Bug_Power
Fri, 24th Feb 2006, 11:08 PM
Okay I've got some photos, I just need to pull them off the camera.
Now what you'll need
AC/DC power supply
Thin wire
LED's
Resistor
Tape
Connectors or soldering iron
1 AC/DC power supply. I had TONS laying around. I ended up finding one for an old IR range extender mine was 18v and 500Ma you can use ANY one you want. However the smaller you have the less LED's you can use. Typically for BLUE led's you'll estimate it will take 3.2-3.4v some are 5v, but for this purpose I used 3.4v for the LED's I orderd
I used my new cool touch soldering iron....it sucks compared to my temp controlled iron. you can use crimps if you'd like.
electrical tape
wire (doesn't need to be thick gauge)
then you'll need a resitor or two.
Now I wire all mine up serial. It's easier IMHO that way, and if you have a big 18v or so power supply laying around the voltage drop isn't a problem.
1st thing we need to do is plan. You obviously need LED's. I bought a few of Ebay, actually I bought a few HUNDREAD. I bought some UV purple which are like black lights 420nm , some blue 470 nm wavelength (looks actinic). Now there are different types of LEDs as well. I bought two types of blues. First there is the projection angle....think of it this way, do you want a narrow(spot light) beam or a wider (flood light) beam. I got some 15% and some 30% lights.Secondly is if they are clear or frosted and how bright they are. I just got clearand 5500mcd brightness. You can order them all over, but here's one place. http://www.theledlight.com/5mmcoloredleds.html
Next you need to buy some resistors go to http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Bowden/led.htm
and use the calculator. It will tell you what resistor to buy.
I used 4 LED's, voltage is 3.4v per LED, current is 40ma (it makes them a bit brighter, but they may only last 1,000,000 hours then :) ) Total voltage is the voltage off your AC/DC supply. Press find resistor and it will tell you what you need to buy.
Now that we have that out of the way. I cut the connector end off the AC/DC supply, split the two wires, the outer shield is neg, and the postive is typically the pos. However if you look on the plug sometimes it will tell you if it's center positive or negative.
Once you have those cut and stripped set it aside.
lay your LEDs spread apart as far as you need them. Cut wire to fit in between the LEDs.
Kinda like
n______n______n_____n_______n_____
now spread the LEGs on the LEDs apart, the larger leg is going to be postive. You want to connect the wires from one postive leg on one LED to the Negative leg on the next LED. +-+-+-+- basically. With the wires. On the last LED connect the resistor you had to buy. Don't worry any direction will work.
Almost done.
Run wire from the resistor back down all to the end of the first wire on the first LED like this
n______n______n_____n_______n_____+ +----------AC/
|_________________________________- -/---------DC adapter\
Solder or connect the postive from the LED to the postive on the AC adapter.
Then connect the wire coming from the resistor tot he negative on the adapter.
Plug it in and give it a shot! Everything should work.
Now you can mount them on several ways. I taped my wires all up by wrapping the LEDs with the negative wire, taped it to my PVC returns and then positioned them so they spotlighted my corals/anemones I have. I'll get up pictures later. Total time it took me was under 20 minutes. If anyone needs LEDs I have a TON of them.
You can also drill PVC pull the LEDs through, silicone them in place, silicone the ends of the PVC and have a watertight LED bar. The possibilities are endless. if you have any questions let me know!
Now what you'll need
AC/DC power supply
Thin wire
LED's
Resistor
Tape
Connectors or soldering iron
1 AC/DC power supply. I had TONS laying around. I ended up finding one for an old IR range extender mine was 18v and 500Ma you can use ANY one you want. However the smaller you have the less LED's you can use. Typically for BLUE led's you'll estimate it will take 3.2-3.4v some are 5v, but for this purpose I used 3.4v for the LED's I orderd
I used my new cool touch soldering iron....it sucks compared to my temp controlled iron. you can use crimps if you'd like.
electrical tape
wire (doesn't need to be thick gauge)
then you'll need a resitor or two.
Now I wire all mine up serial. It's easier IMHO that way, and if you have a big 18v or so power supply laying around the voltage drop isn't a problem.
1st thing we need to do is plan. You obviously need LED's. I bought a few of Ebay, actually I bought a few HUNDREAD. I bought some UV purple which are like black lights 420nm , some blue 470 nm wavelength (looks actinic). Now there are different types of LEDs as well. I bought two types of blues. First there is the projection angle....think of it this way, do you want a narrow(spot light) beam or a wider (flood light) beam. I got some 15% and some 30% lights.Secondly is if they are clear or frosted and how bright they are. I just got clearand 5500mcd brightness. You can order them all over, but here's one place. http://www.theledlight.com/5mmcoloredleds.html
Next you need to buy some resistors go to http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Bill_Bowden/led.htm
and use the calculator. It will tell you what resistor to buy.
I used 4 LED's, voltage is 3.4v per LED, current is 40ma (it makes them a bit brighter, but they may only last 1,000,000 hours then :) ) Total voltage is the voltage off your AC/DC supply. Press find resistor and it will tell you what you need to buy.
Now that we have that out of the way. I cut the connector end off the AC/DC supply, split the two wires, the outer shield is neg, and the postive is typically the pos. However if you look on the plug sometimes it will tell you if it's center positive or negative.
Once you have those cut and stripped set it aside.
lay your LEDs spread apart as far as you need them. Cut wire to fit in between the LEDs.
Kinda like
n______n______n_____n_______n_____
now spread the LEGs on the LEDs apart, the larger leg is going to be postive. You want to connect the wires from one postive leg on one LED to the Negative leg on the next LED. +-+-+-+- basically. With the wires. On the last LED connect the resistor you had to buy. Don't worry any direction will work.
Almost done.
Run wire from the resistor back down all to the end of the first wire on the first LED like this
n______n______n_____n_______n_____+ +----------AC/
|_________________________________- -/---------DC adapter\
Solder or connect the postive from the LED to the postive on the AC adapter.
Then connect the wire coming from the resistor tot he negative on the adapter.
Plug it in and give it a shot! Everything should work.
Now you can mount them on several ways. I taped my wires all up by wrapping the LEDs with the negative wire, taped it to my PVC returns and then positioned them so they spotlighted my corals/anemones I have. I'll get up pictures later. Total time it took me was under 20 minutes. If anyone needs LEDs I have a TON of them.
You can also drill PVC pull the LEDs through, silicone them in place, silicone the ends of the PVC and have a watertight LED bar. The possibilities are endless. if you have any questions let me know!