CoralVue T5/LED fixtures, $100

[Horerczy]

The included hanging hardware is pretty darn robust itself. finding an attachment place is what's going to be a pain.

 

 

I agree there will need to be a little work on the fans but not too much. That heatsink might even be reusable depending on what you're planning to put on it. I think it's funny how big of a heatsink they used for so few leds considering the evergrow fixtures dont even have heatsinks just a large mcpcb with two fans to cool it.

 

I know I can get some diffuser from those guys but if I'm already buying Dmitri's drivers and controller I'd rather use the $5 diffusers instead of the cost of a big sheet of the stuff.

[DeeBee]

Hi everyone. Has anyone mentioned if the on-board driver is sufficient for pushing 3 watt leds if wanted to do a simple swap out instead of totally re-engineering it? I've never done a led build so wasn't sure if getting a new driver is a must if I am just upgrading to newer, higher wattage chips.

[farkwar]

DB,

 

I didnt check the rating. Its push power to seven 1 watt LEDs. I would toss it. Meanwell makes small ac to dc drivers. I like Bens firm adherance to HLGs, very safe designed power supply. But it wont fit in the fixture. Check the dimensions on the small ones for clarification.

 

 

H,

 

I agree the stock heatsink is substantial, much greater than needed with the stock LEDs. Im sure it would be fine for a row of 3 ups, or K multis.

 

I would check with Dave if youre looking at his pucks. Way too small for my Radion pucks.

 

2 little 40mm fans will not move the air needed to cool LEDs, not the kind we are interested in.

 

 

Hmm, just remembered Nuventix bladder fans and sinks. I will take another look at them.

[Halo_003]

Any thoughts on using Luxeon M Royal Blue 12 watt LEDs in place of the stock ones? That would be cool and I imagine would be effective in overcoming T5's if needed.

[Tamberav]

Is there a cheaper way than storm controller?

 

I don't really care about control as long as I can at least dim it (even manually).. I won't really use any/most of the cool gizmos something like a storm controller offers. I know this because I already have a storm and I don't use any of the extras

[Horerczy]

Any thoughts on using Luxeon M Royal Blue 12 watt LEDs in place of the stock ones? That would be cool and I imagine would be effective in overcoming T5's if needed.

Well if the Luxeon Ks worked I think the Ms would. Not to sure really. I'd get the LEDGroupBuy ones. Little cheaper and I think they're higher output.

 

Is there a cheaper way than storm controller?

 

I don't really care about control as long as I can at least dim it (even manually).. I won't really use any/most of the cool gizmos something like a storm controller offers. I know this because I already have a storm and I don't use any of the extras

Well ... Steves drivers would technically work but you would need double the number of drivers compared to LDD or ReefLL drivers because Steves max at 24v. I don't like them. They need heatsinking to run properly.

 

The other option is makers drivers. A 2 up can run two of Daves boards easilly. You would want a 5up for four though and the extra channel could be used for a moonlight. This would limit you to a makers controller if you do decide to get them controllers which isn't a bad controller but certainly not my favorite. These drivers can run you a bit of cash though.

 

A 2up will cost $64 but does come with the drivers.

 

A 5up is $70 and you would need to spend an additional $14.99 for the manual control board and the drivers are seperate cost.

 

Some small 0-10V drivers could be a good alternative I guess but i'm not sure which ones would be best for this application since i've never worked with anything larger than a 5up ldd board.

[Tamberav]

Thanks, doesn't sound like there is much worthwhile then as far as what you get vs savings.

[jedimasterben]

Any thoughts on using Luxeon M Royal Blue 12 watt LEDs in place of the stock ones? That would be cool and I imagine would be effective in overcoming T5's if needed.

The Luxeon M is four Luxeon T diodes in one package. The Luxeon K is 4-16 Luxeon T diodes in separate packages on a single PCB, so it's not really any different.

 

You'll still need to completely gut the fixture and put in a big heatsink, etc.

[farkwar]

The HLG is a driver, not just power supply. You dont need a controller at all, well other than a timer(or reef controller) to turn it on. You dont need LDDs or Steves drivers.

 

Youre already using the T5s to sequentially turn on (vis a vis sunrise sunset). By the time you turn on the LEDs on, you wont notice but just a little more light.

 

If you still want dimming, HLG comes in a universal dimming model too. Pwm, 10volt, and resistance input. Tie into your Apex, RKL/E, BlueFish, Storm, arduino, whatever. I think its 10v pwm, storm is 5 v pwm, check that before you buy.

 

Running a couple channels of LGD violet 3 ups would be cool.

[Tamberav]

The HLG is a driver, not just power supply. You dont need a controller at all, well other than a timer(or reef controller) to turn it on. You dont need LDDs or Steves drivers.

 

Youre already using the T5s to sequentially turn on (vis a vis sunrise sunset). By the time you turn on the LEDs on, you wont notice but just a little more light.

 

If you still want dimming, HLG comes in a universal dimming model too. Pwm, 10volt, and resistance input. Tie into your Apex, RKL/E, BlueFish, Storm, arduino, whatever. I think its 10v pwm, storm is 5 v pwm, check that before you buy.

 

Running a couple channels of LGD violet 3 ups would be cool.

 

Can you list what I need? Like if I don't care bout fancy crap and just want the ability to dim it (so I don't bleach corals). I have an apex. I just don't know/recognize any of these parts... I'm basically going to just do it without knowing anything and beg for help. I figure it will be a good learning experience lol This hobby has taught me so much, I might as well add electrical stuff to it.

[jedimasterben]

I would recommend at least doing a minimal amount of research and read the stickies that Clive wrote at the top of this subforum.

[Tamberav]

I would recommend at least doing a minimal amount of research and read the stickies that Clive wrote at the top of this subforum.

 

Will do. I don't want to electrocute myself but I am also very stubborn so not likely to let go of this idea.

[gus6464]

On the 36" quad fixture 4x Luxeon K 8-up would be quite easy to retrofit to make it super simple. Use the T5's for color and the LED's for PAR. Cheaper than M and more power. With all that amount of T5 you won't need to run the K at that much amperage to keep it cool.

 

Under 24" height running 4x K 8's @ ~500ma @48V is less than 50W thermal load. That is close to same load as 1 single nanobox puck. A nanobox mini has a tiny heatsink. A 34x2" heatsink from heatsinkusa is peanuts and will have considerably more heat dissipation surface area than the heatsink that comes with the nanobox mini. 2 small 12V fans would have no issues pulling out the excess non-dissipated heat coming from the heatsink.

 

Keep the design as simple or as complex as you want. Put the LEDs on an on/off only control with a manual dimmer would be the easiest. Use the LED line on the power cable for 48V and use the fan line for 12V. Hell a single 1000ma LDD can power 4x K-8's in a series/parallel config @ max 500ma.

[farkwar]

 

Can you list what I need? Like if I don't care bout fancy crap and just want the ability to dim it (so I don't bleach corals). I have an apex. I just don't know/recognize any of these parts... I'm basically going to just do it without knowing anything and beg for help. I figure it will be a good learning experience lol This hobby has taught me so much, I might as well add electrical stuff to it.

What do you want to do?

 

Which fixture are you retrofitting?

[Horerczy]

What do you want to do?

 

Which fixture are you retrofitting?

The one that'd linked in this thread.

[farkwar]

Gus,I only took a short measure of the included heatsink. Its pretty robust considering its only being used for 7 1 watters.4 8up Ks will be 8 inches apart. I dont think the HSUSA 1.8 will do a better job, by much.I doubt it couldnt handle two 500mA strings, off one little HLG. The Ks are max at 1050mA, so youre running them at 50%.I would really like to run a string of violets if I go that route.Its nice that there is already 12 volts up in the fixture.

 

The one that'd linked in this thread.

Dunno.

I bought a 6x24

 

2 4x36

 

and 1 8x38.

 

They had another 24, but its sold out, cand remember tube number on that one, 8?

[Horerczy]

Thanks, doesn't sound like there is much worthwhile then as far as what you get vs savings.

Well there's things like this which use circuits similar to 555 timers.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PWM-Dimmer-/271431162650?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f328edb1a

 

Not 100% on how effective this would be tbh but the output voltage and pwm frequency line up with LDD dimming requirements on the datasheet. It can piggyback on the fan psu since it has a wide input voltage and relatively low current draw.

[gus6464]

Well there's things like this which use circuits similar to 555 timers.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PWM-Dimmer-/271431162650?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f328edb1a

 

Not 100% on how effective this would be tbh but the output voltage and pwm frequency line up with LDD dimming requirements on the datasheet. It can piggyback on the fan psu since it has a wide input voltage and relatively low current draw.

 

That thing is perfect. The input current is 40ma so you can connect a zillion LDDs to it if the frequencies match which I don't see why they shouldn't.

 

 

Gus,I only took a short measure of the included heatsink. Its pretty robust considering its only being used for 7 1 watters.4 8up Ks will be 8 inches apart. I dont think the HSUSA 1.8 will do a better job, by much.I doubt it couldnt handle two 500mA strings, off one little HLG. The Ks are max at 1050mA, so youre running them at 50%.I would really like to run a string of violets if I go that route.Its nice that there is already 12 volts up in the fixture.

 

 

Dunno.

I bought a 6x24

 

2 4x36

 

and 1 8x38.

 

They had another 24, but its sold out, cand remember tube number on that one, 8?

 

That would be perfect then. I haven't opened mine yet so didn't know that the included fans were 12V. That makes everything even easier as all you need to take out is the LED driver and stuff a tiny LDD board in there. Split the 12V output so it goes to the fans and the dimming board and you are good to go. Use an external 48V PSU for LEDs and you retain the housing intact.

 

Also from the pictures it looks like you can fit a cheap 48V 2A power supply in there where the LED one currently is. That way you got a fully contained fixture.

[farkwar]

Why do that?

 

http://www.trcelectronics.com/View/Mean-Well/HLG-40H-24B.shtml

 

Drill a hole in the j box, pop in a pot. Run that to the HLG -B

 

http://www.trcelectronics.com/View/Mean-Well/HLG-40H-24B.shtml

 

It does all three forms of dimming, in this case just a resistance pot.

 

I still think that dimming for sunrise and sunset ramps is not going to be noticeable, and not required because of the T5s stepping on during day. If its fir intensety, the HLG-A has a built in pot for both voltage and current, you could dim for intensity or balance right from the driver.

[farkwar]

http://www.trcelectronics.com/Meanwell/power-supply-hlg-h.shtml#40w

 

A has little rubber caps. Pop them off, you have pots for both voltage and current.

[Tamberav]

What do you want to do?

 

Which fixture are you retrofitting?

 

Its 6x24"

 

Want to put 2 nano-box 13up's on it and need dimming for just intensity purposes because as you said... t5's will overpower any special LED' effects.

[DVaDeR77]

Just ordered the 4 X 36.

[DVaDeR77]

Got my fixture yesterday. Look nice, now what bulbs to use is the ? ? I will retro the LEDs with nanobox unless there is another recommendation.

[Arce]

Anyone else's fans super loud? got mine in today. Might just replace them.

[gus6464]

Got my fixture yesterday. Look nice, now what bulbs to use is the ? ? I will retro the LEDs with nanobox unless there is another recommendation.

With this fixture I would do Luxeon K royal blue LEDs only for PAR and then use the T5 for color.