Re: Phase A) LED build, Phase B) automation/monitoring Phase C)... Profit?

[fall0n]

Re: Phase A) LED build, Phase B) automation/monitoring Phase C)... Profit?

So, got my order in from RapidLed and it's time to build. I picked up a 1.4"x48" heatsink in order to augment some extra par and color to the main tank. Also picked up a kit with a similiar heatsink but only 1.4"x18" for the nano 16g. This will be replacing the original lighting that came with it. And I like the idea of the built setup for light control that eww and trido are using, but I like to tinker. So I'll be picking up a Aruindo Mega and make it do some monitoring/alarming/posting details online somewhere. That will be stage 2.

In December I'll be out of the country, so I want to have a virtual link to the tank and it's health. So this will surely be an interesting built and learning experience for me.

 

[fall0n]

So first thing is first, I just have to figure out the layout of leds on the 1.4"x48" heatsink. 24 leds - 4 royal blue, 3 blue, 2 red, 2 green, 2 cyan, 2 uv, 3 warm white, 3 cool white and 3 neutal white. I'm looking to blend in the color spectrums in order to add a) extra par and b) augment the current led setup I have. Currently on the tank is 4 aquaticlife 1w strips. 2 actint 480nm and the other 2 are 10k.

 

[fall0n]

So the placement of the leds, thermo gel and soldering went well. Pretty straight forward. Working on cleaning up the wiring as I go as want it as clean as can be.

Pics
Led color placement figured out

Leds laid into placement

 

[fall0n]

Some soldered/in process of build pics:

 

[fall0n]

 

[senji]

thats a long string of leds. looking good. i hope to be filming most of my build for every1 who wants to build 1 them self but feels to overwhelmed. but needs to realize how easy it actually is. hopefully u did tune ur driver right. and are running the sring parallel on 1 driver or using 2 drivers.
also consider a typhon controller. thats the 1 eww uses as he helped me to prepare for the order and lives about a mile from me.

 

[fall0n]

Thanks! Yeah I've split it into 2 sets of 12, so each set is going to its own driver. It's really not that bad at all. Just take your time and have fun with it. My next steps will be to finish the wiring pigtail to the driver, and driver to the manual dimmer control. At that time, then break out my multimeter to tune the driver. Talking with Todd, he turned his down to about 700, so I'm thinking of going in the same direction. You going full 1.3 or dialing it back?

 

[senji]

the whites will run at 1300 and the blues and uv's greens will run at 700

 

[fall0n]

On the 48" sink, running the following leds:

4 Royal Blue
3 Blue
3 Cool White
3 Neutral White
3 Warm White
2 Red
2 Green
2 Cyan
2 Violet UV

As this is a supplement for the rest of the leds on the tank, decided to get a nice mix of different spectrum's. As you'd guess, those are spread out as evenly as possible between the 2 sides.

 

[senji]

thats allot of white i went 2 to 1 on blues to white

 

[fall0n]

Yeah I may end up cycling some out to blues later. Easy enough to desolder and swap out.

 

[tat2z_21]

Have you connected it to the drivers yet. I would definitely hook up a multimeter and verify that none of those screws are touching the pad, also all it is going to take is a little salt in the air to connect that gap and cause a short so I would look at sometime getting nylon screws. Just a thought from some of the pictures it looks really close. Just trying to help you so that you don't short out a driver, cause led failure, or worse burn down your house.

 

[senji]

reefled sells a product in an arisol can that will seal all the leds so that cant happen id look into it tat2z has a good point. here is a link LED Seal Now In Stock!!! « Catalog Products « Shop « « ReefLEDLights | LED Aquarium Lighting ReefLEDLights | LED Aquarium Lighting

 

[fall0n]

Nope, I have not hooked up the drivers yet. Good point gentlemen! I was wondering some of the same. I've done visual inspection as I was tightening them up, might just pick up some nylon washers to insulate between the 2, just in case. Hey Senji, that spray looks pretty wicked! Are you going to pick any up?

 

[senji]

naw i spent allot of money into casing and splashshield mines going to be deadly sexy as it will be totaly exposed hanging over the tank

 

[fall0n]

Nice!, Yeah I think i'm actually gonna build a nice/easy acrylic splash shield. McLendons hardware is my best friend and has about everything in a nut/bolt type of bins to accomplish nearly anything.

 

[senji]

are u running optics on ur leds?

 

[fall0n]

At this time i am not. I have them, but may not utilize them as I want a good blending of leds.

 

[TJL]

Nice start on the LED build Jason, looking forward to seeing it all lit up. I used the silicone LED sealant on my build and seems to have worked well... at least so far. I'll be taking mine down shortly to finally add in the UV emiters bought months ago and will give it a good cleaning then re-seal the whole fixture again.

Cheers, Todd

 

[fall0n]

Hmm nice, I may have to order a can of that just as a secondary precaution.



Next I exteneded the wiring to the dimmer and the led quick disconnects:

Adding heat shrink tubing and mesh wiring loom:

All cleaned up