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

[blasterman]

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.

 

Digital cameras have cut-off filters over the RGB sensors, and the typical cut-off for blue is around 455nm. If you start going below that the sensor can't tell the color difference, which is why everything looks the same. I noticed this problem when working with those 10watt 445nms, but expected it.

 

A 48D has a voltage range of 24-48, and my experience with Mean Wells when you don't have enough forward voltage to meet the minimum of this range the driver will just pulse or not run at all.

[Genj]

I'm going to stop by Lowes and pick up a new meter today. Thanks redfish!

[Hans Dorn]

Digital cameras have cut-off filters over the RGB sensors, and the typical cut-off for blue is around 455nm. If you start going below that the sensor can't tell the color difference, which is why everything looks the same. I noticed this problem when working with those 10watt 445nms, but expected it.

Also, the camera is right when it only sees blue, because there's no red at the short wavelengths.

 

The human eye is buggy, and picks up short wavelengths with it's red pigment.

 

[Deleted User 6]

my pico.

[Genj]

So would one say that the nexus of all three there at 495 is why the blue waters of your favorite tropical beach translate to paradise for so many? It would seem so to me, as the emerald waters of St. John just make me feel better just looking at them.

[Hans Dorn]

It's full of turf algae and some pest 'nems.

 

I cleaned that #### out lately and hope it'll improve enough to warrant a pic...

[redfishsc]

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.

 

 

If I recall correctly, I had my 48D models down to a max current of 200mA or less. Can't remember for sure.

 

I'd definitely test the first one on the XRE's (no TV's in the loop) with the screw AND your dimmer input on lowest setting.

 

Then crank up (with multimeter inline checking for current) the Dimmer pot to full voltage, and then with dimmer getting full voltage, only then start cranking up the SRV2. Stop at whatever max current you want.

 

 

My Meanwells have remained quite stable over the year or so I've had them--- even after 8 months, the current setting stayed dead-on.

[Trick]

So i just finished my LED setup and the color do look a little "washed out". It still looks great but how do i get the color more natural looking? for some reason i think it looks too purple.

My setup has 12 RB XRE and 12 W xpg's.

[Genj]

Trick,

 

Read the entire thread, it's got great data in it. The short of it, add a few blues and neutral whites to the mix.

[redfishsc]

Is it dimmable?

 

The purple you're seeing is probably a result of the royals and white, in the way they are mixing. If you can dim the blues some, you may get closer to the color you're wanting.

[Machupicchu]

So i just finished my LED setup and the color do look a little "washed out". It still looks great but how do i get the color more natural looking? for some reason i think it looks too purple.

My setup has 12 RB XRE and 12 W xpg's.

 

 

^^^^ he reason this thread was started. Read It through, sorry you just finished without reading it

[Trick]

its a good thing i l left open spots on the board. i'm going to add some TV's possibly. maybe seven. what would you guys recomend?

[reef44@]

I just got 3 TV's from Nano Tuners Monday. Does any one know an easy way to wire them into my LED strings? I currently have two strings wired in series on seperate Meanwell ELN 60-48D's. Each string has 11 LEDs. Current or SV2 is turned all the way counter clockwise to the lowest setting ( I have no idea what the current actualy is, my meter needs a new fuse to test it). I dont think I need to dim the 3 TV's seperatly so I would like to just wire them in.

 

Also, I will try to get some pics up soon. I have 4NW, 2Blue, 10RB, 6CW and soon to be 3 TV. This is on a Eclipse 12G running 9 Volts of dim through an ALC Reef Keeper with a 60 minuet ramp that works flawlessly. The colors TO ME are far better than any thing I have seen at the LFS in my area and they all run the latest MH T5 combos with LED beuty lights.

[Genj]

Reef,

 

I'm not saying that your current output is the same, but I just measured my meanwells on a channel of 12x Royal/Cool Blue and 12x Cool/Neutral White (2 individual channels), and I had output as low as 50mA.

 

The TVs, as per evil, need to be driven at no more than 500mA.

[reef44@]

Hmmmm.

 

So as long as the string reads below 500Ma when the meter is connected in the series I can just wire the TV's into the series like the 1000Ma LED's?

 

OK so to measure the current with the meter I need to set the dial to 2A and have the red prob pluged into the 10A unfused. Then connect the red and black probes into the series like an LED?

[Genj]

Hmmmm.

 

So as long as the string reads below 500Ma when the meter is connected in the series I can just wire the TV's into the series like the 1000Ma LED's?

Yes. Evil indicated that they will blow at anything over 500mA if I remember correctly.

 

OK so to measure the current with the meter I need to set the dial to 2A and have the red prob pluged into the 10A unfused. Then connect the red and black probes into the series like an LED?

 

I'm not a meter expert, and I don't know yours, but it sounds right to me!

[reef44@]

I just tested it and it read 0.17 amps or 170 Ma so I guess its ok to put the TV's in the string. My tank seems very bright in fact too bright for some of the coral. Does any one know at what point we should be turning SV2 or the curent up? I am very worried about blowing these things out. But 170 Ma seems low. Some people on here are running 800-1000 Ma. I wish I had a PAR meter. Guessing realy keeps me up at night. With a PAR meter I would know if its enough or too much no matter what SV2 is set at. Is there another way to figure it out with out a PAR meter?

[blasterman]

Just to prove my luck isn't all bad, I picked up a Klein MM 2000 at home Depot that was mis marked to $48.00 from ~$100. I thought it was on sale, but it wasn't, but the store manager let me have it for the bad price because I was being so polite. First thing I did was calibrate the current on my 48D and PLC 100. It also has a temp probe, which will come in handy for my bigger lighting projects. Nice meter, especially for fifty bones :-)

 

On another note (and on topic), I stopped by a local LFS store I hadn't been to in awhile, and took a quick note of all their lighting. Biggest dissapointment was their 120 gal running a pair of 400watt Coralvue 20ks. I realize a lot of this is subjective, and I'm a staunch halide defender, but the RB / NW combo some of us are running flat out kicks that bulb so hard in the nads it's a joke. Other than fake looking actinic greens, the Coralvues had little color to speak of and were just depressing. After looking at those bulbs for 20 minutes and scrutinizing everything in the tank and then going home and seeing my own tank was like the B&W to color transition in the Wizard of effing OZ. I realize Coralvue's aren't excactly high end, but those things sucked, and I've seen a lot of halides lately that aren't much better. Store was whining about business being down. Yeah, duh?

[reef44@]

I agree. Every time I'm at the LFS looking at coral I am thinking about how much better the stuff will look in my tank. I even buy the $10 - $20 dollar scraps in the junk tank knowing that they will color up and grow like crazy. But tell them about yor LED's and you will be instantly outcast as a know nothing noob.

I couple months agoe I bought a piece of I think Monti Plate 4" x 1.5" for $5 that was gray/brown from that junk bin. Its now bright red, yep bright Red Monti for $5. LOL.

 

Also I dont know if any one has seen this but in my search for a cheap par meter a few minuets agoe I found where you can rent the Apogee unit for $40.00 a week.

 

http://www.globeaqua.com/rental_par_meter.html

[blasterman]

But tell them about yor LED's and you will be instantly outcast as a know nothing noob

 

I get that to :-) I'm guessing they own stock in utilities or something because I swear I could 'spank' one of those 400watt Coralvues with about 120watts of LED. I'd trash them on color as well, but if they want to spin their electric meters for no reason then I hope there's a holiday rush on hamsters because they'll need the income.

 

I brought one of my lights up to a local LFS store a few months ago (my first NW/RB mix), and the night staff went bonkers over it and made me hold it over every tank. Owner wasn't thrilled because he sells MH bulbs.

[joelsaxton]

I get that to :-) I'm guessing they own stock in utilities or something because I swear I could 'spank' one of those 400watt Coralvues with about 120watts of LED. I'd trash them on color as well, but if they want to spin their electric meters for no reason then I hope there's a holiday rush on hamsters because they'll need the income.

 

I brought one of my lights up to a local LFS store a few months ago (my first NW/RB mix), and the night staff went bonkers over it and made me hold it over every tank. Owner wasn't thrilled because he sells MH bulbs.

 

What was the proportion of NW/RB that you used for the LFS?

[blasterman]

2:1 like we're using here. I had the light wired for 4:1 RB:WW as well, but both combos blew them away.

 

So far, the only halide I've run across lately that impressed me with color has been a 20K HQI Radium. We've made some pretty substantial progress on color because I'm becoming less and less amazed at the commercial lights I'mm seeing lately.

[DaveFason]

blaster - Just wait until you see what I have. 4" square MCPCB with 48 new style Rebels

 

Oh its going to be FUN.

 

-Dave

[Machupicchu]

But tell them about yor LED's and you will be instantly outcast as a know nothing noob.

 

Story of my life. I had a LFS not sell me an acro frag because my lighting wasn't sufficient enough.

 

 

heres numbers for new light. Im going to make my own thread also.

 

7NW-5CW-9RB-3CB = 1 square foot.

 

Should i use more NW?

[Genj]

Yeah, I've just gotten the same thing. The LFS is telling me that the Blue Tort is going to die in my tank.

 

I just can't see how that is going to be the case to be honest.

 

Dave, when are you going to reveal your madness?!?!