General DIY LED thread

[Steven Garland]

I'm about to be playing the same tetris game with drivers lol. I need 8 channels so trying to fit and 8 up worth of stuff in the heatsinks along with the fan is proving to be a pia.

If I scale down the fan from factory 92mm to a 60mm I should have enough room. Another option is an external box for the drivers hidden in the power wall/panel but I would really like to have 90% of the guts being mounted IN the fixture to help with the wiring. So that I only need a 16awg 2 conductor from the PSU and the cat5e carrying the 8 channels of pwm from the pi to the fixture.

Should just fit the 60mm in there.

How many leds will be span across those 8 channels ? I'm assuming that is just a 12" sink ?

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

How many leds will be span across those 8 channels ? I'm assuming that is just a 12" sink ?

It'll be two of these xr30 pro clone pucks from China, stating 69w each, 23 leds each pick. R/G/Y will be underdriven so probably closer to 55w each.

33.25US $ |New Type Aquarium Light Led Xr30 3535 Led Packing Plate - Light Beads - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.google.com

After I figure what color I like I will probably try to slim it down to 4-5 channels/drivers.

 

[Steven Garland]

It'll be two of these xr30 pro clone pucks from China, stating 69w each, 23 leds each pick. R/G/Y will be underdriven so probably closer to 55w each.

33.25US $ |New Type Aquarium Light Led Xr30 3535 Led Packing Plate - Light Beads - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.google.com

After I figure what color I like I will probably try to slim it down to 4-5 channels/drivers.

Oh okay. I was just thinking about if that fan (60mm) will be enough for that. I'm still waiting for someone to finish one of these lights so I can see how they look.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Oh okay. I was just thinking about if that fan (60mm) will be enough for that. I'm still waiting for someone to finish one of these lights so I can see how they look.

The makers heatsink is rated for 100 Watts passively cooled. The full size one not slim. With even a 60mm I don't think it will have much of an issue keeping it cool.

The other build is K16, fresh fish 6500k 97 CRI, 2 hyoerviolets l, 4 mint, 2 395 UVs. This one will be little toasty.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

@Steven Garland how do you like the 3.1?

 

[Steven Garland]

@Steven Garland how do you like the 3.1?

I love it. A very balanced array spectrum wise,I would maybe change a few things but other than that its pretty perfect.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

I love it. A very balanced array spectrum wise,I would maybe change a few things but other than that its pretty perfect.

What changes would you make? And what size tank is it going over?

I considered them for my 120, but I would think I need 8 to 10 of them.

 

[Steven Garland]

What changes would you make? And what size tank is it going over?

I considered them for my 120, but I would think I need 8 to 10 of them.

Maybe take 1 white out,and replace that white just 1 mint and take out the other. I really don't see a reason for 2 mints. And maybe add a 390 and 410 to the already present 430. But that is me.

I probably won't even use the white channel since the array has mint,it brightens up the array so much. Even just the 3x 430's I added and the mint make a very bright white. I will take pics later and show you.

The array is going over a 12"x6"x6" sps tank.

Yeah you would need that is just $400 in arrays lol good lord.

 

[Halo_003]

12V Step-Down Voltage Regulator

12V Step-Down Voltage Regulator by Pololu

www.getfpv.com

Looks pretty stumpy..

Unfortunately only 45V and my PSU is 48V, no worries though, I already ordered a 10ft length of 16ga quad conductor cable.

It'll be two of these xr30 pro clone pucks from China, stating 69w each, 23 leds each pick. R/G/Y will be underdriven so probably closer to 55w each.

33.25US $ |New Type Aquarium Light Led Xr30 3535 Led Packing Plate - Light Beads - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.google.com

After I figure what color I like I will probably try to slim it down to 4-5 channels/drivers.

Those look pretty nice! With good thermal paste I'd think that heatsink with a fan should be fine.

 

[oreo54]

Opps.. and for future reference or others..

DC-DC Buck Step Down Mini Converter 8v-55v 18v 24v 36v 48v to 3.3v 5v 9v 12v 2A | eBay

Input up to 55V, maximum efficiency 90%, output 5V and maximum current 2A. Maximum output current: 2A. Full load ripple: < 50mV. Full load working temperature: 65°Cï¼maxï¼. Module turn off current: 1uA.

www.ebay.com

.276mm tall.. Maybe move the can..

 

[Steven Garland]

@AbjectMaelstroM

This is why I love mint though,2 mints and 3 hyper violets make such a nice "white",it definitely looks purple but in person its a crisp "white".

 

[TDEcoral]

I'm about to be playing the same tetris game with drivers lol. I need 8 channels so trying to fit and 8 up worth of stuff in the heatsinks along with the fan is proving to be a pia.

If I scale down the fan from factory 92mm to a 60mm I should have enough room. Another option is an external box for the drivers hidden in the power wall/panel but I would really like to have 90% of the guts being mounted IN the fixture to help with the wiring. So that I only need a 16awg 2 conductor from the PSU and the cat5e carrying the 8 channels of pwm from the pi to the fixture.

Should just fit the 60mm in there.

That's my goal too, a self-contained light similar to a commercially available one. Really don't want a mess of wires running everywhere. If I can't find a driver board that'll fit under the splash shield I'll get a nice project box to mount the drivers in and mount them to the stand or something.

 

[Halo_003]

That's my goal too, a self-contained light similar to a commercially available one. Really don't want a mess of wires running everywhere. If I can't find a driver board that'll fit under the splash shield I'll get a nice project box to mount the drivers in and mount them to the stand or something.

Totally agree, that's what I'm working on as well. Just waiting on the other 2 driver boards and the wiring to come in.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Well good news, bad news with these Chinese pucks. Got 1 wired up, looks clean. Fire it up, start going through channels. All seemed good until I started cranking up the green, yellow, red channels. By themselves, each channel fire 0-100 just fine. B, RB, UV, Violet, white fire together 0-100 just fine. Then once I start adding in green, yellow and red, I get a lot of flicker on those leds to the point that they will cut out if I bring their power higher.

These are running off of 700ma drivers, tried multiple driver boards.

Tomorrow I'll try wire up one of the other 3 and see if the results are similar; too tired to mess with it now. Disappointed, but not entirely surprised.

 

[User1]

Hey all,

I need some assistance and input with an LED build for an IM Nuvo 30L which is BTA/SPS dominant.

I currently have the below:

Arrays: 4 x AcroStar Mega4Z 20k Pro Blue (48W)
Driver: 4 x AcroIQ Micro LED Driver v2 (ordering 2 more)
Power supply: Meanwell HLG-240H-48B
Heatsink: 24" Aluminum unibody similar to this
Controller: Bluefish Mini

I intend to run a 4 conductor wire to the fixture, 2 for +/- 48V, 2 for +/- 12V. The 12V will be for the fan and Bluefish Mini power

My understanding is I should run 48V to VIN/GND on all 4 AcroIQ drivers in parallel. Then each driver should run two channels of the string (2 pucks per string) in series.

I diagrammed out a single channel of one side of it since otherwise it would be too messy. (full view and zoom in on left side).

Could any of you let me know if any of this is wrong?

Similar set up although I have 8 of them over a 210 gallon 30" tall. I was going to say are you sure about the wire diagram but then went back to re-read and you said a single channel. Looks like.

I have mine tied together with his apex / driver converter rather than the bluefish. I may be moving it over to my reef angel then I can bypass the converter all together I believe. I just need to double check that.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

So, wired up a 2nd board, same issue.

Interestingly, when there's no pull down to off on the driver board and they are on full blast, every led lights up just fine. The only time there's an issue is when pwm is introduced, led channels start flickering as you ramp up intensity and eventually cut out. As power brought down on some channels, others turn back on. I'm wondering if it just doesn't like reef pi PWM. Maybe a frequency issue?

@Ranjib @Michael Lane @theatrus ?

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Update: Ate breakfast, got back at it.

It appears that it may not be a PWM issue, at least not directly...not even sure if that makes sense. Playing around with ramping intensity up and down, I noticed that issues started to manifest (flickering) only when manipulating more than 5 channels. No matter the color, once you start adding CH6, 7, 8, flickering and power off occurred. So i temporarily wired up G+R+Y and Violet and UV to two channels, down from 5, which gave me 5 channels total. RB + B + W + GRY + UV/V. In that configuration everything ramps 0-100 no flicker.

Honestly not sure what that means. One reason I still think PWM is may still be involved is if PWM is bypassed, and boards pulldown is off, lights go full strength, no flicker.

So, temporary back up solution compromise would be to use pucks' B,RB, UV/V ( maybe add 2 more hyperviolets) and maybe R then supplement Mints (4?) and or Fresh fish (FF may be a a bit much thought).

Thoughts, ideas?? I'm Stumped.


EDIT: Well, not I really don't know. I added Fresh Fish and 2 Mints, on their own channels. Then on the pucks split leds to B - RB - UV+V - R+Y . Did not hook up green or white. Fire it up and all was great until I powered on more than 5 channels. Then the flicker was back, puck , fresh fish and mints. So, it seems that pucks aren't the problem. Where should I look next? Power supply, drivers/board? Channels are split between two driver boards (rapid LED 4UP) with 700ma LDDH. PSU is a LRS-350-48v

 

[oreo54]

Sounds like power supply is going into limp mode. Possible ps or small short to ground in one of the driver boards..

Interestingly, when there's no pull down to off on the driver board and they are on full blast, every led lights up just fine.

Kind of rules out power supply though.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Sounds like power supply is going into limp mode. Possible ps or small short to ground in one of the driver boards..


Kind of rules out power supply though.

Yeah, I was convinced these were just crap Chinese boards, however, after switching to known "quality" leds... I'm starting to think reef-pi pwm and or driver board(s). But I don't know where to even start.

Another option is dropping 95 on a stormx but I'd rather not just throw $$ at the problem.

I'm going to try to not use the pucks and just wire up 6 channels worth of k16s/FF.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Confirmed, flicker occurs without the pucks. Mints, k16 x 4, fresh fish. All is great till you start ramping up more than 5 channels. So issue is with pwm on reef pi side or driver/board (less likely as I've already tried a different board Steve's 8 up).