LED Build help

[jason the filter freak]

In the next two-3 weeks as early as next week I'm looking for help building a custom LED fixture for my 54 gallon corner. I can pay for help in beer, cash, corals, and return favors. I'd like to describe to someone what I'm looking for and have them help me pick out the componets I need, and help me with some of the basics of wiring it up. I can do solidering on my own, just want a nudge and guidance in the right direction.

[Guest thefishman65]

Ok shoot

[Brian Ward]

Jason,

 

Have you purchased your components yet? I've almost got my design finished so I'll be placing orders soon.

[jason the filter freak]

I've got no parts yet, I'm looking to have 2 probably 3 strings of dimmable/controllable leds

[BowieReefer84]

I have a solder iron, lots of extra solder, and multimeter from doing my build. I no longer need the solder, and would be willing to let you borrow the iron and multimeter for as long as you need.

 

Here are a few files with diagrams and pictures of how things go together borrow from rapidled.com and myself. They should help you out I think. They show how to wire the led's, and how to wire the dimmable drivers.

 

Goodluck!

[jason the filter freak]

My original plans are here

http://www.wamas.org/forums/topic/38188-filter-freaks-new-tank-54-corner-x-type/

I think I might do a couple of fixed panels for ease but at any rates I want to make just aimable lights that I can use to highlight/spot light certian corals.

[jason the filter freak]

 

So new idea for lighting if its no bright enough I may consider another strand of 12 with a mix of white and blue. The idea of putting them 4 to a panel is allowing them to be transplantable to another light fixture if changing a tank.

 

I have no idea how bight it will be?

[BowieReefer84]

Have you seen a DIY light fixture in person? I have 24 cree led's in my biocube, and you are more than welcome to come check it out if you like. At full power it is VERY bright imo.

[TonyD]

You can dim the blues on 1 dimmable driver, the whites on another dimmable driver, 2 10k pots, a 10V DC power supply.

[jason the filter freak]

Have you seen a DIY light fixture in person? I have 24 cree led's in my biocube, and you are more than welcome to come check it out if you like. At full power it is VERY bright imo.

I was at the wamas meeting where they demo'd a build. I'm just not sure on the specifics like, how far to space the leds, what degree optics I want, what color whites and blues I want/should have.

[BowieReefer84]

I was at the wamas meeting where they demo'd a build. I'm just not sure on the specifics like, how far to space the leds, what degree optics I want, what color whites and blues I want/should have.

Yea, I would try to look at a few in person. I only have cool white and royal blues on mine. I also do not have optics.

[Guest thefishman65]

Mine is open for viewing, but I am sure other are closer. IMHO 4 is a bad number to design to. Driver seem to power 6 or 12. You can do 4, but you end up buying extra drivers. The ELN plug directly into the wall and power 12. Buck Puck and a lot of DIY drivers (mine included) run 6, but need a 24 volt (adjustable preferred) power supply.

 

Are you in Brian's Group (mine to as I will soon open a thread for drivers) buy? You might get the CW and RB and see if you like it like that and then add green and red.

[Brian Ward]

Jason,

 

I had many of the same questions. Take a look at the pinned LED thread in the DIY forum. I asked lots of questions and got good answers. For your most recent, the spacing recommendation is 2"-3" between each LED. The recommended ratio is approximately 2Blue:1White. It is also recommended that you set everything up as dimmable so you can adjust both intensity and spectrum.

 

I'm going to be building my own drivers and fixtures, so I've been working through many of these issues. Let me know if I can help and definitely join the GB to get your LEDs!

[TonyD]

Jason,

 

Are you looking to dim each set of 4 LEDs individually or dim each color individually? I see in your drawing that you have 3 sets of 4 LEDs for white and 3 sets of 4 LEDs for blue. Each color can be wired in series and all you would need is a dimmable driver for each color.