Author Topic: Project LED (Read 15052 times)

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #50 on:** July 27, 2010, 20:38:04 »

Fixed per Hunger's request. Now that you can see it, please ignore the messy workbench.

Another potential I'm considering is what to do if a fan fails. The heat sinks heat up pretty quickly without air moving across them. While LED's are efficient, they do not like heat.

HUNGER · « **Reply #51 on:** July 27, 2010, 21:04:11 »

u realy didnt have to but it does look better

Midwest Express · « **Reply #52 on:** July 27, 2010, 22:35:56 »

Quote from: Wall_Tank on July 27, 2010, 19:52:06

That was in the 1st line of my message. I forgot to adjust, and was too lazy to fix. Part of it was because the lights were so bright. I'll retake them tonight, especially for you

This may sound crazy... buuuuut there is a setup that I have helped some people put on a few computers. It is a remote radiant cooling system. Pretty much you run coolant lines from your current setup to a big big big heat sink (or even in one case a heat sink that is plumbed into an air duct.

Thinking about it though that won't work as you will not be able to run the water or the coolant through the heat sink themselves. Grrr....

I would just say put 2 or 3 fans on each and have them on switches. Since you have a controller... have them set to if the heat kicks up, it kicks on the outlet that the next set of fans is hooked into. I think that would be the easiest way to do it and only sacrifice an outlet.

TechGuy · « **Reply #53 on:** July 27, 2010, 23:21:13 »

Quote from: Midwest Express on July 27, 2010, 22:35:56

This may sound crazy... buuuuut there is a setup that I have helped some people put on a few computers. It is a remote radiant cooling system. Pretty much you run coolant lines from your current setup to a big big big heat sink (or even in one case a heat sink that is plumbed into an air duct.

Thinking about it though that won't work as you will not be able to run the water or the coolant through the heat sink themselves. Grrr....

I would just say put 2 or 3 fans on each and have them on switches. Since you have a controller... have them set to if the heat kicks up, it kicks on the outlet that the next set of fans is hooked into. I think that would be the easiest way to do it and only sacrifice an outlet.

Heatpipes rock. But a royal pain in the rear...

CoralBeauties · « **Reply #54 on:** July 28, 2010, 06:17:31 »

I should have par readings on these lights on thursday. I will be sure and post results.
jeff

HUNGER · « **Reply #55 on:** July 28, 2010, 08:14:06 »

Quote from: jjoos99 on July 28, 2010, 06:17:31

I should have par readings on these lights on thursday. I will be sure and post results.
jeff

cool

ya i would run 2 fans on each light

Neogenesis · « **Reply #56 on:** July 29, 2010, 10:43:26 »

Excellent build, I'm loving the set of LED's I built, and will be building more once I get to that point on my 180G I'm moving into. I can't wait to get that monster going.

Scott

CoralBeauties · « **Reply #57 on:** July 29, 2010, 19:22:01 »

well thanks to wes for stopping out the results are in. the heat sink with 35 leds came out to be exactly equal to a 10k 250 watt halide. We got about 750 par just below the water surface, 400 at the midlevel of the tank and maintained 200 on the sand bed. My lights are about 10 in. off the water surface and I use 80 degree optics. probably could have gotten alittle better with 70deg optics. I have mine running on 700 mA ballast drivers. Pauls will be even more kick butt since he is using 1000 mA ballast drivers. We tested these readings against my 10k 250 watt bulb and a 20k 250 watt bulb. The readings were all but one and the same of the 10k bulb. When testing the 20k we got right at half of the 10k. so the end results are the led's have the same strength of usuable light that the 10k halide has with more color range of a 15 to 20k color range. After this confirmation I am extremely happy with this project.
jeff

Midwest Express · « **Reply #58 on:** July 29, 2010, 21:28:07 »

Quote from: jjoos99 on July 29, 2010, 19:22:01

well thanks to wes for stopping out the results are in. the heat sink with 35 leds came out to be exactly equal to a 10k 250 watt halide. We got about 750 par just below the water surface, 400 at the midlevel of the tank and maintained 200 on the sand bed. My lights are about 10 in. off the water surface and I use 80 degree optics. probably could have gotten alittle better with 70deg optics. I have mine running on 700 mA ballast drivers. Pauls will be even more kick butt since he is using 1000 mA ballast drivers. We tested these readings against my 10k 250 watt bulb and a 20k 250 watt bulb. The readings were all but one and the same of the 10k bulb. When testing the 20k we got right at half of the 10k. so the end results are the led's have the same strength of usuable light that the 10k halide has with more color range of a 15 to 20k color range. After this confirmation I am extremely happy with this project.
jeff

Awesome!

cyberwollf · « **Reply #59 on:** July 29, 2010, 22:01:00 »

Tank looked great Jeff. All you guys with your LEDs are making me want to build a set lol. It was cool to see the PAR readings. As Jeff said, Same PAR as 250w 10k, with the color of a 20k, while drawing less than half the power, and no bulb changes for >6 years. Nice!

I still think it would be great to make a "focusable" LED fixture. If you could aim each LED individually you could perfectly mix colors and only put the light where you needed it. You wouldn't waste power by have >200 PAR on the sandbed where you dont need it (but you could spotlight a clam!) I'd venture to say that you could use 20-30% less LEDs with the same level of PAR where you need it. Then throw in a few LEDs with wide optics (or a T5) for fill light. That would be my vision of LED's future in the hobby.

HUNGER · « **Reply #60 on:** July 30, 2010, 08:22:29 »

wow thats cool

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #61 on:** July 31, 2010, 15:49:33 »

Mine are now online......

Removed 740 watts of light (2 x 250MH + 3 T5s over driven)

Added 300 watts of LED light

Based on jjoos measurements, I should have plenty of PAR.

I'm debating about getting a single lamp t5 ballast and running 1 RedSun Bulb.

cyberwollf · « **Reply #62 on:** July 31, 2010, 15:57:57 »

Quote from: Wall_Tank on July 31, 2010, 15:49:33

Mine are now online......

Removed 740 watts of light (2 x 250MH + 3 T5s over driven)

Added 300 watts of LED light

Based on jjoos measurements, I should have plenty of PAR.

I'm debating about getting a single lamp t5 ballast and running 1 RedSun Bulb.

Let me know when you want to check the check the PAR again.

CoralBeauties · « **Reply #63 on:** July 31, 2010, 22:13:55 »

Paul
how do you like the color and shimmer of your lights? Wes really liked the shimmer of the leds. They shimmer even more then halides!!!
jeff

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #64 on:** July 31, 2010, 23:06:09 »

I like the color, although I plan to play around with intensities. I think I may want to run a single t5 red sun bulb too.

The shimmer is really cool. Especially in lower levels of light.

HUNGER · « **Reply #65 on:** August 01, 2010, 21:10:50 »

so do they realy give the same shimmer as a MH?

harleyrider · « **Reply #66 on:** August 01, 2010, 21:18:19 »

and then some!!

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #67 on:** August 01, 2010, 21:28:11 »

Quote from: HUNGER on August 01, 2010, 21:10:50

so do they realy give the same shimmer as a MH?

Actually more shimmer. Since there are white and blue LED's there are two distinct wavelengths of light coming into the tank. The surface of the water causes the light to "dance" around.

HUNGER · « **Reply #68 on:** August 01, 2010, 21:58:39 »

o ok

TechGuy · « **Reply #69 on:** August 02, 2010, 01:17:23 »

Its a weird shimmer. The blue and white shimmer independently. Its a weird holographic thing. I like the way the blues make corals look, but I hate the shimmer. Something you should check out though.

HUNGER · « **Reply #70 on:** August 02, 2010, 08:15:41 »

ya i need to but it will be hard to get away from hm

slandis3 · « **Reply #71 on:** August 02, 2010, 08:35:23 »

So how much would it cost me to build one of these for my 12g nano cube?

Wall_Tank · « **Reply #72 on:** August 02, 2010, 15:56:21 »

Quote from: slandis3 on August 02, 2010, 08:35:23

So how much would it cost me to build one of these for my 12g nano cube?

look at nanotuners.com They have DIY kits for Nano tanks

Midwest Express · « **Reply #73 on:** August 02, 2010, 20:33:33 »

Shimmer on the LED fixtures... Awesome!

I got to check out Jeff's setup. I love the color of the royals and white. The shimmer on the substrate is hypnotizing!

Can't wait to get my build on the road for my 125 gal light setup!

HUNGER · « **Reply #74 on:** August 02, 2010, 20:37:49 »

ya will have to check it out and see what all the talk is about

2024 Ohio Reef Frag Swap

Author Topic: Project LED (Read 15052 times)

slandis3