LED

[Admiral Awesome]

Can anyone tell me how difficult it is to build my own LED fixture? I have done a little bit of research, but no one will give me a staight up answer. Also, is it worth it, in the sence of by building one myself, will I actually be saving money or will it cost about the same?

 

[thatguy559]

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f12/diy-led-build-linear-design-59088/

here you go its simple and will save you a lot of money if you are replacing MH and T5's

 

[tat2z_21]

First what is your price range. Size of tank is important too. Though it is cheaper to build a LED fixture yourself it still costs quite a bit of money. Say you have a typical 75 you are still looking at approx 400 dollars.

 

[tat2z_21]

www.rapidled.com

Look at the retrokits they have.

 

[moovinfast]

If you can do basic wiring and use a soldering Iron, its pretty easy. The only hard part would be drilling and tapping a large heatsink if you dont have the right tools. Like a drill press. It will also save you alot of money to build one yourself, but it still wont be cheap. I ended up selling the LED light I built. I was getting better growth using my cheap MH bulbs. I just don't think LED technology is quite there yet for me to make the switch again. I think it has something to do with not having UV in the light. But others have had decent results using only LEDs. I want to build LED strips to use as Actinics only on my big tank. Nothing is better than the Royal Blue Crees for actinic supplement.

 

[Katchupoy]

Can anyone tell me how difficult it is to build my own LED fixture? I have done a little bit of research, but no one will give me a staight up answer. Also, is it worth it, in the sence of by building one myself, will I actually be saving money or will it cost about the same?

Difficult? Not really.

Worth it? Very subjective question. You have to define "worth it".
In my case, compared to my 6xT5 bulb setup? Yes.
Color rendition? Yes
Saving electricity? Yes. I can now run my light on my solar panels.
Shimmer? Yes
Wow factor? definitely yes.
Growth? unknown, since I just moved to LED recently.
But with my T5, i dont have growth either. So its something else other than lights.

Building it yourself? If you like doing DIY, definitely. If you like to learn new stuff? go for it. Next thing to learn? Arduino.

Saving money? Upfront? No or equal. Long term? Yes. You are no longer replacing your bulbs for a very long time.

 

[Somethings Fishy]

If your looking for moon lighting a cheap and easy way is with led christmas lights as shown here. I made this a year ago it was a rough attempt, if you were to build a housing to place over it there would be no light pollution,(if you have a good that would work well to. what i did was use a peice of plexy and outline the spacing of ligts, then i made the hole just big enough for the led bulb to wedge into hole (so they stay). that setup i made probably cost ten bucks

By rwinktown at 2011-01-25

By rwinktown at 2011-01-25

 

[Skimmy]

it's super easy...
here's the programmable driver/controller im working on:

....JK
it is very easy...
as someone else mentioned, if you think you can solder, follow a wiring diagram, and at least have a buddy with some tools, you'll be good.

 

[TJL]

Hey Admiral, I just recently ordered most all my LED's from Rapidled.com for my 125g (60"x24"x20") the 48 Ultra Premium LED DIY Kit with Dimmable Drivers four Red led's and two extra constant current drivers to drive some led's I already have. The total from Rapid was $573.50 plus approx $50 in additional led's, another $50 for ultra quiet fans + wall wart and splitter from Frye's. I already have plenty of aluminum channel to work with ($25-30 value) but nearly a $700 investment in lighting.
To address a concern of mine on only using LED's (minimal spectral variation) was to mix things up a bit spectrum wise by substituting some of the Royal Blue 450-465nm for Blue 465-485nm adding in some Red, Cyan 510nm two different Cool Whites and an assortment of different lense angles to be able to spotlight certain corals/clams with correct/best light color.
The COOLEST thing about my plans is to incorporate a true East-to-West lighting schedule. I'm going to have six individual front-to-back linear circuits controlled by a AC Jr that turn on/off in 15-20? minute intervals starting from East end of tank and finishing at West a true sunrise to sunset sweep. With a seventh circuit spread out for a mid-day peak in lighting. I have read some excellent articles about the positive effects on coral growth using this method although in thier set-ups it was a motorized Halide moving accross the tanks.
In summary I believe when I'm finished I'll have an amazing light system that is much more advanced than what you could purchase as a unit for twice/thrice the price anywhere. I'll be starting a new build thread in next couple of weeks or as soon as I recieve kit and find someone to weld aluminum channel for me.

Cheers, Todd

P.S. I forgot to put in that from Rapidled I also purchased the 2-color dimming kit to acclimate the system with.

 

[the6goat6man6]

I am looking at some LEDs also, I am very good at electronics, and excelent at soldering. I have also looked at retro kits and LEDs and drivers, with thats said, I found that once you are done figureing, ordering all parts(drivers, leds, optics, cords, fans, housing, heat sinks, all the little things, etc....)you are probably looking at the same price. Most retro kits I found don't have fans or heat sinks, you will need these!!!
Check out Reef Koi Corals, Evolution LEDs fixtures, starting at $299-$499 ( I think this will be my choice!). I am going to be putting them on a 30" deep display, they claim at 23" the 120watt 1G unit has a PAR of 115. Reef Koi is suppost to be using these units on their Frag tanks!
I looked at retro kits, after all the extras that they don't come with and considering they don't have as many LED lights, IMO, I is more cost effective to just buy one. They are half the price of a MH fixture, so if you need two (one is good for36" long) then you are about the same cost as 1 good MH unit!!
LED Lighting : REEFKOI CORALS, SPS, LPS, Zoanthids

 

[Katchupoy]

GoatMan, did you looked at my LED build?

I found that once you are done figureing, ordering all parts(drivers, leds, optics, cords, fans, housing, heat sinks, all the little things, etc....)you are probably looking at the same price.
I dont believe this is accurate? I ended up around $300-$350 for my 36 LED setup on my 75g. But with what you are suggesting, I will need two of those off the shelf units to cover my 75g. So I believe I will pay more?

Most retro kits I found don't have fans or heat sinks, you will need these!!!
Not all designs need it. I dont.

I looked at retro kits, after all the extras that they don't come with and considering they don't have as many LED lights, IMO, I is more cost effective to just buy one.
Some of them uses 1 watt LEDs I believe? thats why they need a lot of them. But with the retrokit I used, I believe I only need a few since Im using HP LEDs. And then there is Optics which bumps up the efficiency of these lights.

you only showed us the finished products but not the retrokits you are referring too. Would you give us the retrokit links you are talking about? can you kindly give us a link so we can compare this form off the shelf products that you also pointed out?

You also mentioned that youre tank is 36" long. So assuming you have 36x18 surface area? and uses 36 LEDs similar to what I have on my 75g. Then you will ended up having 18 LEDs / sf.... Im using 24 LEDs/sf running 50%. I believe 18 is a very good number. And will cost you around $300-$350??? which I believe still less than that you are pointing too.... Plus you have control on what color you want? also when something fails, you can easily fix? since you mention you are very good with electronics?

 

[the6goat6man6]

GoatMan, did you looked at my LED build?

Very nice build, I love DIY, great job.

I found that once you are done figureing, ordering all parts(drivers, leds, optics, cords, fans, housing, heat sinks, all the little things, etc....)you are probably looking at the same price.
I dont believe this is accurate? I ended up around $300-$350 for my 36 LED setup on my 75g. But with what you are suggesting, I will need two of those off the shelf units to cover my 75g. So I believe I will pay more?

If your display is 36", then one unit will be enough. thats with the lesser, 100w, 100 LEDs, full coverage.

Most retro kits I found don't have fans or heat sinks, you will need these!!!
Not all designs need it. I dont.

I have Flash lights with cree emitters,6v, they get very hot, fast, and i've had one get too hot and burn out. I know in a housing, but in a sense yours are also.

I looked at retro kits, after all the extras that they don't come with and considering they don't have as many LED lights, IMO, I is more cost effective to just buy one.
Some of them uses 1 watt LEDs I believe? thats why they need a lot of them. But with the retrokit I used, I believe I only need a few since Im using HP LEDs. And then there is Optics which bumps up the efficiency of these lights.

Opics are an option, but not needed with the "shelf" unit, they seem to cover with the arrangement used. Yes the ones I am looking at use 1w LEDs, I beleive this is because it acheives a more even spread of light.

you only showed us the finished products but not the retrokits you are referring too. Would you give us the retrokit links you are talking about? can you kindly give us a link so we can compare this form off the shelf products that you also pointed out?

I am very sorry, I have lost the links(I hate computers), skimmy sent them to me, The premium kit was $420+fans+heat sinks+optics=about$540+s/h & uncle sam. A heat sink is ment to have fins, to allow as much air as possible

You also mentioned that youre tank is 36" long. So assuming you have 36x18 surface area? and uses 36 LEDs similar to what I have on my 75g. Then you will ended up having 18 LEDs / sf.... Im using 24 LEDs/sf running 50%. I believe 18 is a very good number. And will cost you around $300-$350??? which I believe still less than that you are pointing too.... Plus you have control on what color you want? also when something fails, you can easily fix? since you mention you are very good with electronics?

No, my tank is 48", yes I will be using 2 units to cover. I said 1 unit is suppost to be good for 36", so they say.
Using less light to cover a large area is reducing light distribution, I think more lights with more coverage will reduce dim spots that our eyes may not see. If you messure the light in one spot will it be the same 1.75in to the left or right(just in between your spacing)? The units I am looking at are spaced closer together, and can be focused with optics if needed to spot light a coral. And as you saw with your build, if a bought unit needed to be fixed or wanted to change LED color, it would not be too dificult with the right soldering iron. It would not be hard to repart an LED circuit. I ment, I used to be very good at electronics. My bad, I a little out dated, but the basics are the same and it all can be figured out with a little calculations.

I only ment to add another option. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE DIY. But for something that cost as much as it does, a warranty is nice, like two full years. Also, I ment to build what someone else has already done (fans, heat sinks, housing, reflectors, warranty, etc...)I don't think we can do it cheaper, yet. Yes, you acheived a less costly light, but it doesn't have the bells and whistles!
Another thought is, salt water is highly corrosive. Are your circuits protected, aluminum does not rust but it does oxidize, and aluminum oxide is toxic to fish and coral (I have read). Copper aslo oxides, solder has lead, unless use use lead free, not as good IMO.
These are just my thoughts and my opinions, I would love to build my own. But until I can get materials as cheaps as these manufacturers, I will wait, and I am watching. Although I have found the 1w for $1each, I will wait till the time is right.

If i bought a nice MH/T-5 unit it will cost$800-$1000 maybe more
2-200w 3G Evo LED units
with 2 year warranty $880 for both
all the bells and whistles(except optics)
You have about$300 into your lights, the 100w 3G unit is $299 w/ warranty? Also, the 3G units reflector angles the LEDs on the egdes, so not as much light leaks through the front and back glass! I don't see how I could go wrong, someone else has done the hard work and had the headaches for me, same price? and they are being used
MY OPINION
I really like your DIY LEDs, they look great, and I think it is very possible to DIY LED fixture or retro for less $$

I noticed the 14k units have 50/50 white/blue & the 20K units have about 30/70 white/blue about, same wattage, not sure if that helps you. I think LED mixture determine the color temp, not actual LED colors? What color temp does your LEDs emit, most high power LEDs only emmit 6500-7500k. The "shelf" units use 14k diodes.