LEDBrick - DIY LED Pendant with Pucks

[rushbattle]

Measuring stack dense arrays is harder to control for . The radiant energy is enough to tan by (and already had a mishap from a free floating reflector getting knocked into the LEDs, which had a really nice melting effect), so the thermocouple measurements have a lot of radiant heating.

Using the FLIR method and setting emissivity down to 0.45 (a guideline for uncoated LEDs) shows we're still under peak temperatures even at the core. The outer rings are fine. The hottest LEDs are, to no ones surprise, the violets due to their lower efficiency.

I'm setting up for some extended bake tests. This is 100W, and really does need a good heatsink and copious airflow.

I hadn't even thought about how hard it would be to characterize the thermals on an array like that. With a bolt hole in the middle to really put pressure on the center of the array, and a really good thermal paste, you should be able to share the heat efficiently enough that a good heatsink should suffice based on your testing so far? Think my 4.6" wide, 60" long, very heavy heatsinks should probably cool four or five of them with some good airflow over the length of the heatsinks?

What do the channels look like for these arrays? Voltages and currents would be nice to help plan.

Thanks for keeping us in the loop, it's exciting watching the developments unfold!

 

[theatrus]

I hadn't even thought about how hard it would be to characterize the thermals on an array like that. With a bolt hole in the middle to really put pressure on the center of the array, and a really good thermal paste, you should be able to share the heat efficiently enough that a good heatsink should suffice based on your testing so far? Think my 4.6" wide, 60" long, very heavy heatsinks should probably cool four or five of them with some good airflow over the length of the heatsinks?

What do the channels look like for these arrays? Voltages and currents would be nice to help plan.

Thanks for keeping us in the loop, it's exciting watching the developments unfold!

Current test loadout is:

Ch1: 10x Royal Blue (1A, 33V)
Ch2: RB, 385nm, 415nm, RB, 405nm, 415nm, 405nm, 385nm, 415nm, RB (700mA, 38V or so, need to check)
Ch3: RB, PC Amber, PCA, Mint, Mint, 5700k White, Mint, Mint, PCA, RB (1000mA, 33V)
Ch4: Blue, Blue, Cyan, Cyan, Blue, RB (1000mA)

Strung in series everything averages out to 3.22V per LED Vf, so the numbers are guidelines (116V total)

 

[Steven Garland]

Current test loadout is:

Ch1: 10x Royal Blue (1A, 33V)
Ch2: RB, 385nm, 415nm, RB, 405nm, 415nm, 405nm, 385nm, 415nm, RB (700mA, 38V or so, need to check)
Ch3: RB, PC Amber, PCA, Mint, Mint, 5700k White, Mint, Mint, PCA, RB (1000mA, 33V)
Ch4: Blue, Blue, Cyan, Cyan, Blue, RB (1000mA)

Strung in series everything averages out to 3.22V per LED Vf, so the numbers are guidelines (116V total)

Sweet 8lb 6oz baby jesus,that a lay out man !!!

 

[rushbattle]

Sweet 8lb 6oz baby jesus,that a lay out man !!!

I was going to say something similar but I’m still sorta speechless. That one string pulling 38V! A true Halide replacement, I bet it looks spectacular over a tank!!!

 

[Steven Garland]

That is what I am saying,whew wow. I would love to see what it looks over a tank.

 

[blasterman]

Still working on qualifying a bunch of stuff and updating the website, but interesting findings with violets and UV absorbent materials - quite a lot of products have a sharp cut from about 405nm and down - this includes the snap-in lens for the Angela reflector (darn). The "UV Absorbent" Satin-Ice material however does not have a sharp knee anywhere down to 380nm (I lack measurement and light sources below this ).

Then get a clue, stop using wasting energy with sub <450nm light sources, and worry about 450-470 which is where corals get most of their energy from. The more 395-440nm light source you use the darker your tank will be because your eyes are less sensitive to these wavelengths.

I've built and installed some pretty large scale blacklite environments for recreational facilities on the side, and also confirmed that once you get around 400nm most materials start to absorb this energy pretty regularly. Polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic etc., all start eating UVA with the only material regularly transparent is borosilicate glass.

Irrelevant anyways because there's been no proof that UVA has any benefit to coral growth, and I've talked to too many guys with PhDs in their name that confirm this. I have a box of 50watt 395nm chips and have no plans to use them on my reef tank. It's junk science promoted by people who are in the reefing hobby for 15 minutes.

Also, the large pin type heatsinks sold by RapidLED can handle 50watts passively if the LEDs are distributed evenly.

 

[theatrus]

Then get a clue, stop using wasting energy with sub <450nm light sources, and worry about 450-470 which is where corals get most of their energy from. The more 395-440nm light source you use the darker your tank will be because your eyes are less sensitive to these wavelengths.

I've built and installed some pretty large scale blacklite environments for recreational facilities on the side, and also confirmed that once you get around 400nm most materials start to absorb this energy pretty regularly. Polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic etc., all start eating UVA with the only material regularly transparent is borosilicate glass.

I can confirm that I'm not losing any appreciable energy even down to 385nm with un-treated PMMA. Polycarb is a different story of course.

Irrelevant anyways because there's been no proof that UVA has any benefit to coral growth, and I've talked to too many guys with PhDs in their name that confirm this. I have a box of 50watt 395nm chips and have no plans to use them on my reef tank. It's junk science promoted by people who are in the reefing hobby for 15 minutes.

I'm not going to argue coral growth, its not my only goal.

My two main motivators:
a) There is a good tail of violet energy available in sunlight, and at depth. Yes, its not photo-synthetically dominant.
b) Fluorescence.

 

[rushbattle]

Then get a clue, stop using wasting energy with sub <450nm light sources, and worry about 450-470 which is where corals get most of their energy from. The more 395-440nm light source you use the darker your tank will be because your eyes are less sensitive to these wavelengths.

I've built and installed some pretty large scale blacklite environments for recreational facilities on the side, and also confirmed that once you get around 400nm most materials start to absorb this energy pretty regularly. Polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic etc., all start eating UVA with the only material regularly transparent is borosilicate glass.

Irrelevant anyways because there's been no proof that UVA has any benefit to coral growth, and I've talked to too many guys with PhDs in their name that confirm this. I have a box of 50watt 395nm chips and have no plans to use them on my reef tank. It's junk science promoted by people who are in the reefing hobby for 15 minutes.

Also, the large pin type heatsinks sold by RapidLED can handle 50watts passively if the LEDs are distributed evenly.

Dana Riddle has good data that refutes your assertion that 385nm and even lower wavelengths aren’t good promoters of photosynthesis. They are quite good actually. I’m good with his evaluation over yours, he actually took the time to study it. Can you point to a study that supports your assertion?

 

[User1]

Current test loadout is:

Ch1: 10x Royal Blue (1A, 33V)
Ch2: RB, 385nm, 415nm, RB, 405nm, 415nm, 405nm, 385nm, 415nm, RB (700mA, 38V or so, need to check)
Ch3: RB, PC Amber, PCA, Mint, Mint, 5700k White, Mint, Mint, PCA, RB (1000mA, 33V)
Ch4: Blue, Blue, Cyan, Cyan, Blue, RB (1000mA)

Strung in series everything averages out to 3.22V per LED Vf, so the numbers are guidelines (116V total)

Same drivers I'm assuming 2 x 2 channels or have you made changes there?

Channel 3 is interesting. I would have moved mints to their own channel, say 4 and move those up to 3. Not sure what sort of grouping you can do due to the voltage or whatever the technical term is but grouping similar or reducing different chips to their own channel would help for spectrum control / eye color.

Looks good though - I'd try out a pair for sure.

 

[User]

Any updates on this? What website was referred to earlier?

Thanks!

 

[theatrus]

We've been very quiet over at BlueAcro.com as I'm in the midst of an overhaul. It may draw the end of parts of this thread, but there is little reason to not go all in and do this correctly starting from the chassis up for lighting. I will say I saw a bit of inspiration from @danlu_gt in launching his setup, so credit due where credit is due.

For those that come after me, I will also say DIY pucks are not a big market; I never expected it, and it lived up to expectations pretty well as a side project for me. Thanks for all of my customers who stuck with it and suffered through my terrible shipping delays, product delays, lost orders eaten by the USPS (really, moving more to UPS now). I'll make it up to everyone and always stand by what I've made going forward.

But, onward.

From a few months ago, an early concept that kicked the whole thing off:

Not going to toss any more spoilers into the mix, but its entirely US made, well built, and lots of milled aluminum. Combined with the great LED combos, reflectors, diffusers, and more that started my first journey here, this will be an exciting adventure!

 

[Ranjib]

We've been very quiet over at BlueAcro.com as I'm in the midst of an overhaul. It may draw the end of parts of this thread, but there is little reason to not go all in and do this correctly starting from the chassis up for lighting. I will say I saw a bit of inspiration from @danlu_gt in launching his setup, so credit due where credit is due.

For those that come after me, I will also say DIY pucks are not a big market; I never expected it, and it lived up to expectations pretty well as a side project for me. Thanks for all of my customers who stuck with it and suffered through my terrible shipping delays, product delays, lost orders eaten by the USPS (really, moving more to UPS now). I'll make it up to everyone and always stand by what I've made going forward.

But, onward.

From a few months ago, an early concept that kicked the whole thing off:

Not going to toss any more spoilers into the mix, but its entirely US made, well built, and lots of milled aluminum. Combined with the great LED combos, reflectors, diffusers, and more that started my first journey here, this will be an exciting adventure!

nice . externally controllable?

 

[Halo_003]

Very cool! Hoping the best for you! Your work is top notch. Would these upcoming plans affect availability of the arrays for DIY? Just curious because I have the Pro arrays right now but I’d be interested in eventually snagging the Gleam arrays.

 

[User1]

We've been very quiet over at BlueAcro.com as I'm in the midst of an overhaul. It may draw the end of parts of this thread, but there is little reason to not go all in and do this correctly starting from the chassis up for lighting. I will say I saw a bit of inspiration from @danlu_gt in launching his setup, so credit due where credit is due.

For those that come after me, I will also say DIY pucks are not a big market; I never expected it, and it lived up to expectations pretty well as a side project for me. Thanks for all of my customers who stuck with it and suffered through my terrible shipping delays, product delays, lost orders eaten by the USPS (really, moving more to UPS now). I'll make it up to everyone and always stand by what I've made going forward.

But, onward.

From a few months ago, an early concept that kicked the whole thing off:

Not going to toss any more spoilers into the mix, but its entirely US made, well built, and lots of milled aluminum. Combined with the great LED combos, reflectors, diffusers, and more that started my first journey here, this will be an exciting adventure!

Always been a happy customer of yours and the products worked. If they didn't you always resolved the issue or explained to me what I did wrong that broke it

 

[biecacka]

Is there a link to look at your offered products?

corey

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Is there a link to look at your offered products?

corey

blueAcro - Reef Lighting and Control

Custom lighting and control products, Designed and Made in California.

blueacro.com

 

[biecacka]

Very much appreciated. Are there pre Made lights as well.
thank you

corey

 

[theatrus]

nice . externally controllable?

Always

 

[danlu_gt]

Then get a clue, stop using wasting energy with sub <450nm light sources, and worry about 450-470 which is where corals get most of their energy from. The more 395-440nm light source you use the darker your tank will be because your eyes are less sensitive to these wavelengths.

You will get most coral fluorescent color excitement with 450nm to ~400nm. Being able to fine tune as many spectrum between 450nm-400nm is key to a lot of unique coral coloration. With ReeFi Duo Extreme, you can fine tune control 470nm, 450nm, 435nm, 420nm, and 400nm, along with 4 other wide spectrums. I have yet to see other reef lighting that can bring out colors from these rare hammers, torches, and rainbow brain.

This picture taken without any color filters or saturation boost, fine tuned with ReeFi Duo Extreme:

 

[theatrus]

You will get most coral fluorescent color excitement with 450nm to ~400nm. Being able to fine tune as many spectrum between 450nm-400nm is key to a lot of unique coral coloration. With ReeFi Duo Extreme, you can fine tune control 470nm, 450nm, 435nm, 420nm, and 400nm, along with 4 other wide spectrums. I have yet to see other reef lighting that can bring out colors from these rare hammers, torches, and rainbow brain.

This picture taken without any color filters or saturation boost, fine tuned with ReeFi Duo Extreme:

Can correlate coloration upticks in euphyillia from fluorescence in my experiments. It’s worth dumping a lot of energy into this area of the spectrum even if it’s inefficient and costly. Ive had some interesting long term tweaks from even higher energies on some SPS corals as well, but it’s not an immediate effect.