"x9.5" and the tank's about 14" deep. I read the other BC14 mods, seem to have about 12 (ish) so should I go 24 (ish)? Thinking 3 rows of 8, or 8,7,8.

 

For the Meanwell driver, how many LEDs can be hooked to one unit?

 

 

I guess I'm really wondering what my best option will be. Thanks, in advance.

 

Chris

24-28 LEDs is pretty typical for a tank like that. You will need to use an additional optic (80 or 60 degree lenses, or a combo of both) to raise performance levels at the sandbed.

 

The Meanwell ELN-60-48 will run up to 13 LEDs in series at 1A. If you keep under 26 LEDs in the array for the BC29, you can get away with using 2.

Edited April 26, 2009 by evilc66

[wfournier]

I am looking at putting together a retro for my BC 8 with 10 XR-E's. It looks like the hood on the BC 8 has a little less room in the hood to fit in the heat sink (duh).

 

Does anyone know of a source for a heat sink about 4.375 X 10 X 1.5 (max)? The narrowest heat sink from Heatsinks USA is too wide, I'm thinking I could cut it down, but I would be doing it by hand which doesn't excite me. I've checked ebay but most seem to be either too small of too big.

 

Also am I correct in assuming that the fins should be going in the same direction as the general airflow? This seems like a no brainer to me, but I have seen some heat sinks that might work, however the fins go the other direction.

[Lutra]

You could cut the heatsink with a hacksaw. Being aluminum it should cut rather easily.

 

That is what I am planning on doing. I got a medium sized heatsink for my NC12 knowing it is slightly too big to fit in the splash guard. The extra width will help me spread out the lights just that much more.

[evilc66]

HeatsinkUSA will cut the heatsink to any size you want. You just have to pay for the full width.

[Lutra]

Because of evilc66's group order I'm planning on putting a mix of 13 royal blue and cool white LEDs over my nanocube 12. Would throwing on an UV LED be a necessity if I wanted to keep SPS or a clam or would everything be fine either way?

[evilc66]

No need for UV, but it can help. It's not a good idea to run them at 1A though. You can do without it.

[ejmitch]

Hi, I read the thread again but didn't see this asked. I apologize if I missed it.

 

Could both cool white and royal blue be run on the same driver? That is, beyond desires for individual color dimming or sunrise control.

 

Thanks!

- E

[kipsix]

24-28 LEDs is pretty typical for a tank like that. You will need to use an additional optic (80 or 60 degree lenses, or a combo of both) to raise performance levels at the sandbed.

 

The Meanwell ELN-60-48 will run up to 13 LEDs in series at 1A. If you keep under 26 LEDs in the array for the BC29, you can get away with using 2.

 

Awesome! Thanks.

 

Can 2 drivers be run off one power supply or will they each need their own?

 

Can the Meanwell's be dimmed?

 

I think that's it for now...

Thanks again,

Chris

[keli]

ejmitch:

Blues and whites can be run on the same driver, no problem.

 

kipsix:

One powersupply, if rated big enough can run several buckpucks. F.e. with 2x 1000mA buckpucks you need a powersupply that's at least 2.5A (You want a bit bigger than "needed"), and at least 24v if you're running 6 LEDs on each buck.

 

Meanwells can be dimmed, but it's a tad more involved than dimming the buckpucks. Nothing hard, any DIYer with a soldering iron and a radio shack nearby should be able to handle it.

Meanwells do not need a power supply tho, they run off mains voltage. Another *big* plus of using them rather than buckpucks.

[evilc66]

^^^ Yeah, that

 

 

 

Only 5 days left on the group buy if anyone is still on the fence about ordering.

Edited April 29, 2009 by evilc66

[ejmitch]

^^^ Yeah, that

 

 

 

Only 5 days left on the group buy if anyone is still on the fence about ordering.

 

Hah, not on the fence. Just trying to work up the courage to try these extra circuits.

[janos1]

^^^ Yeah, that

 

 

 

Only 5 days left on the group buy if anyone is still on the fence about ordering.

Hi evilc66 am still waiting for your confirmation about the Meanwell is dimmeble or not,i ask you before,i try to dimm with my Profilux (1-10) if it is dimmeble tell me how to order,because i need 5 and i need lot of led.

Thank you

[deepdvnarq]

well i thought i was almost finished......after ordering two new buckpucks, i thought i was finally done. i wired everything up and turned it on and everything worked great for about half hour. then, bam, no more blues. i took the whole thing down and did my testing, i think 2 more buckpucks are bad. when i connect those particular 2 to the power supply, the power supply shorts out, i take them off, and the rest work great. Do buckpucks need to be cooled? i have eight in a small project box that is enclosed.

i sent a message to LED supply to see if they would exchange these two pucks for 2 new ones. these are replacemnts that i bought for two other ones. this one has really been frustrating, even the silenX fans would not work and had to go and get it at Fry's. i'm wondering what next can go worong.

 

i might just swith to meanwells and sell off the good buckpucks and the power supplies.

[evilc66]

Hi evilc66 am still waiting for your confirmation about the Meanwell is dimmeble or not,i ask you before,i try to dimm with my Profilux (1-10) if it is dimmeble tell me how to order,because i need 5 and i need lot of led.

Thank you

 

Give me a little bit.

 

well i thought i was almost finished......after ordering two new buckpucks, i thought i was finally done. i wired everything up and turned it on and everything worked great for about half hour. then, bam, no more blues. i took the whole thing down and did my testing, i think 2 more buckpucks are bad. when i connect those particular 2 to the power supply, the power supply shorts out, i take them off, and the rest work great. Do buckpucks need to be cooled? i have eight in a small project box that is enclosed.

i sent a message to LED supply to see if they would exchange these two pucks for 2 new ones. these are replacemnts that i bought for two other ones. this one has really been frustrating, even the silenX fans would not work and had to go and get it at Fry's. i'm wondering what next can go worong.

 

i might just swith to meanwells and sell off the good buckpucks and the power supplies.

 

That sucks. This seems to be a continuous thing with these drivers. One reason why I have tried finding an alternative.

[Giga]

Ok so my tank is 20"x20"x14" . With the overflow and sand the water level is only 11". My heat-sink is 7.5x12" and will house 24 LED (12CW,12RB) all driven at 1A.

 

How high should I hang the heatsink above the the water lvl? and what is the area the I can put corals under(like 12"x12")?

[evilc66]

Few inches is all you need. The 7.5" width is going to have the front and back of the tank a little dark. You should be better on the length.

 

Pwm test will have to wait till tomorrow. I need a scope and new capacitors to continue.

[deepdvnarq]

so in your opinion, should i just change to the meanwell drivers? i dont even care about dimming at this point and rewiring would be pretty easy. i already have 4 pots, what else would i need to make them dimmable orcould i just connect them as is. i thought i read somewhere that some additional minor wiring needs to be done to give it +10 V for it to work. anyways, put me down for 2 more meanwells. i think i already spent too much on buckpucks. i'm going to test the remaining ones i have and sell the good ones for cheap like $8 ea and the power supplies for like $10 ea. there okay for small arrays but not for medium to big jobs.

[14GNANO]

for a 5 gallon system how much is this going to run me?

[kipsix]

Meanwells can be dimmed, but it's a tad more involved than dimming the buckpucks. Nothing hard, any DIYer with a soldering iron and a radio shack nearby should be able to handle it.

Meanwells do not need a power supply tho, they run off mains voltage. Another *big* plus of using them rather than buckpucks.

 

Sorry what is 'mains voltage'? Maybe I'm reading this wrong.... Do i get to just plug them into the wall? This sounds really good, just want to understand a bit how these are powered. Thanks for all your help so far guys.

[Lutra]

It looks like you would have to attach a standard plug before you can plug it in a wall. Shouldn't be much of a problem at all. Go get an old something with a power cord and take that for your driver.

 

And yes mains voltage is wall voltage.

[evilc66]

so in your opinion, should i just change to the meanwell drivers? i dont even care about dimming at this point and rewiring would be pretty easy. i already have 4 pots, what else would i need to make them dimmable orcould i just connect them as is. i thought i read somewhere that some additional minor wiring needs to be done to give it +10 V for it to work. anyways, put me down for 2 more meanwells. i think i already spent too much on buckpucks. i'm going to test the remaining ones i have and sell the good ones for cheap like $8 ea and the power supplies for like $10 ea. there okay for small arrays but not for medium to big jobs.

 

The Meanwells are about the best option we have right now. I wish there were a few more. The lack of an internal reference voltage in the driver makes dimming a little more complicated. I have some circuits outlined in the Meanwell thread that can accomodate dimming, but I still have to test the pwm input.

 

If you want to order drivers, please state so in the GB thread. I won't take orders any other way.

 

 

for a 5 gallon system how much is this going to run me?

 

You could probably build a system for under $250.

[kipsix]

It looks like you would have to attach a standard plug before you can plug it in a wall. Shouldn't be much of a problem at all. Go get an old something with a power cord and take that for your driver.

 

And yes mains voltage is wall voltage.

 

So does that mean that for each Meanwell you use, you would require one plug? For larger set-ups can be they run from the same plug?

 

Thanks again, you guys! It's awesome that you guys are willing to share so much knowledge and help some of the less electrically inclined out.

[evilc66]

There is no problem running multiple drivers on one main cord.