My 40 breeder led light build

[IslandN8TIV]

Hello RF... in an effort to expand this addictive hobby, after all the inputs from friends (rukis) and retailer support (Rob @ RedC), I decided that I needed an LED light fixture to not only advance the life in my tank, but the looks of it as well. While it would have been simple to cough up $400 to $600 to go out and buy a pre-made fixture, it wouldn't have the same appeal as building one. Since my first experience of beginning this hobby with a 29 gal BioCube was all a complete all in one with stand. Then moving on to the 40 breeder (gifted by rukis), I built my own stand (Bigger is Definitely Better) and would only seem logical to complete it with the light build. After much research and online window shopping, and thanks to the sales at Stevesleds.com and Rapidled.com, I began purchasing the necessary parts for the perfect light fixture for my tank. Here is the list of the parts:

20 – Royal Blue Phillips Luxeon ES (Stevesleds)
10 – Cool White Phillips Luxeon ES (Stevesleds)
02 – Deep Red Phillips Rebel ES (rapidled)
02 – Green CREE XP-E (rapidled)
02 – Violet UV LED (rapidled)
02 – Mean Well ELN-60-48D dimmable drivers (rapidled)
01 – 0-10V Dimmable Nano Driver with Potentiometer (rapidled)
01 – Moonlight 350mA driver (rapidled)
01 – Rapidled DIY 2 color dimming kit (rapidled)
01 – Drilled/tapped 6” X 20” Black Anodized Het Sink with Y-shaped hanging kit, stealth fan and splash guard. (rapidled)

Misc. items needed:
Soldering kit with solder, heatshrink, wire and wire loom
Multimeter
Drill with misc accessories
Wire cutters and wire strippers

Let the fun begin…

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here is the build with layout of the leds that I drew out on paper first:
Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[IslandN8TIV]

A different angle:

 

[IslandN8TIV]

II drilled two holes evenly spaced from the center of the heat sink so that I can route all the wiring through the heat sink instead of out the sides:

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here is a view from the other side of the heat sink to show where the holes come out from:

 

[IslandN8TIV]

And so begins the wiring scheme - 12 leds on one driver ( 8 blues, 1 red, 1 green, 2 UV's) / 10 leds on the other driver (8 blues, 1 red and 1 green) / 10 whites on the driver with the potentiometer attached and 4 blues of the moonlight driver:

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here is another angle at the wiring and the hole I drilled (about 1/4" to 3/8"...cant remember the drill bit I used):

 

[IslandN8TIV]

I tried to keep all the wiring all black so that if I had to look up at the light, it would be clean...but it got too confusing on what was positive and what wiring went to what grouping of LEDS...so hence the additional colors. Red for positive in and the blue wiring for the 4 LEDS for the moonlight kit.

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here is another angle at the positive input coming through the hole I drilled:

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Apparently, I could not find the wiring instructions anywhere on rapidled.com's website, so I sent them an email and they were really fast to respond. Their customer service is great and they provided me with this link (Dimmer instructions):

 

[IslandN8TIV]

I layed out the drivers on a spare 12" X 8" acrylic sheet and began wiring all the LEDS.

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here is the functioning moonlight kit:

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here is the first grouping of 10 LEDS working of one of the dimmers.

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here is the other half of the LEDs 2 grouping of 12 with the UV centered.

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here are all the LEDs up and running at maybe 30 to 40 percent on the dimmer.

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here is the light temporarily strapped above the tank (rapidled ran out of the Y-shaped hanging kits). This is the light at about 9 o'clock on the dimmer.

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Here are some shots of the coral with the LED lighting.

 

[IslandN8TIV]

Total cost:

$100 for the 20 Royal Blues and 10 Cool white LEDS from Stevesleds.com
$253 for the 2 Deep Red LEDs, 2 green LEDs, 2 UV LEDs, heatsink, drivers, dimmers from rapidled.com

$353 dollars for a complete dimmable LED kit

Laying back and enjoying the pleasures of having the new lighting in my tank… PRICELESS!

 

[seakingaquariums]

Looks good, nice work!

 

[rukis]

it looks great!!! now we just need to build mine!!!!!