TonyD January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 This is my first plunge into LED lights. I bought 72 LEDs (36 cool white XRE and 36 royal blue XRE), 3 10" x 22" heat sink, 6 mean well ELN 60-48D dimmable driver, 10V power supply for the dimming circuit, 12 V power supply for the computer fan, various hardware for wiring, mounting, etc. Maybe this will help others who were thinking of building an LED kit and can learn from my mistakes. 1) The 10"x22" heatsinks were marked with grids. My first mark is for 24 LEDs with markings for an upgrade later to 48 LEDs. 2) LEDs are glued with thermal paste and wired. Whites and blues are in a criss cross pattern for even distribution. 3) Drivers were mounted on a peice of plexiglass. I also have a fuse block with 1A fast blow fuses in case my drivers exceed 1A. Then the fuse will blow and I won't fry the LEDs. When I upgrade to 2 parallel lines of 12 LEDs, I'll need to bump the drivers up to 1.3A. If one of the line of LEDs go bad, I don't want 1.3A running through the other string. The fuse will blow and protect my LEDs. I also mounted my dimming circuit with 10k pots. 1 pot is color coded blue for the blue LEDs and 1 is chrome for the white LEDs. I can vary my blue and white LEDs individually to either go 10k or 20k. On the lowest setting, the LEDs had 200mA - 800mA running through them. 4) I added 2 120mm computer fans on the heatsink to keep it cool. 1 down. 2 more to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thefishman65 January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 Looks good, how big is the tank? I doubt you will need to upgrade to 48 LEDs per fixture. When done you will have about the same PAR (depending on a few factors) as three 250 Watt Metal Halide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveS January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 Super cool! The heat sink, fan and power supply configuration is exactly what I was thinking. Hows it look on the tank?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD January 24, 2011 Author Share January 24, 2011 It's a 175 gallon bowfront, 6'x2'x2'. The 70 degree optics are not on yet. I need to mount it first. What I don't like about this build is all the wires laying around. I tried to make it neat and only cut the wires to length, soldered and shrink wrapped. Maybe version 2.0 will make it neater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD January 24, 2011 Author Share January 24, 2011 Dave, I haven't put it on the tank yet. I have to build 2 more of these things and then take my old MH fixture out and hang the new LEDs. I'm in no hurry to get this done. I would rather get it done right then rush it and have it be messy. Some lessons learned...1) the power cord for the drivers are really short. They usually come with a plug to connect the wires to. I took some old computer power cable and cut the ends off and spliced it. 2) The computer fans are not easy to mount to heatsink fins. I found some tiny wire clips from Radio Shack that are adhesive backed. The wire clips clipped right onto the fins perfectly. 3) Stranded wires are easier to work with than solid conductor. I used 18 gauge and all wires are color coded to make it easier to identify later. 4) Buying the mounting kits from rapidled is cheaper than going to Lowes and Home Depot and making your own. I'm using spring clips and chains for my mounting hardware. I've probably spent twice the cost rather than buying online, but I can lower and raise the LEDs by adjusting the links on the chain. For now, I put the LED kit I built over a 29 gallon frag tank and the colors are amazing. I have the whites and blues turned down all the way until the coral frags get used to the new light. I had power compacts on it previously and it's a huge difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidm January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 awesome, simply awesome. I know it's more work, but if you get the time could you post where you got everything from, including part #'s? I'm hoping to build something nearly identical, but I know mine won't be as neat as yours! Was the heatsink predrilled? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowieReefer84 January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 Very nice clean build. Looks great! Like how you incorporated the fuses as a fail safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 Nice job, that looks really professional. Let me know when you get it done so I can come take a look at it over the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD January 24, 2011 Author Share January 24, 2011 awesome, simply awesome. I know it's more work, but if you get the time could you post where you got everything from, including part #'s? I'm hoping to build something nearly identical, but I know mine won't be as neat as yours! Was the heatsink predrilled? Sure, I can do that. All parts were purchased at Radio Shack, Lowes or Home Depot, Reefledlights and Rapidled. I'll post part#s and price list. I'm afraid to see how much I spent total, but I think it was worth it. The heatsink was not predrilled. Aluminum was surprisingly easy to drill, just make sure you vacuum all the metal shavings if you have little ones running around. My 1 year old was very interested in what I was doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 Very nice work, it looks pretty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD January 24, 2011 Author Share January 24, 2011 Very nice clean build. Looks great! Like how you incorporated the fuses as a fail safe. Thanks! The fuse came in handy when I was adjusting the current on the driver. I thought I had turned it all the way down to the lowest setting, but apparently I did something wrong. I saw a flash of LEDs then nothing. I checked the fuse and it blew and saved the LEDs. Another lesson learned from this. You can wire a 1 Ohm ceramic resister to the DC output instead of your LED string. Since V = iR, measure the voltage across the resister and that's how much current you have going out. No more blowing fuses or LEDs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bankyf January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 So you glued the leds rather than screwing? Do you foresee any problems down the road if you need to change out an led? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD January 24, 2011 Author Share January 24, 2011 So you glued the leds rather than screwing? Do you foresee any problems down the road if you need to change out an led? Yes, I glued using the thermal paste that came with the LED kits. I thought about drilling and screwing each LED, but I looked at the LED contacts and the metal from the screw head would have touched and shorted to the heatsink. I actually made this mistake and glued one of the LEDs to the wrong grid because I wasn't paying attention and the epoxy is on a timer. Lesson learned #10 (Glue LEDs to the right spot). They are easy to pop off with a flat head screwdriver. You will see a white glue residue left behind on the heatsink and LED. These are easily scraped off with a razor blade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazio92 January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 Where did you buy the heat-sink and was it pre-tapped? Also, could you post a diagram of the wiring scheme from the leds -> breakers -> drivers? Thanks -Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bankyf January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 Screws will work, I have done 2 that way and that is also how most others do it. Good to know that they can also be glued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD January 24, 2011 Author Share January 24, 2011 Where did you buy the heat-sink and was it pre-tapped? Also, could you post a diagram of the wiring scheme from the leds -> breakers -> drivers? Thanks -Anthony Heatsink was bought from Reefledlights.com. I chose Reefledlights.com vs Rapidled.com because Reefledlights offered a wider heatsink profile (8.46") than Rapidled (4.25"). Reefledlight told me that Heatsink USA ran out of stock with the 8.46" profile heatsink. They sent me a 10" heatsink instead, free of charge. The heatsink was not pre-drilled. Rapidled offers it pre-drilled; Reefledlights do not. Sure...I can post the wiring diagram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazio92 January 24, 2011 Share January 24, 2011 Heatsink was bought from Reefledlights.com. I chose Reefledlights.com vs Rapidled.com because Reefledlights offered a wider heatsink profile (8.46") than Rapidled (4.25"). Reefledlight told me that Heatsink USA ran out of stock with the 8.46" profile heatsink. They sent me a 10" heatsink instead, free of charge. The heatsink was not pre-drilled. Rapidled offers it pre-drilled; Reefledlights do not. Sure...I can post the wiring diagram. Awesome, thanks for the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD January 24, 2011 Author Share January 24, 2011 (edited) Here is a parts list. Sorry, I don't really have a part number for some of these items. If there are any questions what some of these things are, I can take a picture if it will help. -Edit- Ugh....made all the columns lined up and it didn't work on this forum. LED Kit Qty $/Unit Total Vendor 24 LED Premium kit 3 $220.00 $660.00 Reefledlights.com - Mean Well ELN 60-48D 6 Reefledlights.com - 36 Cree XRE Ryl Blue 1 Reefledlights.com - 36 XRE R2 Cool White 1 Reefledlights.com - Thermal Adhesive 3 Reefledlights.com 8.46" x 22" heatsink 3 $66.30 $198.90 Reefledlights.com LED Seal 1 $26.99 $26.99 Reefledlights.com 2 Color Dimming Kit 3 $19.50 $58.50 Rapidled.com 12V AC adapter 3 $10.00 $30.00 Rapidled.com Fan Y Adapter 3 $3.50 $10.50 Rapidled.com DC Jack Adapter 3 $3.50 $10.50 Rapidled.com 120mm Kingwin 6 $6.00 $36.00 Amazon.com blue LED fan Wiring Red 18 gauge wire 1 $5.99 $5.99 Advanced Autoparts Blue 18 guage wire 1 $5.99 $5.99 Advanced Autoparts Black 18 guage wire 1 $5.99 $5.99 Advanced Autoparts Project Box 3x2x1 3 $2.49 $7.47 Radio Shack Pk10 small wire clip 3 $2.99 $8.97 Radio Shack 22-18 Red ins disc 2 $2.59 $5.18 Lowes 22-18 Blue ins disc 2 $2.59 $5.18 Lowes 1/8" heat shrink tubing 1 $2.07 $2.07 Lowes 1A fast blow fuses 1 $1.99 $1.99 Radio Shack Blue dial knobs 2 $1.99 $3.98 Radio Shack 3/4" knobs 1 $2.99 $2.99 Radio Shack 4 position fuse block 3 $3.49 $10.47 Radio Shack c clips 3 $0.55 $1.65 Home Depot Mounting hardware 18' chain 18' $0.65 $11.70 Lowes Stanley 2" zinc mending brackets 3 $1.98 $5.94 Lowes Stanley 1-1/2" zinc corner Brackets 3 $2.38 $7.14 Lowes Spring links 12 $2.23 $26.76 Home Depot Colored spring links 12 $0.99 $11.88 Home Depot (6) 2 7/8" eye bolts 1 $5.97 $5.97 Lowes 8x10" plexiglass 3 $3.98 $11.94 Lowes Edited January 24, 2011 by TonyD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD January 26, 2011 Author Share January 26, 2011 Where did you buy the heat-sink and was it pre-tapped? Also, could you post a diagram of the wiring scheme from the leds -> breakers -> drivers? Thanks -Anthony Anthony, Here is the wiring schematic diagram. If you can't read it, I can send you the file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazio92 January 26, 2011 Share January 26, 2011 Perfect, thank you!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazio92 February 6, 2011 Share February 6, 2011 Any new pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD February 6, 2011 Author Share February 6, 2011 Actually, I just hooked it all up last night. On my last kit build, 4 of the royal blue LEDs did not work. I had to order 4 new ones and finished soldering it yesterday. I will keep my opinions to myself and just post pictures. It will be 1) white and blue fully dim, 2) white and blue mid strength, 3) white and blue full strength, 4) white full strength with blue full dim, 5) white full dim with blue full strength, 6) just blues on. Let me know if you would like to see any other combinations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazio92 February 6, 2011 Share February 6, 2011 Sounds good to me! I'll be rigging up the rest of mine this week! Actually, I just hooked it all up last night. On my last kit build, 4 of the royal blue LEDs did not work. I had to order 4 new ones and finished soldering it yesterday. I will keep my opinions to myself and just post pictures. It will be 1) white and blue fully dim, 2) white and blue mid strength, 3) white and blue full strength, 4) white full strength with blue full dim, 5) white full dim with blue full strength, 6) just blues on. Let me know if you would like to see any other combinations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyD February 7, 2011 Author Share February 7, 2011 Disclaimer : I'm not an artistic person. I'm more scientific so my tank looks like coral chaos. Be gentle. These pictures do not have any optics on the LEDs. I have 70 degree optics that I have not installed yet. This is my tank with 3 x 150W MH with 2 T5s. This is the full setup, mounted to the ceiling. Closeup of one of the LED kits. Tank with blue and white fully dim. Tank with blue and white at half intensity. Tank with blue and white at full intensity. Tank with white at full intensity, blue fully dim. Tank with blue at full intensity, white fully dim. Tank with just blue. I've been so impressed with LEDs that I plan on building a kit for my frag tank. If you see anything that I can improve on, please let me know. I'm thinking of adding a cable tray in the back to route all of the cables through to make it neat. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazio92 February 7, 2011 Share February 7, 2011 Awesome!! i can't wait to setup mine this week Looks great Tony!! -Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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