My DIY LED Build

[ksicard]

Hey all,

I bought a frag tank that I'm currently in the process of setting up and I decided to build a new LED rig for my DT and then transfer my old DIY fixtures over to the frag tank and figured I would document the build. I've been building LED rigs for about 3 1/2 years now and I'm going to be producing my best fixture yet!

I'm using a 36" Makers LED heatsink that will have 28 3w royal blues, 14 3w neutral whites, 20 3w hyper violets, 8 3w true blue cools, 8 3w reds, 8 3w greens, and 8 3w cyans. All together this makes 282 watts of LED power. The fixture will be going over my 75G DT and after I move in August hopefully over a 120G DT. The reds, greens, and cyans will have 90 degree optics and the hyper violets will have 60 degree optics and the rest will be using standard 120 degree optics.

This time around I'm making a few key changes in my design. First, I will be using a cluster pattern design for the LED layout where previously I just spaced them out and would end up getting a bit of the disco affect. Secondly, because I am a nerd I will be using a Blue Fish LED controller that will allow me to program my LED's from my phone or computer. Totally unnecessary but defintely cool.

I've attached a few photos of what I have so far. I have only completed the layout of LED's on the fixture as well as thermal pasted and screwed the LED's down into the heatsink. The heat sink I'm using is really the best on the market since it allows me to screw the LED's into place and if I ever want to upgrade the LED's I simply unscrew them and change them out for new LED's. I'm going on vacation tomorrow so I wont be getting anymore completed till I get back.
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[crew]

This is interesting - what are you using for drivers? PWM?

Do you have any plans for controlling them via apex? arduino? I built a controller a few years back with an arduino and the control I had over my DIY light is something that I haven't been able to replicate with my store bought fixture since. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do here.

 

[ksicard]

Yes I'm using 10 PWM drivers. 500ma for the tri-star red/green/cyans, 750ma for the hyper violets, and 1000ma for the rest of the leds. I use expensive drivers because I'm rather loyal to http://www.stevesleds.com">www.stevesleds.com</a>. They do a really great job of taking care of me and all my LED needs and are quick to answer any question I have. There drivers run anywhere between $25-$35 a pop. I'm using 4 drivers on this build.

I dont have an apex, but believe me its on the wish list. Whenever I finally pull the trigger on an apex system I have no doubt I will set the lights up through the apex. All of the controlability of the light will be through the Blue fish controller which will let me do all the cool effects like ramp up/down, thunderstorms, and overcast and such. I will probably only ever use the ramp up/down though lol the rest of it is kinda pointless.

 

[dapperjman]

I'm following this, thanks for documenting the build.

 

[crew]

I love Steve's LEDs. Personally, I always used MeanWell drivers. I haven't heard of the blue fish controller, so that should be interesting to see.

 

[ksicard]

I tried to get some work done on the fixture today but my soldering iron crapped out and caused me to basically damage 2 of my Ocean Coral White LEDs. So the project is on hold till I get my new soldering iron and 2 replacement LED's for the light.

 

[ksicard]

If you guys have any recommendations on a nice soldering iron specifically for LEDs I'd love to hear them.

 

[rb647]

I like to use my 60W iron. Gets the job done very quickly so little heat is transferred to the star. A 40w iron would probably work well too. 15-25w is not enough. It takes too long so you heat up the diode a lot. I don't have any specific brand/model recommendations, sorry.

I like to get a drop of solder onto the pad on the star, and then solder on the wire later. tinning the wire helps too.

 

[ksicard]

I ended up getting a Hakko FX-888D soldering iron and man oh man it proved to be many times better then my previous iron. Got all the soldering done. Next I'll mount the drivers and solder the LED's to the drivers and then from there it's all just wiring the drivers to the blue fish controller and the PSU.
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[ksicard]

I got the drivers mounted and the holes drilled into the heatsink so I can connect the LED's to the drivers. I think that is all I'm going to get done today, more to come next week. I plan to get most of the wiring done next week on my off days.
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[ksicard]

Got some more work done on the build. I soldered and wired all the LED channels to their corresponding driver inputs and threw a few zip ties on the wires to keep it a little more clean looking.

Next I will be wiring the drivers to the BlueFish controller and PSU and then I'll be completely finished.
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[snowmansnow]

its fun isn't it! I loved doing my LED build I may do it when I plumb in a frag tank eventually "_)

 

[ksicard]

I completed the lights today and man oh man are they bright. The Bluefish controller is pretty sweet too. I can do all the snazzy settings that radions can do from my phone on my DIY light. I'm pretty happy with the end result. Next I have to install the new light which I may do next week cuz I am tired from building the rest of the light. All the wires you see when I hooked it up will be cleanly installed and tucked away, they are just messy cuz I was simply testing the lights to make sure it worked.
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[ringo®]

Nice rig, Kyle.

 

[ksicard]

SnowManSnow;1043069 wrote: its fun isn't it! I loved doing my LED build I may do it when I plumb in a frag tank eventually "_)

That is the very reason why I built this light. I got a frag tank thats now plumbed into the main system and I wanted to build a new light for my main tank and transfer my old DIY lights to the frag tank. I ended up installing the new lights and they are very cool. The bluefish controller takes your locations weather forecast and mimics it in the tank. If its a cloudy day out then you get clouds in your tank lol. I'll get pics up with them installed and show case my frag tank as well, but it will have to wait for next week.

 

[ksicard]

Ringo®;1043114 wrote: Nice rig, Kyle.

Thanks Ringo, no soldering burns or fried drivers/LEDs this time around so I'm satisfied.

 

[ksicard]

Last post I'll make before I sign off. I spoiled my tank today, new lights and a BK double cone 150. I also included a picture of my old lights and it's bundle of cables/wires, these two fixtures will be going over the frag tank next week. And for fun I posted a picture of Big Bertha my football sized Deresea clam.
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