LED drivers

[malawian]

I am putting 24 LEDs on top of my BC 29, from what ive read it looks like almost everyone is running their LEDs at 1/3-1/2 capacity.

 

could i then use a 750mA driver instead of a 1000mA so I can wire up a few more LEDs? my idea is to add some violet LEDs (get more actinic-ish in there!) so have maybe 28 LEDs total with the 4 violets in paralell to be treated like a single LED.

 

thoughts?

[redfishsc]

I'm not sure what driver you are referring to, but reducing the current to 750mA doesn't drop the forward voltage quite that much, and I'm not sure it's entirely predictable.

 

It seems like you're wanting to squeeze on a few more LEDs but I wouldn't bet on the lower drive current opening up that much extra forward voltage.

 

750mA is a fine current level though. Most of us that run nanos don't need a solid amp of current.

[malawian]

well my thinking was with using a TRC-075 at 700mA which allows for up to 108v of output

 

so that means i could use significantly more LEDs right?

[doctaq]

you need to run at least 16 leds on the 54-108v model

[Milad LEDGroupBuy.com]

what violets are you looking at? I wouldn't think you could have them in parallel but myabe in a string. The XP-G you have run 3.0v at 700mA so you can have a couple extra LEDs on a 48v driver.

[malawian]

I was looking at these Violets

 

3.8 forward voltage

max current 500mA

 

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

 

If im not mistaken the nanotuners large heatsink has room for 30 star mounted LEDs which would give me room to make an array of 28 LEDs so in total i would have

 

16 XP-E RB 3v at 700 mA

4 XP-G NW 3v at 700 mA

4 XP-G CW 3v at 700 mA

4 no name violets (in 2 paralell groups) 3.8v at 350 mA

 

my whole point is to try and get a some of the pop that actinics give (since i seem to hear that this is a bit lacking with LEDs) maybe im just way off and i shouldnt do this? I are nub for LED...

[evilc66]

what violets are you looking at? I wouldn't think you could have them in parallel but myabe in a string. The XP-G you have run 3.0v at 700mA so you can have a couple extra LEDs on a 48v driver.

He is not running them in parallel with the other LEDs in the typical sense. What has been recommended (but not prefered) is to wire two TV LEDs in parallel, and then treat them as they were a single LED, and wired in series with other LEDs.

 

my whole point is to try and get a some of the pop that actinics give (since i seem to hear that this is a bit lacking with LEDs) maybe im just way off and i shouldnt do this? I are nub for LED...

Lacking? Not quite. Royal blue LEDs do the bulk of the legwork when it comes to fluorescence in coral. Adding in 420nm LEDs won't get you mad crazy actinic pop, unless you use a ton of them. I've explained many times before that these LEDs are not there to add any kind of significant color enhancement, but will add more PAR, but at a different wavelength that may promote better color (not fluorescence) and health.

[malawian]

ah...thank you so much Evil

 

ok, so ive got floursecence already covered then...would you run the violets or not bother? Ive discovered 2 40 watt drivers are the same price (or potentially cheaper ) than a single 75 watt so i could even run one driver for (12 of) the blues at 1 A and another for the rest at 700 mA

 

if it were your tank (this goes to everyone) would you bother with putting in 4-6 violets (knowing it means doing some 700 mA weirdness)?

[evilc66]

Violet LEDs are not required, but can add some benefit. It's not going to make or break your tank, so the decision is up to you.

[malawian]

thanks for the opinions everyone. in light of all this i think im just going to take the simple route (for my sainty and my wallet) and scrap the violet idea.

 

THANKS! you guys are saviors!