Troylee's eco friendly build.....

[Troylee]

Man I have been a wiring fool!!!! Fixture will be hung this weekend...1smile1 missed a wire some where when I test fired the whole thing... just got to skin it and wire up the vhos and that's a wrap!!!! Man this sucker is bright!!!!
Here is some end views etc so you can try to visualize how I'm doing it if you can't tell it will be finished tomorrow and you can see... everything was hand made besides the heat sinks of course...

 

[turbo21]

wow is that thing kicking off some light. If you dont mind, how much do you have in this led setup. have been thinking about a diy led for my tank

bob

 

[falconerr]

Looks great and looks very bright how long did it take to wire up that monster.

Sent from my DROID2 using Tapatalk

 

[Troylee]

wow is that thing kicking off some light. If you dont mind, how much do you have in this led setup. have been thinking about a diy led for my tank

bob

With the apex to control the diming, moon lights etc and everything else about 1800$ so 1300$ without the controller... It's got 150 LEDs with 80* optics there is 100 royal blue and 50 cool whites... I prolly got 40hrs into that fixture but it will do anything now!!!! Built to my specs lol.. I have full control of the lighting from dusk to dawn...1smile1

 

[Reef UP]

Nice man! Got a pic of the led placement not lit up?

 

[CJO]

Do you have any fans to help cool the heatsink? Those LEDs look to be placed pretty close together, which is great for color blending, but not so great for heat.

CJ

 

[Troylee]

Yeah there is one on the first page but here is a couple more...it's a 10"x60" heat sink and there on 2" centers... I custom made the side panels to hold the vhos

 

[Troylee]

Do you have any fans to help cool the heatsink? Those LEDs look to be placed pretty close together, which is great for color blending, but not so great for heat.

CJ

not yet... I'm debating to use them or not there is plenty of heat sink and added aluminum all around it... Most likely I will add a couple I just let it burn for 15 min and it barely got warm... There is also a cieling fan about 12" away from this when its hung but I know that will only get used periodically.... I'll prolly throw some in there thou I have a box full of like 20 different ones all 110v so I can just tap into the power on a driver..

 

[Rhodes19]

This is going to be an awesome build. I'm tagging alone. I have a 180 and love it. I only wish I knew about the coast to coast and BeanAnimal before I set it up. Can't wait to see how the LEDs work on it.

 

[underwaterfirefighter]

This is looking very nice Troylee! Loooks like you did a great job on the LED wiring to me. I think you have inspired me to DIY a LED fixture. I may have missed it (or most likely forgot) but where did you get your LED parts/supplies? Again, looks great man!

 

[Troylee]

I got everything from bill "reefledlights" that guy is awesome man he answered the phone every time I called and always had the answers I was looking for!!!! Big thumbs up to him one of the if not the best customer services in the hobby... I didn't know anything about these diy fixtures I mean I fab everyday but not this kind of thing these LEDs were a whole new game to me... I use them at work but there plug and play... It looks very deceiving I must say once you get into it and wire it up one driver at a time it's actually very simple and it shouldn't scare anyone away....1smile1

 

[Crooks]

You wouldn't believe it but Bill is even nicer in person.

 

[Troylee]

I'm sure he his... Dude was talking about flying my order out to me since I guess he's a pilot by trade lol...

 

[Troylee]

Yeah!!!!! Just had my buddy come get my apex online and live!!!! Even got to program it and set the lighting schedule up!!! Nice... It has been plugged in for 4 months now as a ph monitor.. I even got my own website!!! Nice... Ahahahaha just a little excited...1smile1

 

[skinz78]

LOL mine is only functioning as a PH monitor as well. I don't think the temp probe works... One day it says 78 deg and right now it says 90.... thing is corals and fish all look fine and the water feels like it is 78 to me.

 

[drainbamage]

I'll admit Lee, I typically avoid looking at your build threads as it bums me out seeing all the stuff you get up to (bum as in jealous at the my lack of access to tools to play with :tongue: ) Since i'm being productive today I decided to check this out, and very awesome! Got to love seeing sheets of 3/4" stacked up just waiting to be useful!

Very nice setup going on, can't wait to see it up and running with all that new stock you've been collecting lately...

 

[Troylee]

Thanks db it's def a work in progress.... I gotta finish a few projects for others and then it's time for me all me lol... I have so many things started I can't get nothing done... I have been tinkering with that stupid fixture here and there for like 20min over the the last 2 months... I would go into work a hour early ever day to do it but I sit down and log onto to r2r since I'm not really awake at 4am and the next thing I know it's time to go to work...

 

[drainbamage]

Thanks db it's def a work in progress.... I gotta finish a few projects for others and then it's time for me all me lol... I have so many things started I can't get nothing done... I have been tinkering with that stupid fixture here and there for like 20min over the the last 2 months... I would go into work a hour early ever day to do it but I sit down and log onto to r2r since I'm not really awake at 4am and the next thing I know it's time to go to work...

know that feeling bud! I used to tell myself "I'll just make it happen in the morning" but if I wake up early for something, end up being a zombie and don't get stuff done. Easier to burn the midnight oil, but the important woman in one's life tends not to appreciate that strategy as much. Ah the joys of reefing....

 

[iap]

Dang lee!!!! Didnt even tell the locals that you were at it again??? Lol. Glad I happened to stumble across this thread. Looking forward to seeing this thing in person.. how much you gonna sell the old tank for?

 

[Troylee]

Yeah I started a thread remember like 3 months ago??? Just never updated it lol..."not much to update" Doesnt seem like there was much intrest when I did start it... I love my local peeps but that site is way to quiet..... This is the only adult conversation I get lol....