LED build #2

[txg8gxp]

Ok, well to start with this light is going to be for my 45g. (24.5x18.5x25) I plan to make this a suspended light fixture. My heatsink size is 5.5"x12". For emitters I will use 36 cree xpg/xpe's. 8 blue xpe's, 8 royal blue xpe's, and 20 white xpg's. I'm still alittle unsure of the exact lenses I will run, and still desiding between running meanwell drivers or run a buckpuck per strip. Running the buckpucks would allow me to dim each strip independent of each other. Any opinions would be nice.

[cbianco]

Watching...

:hypnotyized:

I would electrocute myself trying to build anything remotely electricity driven.

Props & good luck!

Christopher

[txg8gxp]

Led strips spaced out.

[samurhai]

i want to do this too. do you mind me asking how much for everything?

[txg8gxp]

Something this size would run between $350-600. This build will probally run about $500

[IGGY]

Hello Txg8. I dont know if you know but that heat sink is way too small for that many xpg's if you plan on running them over 700 milliamps. Thermal run away will occur rather quickly and that is even is you put fans on the heat sink. The amount of air needed to keep that cool is going to be very high and thus noisy. I build very bright bike lights and have been using the xpg's since they came out a few months ago. They generate quite a bit of heat if driven anything over 700 milliamps. The leds on my lights are kept cool by the constant motion of the rider but it still requires me to use a decent chunk of aluminum to draw the heat away fast.

I have started building tank lights for a few people here in san antonio. I dont want to rain on your parade but i wanted to mention a few things in case you didnt know. This 36 led light you are going to build is going to be INSANELY bright. five white xpg put out the same lumen output as a car headlight.

Last week i finished a light for a customer using 18 leds, 12blue xpe+ 6white xpg. He mounted this light on a 24" cubed tank and loved how everything looked at full blast. He now operates the light at only half power because it was too much light and it caused some bleaching. Everything now is growing perfectly operating at half the output. Here is a photo of the light at full blast.
5350

This light is only using 6 white xpgs running at 1 amp and its still quite bright. The lenses i used are 10mm mediums and they seem to do a great job of spreading out the light. the heat sink i used for this light is 10 by 13 and its still gets warm with both fans blowing.
5351

[Jarob]

wow I love this thread already! I plan on building a LED system here in a few weeks for a new tank im still looking to buy. Can you put your suppliers and costs too pleeease? Go with the buckpucks!!! Dimming is the coolest feature!

[txg8gxp]

Great info, It's nice to see some other people building some nice leds fixtures. This is my first test with xpg's so I have no idea of heat build, Thanks for the heads up. My plans have changed alittle. This fixture is also going to be hanging about 1-1.5' off the top of the tank. I'm still trying to deside on drivers so I can start doing some basic tests. Any other experience you have, I would like to hear. The more opinions/or experiences the better.




Hello Txg8. I dont know if you know but that heat sink is way too small for that many xpg's if you plan on running them over 700 milliamps. Thermal run away will occur rather quickly and that is even is you put fans on the heat sink. The amount of air needed to keep that cool is going to be very high and thus noisy. I build very bright bike lights and have been using the xpg's since they came out a few months ago. They generate quite a bit of heat if driven anything over 700 milliamps. The leds on my lights are kept cool by the constant motion of the rider but it still requires me to use a decent chunk of aluminum to draw the heat away fast.

I have started building tank lights for a few people here in san antonio. I dont want to rain on your parade but i wanted to mention a few things in case you didnt know. This 36 led light you are going to build is going to be INSANELY bright. five white xpg put out the same lumen output as a car headlight.

Last week i finished a light for a customer using 18 leds, 12blue xpe+ 6white xpg. He mounted this light on a 24" cubed tank and loved how everything looked at full blast. He now operates the light at only half power because it was too much light and it caused some bleaching. Everything now is growing perfectly operating at half the output. Here is a photo of the light at full blast.
5350

This light is only using 6 white xpgs running at 1 amp and its still quite bright. The lenses i used are 10mm mediums and they seem to do a great job of spreading out the light. the heat sink i used for this light is 10 by 13 and its still gets warm with both fans blowing.
5351

[IGGY]

You are going to love the xpgs. The output is amazing and you gotta love their size and price. I have been using buckpucks for a few years now and they have never let me down. I have never heard of meanwell drivers; who makes them and what are they used for? Another thing i have noticed on these forums with the diy leds lights is that no one seals up the leds and connections. The leds cannot remain exposed to the salty air. This will destroy the led and any connections left uncovered.

I will be, from now on, running the xpg only at 700 milliamps. the difference is light output from 700 to 1000 milliamps is very little compared to the huge increase in heat production.

[txg8gxp]

I plan to run a splash guard on this fixtures. I was thinking 700ma for everything, or 700ma for xpe's and 350ma for xpg's

[txg8gxp]

Meanwell drivers http://www.meanwell.com/search/ELN-60/default.htm

[txg8gxp]

WOW.... I just hooked up a 4 emitter strip of xpg's at 700mA and all I can say is....My old xre on the biocube are just little candles compared to the xpg's. This are going to be sick....just the way I like it...

[dipan]

Good to hear! Look forward to your second build ...

[ErikH]

Can't wait to see my old tank back to it's former glory. Such a sweet tank! It was good getting to see your progress with the Durso, that is working great. I can't imagine how bright those lights must be! Next, they will be bright like PLASMA!

[txg8gxp]

I still thing it's funny I'm building this big of a light for a NPS tank....Owell...

[txg8gxp]

Desiding on filtration is killing me...:at_wits_end: But the lights will look good...



Can't wait to see my old tank back to it's former glory. Such a sweet tank! It was good getting to see your progress with the Durso, that is working great. I can't imagine how bright those lights must be! Next, they will be bright like PLASMA!

[txg8gxp]

Plasma bulbs are for the next build..J/J well maybe not.
lTGsM9pplUs

[txg8gxp]

This is 4 xpg's @700mA. 8' ceiling.

[IGGY]

Nice and bright. I told you you would love them. Here are four xpg mounted on one of my bike lights. Its using four carlco 10mm lenses. These are running at 1 amp and they get HOT when the bike is not in motion. Just imagine that kinda light over a tank.
5361

[txg8gxp]

It's going to be nice. The royal blue xpe's have a nice color, I think I like them better than the blues.

[ErikH]

Nice and bright. I told you you would love them. Here are four xpg mounted on one of my bike lights. Its using four carlco 10mm lenses. These are running at 1 amp and they get HOT when the bike is not in motion. Just imagine that kinda light over a tank.
5361


WHAT? WOW!


Do you have a train horn on your bicycle too? :bigsmile:

[IGGY]

Some people have told me they think a motorcycle is coming up behind them. Hahah. The lights keep us safe cause there is now way a driver can claim he could not see me.

[txg8gxp]

Small update. The fixture is almost done. I will start mounting the emitters and drivers in the fixture next. All my parts are here, so I will be able to get some pics up soon and the light finished.

[txg8gxp]

Ok, final layout. I am going to use 3-white xpg strips(12), 2-blue xpe(8), 2-royal blue xpe(8). I will be running 700mA and 500mA buck puck drivers. 3 Potrans 24vdc-6.5A power supplies for seperate white,blue,moonlight controls. 140mm fan rated at 60cfm-20db. The heatsink is 12" x 6" x 1" with 1/8" x 2" skirts around the fixture.

[txg8gxp]

I'm really starting to like the way the fixture is going to look. This will look great on my tank, 45g tech w/ silver trim.

[txg8gxp]

Led placement

[txg8gxp]

It has power..

[corruption]

So you took my cue and went the lazy-mans route for adhering the crees to the heat sink? Nice -- I'm just too lazy to tap and drill :)

Looks good, Stephen! Can't wait to see it fired up! :D

-Justin

Edit: and there we go! ^^ :D

[txg8gxp]

Yes, much better then all the drilling/taping.

[txg8gxp]

I put the light over the tank and It looks like I will be fine without lenses. This is going to be a NPS tank, so I'll do without the lenses.

[Double-O-Zilch]

Looking good like always Steve.

[txg8gxp]

Thanks guys...

[txg8gxp]

Fixture almost 100% now..

[txg8gxp]

For anyone interested, this is a great cooling fan. Super quiet, low rpm, tons of cooling. Rated at 60cfm, my heatsink has not got above room temp yet. Plus I'm only running the fan at 9v.
http://www.crazypc.com/products/x-silent-57500.html

[ReefCube]

love the DIY!

[txg8gxp]

Thanks, It's always fun to make something work yourself.

[chunkymonkey]

very nice! I'd love to be able to do something like this for my 100gal, but I would likely burn something down....just my luck, lol.

[GoneReefing]

Man all of these tanks popping up with LED's. Been working on redoing my 20 Gallon and been thinking about getting in on the LED action instead of using a 175w MH.

Found this site www.rapidled.com (http://www.rapidled.com) and they have most things it looks like to get started, minus heatsink and fans all with one purchase.

txg8gxp (http://maast.org/forums/member.php?u=10114), Where do you get the heatsinks from?

[txg8gxp]

Cooling is all that matters. I have been running 24 3w leds at 500-700mA in a bio cube 14 hood. Tank temp stays below 78, but I'm running around 45-60cfm on my cooling fan.

[txg8gxp]

Oyea, www.heatsinkusa.com (http://www.heatsinkusa.com)

[Big_Pun]

looks great! on small tanks I think led's are the way to go, I also got my heatsink from there also. I'm running a small desktop fan on low and the heatsink is cool to the touch.