GU10 LED Build Thread (Chinese Ebay Lights)

[iheartJMS]

Decided to give these LEDs a shot once again Always changing my mind! I just ordered 6 cool whites and 6 blues as well as 12 gu10 sockets. The lights will be going on a new 34 gallon (25x18x18) that I will be setting up. Do you think 12 bulbs is enough? I'm not planning on any SPS or clams, although I think they'd still be fine.

 

I really like your fixture Eric, may be using yours for inspiration! What brackets did you use to hold it up?

Edited May 21, 2011 by iheartJMS

[Erics5.5]

I ac tually just went and bought the size that fit what I was doing at home depot (I think they were the 8x12 brackets). They're the standard heavy duty, and I think they were about $3.99 a piece? Then I painted them black to match everything. Easy squeezy!

[iheartJMS]

I ac tually just went and bought the size that fit what I was doing at home depot (I think they were the 8x12 brackets). They're the standard heavy duty, and I think they were about $3.99 a piece? Then I painted them black to match everything. Easy squeezy!

 

Have any more build pics of the canopy? I really like the design

[Erics5.5]

Unfortunately I don't. It's just simple 1x4 high-grade pine sides, mdf top, with supports in it. Did it with a chop saw and a skill saw. Not much to it, literally a box with no bottom, lol!

 

The sockets are actually just screwed to the bottom side of the top, recessed in, with nice short screws so nothing poked through.

Edited May 23, 2011 by Erics5.5

[joshik]

You know, in regards to the lazer beam effect. what do u guys think about putting egg crate between the tank and the bulbs to diffuse the light more? after all, thats the egg crates original purpose.

 

i say this coz i have a par38 over my nano and i put a egg crate over on top of my nano because i have wrasses and dont want them jumping out. with the egg crate over my nano, the light diffuses better and spreads in the tank better. when i take the egg crate off, i get a little bit more of a lazer beam effect.

[Erics5.5]

You know, in regards to the lazer beam effect. what do u guys think about putting egg crate between the tank and the bulbs to diffuse the light more? after all, thats the egg crates original purpose.

 

i say this coz i have a par38 over my nano and i put a egg crate over on top of my nano because i have wrasses and dont want them jumping out. with the egg crate over my nano, the light diffuses better and spreads in the tank better. when i take the egg crate off, i get a little bit more of a lazer beam effect.

 

 

I have mine about 10" above the water level, and have no lazer beams whatsoever. Might be bacuse of how high they are, maybe due to the fact I have them spaced about a half inch apart. But no beams.

[Neya]

This question might sound "dumb" but consisting we're working with electricity....

 

Post chopping the extension cord, are the wires labelled hot/neutral (black/white)? I've never butchered one before and I know it would work either way (probably), but don't want to make parts of the socket live that should not be.

 

Did some of you just split the power cord and wire directly to it, if not what gauge wire is recommended to extend? What's the best way to seal up the T off after? Heatshrink, electrical tape, something else?

[TinyGiant]

most times there is a white and black wire in the plug. give your self a little length when you cut it. so you can go from the last wires to the plug.

 

shrink wrap would probably be ideal. Sometimes i use hot glue too. it completely seals around the twisted wire. i've been known to use that shoe goo stuff too.

 

you should be fine to split the wire and wire direct. thats what i did and probably most others that have done this project so far

[Neya]

most times there is a white and black wire in the plug. give your self a little length when you cut it. so you can go from the last wires to the plug.

 

shrink wrap would probably be ideal. Sometimes i use hot glue too. it completely seals around the twisted wire. i've been known to use that shoe goo stuff too.

 

you should be fine to split the wire and wire direct. thats what i did and probably most others that have done this project so far

 

This is beginning to sound way too easy.

I'll bet a frag at the next swap that I will still find a way to get zapped.

[TinyGiant]

lol you are on

[Philip271]

hmm... never thought to leave the cord plugged in while working on it.. would make things more interesting for sure!

[TinyGiant]

lol yeah might as well do that in the rain. i hear it works better lol

[Erics5.5]

Regarding the wiring, I used wire splices. They are the yellow ones, they go onto the main wire (extension cord), and you push the wire from the socket in, then push a tab down and it connects. No burning, no cutting, no shrink, no glue, no shoe stuff, nothing lol. Here is a link to what I used.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/50-YELLOW-S...0-/380089489722

 

That made it easy, no exposed wire ever (except for the end, where I just ran it straight into the wire for the socket, using a butt connector. Looks clean, and takes VERY LITTLE effort.

 

Please do not plug the cord in, lol. Please. Until it is all done, anyway.

 

And yes, split the extension cord, slide these little dudes on, slide in the new wire for the socket, and clamp down. I just mounted all my sockets to the hood, cut the cord to the right length, and put it next to the sockets so I knew the spacing for the splice connectors.

Edited May 24, 2011 by Erics5.5

[TinyGiant]

Regarding the wiring, I used wire splices. They are the yellow ones, they go onto the main wire (extension cord), and you push the wire from the socket in, then push a tab down and it connects. No burning, no cutting, no shrink, nothing. Here is a link to what I used.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/50-YELLOW-S...0-/380089489722

 

That made it easy, no exposed wire ever (except for the end, where I just ran it straight into the wire for the socket. Looks clean, and takes VERY LITTLE effort.

 

 

i did notice those in the picture and liked the idea even simpler for sure.

[Neya]

i did notice those in the picture and liked the idea even simpler for sure.

Nice. I'll prob get those.

As far as zapping myself: you mean I can't wire it while it's live?!

[RedStang]

Nice. I'll prob get those.

As far as zapping myself: you mean I can't wire it while it's live?!

 

You could try!

[joshik]

Do you think you need to run a fixture the entire length of the tank? i have 60g (48" long) and was thinking of making two 11-12bulb fixtures to hang over each side of my tank.

 

My friend has a 200w (that is only running 1/2 the unit) Evolution LED unit over his 36" tank and it lights up the whole tank nicely.

[joshik]

quick thought, has anyone hooked up a kill-a-watt to their fixture or even a single bulb to see what kind of wattage the bulb or fixture is drawing?

[Erics5.5]

Based on my lighting coverage and the spread of these bulbs, I'd say you pretty much need to cover what you want lit. With the 30 degree optics, it leaves a lot of dark spots when you don't have something over it. At least for my tank, but it's shallow.

 

I have not hooked these up to anything to find out what they actually draw, but I bet it's a LOT less than my t5 or MH fixtures.

 

Keep in mind, these are NOT "reef led" lights, they are just being used for this purpose (and it seems to me that they are very effective).

[joshik]

Based on my lighting coverage and the spread of these bulbs, I'd say you pretty much need to cover what you want lit. With the 30 degree optics, it leaves a lot of dark spots when you don't have something over it. At least for my tank, but it's shallow.

 

I have not hooked these up to anything to find out what they actually draw, but I bet it's a LOT less than my t5 or MH fixtures.

 

Keep in mind, these are NOT "reef led" lights, they are just being used for this purpose (and it seems to me that they are very effective).

 

what about using 60* optics? prob wont get as much penetration but better spread.

[joshik]

what about using 60* optics? prob wont get as much penetration but better spread.

 

 

ok, so i had some time on my hands at work >.< so i tried playing around with Google Sketch Up. This is my VERY FIRST time using a 3D program. I'm used to Photoshop and Illustrator!

 

So I'm trying to find a design for my 60g (48x16) tank using GU10 bulbs. I tried to draw up a plan and plot the light spread. I'm not sure if I even did it correctly but it looks cool. lol I dont even know if the light spread mapped is even enough light or what but it gives me some sort of idea. I guess the real test will be once i build it. I just guessed on the color shading to make it look cool too. There was no calculations done for transparency to lumens or anything like that.... its just an effect let me know what u guys think...good or bad.

 

 

Specs:

Fixture Size: 36x10 (just in case I move to a 40b

20 GU10s (3x1w) with 60* optics

 

 

*edit* i can already see that the center of the tank will be extra bright because of so much overlap from the bulbs.

 

 

this is my interpretation of what one GU10 w 60* optics would spread. very circular because of the wider optics vs 30deg which would prob give more "clover" shaped pattern because of the narrower optics. The GU10 model was a prebuilt model but I had to guess the location of the leds on the face of the GU10.

Edited May 24, 2011 by joshik

[joshik]

Based on my lighting coverage and the spread of these bulbs, I'd say you pretty much need to cover what you want lit. With the 30 degree optics, it leaves a lot of dark spots when you don't have something over it. At least for my tank, but it's shallow.

 

I have not hooked these up to anything to find out what they actually draw, but I bet it's a LOT less than my t5 or MH fixtures.

 

Keep in mind, these are NOT "reef led" lights, they are just being used for this purpose (and it seems to me that they are very effective).

 

i was more concerned that these LEDs are drawing the actual 3w they're rated at and not less. I have a sample 9w GU10 that i got and i plugged it into my kill-a-watt and its showing its drawing 6w.

[Philip271]

nice sketches. did you already find the 60 degree optics to replace the stock lens? using the stock 30 degree optics, I would say one bulb covers an area of 4x4" at a height of 18-20". For your 48" long tank, I'd say go with 10-12 per row.

 

also, with equal numbers of blues and whites, when they are both on, you can't really see much of the blues but they do make the light much more crisp white.

 

Still waiting on the rest of my bulbs to come in. In the mean time, I've given up on trying to re-soldering the red LEDs into blues... it's some strong solder they use! I wasn't able to melt it with the soldering iron I had. Tried a higher wattage iron but it started heating the bulb through the heat-sink/housing so I decided to stop before I melt the LEDs! lol

[mrbigshot]

if you find 60 degree optics let us know, the bulbs come with a 30 degree lens/ optic combo. i am not aware of other options. honestly i dont know if i would want 60 degree optics on mine, there not real good at deep water par levels. the op's par tests shown that at 14" from the bulb your already down to 150 par and that looks like the bulbs were 3" off the water (unless im reading it wrong).

[joshik]

if you find 60 degree optics let us know, the bulbs come with a 30 degree lens/ optic combo. i am not aware of other options. honestly i dont know if i would want 60 degree optics on mine, there not real good at deep water par levels. the op's par tests shown that at 14" from the bulb your already down to 150 par and that looks like the bulbs were 3" off the water (unless im reading it wrong).

 

what do you think about 40*?i know the 30*s will penetrate more but i as hoping using GU10s with CREEs would make it brighter and compensate a little bit for the 60* spread.

Edited May 25, 2011 by joshik