Diy Led Unit

[Crazy fishes]

Just wanted to check if it would be ok on this one occasion to post a link to another forum?? Rabbut was asking about DIY LED units and I remembered seeing one on nano reef.com but he was unable to find it. I found it today after much searching and it is a guide to a full LED system even with DIY drivers.
If it isn't ok to post then anyone who wants to know PM me and I will send the links directly to you.

Regards

 

[Truck]

Just wanted to check if it would be ok on this one occasion to post a link to another forum?? Rabbut was asking about DIY LED units and I remembered seeing one on nano reef.com but he was unable to find it. I found it today after much searching and it is a guide to a full LED system even with DIY drivers.
If it isn't ok to post then anyone who wants to know PM me and I will send the links directly to you.

Regards

i would be interested.

thanks truck

 

[Crazy fishes]

Hey Truck,

I will see if the mods reply and either post here or direct to you. Ok??

Regards

 

[Truck]

Hey Truck,

I will see if the mods reply and either post here or direct to you. Ok??

Regards

yeah sure

thanks

 

[garybuk]

Would also be intrested please

 

[Tolak]

Thank you for asking! We don't have a whole lot of electrical engineers here, being a tropical fish forum, this may assist folks building their own unit.

Link OK'd.

 

[TigerIssey]

I would be too.

 

[Truck]

YEAH!! cheers tolak

 

[TigerIssey]

Thanks Tolak

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, I don't have a problem with it either Truck, then again the Admin beats my jurisdiction . I've read through a LOT of those posts over on nano-reef.com and have an electronics technician background recently with my job. I might be able to offer some help, but certainly not to the level of some others.

One thing I will say is beware the cheap MOSFET and NFET based DIY drivers. While they work great and limit current just fine, their electrical efficiency STINKS and using them will just mean creating an array of LED's that uses more electricity than a comprable halide. You're better off shelling out the cash for a buckpuck, OR if you're savvy enough, finding a buck regulating IC and designing a driver around that. If you really wanted to get seriuos building your own buck IC here in the States, I can give you a great part number for doing it, but dunno what's comparably available in the UK.

Also my last comment on the new DIY LED craze. It's great for nano tanks, but the startup on large-tank arrays is still going to be significant.

And just to clarify, we're talking about the big 3watt LED arrays, not the cheapo 1/4watt ebay moonlight strips for $5 off fleabay

 

[Crazy fishes]

Ultimate LED journal http/www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=186982.
The above is the link to this guy's "write up"; Evilc66 seems to be driving all the information behind DIY LED systems and has helped many people build very impressive units. Apparently he achieves PAR of ~500 at 12" and ~200 at 24" which I thought was pretty decent. Hopefully there is truth behind this and we can all benefit. The only problem is it great those of you on the US side of the pond but I am at a lost for UK residents like myself. It seems we will have to keep on searching!! Sorry guys but I hope you enjoy the reading. Please note the designs for drivers etc is all included on that link it's the blue text.

Regards

 

[rabbut]

Thanks for posting Crazy fishes, that will make for some good evening reading tonight