LED Aesthetics: What do you really think of your color?

[ReggieF]

I have a system coming for my NC 24. It will be 3 rb strips and 2 cw. Would adding a cheap PC fixture to my hood improve the color output at noticeable level? I was just looking around on ebay and thinking maybe 2 of these (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320563924751) with 2 18w bulbs would be a cheap way to maybe fix the color issue. I don't have my hood yet, so I don't even know if it would fit in there, but if I were able to fit it would it help? Any ideas for a better solution? I think replacing individual bulbs in my LED unit with NW bulbs may be a little beyond my skill level and I would assume it would void any warranty on the system which I don't want to do.

Wait until you get your lights and place a standard light bulb near the tank to see the visual effect it has. That will give you a great visual reference for the effect that you're looking for. Also, you might be able to have someone build a simple (3-6) LED setup for cheap that you can easily fit underneath your hood. A 3-LED setup could cost less than $40, which I may do to add warm-white and UV to my tank.

[jfarabaugh]

Almost all of the LEDs are on the heatsink except for the violets and the wire layout is on paper.

 

[dhraakoxr]

anyone try the 3W violets from these guys?

 

http://www.finsreef.com/xcart/home.php?cat...on=0&page=2

[evilc66]

Would be nice to see some additional details on it, like maximum current and output power. 405nm starts getting into an area where it becomes less useful from a growth perspective, and really only good for night time coloration.

[dhraakoxr]

Would be nice to see some additional details on it, like maximum current and output power. 405nm starts getting into an area where it becomes less useful from a growth perspective, and really only good for night time coloration.

 

I guess it is 2.5W @ 700mA with a peak wavelength of 403.

 

What is the ideal wavelength for Violet?

[evilc66]

Don't worry about color. What we perceive as color has nothing to do with it. 405nm will look just as violet as 420nm. It's all about the wavelength, and where it falls on the photosynthetic response curve. The closer you get to 400nm, the less effect it has.

 

2.5W is it's input power. All that tells us is how much power it consumes. It doesn't tell us how much light is coming out the front end. For example, our new True Violet LEDs are 350-400mW output @ 500mA.

[dhraakoxr]

Don't worry about color. What we perceive as color has nothing to do with it. 405nm will look just as violet as 420nm. It's all about the wavelength, and where it falls on the photosynthetic response curve. The closer you get to 400nm, the less effect it has.

 

2.5W is it's input power. All that tells us is how much power it consumes. It doesn't tell us how much light is coming out the front end. For example, our new True Violet LEDs are 350-400mW output @ 500mA.

 

Ah ok I getcha. Can't wait for those violets to get in! lol. I realize that the effects of the neutral white/ violets will take awhile to kick in on the corals but I want it all now lol.

[Machupicchu]

hey evil did nanotuners stop carrying meanwell ELNs?

 

I see LPCs but you cant dim those, i was hoping to get everything from nanotuners.

[evilc66]

Not sure. I know we were low. Call the shop and see if they have any on hand.

[eyou]

hey evil did nanotuners stop carrying meanwell ELNs?

 

I see LPCs but you cant dim those, i was hoping to get everything from nanotuners.

 

this is the response from nick from nanotuners when i emailed a few days ago

 

"Your best bet would be to source the ELN-60-48D drivers from another supplier at this time. We are completely out of stock with the exception of a few units we have on hold for system builds. At this time I do not have another order in place for additional units so I can’t say exactly when we will have more in stock."

 

I just blew all my CW trying to adjust the SV2 screw on my meanwell

 

i guess ill try some NW now

 

I'm thinking of doing a 7led hexagonal cluster x2.

 

... RB... NW.............. NW... RB

RB... CB... RB..........RB...CB...RB...

... NW... RB...............RB...NW

 

periods only there to help with spacing

 

would there be a problem hooking the CB on the same driver as NW? Since there are only 4 whites, i need 2 more leds to meet the 6led minimum on the 60-48D. Would this make the CB too overpowered?

 

maybe change the CB to CW or cyan?

 

I also do have an extra buckpuck/powersupply, so i could run the 4x NW on the buckpuck and the 4x RB + 2x CB on 1 meanwell.

 

put the 12 white/blue on meanwell and 2x UV with the buckpuck?

 

what do you guys think would be best?

[evilc66]

You need 7 LEDs minimum really on the ELN-60-48.

[evilc66]

TV's are on the site now, ready to ship BTW

 

http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php...products_id=694

[eyou]

You need 7 LEDs minimum really on the ELN-60-48.

 

bleh i wonder if thats why my leds blew out.... that or 1.8A for a half second. back to the drawing board

 

TV's are on the site now, ready to ship BTW

 

http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php...products_id=694

 

pictures!

 

would 2 of these make for some color popping dawn dusk? would RB/CB look better for that effect?

[evilc66]

More likely the voltage than the current. The high current was most likely a byproduct of the voltage across the LEDs.

[dhraakoxr]

TV's are on the site now, ready to ship BTW

 

http://www.nanotuners.com/product_info.php...products_id=694

 

ordered annnnnd ordered. Works out perfectly with the new tank cycle and coral move lol. Got me 2 NW and 2 TVs... I figure I'll swap out 2 of the 5 CW for NW annd then for TVs I haven't figured it out yet... either take out 2 out of 5 CB or just add two stand alone TV's... what would be best?

[Machupicchu]

Pictures pictures pictures!! Everyone pictures!!

[Genj]

My pics are coming soon. I just finished mounting everything to my heatsink and I need to work out the wiring now.

[dhraakoxr]

My pics are coming soon. I just finished mounting everything to my heatsink and I need to work out the wiring now.

 

man I can't wait. The only difference between our setups is your cyans so I'm stoked to see how that turns out for you.

[Genj]

I decided to call it for the night. I got the white channel going, but seared my left hand. Certainly a side effect of soldering and drinking at the same time. Everything worked just fine, and I had to put my sunglasses on to see the lights at full brightness.

 

Anyone know what the maximum mA is by directly adjusting the screw on the inside of the Meanwell?

[Machupicchu]

i think its 1300mA

[redfishsc]

I decided to call it for the night. I got the white channel going, but seared my left hand. Certainly a side effect of soldering and drinking at the same time. Everything worked just fine, and I had to put my sunglasses on to see the lights at full brightness.

 

Anyone know what the maximum mA is by directly adjusting the screw on the inside of the Meanwell?

 

i think its 1300mA

 

 

 

Oh no. I know that ^^^ is what the spec sheet says.... but mine will go well over 1500mA and that's with only 9v going into the dimmer with the SRV2 screw not even "maxed out".

 

If you give it a full 10v and crank the SRV2 up further, I don't know what you'd get.

 

 

It seems to me that it should only stop at 1300mA but they are more capable than that-- I ran my XPG's at 1400mA for a while but turned them down to about 1000mA when I blew an XPG.

 

 

I wouldn't run the Meanwells at full-blast though, I'm not sure pushing them beyond their rated amounts is a good idea. I got away with it for a few months but probably wasn't the best idea.

[Pilg0re]

Just a question about the SVR2 screw. If you turn the all the way down what's the minimum rating you get?

 

I know the spec sheet states 0 but I'm curious as I'm building 2 strings with 4 XR-E's, 2 TVs on one, and 4 XR-Es on the other.

And in order to dim a string of whites and tv's, and then a separate string of blues I needed to source 2 ELN-60-24-Ds. The spec sheet lists them as 0~2.5A adjustable. I was just wondering if they'd go as low as I will need them to if they don't go down to 0 as they say.

[jfarabaugh]

I tried to capture the color of the new nanotuners violet/uv LEDs and have been successful in the past capturing other colors but not this time. No matter what setting I set my point and shoot to the picture comes out blue. Think very black light in color.

[Genj]

What's the proper way to measure the current? Get a digital meter and wire it in series along with the rest of the circuit?

 

My Radio Shack special only measures 150mA so I'm a bit screwed. Did I over do it on my 5 LED cyan/TV setup with a 48d meanwell?

[redfishsc]

If your 48D Meanwell only has 5 LEDs you'll probably blow them. That one has a minimum of 6-8 LEDs I believe.

 

 

That is assuming your LEDs all have a fv of around 3.5, which I think yours do if they are the nanotuners TV's and Rebel or Cree cyans.

 

 

But for measuring current, yes, just run the multimeter in series. You'll want one that has the "10A" rating on it if you are buying a standard multimeter. I got one at Lowes for $30.

 

A bag of cheap alligator clips is great for this.

 

I wouldn't wire an array without it-- the multimeter or the gator clips.