DIY led layout

[Twizted1]

Trying to figure out the best way to evenly layout the LEDs for the seahorse tank. The heat sink is 15.5 x 5.25. I have 12 rb, 6 4500k whites, 6 10k whites, 2 uv & 2 reds. I just thought I'd mix it up with the reds & uvs. I have 80* optics but not sure I'll need to use them for the bc29. Any thoughts on layout?

[Twizted1]

Thought I'd put the reds on the blue channel and the uv on the whites.

[Twizted1]

I'm thinking two rows
Blue 4500 blue 10k blue 4500 blue 10k ect
Blue 10k blue 4500 blue 10k blue 4500 ect
The just spacing the reds and uvs in the middle.
Or maybe
4500 blue 10k blue ect
Blue 10k  blue 4500 ect
I think I like the latter.

I would like to try and fit the original moon lights in here too. I may still play with that idea?

[Twizted1]

I think maybe a little more spread out.

[Twizted1]

I also have 3 spares, one of each. Should I just go ahead and use them?
I think I like this one.

[lazylivin]

The spread out style is dated. It causes disco effect. I would put in tight clusters so the light blends. You can then spread out the clusters for more even lighting.

Are you going for 10k look?

[Twizted1]

The spread out style is dated. It causes disco effect. I would put in tight clusters so the light blends. You can then spread out the clusters for more even lighting.

Are you going for 10k look?

Something like that. I want white light. But I still want the colors to pop. I wish I could light it up and change until I find the look I want. I'll keep playing with the layout. Thanks for the feedback.

[Twizted1]

Cluster like this? I still have 80* optics I can use too.

[lazylivin]

You got it.

[Twizted1]

Then just space the clusters evenly apart?

[Twizted1]

I think this one is a winner.

[lazylivin]

That looks good but you may want to add the little 2 peice clusters to 2 of the existing clusters. I am assuming that they contain the RED and UV. The Red is very noticibale on it's own.

[Twizted1]

Got them all glued down. As suggested I put the reds on the clusters on the ends. I kept the uv by themselves. They won't have any trouble blending. Just have to figure out how to chain them so it looks nice. Also still need to figure out if I am going to use the optics or not.

[Kenn]

Nicely done

[Wall_Tank]

Yes, you want optics......probably 80 degree is fine.   The LED's without optics are just too spread out.   You may not want to put optics on the red.

[Twizted1]

Will use the optic. I agree on the red. It is crazy bright. I'm thinking I should have not put then in here. But wanted that spectrum for the macros we hope to grow. We shall see. I am a little apprehensive about the wiring part. But I'm about to start that now.

[Twizted1]

Ran into a slight problem. Wasn't that big a deal. I had put the LEDs to close together & the optics would fit. The glue wasn't set just yet and I was able to pop them off adjust and reflux them. You can tell in the pic how much room I should have left.

[Twizted1]

I only had time to wire the blues. Hopefully someday this weekend I can finish it. I have no clue on how to wire it to the driver and pot. No directions to speak of. I tried to light the row up by hooking pos-pos & neg-neg and ended up frying an led. So I need to research it more before I try it again.

[Wall_Tank]

There are 2 positive terminals and 2 negative terminals on the starboard , use the terminal that is easiest to get to.     Take a close up pic of the starboard if you are unsure which are + and -.   and need help.

The Positive wire from the driver connects to a positive terminal on the 1st LED in the string.  Then you connect the negative terminal of that 1st LED to the positive on the next LED.....and so on to the last LED in the string, where the negative lead from the driver connects to the negative terminal of the last LED in the string.

What are the specs of the drivers and LEDs   You need to match the correct quantity of LEDs to the driver.

[Twizted1]

I started on the + side of the first led to the - side of the next. Rotating + to - until I ended up back on the - side of the starting LEDs.

The drivers are Meanwell lpf-25d-42

LEDs are Bridgelux
Wavelength: 452-455nm
Forward voltage: 3.5V @700mA
Radiant flux: 400-420mW @ 350mA
Max. current: 700mA
Beam angle: 120-140 degree
Operational temperature: -20C ~ +70C
Part No.: BXCE4545452-G1-Z
Data Sheet DS-C15
 

[Wall_Tank]

Here is the spec sheet for the driver.  http://www.meanwell.com/search/LPF-25D/LPF-25D-spec.pdf

The driver is up to 42 volts 600ma.   Your LED's are 3.5vf.   So divide 42/3.5 = 12 LEDs  (The min voltage is 23.1, so the minimum LED's in the chain is 7)

The wiring on the drivers is

Input Lead
Brown -110vac Hot
Blue - AC Neurtral

Output Lead
Red LED +
Black LED -
Blue Dim +
White Dim -

[Twizted1]

I have 14 LEDs on each driver. So that's 49v so I am under powered.

[Wall_Tank]

The driver can be overloaded a little.   Plus 3.5vf is the spec, not all LEDs will pull that much volts.

It does appear to be able to be overloaded to around 54v before it will shutdown, but I'm not sure I would plan that far of an overload.   If you want to try 14, when you power up the string, measure the actual voltage and see how far you are over.

[Twizted1]

Finally got the whites all wired up. Everything looks good. But there are no instructions on how to hook these pots up. The driver has four wires coming out of it on one end. Red, black, blue & white. And blue and brown on the other. On the on end I connected the brown to the live and the blue to the neutral. On the other end I'm assuming the red = positive on the led and the black = negative side of led. But the blue and white connect to to pot some how? The pot would need grounded I would thing? Any ideas?

[Wall_Tank]

The driver requires a 0-10v signal.  If you only have a POT, then you need a separate power supply for the voltage. 

The POT should be around 10kohm, and you need a 10v power supply.   Take a look at this.
http://www.menarilighting.com/rapidled/documentation/Potentiometer.pdf

of course make sure the POT matches the one that Rapid sells.