DIY High Power LED Retrofit

[rvadub]

So what have you guys done for the 24v power pack? I ordered all the parts (led heat sink etc etc) but I don't know whats the best power supply or best price.

[muratbey]

You are going to be looking at an array of about 75 LEDs (15x5) with 60 degree optics running on drivers that will do 1000mA. It's going to be expensive.

 

 

for example, how many dollars?

75 LEDs = ?? W

 

thanks.

[evilc66]

So what have you guys done for the 24v power pack? I ordered all the parts (led heat sink etc etc) but I don't know whats the best power supply or best price.

 

http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16854+PS

 

Not the prettiest, but they work and are very stable.

 

for example, how many dollars?

75 LEDs = ?? W

 

thanks.

 

Depends where you buy from. LEDs prices vary from $5-$10 each, so you could be looking at anywhere from $350-$700 in LEDs alone.

 

75 LEDs driven at 1000mA = 278W

[rvadub]

http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16854+PS

 

 

 

Is that All I really need for the power supply? And I actually like the look of it hahah.

[evilc66]

One will be plenty.

[rvadub]

OH COME ON! $15 min order and the part is 14.95 hahahaha, whats cheap! hahaha digging around now! HAHA THANKS!

[evilc66]

You could always buy two and run each color on seperate power supplies and simulate dawn/dusk effects.

 

If you want to make the minimum order, add a $2 IEC power cord. You will need one anyway.

[muratbey]

Depends where you buy from. LEDs prices vary from $5-$10 each, so you could be looking at anywhere from $350-$700 in LEDs alone.

 

75 LEDs driven at 1000mA = 278W

 

Oh, my God. unexpected result. thanks.

[evilc66]

Sorry to be the barer of bad news, but I warned you Them's the cards.

[rvadub]

Thanks for the tip, going to the two unit route for dawn/dusk Think the 1 foot version is better then the 6ft? I plan to mount these inside the stand.

[evilc66]

Think the 1 foot version is better then the 6ft? I plan to mount these inside the stand.

 

Care to explain that one?

[rvadub]

6ft,18-3 AWG power cord

 

or

 

1ft. long over all, 18-3 SVT

 

Do both these work? My logic is if I am placing a outlet under the tank in the stand, the one foot chord might be the cleanest setup as to two 6ft cables zip tied to the right length (since I am using two)

 

Make sense?

[evilc66]

I see now. 1ft might be a little limiting. The 6ft cords don't come terminated on the other end, so you can cut it to what you need. You might find that 1ft is a little short once you get the power supplies mounted. Give yourself some wiggle room.

[Roxyplace]

My company built Cop Cars and all the early lumileds in lightbars and Emergency vehicle lighting. was the start of H.P LEDs., When I sold company I said no more lights for me.

 

Well reading this, and a Biocube 29 for my girls Christmas present, and I cannot help my self.

 

I am going to bench build it for fun, and see how it go's.

 

I would like help to save me from reinventing the wheel.

 

What size heatsink to order and what led's and optics. for biocube 29

 

 

I like building, I hate designing.

 

This is one of the best threads I have read in a very long time.

[Waterproof]

What size heatsink to order and what led's and optics. for biocube 29

 

I'd suggest 24 LEDs (half cool white, half royal blue) with 60-degree optics. Due to the added height of the BC-29, you'll probably want the optics. Run four strings of 6 LEDs with 1000mA buckpuck drivers. This will allow you to keep pretty much anything. If you just want some softies and LPS, then you can scale it back. Get the largest heatsink you can fit in the splash guard along with the fans, switches, etc. I don't know these dimensions, so someone else will need to chime in.

[rvadub]

Damn, should have read this better. I ordered the 5 x 8.5 heatsink thinking you had a bc29. So if I might just double up to 22 leds since I ordered 12 already. So if I double everything that should be fine then right?

 

Got carried away. I will measure the space tonight and see what size of heatsink I need. Bummer the 5 x 8.5 is on the way to my house already haha

[rvadub]

I will look at it more later, but my rough guess is you might be able to do 7 wide by 16 long. So you are saying 24 on that?

 

Also, I ordered this so how would you adjust the order?

 

Cree XR-E Q4 Star LED CREEXRE-W100 6 7.49

(Shipped)

Cree Royal Blue XR-E Star CREEXRE-RB 5 7.49

LED

(Shipped)

BuckPuck: 3021-D-I-1000 03021-D-I-1000 2 17.99

BuckPuck, 1000mA Output,

DC Powered

(Shipped)

Arctic Silver Premium ASTA-7G 1 12.99

Silver Thermal Epoxy

(Shipped)

BuckPuck Wiring Harness 03021HEP 2 4.99

with Pot. For I and E

Parts

 

And can I run all the blue of one 24/v and all the white off one 24v then? (sorry, electrical work to this scale is new to me.)

[evilc66]

[rvadub]

Sorry, I tried to do the post on my phone yesterday and it freaked out. SO the size I can see working with keeping the fans in the same location roughly would be the 7.29 x 16. That being the case would you lay out the leds the same way as the 12 led setup, just a looooong version?

 

My next question was the leds I ordered, are they not going to reach the depth of the tank? Do I need to send those back and order different ones now that we know this is going on a bc29?

 

I keep asking myself is this worth it at this point when I can just buy the nano-tuner 4x36 kit for so much cheaper hah.

[evilc66]

12 LEDs isn't really going to be enough to light a BC29. The LEDs you did order are more than powerful enough to light the tank. What you need to get to get the performance up is optics.

 

This will be worth the effort, I assure you that. Just ask anyone who has built an LED setup.

[rvadub]

Sorry for any confusion. This is where I stand now. I have the 8.5 x 5 heat sink coming with those leds. (11) I got those thinking this was a biocube 29 setup. I was wrong.

 

So since I know see I need more, I see I can fit the 7.29 x 16 heat sink. That being the case I will order that instead, and order a matching set of leds (to have 24 total) I will then order two more 1000 buck pucks (to have 4 total) and I am fine with the two 24v setups I have coming.

 

Optics, What do I need to order for those?

 

Sorry for all the confusion. Did that make sense now?

[evilc66]

Clear as mud j/k

 

Cree 60 degree optics are great for this application. ETG and Cutter carry them.

[rvadub]

Thank god you are here.... haha

 

So how many optics and which do I need then (last question for the day i swear! (ledsupply I am using)

[evilc66]

Cree 60 degree optics are great for this application. ETG and Cutter carry them.

 

Apply the above for all LEDs

[TB!^]

I think I can get my hands on a PAR meter this weekend to test the output. Right now, I'm not sure how it compares to a 70w MH. I know the corals are responding in a way that indicates increased light. Also, and this may be a stretch of relationships (A=B, B=C, therefore A=C), but it is known that LEDs put out greater PAR than PCs. However, while putting out better PAR, they may appear dimmer (i.e. less lumens). I've tested my system (PC vs LEDs) and the LEDs are brighter than the PCs. Therefore, I think it can be concluded that the LEDs are putting out greater PAR than the PCs. This will be verified once I get the PAR meter. Finally, I used 700mA drivers, but I recommend 1000mA drivers. This will give you approximately 30% more output.

 

The system, in my opinion, looks close to 14,000 K. Tonight, I switched out my cool whites for different cool whites with a higher K chromaticity. The original cool whites were ~6,500K and I switched to ~8,300-10,000 K. This has pushed the color closer to 20,000 K. Remember, with the potentiometers, you can get whatever color you want!

 

how can you tell what kelvin your getting, just from the color? and where did you get the 8300-10000k leds