Nanowave 9 - SPS tank - LED build

[landonl]

Hey everyone,
New to the ARC forum, so I thought I would start some threads about my tanks. This is my Nanowave 9 build that has been coming along very slowly. I also have a 12g AP thread up, and will be adding a thread for my 28g Nanocube HQI soon. On to the work.....

To say this has been a slow build would be an understatement. I have been working on this for almost year so far, to much ambition, so little time outside of grad school. Here is a run down of the LED build I did back in March to start off with.

Parts list:
6 Cree XR-E Q5 whites
6 Cree XR-E RB blues
2 Buckpuck 1000ma drivers w/pots
12 x 5.375 heatsink from HeatsinkUSA (milled to 1/2 thickness, drilled/tapped)
24g braided wire
2 SilenX 80x15mm 24CFM fans
2 black 80mm fan grills
1 N-type power plug
1 24VDC 4A Power supply
4 L brackets from Home Depot, ground down and shaped to fit.
4-40 screws w/ nylon washers (24 of these used)
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste

Heatsink, post milling, drillling, tapping, etc.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzc1enACI/AAAAAAAAAMs/txTITIewPBw/s640/DSCF2288.JPG" alt="" />

Image from the topside.
[IMG]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzf47y9UI/AAAAAAAAAM0/CvYPuI3S7XQ/s640/DSCF2293.JPG" alt="" />

Getting ready to mount the white LEDs.
[IMG]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uziN93hlI/AAAAAAAAAM4/BW3RMpIaArA/s640/DSCF2299.JPG" alt="" />

White and Blues mounted.
[IMG]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzj7HLTkI/AAAAAAAAAM8/ZKWyrg6McT4/s640/DSCF2301.JPG" alt="" />

Full Tank Shot, with the hood on, once assembled.
[IMG]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzmJ1lvTI/AAAAAAAAANA/qUv9H8Rjc9A/s640/DSCF2305.JPG" alt="" />

Close up, of the top, so you can see where the fans were mounted and the Pots for each string.
[IMG]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzoTvqs-I/AAAAAAAAANE/-2sE105r9p4/s640/DSCF2307.JPG" alt="" />

Lights on, so you can see my configuration.
[IMG]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzqaQJ3SI/AAAAAAAAANI/eE3bCnf5FZ0/s640/DSCF2309.JPG" alt="" />

Lights off, so you can see everything in the hood.
[IMG]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzss1iPPI/AAAAAAAAANM/A6CW5d73RiQ/s640/DSCF2311.JPG" alt="" />

Blues only, whites off.
[IMG]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzu1BK_0I/AAAAAAAAANQ/zNxFGM7cBN0/s640/DSCF2314.JPG" alt="" />

Full Tank Shot, with blues and whites at 100%.
[IMG]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/S9uzxILwdZI/AAAAAAAAANY/Fxq8lZVmH4A/s640/DSCF2315.JPG" alt="" />

I have not incorporated a thermostat yet, although I think I am about to order one, just for extra protection in the event one or both of the fans go out. I have added knobs to cover the Pots, so it looks more "original" in the hood, see below for more pictures. Hate I had to cut the name to get the fans in properly.

If anyone has any questions let me know!

Landon

 

[landonl]

I know a lot of people always wonder what a project like this costs, so here is a breakdown of most of it. I am trying to spread this massive build over a couple of posts so I don't have 1 enormous one.

Here is start.......


Parts list, with some prices:

From Nanotuners.com:
6 Cree XR-E Q5 whites @ 6.29/ea. = $37.74
6 Cree XR-E RB blues @ 6.29/ea. = $37.74
Shipping = $9.80
Total: $85.28


From LEDsupply.com:
Order #1
2 Buckpuck 1000ma drivers w/ pots and onboard dimming @ 17.99/ea. = $35.98
2 wiring harnesses for the pucks @ 4.99/ea. = $9.98
Shipping = $6.00
Order #2
2 Aluminum Potentiometer Turn Knobs @ $2.49/ea. = $4.98
Shipping = $5.00
Total: $61.94


From HeatsinkUSA.com:
12x5.375" heatsink = $25.00
Cut Fee = $5.00
Shipping = $13.50
Total: $43.50


Work on heatsink at local metal shop:
Initial grind down = $60
Drilling/tapping final work =$78 (I think)
Total: $138.00


From CompUSA.com:
2 Silenx 80x15mm 24CFM fans @ $8.99/ea. = $17.98
Shipping = $6.99
Sales tax = $1.77
Total: $26.74

Ebay.com:
2 Black fan grills @ $1.19 = $2.38
Shipping = $5.05
Vanguard V-31 Power Supply = $19.95
Shipping = $7.00
Total: $34.38

RadioShack:
Tube of Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste = $9.99 + Tax = $10.69
N type female connector for Power supply = ?

Home Depot:
Heat shrink tubing, two sizes = ?
L Brackets for mounting the heatsink in hood = ?
4-40 Screws and Nylon Washers = ?
24 AWG Wire for internal hood wiring = ?


I will have to find the price for some of these items, and I also ordered extras which I didn't use on some of the orders not included in the budget. (I have 3 blue and 3 white LEDs left, an extra Buckpuck, an extra tube of thermal paste, etc.)

Also remember I spent A LOT of time perfecting this build.. so time is also a major input factor.

Total so far, of just the items above with a price listed: $400.53.
Probably $20 for the unlisted parts price and other random stuff.
Roughly $420 for what was used?

Also, remember I probably have $100 in extra stuff I didn't use/have extra parts of, including some random expenses like grinding wheels for the dremel and stuff. So roughly $500 invested into the project?

You could probably spend less working on the heatsink if you do the work yourself, but I wanted mine milled in the CNC machine, so that wasn't cheap, and neither was the drilling/tapping which I wanted done with the CNC also to get the perfect grid. Mine is probably one of the most expensive heatsinks for its size in the history of custom LED builds… haha.

Just remember, a custom LED build is exactly that. Always plan for some unexpected needs and changes to the project. Leave yourself a little budget window.

All of this is mounted in the hood of a Nanowave 9. The hood is roughly 15.75"x10" and covers the display area of the tank. The refugium/filter area has its own smaller hood.

Having to do it again, I could probably get the heatsink cost down to maybe $90, which is about half the cost I spent, cut down on some of the shipping, for example, where I ordered from the same place twice, and use the small things left over like wiring and heatshrink. I could probably build another setup into a NW9 hood for about $300 total. Maybe a little less.. it all depends.... Hope all of this information helps anyone looking at doing an LED build.

Landon

 

[landonl]

Back at the end of September I decided to put a 2 x 3W LED light into the back chamber of the tank to replace the CF bulb over the refugium area.
I think the fuge bulb might be part of the heat problem with these tanks, because the light seems to get a bit hot.

I had a few LEDs left from this project (I decreased the number in use on the tank from 18 to 12), so I decided on putting two of them in the light space. All of the materials used in this project are leftover from other projects or were laying around the house. This project was devised and completed in just a few hours, kind of on a whim.

Parts:
(2) Cree XR-E Q5 white
(1) Advance 8W 700ma 12V AC LED driver
(1) Heatsink
(1) zip tie
Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive
Heat shrink tubing
24awg wire

Build:
(1) I found an old heatsink that was from an old I-Opener net appliance (old Linux project), and cut out a piece of it to fit in the light space with a hacksaw.
(2) I glued the LED driver to one end using trusty superglue gel
(3) I used the thermal paste to mount two LEDs to the other end of the heatsink
(4) I removed the back chamber from the tank, and then removed the lightsocket, bulb, and reflector from the light chamber.
(5) I soldered the wiring together for the two LEDs, then plugged it up with a temporary power cord to make sure everything worked.
(6) I left the power switch from the old CF setup in, and attached my power wires for the driver to it. I used a zip tie to hold all the wiring in place around the heatsink.
(7) I put the back cover back on the tank, then put the light shield back on.

Notes:
I am going to monitor the light and see what kind of heat profile it has. I might end up having to put a small 12v fan on top of the heatsink to keep it cool, or reduce the heat transfer to the tank. I could remove the driver from inside the cover, but really don't want to, as I enjoy keeping a neat clean look to the tank.

I think I will be happy with the mod. The amount of light given off is a lot more than the CF, it is really bright. This could come in useful if I had to temporarily put a frag or two back there for any circumstance.

Pictures of the build:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/TJrwxTotIhI/AAAAAAAAAOo/MW9WzsU4k_Q/s640/DSCF2417.JPG" alt="" />
The new light.

[IMG]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/TJrwzuPjF5I/AAAAAAAAAOs/Iw_2ubj3gqw/s640/DSCF2418.JPG" alt="" />
Side profile.

[IMG]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/TJrw1ZcE-SI/AAAAAAAAAOw/sx-nun49L8E/s640/DSCF2421.JPG" alt="" />
On the tank.

[IMG]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WHmWja4IoRQ/TJrw3FLOVFI/AAAAAAAAAO0/FgPfgvx4SI4/s640/DSCF2423.JPG" alt="" />
Keeping the stock lines of the tank. Also note I finally got some knobs for the display LED pots.

Landon

 

[landonl]

So, after continual problems with the SilenX fans, I decided to replace them with some Evercool 80x15mm fans from nanotuners.

I don't know what the deal was with the SilenX fans, they would just slow down making a grinding type of noise, and/or completely stop at random. Sometimes they wouldn't even start spinning, and without them, the temperature in the hood just gets to high.

I am happy with the Evercool fans, but currently have the hood off of the tank until I put a thermal switch inside the hood for backup protection.

I will post pictures of the inside of the hood when I get the thermal switch installed, because I want to clean up some of the extra wiring. I am also probably going to install a 1/8th TRS (audio) jack pair or something into the side of the hood so I can hook to the 0-10V dimming controls for both blue and white to my controller.

I would like to have both potentiometer and controller control, but have not thought of a way to implement both at the same time, so a TRS jack solution would seem to be better. That way I could make two 1/8th TRS cables with a pot connected to each so I could use that for manual control on each channel if necessary. The audio jack would give me a sort of quick connect/disconnect system for either manual controls or my controller.

What does anyone else think? To me this seems like the best option.

Landon

 

[landonl]

Here is what I was thinking....
Adding a 1/8" TRS connector to the side next to the power input is a great way to interface the driver dimming controls with a controller. It would also be modular in a sense, allowing me to disconnect it if needed, or connect to another type of controller, etc.

Since the dimming controls on a buckpuck are 0-10v, with 1 pin being a control, an the other a 5v reference. I am thinking I can combine the two reference lines in the TRS connector, then split them again for each control channel on the controller at the other end of the cable. I must admit I am not sure if I can combine the Reference lines, I will have to check the data sheets before I decide for sure.

Something like this:

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[jdabs]

Landon, welcom to ARC! This is a great DYI LED writeup! Thanks for all of the info and details! Can't wait to see some more as you progress with this.

 

[smoothie]

Hey Landon. Glad you made it on.
Welcome!

 

[landonl]

Smoothie;577196 wrote: Hey Landon. Glad you made it on.
Welcome!

Thanks, the credit goes to you for telling me about the forums and giving me the incentive to come here. It's nice to see someone else from Valdosta that is into this over their head like me.

 

[landonl]

JDabs;577194 wrote: Landon, welcom to ARC! This is a great DYI LED writeup! Thanks for all of the info and details! Can't wait to see some more as you progress with this.

I see you are an IT engineer. Know much about electrical circuits? I am still unsure as to whether I can combine the reference lines between the buckpuck drivers for connection to the TRS (because the TRS only has 3 leads). Would you know? I must admit, I have spent so many years in Biology (now a Biology M.S. student) I have kind of gotten rusty with circuit design and programming lately.

Landon

 

[landonl]

Most of the rest of the hardware side of this build is going to be about tighter controller integration, adding my JBJ Nano Arctica chiller via a Rena XP1 to drive it, and basically getting things setup inside of a stand to clean up the appearance. I also want to add a Vortech MP 10 ES, and switch the RKE for an Apex eventually.

I am also contemplating designing a micro controller module for the LEDs so I can generate a storm function and cloud cover dimming arcs via a serial connection input. This would allow a direct LED interface for a controller like the Apex or RKE with more than just standard dimming controls.

Landon