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Any updates? Would like to see some pictures with the lights on.
LED Project
- Thread starter jbdreefs
- Start date
Here are some more pics...
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Edit: that electrical tape doesn't serve a purpose. I just forgotnto take it off...
Edit: Also, there are dark spots on the edges because the 2x6's I have holding up the lights are blocking the light. Sorry, the pictures are crappy and really don't look much like the real thing.
I bought a project box from radioshack and wired up switches and the potentiometers. It helped with some of the birds nest.
Edit: that electrical tape doesn't serve a purpose. I just forgotnto take it off...
Edit: Also, there are dark spots on the edges because the 2x6's I have holding up the lights are blocking the light. Sorry, the pictures are crappy and really don't look much like the real thing.
I bought a project box from radioshack and wired up switches and the potentiometers. It helped with some of the birds nest.
1) costs
72 dimmable led kit - $225
Aluminium 4' rack - $45
Additional wire - $5
4 switches from radioshack -$16
Radio shack project box - $7
Total: about $300
Could have been cheaper if I bargain shopped for all the parts, butni grew impatient once the LED's arrived.
23 heatsink mounted with heatsinknplaster included in the kit.
3) rack is noticeably warm tonhot after extended amounts of time. Will postnupdateds after finishing the canopy and adding fans.
Looking really good. Don't wait too long on the fans. The cooler you keep the leds the longer they will last.
Just a suggestion. Get some conformal coating and protect the leds and solder joints. I did a diy led build and had problems with corrosion. Actually found a few optics in the tank with the led still inside, they corroded and fell off the star. The coating comes in spray and brush on. Just don't get any on the led lens.
Just a suggestion. Get some conformal coating and protect the leds and solder joints. I did a diy led build and had problems with corrosion. Actually found a few optics in the tank with the led still inside, they corroded and fell off the star. The coating comes in spray and brush on. Just don't get any on the led lens.
When you say, "don't get any on the LED Lens," are you talking about the optics or the actualy diode? Thanks.
I'm planning to build the canopy this week. In the mean time, I'm only running the LEDs at about 50%. As you can see from the pictures, my tank is rather bare. The heat is only noticable when the lights are ramped up to the 85-100% range. I'm expecting to need to run the LED's that high because I'm only using 72 of them. Hopefully, the fans do the trick. In the last day, I have also noticed that the angle stock is much cooler than the flat bar. I can't decide if it's because the angle stock has more surface area, or if it is because the angle stock is made from a thinner material. The flat bar is 1/8" thick while the angle stock is 1/16" thick. I'm not sure that I would even need fans had I made the entire rack out of the angle stock. I'm guessing that it's a combination of both.
Does anyone have a suggestion for fan placement? I was originally planning to put the fans on the top of the canopy to pull air through the rack. Should I consider putting the fans on the sides of the canopy to blow air across it instead?
Both. You don't want to effect the clarity of either. You are trying to protect the solder pads and the connections from the star to the diode.
For fan placement I would have the fans blowing across the rack. I had one fan blowing air into my hood and another forcing it out and the heatsinks were very hot. Adding a fan to each heatsink blowing air into them made a huge difference.
I had no problems with the supplier. It took about a week for my package to actually ship, but then it only took a few days to arrive. I also liked how the supplier provided a few extra LED's. Of course, that could be a bad sign, but only time will tell.
I'm going to add some fins to the 1/8" flat bar using the 1/16" angle stock (or flat bar) to see if it makes a difference. Still need to build the canopy and install fans. Maybe I should do that first and see if the heat is still a concern.... Only problem is that I'm not sure how I want to build the canopy. Honestly, I just need to sit down and do it. How are you guys powering the fans (and controlling the speed -- may not be an option)?
I'm running the lights all day today at about 80%. It will be interest to see what the temperature is of the rack when I get home. I'll post an update tonight.
Now if I could just find someone with a PAR meter in my area...
I stopped by this afternoon with my PAR Meter (a real Quantum Flux meter, not to be confused with Scientology gimmicks), an Apogee Instruments MQ-200: http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantum/index1.html">http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantum/index1.html</a>
I took a picture, and then took some readings.
I took about 14 or so different readings, on the sand bed, and at high points on the rock.
Here are the approximate PAR readings:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/am0DA.jpg>
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I took a picture, and then took some readings.
I took about 14 or so different readings, on the sand bed, and at high points on the rock.
Here are the approximate PAR readings:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/am0DA.jpg>
GiulianoM;719708 wrote: I stopped by this afternoon with my PAR Meter (a real Quantum Flux meter, not to be confused with Scientology gimmicks), an Apogee Instruments MQ-200: http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantum/index1.html">http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/quantum/index1.html</a>
I took a picture, and then took some readings.
I took about 14 or so different readings, on the sand bed, and at high points on the rock.
Here are the approximate PAR readings:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/am0DA.jpg>alt="" /></a>
Thanks Giuliano! The next time you need a favor, give me a call.
Now that the outback bowl is over I can get back to finishing the canopy. I have a few more minor tweaks to the lights. Will post pics later.
