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Lighting for a 90g

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Kylie, Sep 5, 2011.

  1. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    I may have already asked this... but if I didn't want the little dimmer switch thing but eventually wanted a controller (maybe santa will be nice), I would just need to ensure I got a driver that was capable of being dimmed correct? Or can any driver do that once the controller tells it to?
     
  2. lehrjet

    lehrjet Inactive User

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    Not all dimmers can dim.  You need a dimmable driver but the dimming wires have to be hooked up to something no matter what or the LEDs will not turn on.  I hooked mine up to just a AA battery while I was testing and building them to make sure they would turn on.  So if you don't go with a controller of some sort you will need to hook the dimming wires up to something such as that little 3.50 dimming dial or you will have no light at all.  Can easily be rewired to a controller at any time and they can just be turned on and off with a timer plus you would be able to gradually up the power with the dimming dial as the tank creatures get used to the new light.
     
  3. mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    Kylie before you start your DIY led project i just came across this on reefbuilders. If you are going to MACNA which I am sure you are be sure to check these out.

    http://reefbuilders.com/2011/09/06/reefkoi-evoled-reef-led/
     
  4. daalbers

    daalbers Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    he donated one to the raffle also so you could try your luck with that
     
  5. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Thanks mthomp /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif

    And I saw the LED on the raffle, but I'm terrible at winning raffles. Its fun rooting for other people but I don't like putting my money into it.

    So, I am 100% sure that I'll be doing this soon. Hopefully around MACNA time if they are having any sales/discounts. At the very least, I know what LED's I'd like and most of the equipment. As for the drivers, I'm working on it. I'm still a little behind the curve but I'm reading everything on their site and looking up everything you're telling me to make sense of it. I'm glad I've taken physics because we had a good portion of the semester over electrical circuits so I know the basics. Now its just matching the terminology and equipment to those basics /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/tongue.gif Tell you what, would you care if I made a pretend shopping cart and posted it to see if I have everything correctly?

    My main issue is still the drivers though. How would you choose which drivers to use? (which I bet the MACNA guys will be able to help some with that if they aren't swamped with other people)
     
  6. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Ok. Pretend shopping cart would be (if I understand correctly)

    18 blue CREE XP-E
    18 white CREE XP-E
    pre drilled heat sink
    dimmable drivers- possibly 2 of the one that we think may be able to handle 18 LEDs in series or 2 parallel series of 9 (I'll ask the booth guys about that)
    dimmer switch thing that I can manually dim with
    Wires
    NOT epoxy but the thermal conducting stuff
    hanging kit

    am I missing anything besides which type of driver?
     
  7. lehrjet

    lehrjet Inactive User

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    Kylie,
    You could do 3 dimmers still and put 6 white and 6 blue on the third, but you just have to make sure you have the dimmer set to 750mA like you would the other blue one and you will be fine.  You can mix the blues and whites as long as you power for and pretend the whole string are blues.  That is why most 36 kits come with three dimmers the last string is 6 blues and 6 whites but again you just have to pretend they are all blues and don't power them like whites because they will blow out the blues.  Also heard when doing this it is best to put the 6 blues first in the chain followed by the 6 whites.  Some people set the blues and whites to the same power (750mA) anyway but I think this gives the tank a more purple look so that is why I boost my whites a bit.  The driver has no clue it has white or blue leds tied to it, it provides the same level and type of power no matter what.  A lot of drivers put out around 1400 mA which would hurt the blue leds over time if not instantly.  The white cree xp- leds will take 1300 spec wise, but I personally would never risk that.  On my LEDs I have my whites set to just under 900 and my blues to 750.  It gives my tank a little bit less of the blue feeling but still makes the colors pop.  You can always adjust the power on your drivers white leds to adjust the color you like long as you stay within spec.  The blues most people pretty much put it at 750 and let it go.  The corals need as much of that blue as they can get.
    Hope that helps some.
     
  8. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    That does make sense. And that would be better because that large driver is expensive. I understand that I can adjust how many mA's I'm running through the LEDs by adjusting the driver with that dimmer switch thing. How do I know what level I'm at? Is there a specific sensor I should be getting in addition to all of this that will give me readings on what mA level I'm at?
    And would I need a dimmer switch for each driver? Or can they all be linked to the same switch? They aren't too expensive so it shouldn't be a problem, just curious.
     
  9. lehrjet

    lehrjet Inactive User

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    You use a multimeter to measure the current on the driver. This part can be scarey for first timers or people who haven't done much with electricity before.  There is a small degree of danger here but as long as your safe nothing to worry about.  I remember my first led setup, there was a pretty high pucker factor at this point /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif You pulg the driver in with the power wires that would go to the leds to the multimeter instead. There is a little phillips plastic screw head under the driver cover you turn and watch the mulimeter till it reads what you want it to then close the driver back up and your ready to hook up to LEDs.  Never hook the driver up to the LEDs without first adjusting this screw.  They are usually set to the max so you can hurt leds quick if you don't adjust the power first.  Again when/if it comes time for this I can help, but rapidleds instructions are pretty good.  There are a few places that a little more info would have been useful but they are over all pretty good.
    You would probably need a dimmer switch for each driver, however you could call/email rapid led and see what they say for sure on that one.
    J
     
  10. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Ok, that makes sense. I read something similar to that on their website so I think I know what you're talking about. I'd definitely want you to assist with that part /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/smile.gif Thats nice too, because then don't you set the two drivers that have blues on them to a max of 750mA, then I can use my dimmer switch to go below that but no higher correct?
     
  11. lehrjet

    lehrjet Inactive User

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    You'll probably have to adjust the power on all three dimmers if you do it that way because they are set at max from the factory which might even hurt your whites so there is three chances to practice.  Also I maybe building some LED lights here sooner then expected after the good tank news I got yesterday so if I do, I'll call you and you can see some of it first hand before you get yours depending on how soon you start yours that is.  Also I'll be making a build thread for the whole project cuz I know a lot of people here like the build threads, I certainly do /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif


    Your dimmer switch can only adjust power from 0-100% of the supplied current so you don't have to worry about going over the 750mA with the dimmer because it only controlls the power set by the driver.  So if the driver is set to 750mA the dimmers 100% is 750mA.  If the driver is set to 850mA then the dimmers 100% is 850mA.  Hope that makes sense.


    J


     
     
  12. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    It all makes sense. I'm planning to build sooner than expected also. Hoping to get most if not all of it at MACNA if I can get a discount.
     
  13. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    What dimensions should my heat sink be for the 65g (36" x 18")?
     
  14. mthomp

    mthomp Inactive User

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    I would consider doing 2 12x12
     
  15. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Well, the plan is I'm getting 36 LED's now and getting a predrilled heat sink so that I can rearrange them and add 12 more LED's once I move up to the 90 in the summer. So I'd like to stick with one heat sink that I would be able to match someday for the 90g. If that's not possible, fine, but I don't want to get two yet if I can manage.. Would something like a 18" x 8" heat sink be ok? That is suppose to cover a range of 30" x 24" according to reefLED lighting.com (which is where that heat sink is from). That would mean I could have 100% coverage front to back and only 3" on each side "not having coverage". Which I'm sure it would still be light, but I could just make sure softies and low light corals go there.

    Would that be a good plan?
     
  16. lehrjet

    lehrjet Inactive User

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    I think the 18 x 8 would be just fine for the 65 gallon.  I usually use 16x6s when I do clusters of 24 so the 18X8 makes good sense.  For the 90 gallon i would recommend two panels of 24 LEDs not just one big heat sink just fyi for future planning.  You could still use the 18x8 one on the 90 just would look a little less LED populated as well but if you have a cover over them, no one will see anyway /DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default/emoticons/smile.gif
     
  17. Kylie

    Kylie Inactive User

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    Does spreading them out, even though I have the same number of LEDs, seem to lessen the strength? If so, is it significant enough that I would be concerned that 36 over my 65 on an 18" heatsink is too few? It doesn't seem like it but I just want to be sure.
     
  18. bdrabek

    bdrabek

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    Kylie, I have a 9x9 heatsink pair with 24 cree xps on it and right now I have it covering my 19" tank and my 5 gallon beside it just fine.  Everything is doing great, even my acropora and montipora, my maxi nems in the 5 gallon even produced a baby so I know they are happy and they are in the outer edges in the 5 gallon.  Total width with 5 gallon, 36", 9" fixture with 60 degree optics 13 inches from the water line very slightly tilted towards the nems.  I'm running my XPGs at about 80% because they were just too bright for my zoas and my duncan on the sand so don't be afraid to experiment with brightness if something seems to stay closed all the time or doesn't open well.
     

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