General DIY LED thread
- Thread starter Kampo
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OP
OP
Kampo
Active Member
the tool was actually build for reef. its useful to kinda see what type of spectrum you will end up with, and you can compare against known lights.
aruns
Community Member
Any thoughts on how you go about led component selection after determining what wavelengths/colors you want. I see Cree, Luxeon, Semileds come up often. I have read about binning, where even for same wavelength, you can end up with different efficiencies. Are there other parameters to consider in datasheet when considering individual SMD, specifically for reef lighting? Also, I assume typically you want to go for 3W LEDs?
Awesome thread (this and other DIY led threads) BTW! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and research.
Awesome thread (this and other DIY led threads) BTW! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and research.
Size, packing, drive currents, coverage and beam angles, compatibility, lifetime and efficiency with certain optics (this varies with the actual molded lens on the LED package - Carclo and Ledil for example all have tests with each specific LED for each optic)
OP
OP
Kampo
Active Member
Quoting a post from another thread to prevent derailing that thread further.
What are your thoughts on only having 420nm for V is there a ton of value to having less that 420 you think? thats something i've been thinking about myself. there are some "quad" 420nm stars on ebay run 2x2 parrell I like this because then you can slap them in the same channel as a luxeon M at say 700mah. the semis are running at 350mah so will last, and your not under running your blues. a realy simple array of a Luxeon 6500k sunplus+luxeon M+the quad 420m star would make a nice 3 chip 20 watt array.
What are your thoughts on only having 420nm for V is there a ton of value to having less that 420 you think? thats something i've been thinking about myself. there are some "quad" 420nm stars on ebay run 2x2 parrell I like this because then you can slap them in the same channel as a luxeon M at say 700mah. the semis are running at 350mah so will last, and your not under running your blues. a realy simple array of a Luxeon 6500k sunplus+luxeon M+the quad 420m star would make a nice 3 chip 20 watt array.
dantimdad
7500 Club Member
This was something I threw together out of spare parts as a proof of concept. Yes, there is theoretically room for improvement. But, as it stands, I want to leave it and see growth before I change anything.
If I could get by with it( family members would kill me) I would take about 6 * 10 gallon tanks and build the same size light and just change around the way I am hitting this spectrum and see which is the most efficient in terms of power and dollars. I would then nail down a manufacturing method to churn out a few a month and have them look like I want and sell them on an as ordered basis. Both in the original nano size and a multi array version.
That would be the dream, but, I doubt it will happen.
I thought I nailed "the perfect combination" until coming on this forum across the idea of dumping white altogether and tricking the wye with combinations of colours, like red, blue and cyan (or even mint).
I will put forward to your scrutiny my blend:
- I've used a 5 channel x5 leds board
- Channel 1 (1000mA) - 5 Cree XTE Royal Blue
- Channel 2 (700mA) - 5 Cree XPE2 Blue
- Channel 3 (1000mA) - Crer XTE 6500k + XTE 5000k + XTE 6500k + XTE 5000k+XTE 6500k
- Channel 4(700mA) - 5 SemiLED UV 420nm
- Channel 5 (1000mA) - 5 Cree XTE Royal Blue
This is the resulting board (done by Chinese - Kiwilighting):
I have found that running the channels at 100% produces too blue a light for my taste. Also, I found that dropping one Royal Blue produces a perfect light for my taste (RB:B:CW/NW:420 1:1:1:1).
Now I'm strongly considering to go for a smaller board (4 channels of 3 leds each) to achieve this spectrum. This way I eliminate the extra Royal Blues and can have a more even spread of leds - instead of three boards I use five for the same number of leds.
The only limitation is that Kiwilighting has only Cree and SemiLED as top leds. And there is no binning info.
My first fixture was done with 20mm stars leds and I couldn't feel my fingers for some weeks from pressing.
This, the disco effect and the fact that my light ended like a BlackBox clone made me consider grouping leds close toghether.
I will put forward to your scrutiny my blend:
- I've used a 5 channel x5 leds board
- Channel 1 (1000mA) - 5 Cree XTE Royal Blue
- Channel 2 (700mA) - 5 Cree XPE2 Blue
- Channel 3 (1000mA) - Crer XTE 6500k + XTE 5000k + XTE 6500k + XTE 5000k+XTE 6500k
- Channel 4(700mA) - 5 SemiLED UV 420nm
- Channel 5 (1000mA) - 5 Cree XTE Royal Blue
This is the resulting board (done by Chinese - Kiwilighting):
I have found that running the channels at 100% produces too blue a light for my taste. Also, I found that dropping one Royal Blue produces a perfect light for my taste (RB:B:CW/NW:420 1:1:1:1).
Now I'm strongly considering to go for a smaller board (4 channels of 3 leds each) to achieve this spectrum. This way I eliminate the extra Royal Blues and can have a more even spread of leds - instead of three boards I use five for the same number of leds.
The only limitation is that Kiwilighting has only Cree and SemiLED as top leds. And there is no binning info.
My first fixture was done with 20mm stars leds and I couldn't feel my fingers for some weeks from pressing.
This, the disco effect and the fact that my light ended like a BlackBox clone made me consider grouping leds close toghether.
dantimdad
7500 Club Member
I thought I nailed "the perfect combination" until coming on this forum across the idea of dumping white altogether and tricking the wye with combinations of colours, like red, blue and cyan (or even mint).
I will put forward to your scrutiny my blend:
- I've used a 5 channel x5 leds board
- Channel 1 (1000mA) - 5 Cree XTE Royal Blue
- Channel 2 (700mA) - 5 Cree XPE2 Blue
- Channel 3 (1000mA) - Crer XTE 6500k + XTE 5000k + XTE 6500k + XTE 5000k+XTE 6500k
- Channel 4(700mA) - 5 SemiLED UV 420nm
- Channel 5 (1000mA) - 5 Cree XTE Royal Blue
This is the resulting board (done by Chinese - Kiwilighting):
I have found that running the channels at 100% produces too blue a light for my taste. Also, I found that dropping one Royal Blue produces a perfect light for my taste (RB:B:CW/NW:420 1:1:1:1).
Now I'm strongly considering to go for a smaller board (4 channels of 3 leds each) to achieve this spectrum. This way I eliminate the extra Royal Blues and can have a more even spread of leds - instead of three boards I use five for the same number of leds.
The only limitation is that Kiwilighting has only Cree and SemiLED as top leds. And there is no binning info.
My first fixture was done with 20mm stars leds and I couldn't feel my fingers for some weeks from pressing.
This, the disco effect and the fact that my light ended like a BlackBox clone made me consider grouping leds close toghether.
In the end, all the studying and measuring means nothing if you don't enjoy the look. Right?
I think that if you like your light, your animals are healthy and it's not dangerous, then you have a winner.
Very nice looking fixture BTW.
Thanks for adding to this conversation.
i would prefer the Copper-Board you can dimm them to enhance lifetime or mix 2 different builds of CB or add stars... between the CB´s (maybe LUXEON Color Line)
and if i understood you right you already have CB i would continue to use them: change(reflow solder will be hard on copper), no need to drive all, dimm or add something
6,5k & 5k are cold whites & end of neutral they look blueish you got enough blue, go for warm white or mid neutral to enhance spectrum...
you can add a diffuser... or a reflector like https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/3d-printing-thread.244294/page-5#post-3662982 or better both ^^
i am currently looking @ Veromount Store they have SemiLEDs UV 420 looking like N3535U-UNx1
https://de.aliexpress.com/store/pro...?spm=a2g0x.12010612.8148356.16.70d72577NXCUqA
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/Ange..._expid=8aaa32ce-996c-4b9f-9772-63e37ad96d44-1
they allso have LG 3535 UV @ (365, 385,) 395...? http://led.lginnotek.com/
https://de.aliexpress.com/store/pro...?spm=a2g0x.12010612.8148356.46.4d966b514p6f8j
What does the forum think about LG UV?!
Or Joy-Deal for SemiLEDs N3535U-UNx1 & LG 3535
SemiLEDs N3535U-UNx1 420
https://de.aliexpress.com/store/pro...?spm=a2g0x.12010612.8148356.40.632119a3S1cwsv
SemiLEDs N3535U-UNx1 395
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/5-te...h0104.8.14.51134a71Yh0fqy&transAbTest=ae803_4
LG 3535 385
https://de.aliexpress.com/store/pro...?spm=a2g0x.12010612.8148356.10.632119a3S1cwsv
LG 3535 395
https://de.aliexpress.com/store/pro...l?spm=a2g0x.12010612.8148356.6.140257adToQMVH
5 Channel LDD Diver Bord & TC421 availible @ Joy-Deal but NO 5 channel copper pcb to config by yourself!
i am also going to use a modified (more drivers per channel & more V 36 or 48) tc421 http://www.tc420.net/connecting-high-power-LEDs-to-the-TC420.php
looking @ CoralLab SPS AB+ so many like, i am thinking of adding one photo red & one green to white channel
as my current configure has only 3 channels on the (25led 5channel) board i want to use one for Mint & one for Blue
5x455nm Royal Blue Cree XT-E 1500mA | CH1
rb-rb-rb-rb-rb
3x420nm Violet SemiLEDs N3535U-UNx1 & 1x410nm SemiLEDs & 2x395nm SemiLEDs 1000mA | CH2
420-395-410-395-420
1x660nm Photo Red Cree & 1x528nm Green Cree & 2x4500k Cree & 1x2700 Cree XT-E 1500mA | CH3
4,5k-G-2,7k-R-4,5k
3x420nm Violet SemiLEDs N3535U-UNx1 & 2x410nm SemiLEDs & 1x395nm SemiLEDs 1000mA | CH2
420-410-395-410-420
5x455nm Royal Blue Cree XT-E 1500mA | CH1
rb-rb-rb-rb-rb
CH4 ~4xMint LUXEON on star
Ch5 ~10xBlue maybe https://de.aliexpress.com/store/pro...?spm=a2g0x.12010612.8148356.50.54adef06l1sj90
maybe also ordering some Cyan, (PC-)Amber & Lime to play around and take a look
OR no external blue but less UV (Royal Blue?) but blue & uv on one channel i am not shure i would like that
5x455nm Royal Blue Cree XT-E (B?) 1500mA | CH1
rb-rb-(r)b-rb-rb
2x420nm Violet SemiLEDs N3535U-UNx1 & 1x410nm SemiLEDs & 1x395nm SemiLEDs & 2x475nm Blue Cree 1000mA | CH2
420-B-410-B-420
1x660nm Photo Red Cree & 1x528nm Green Cree & 2x4500k Cree & 1x2700 Cree XT-E 1500mA | CH3
4,5k-G-2,7k-R-4,5k
1x420nm Violet SemiLEDs N3535U-UNx1 & 2x410nm SemiLEDs & 1x395nm SemiLEDs & 2x475nm Blue Cree 1000mA | CH2
410-B-420-B-410
5x455nm Royal Blue Cree XT-E (B?) 1500mA | CH1
rb-rb-(r)b-rb-rb
CH4 ~4xMint LUXEON on star
what do you think?
U
User1
Guest
I thought I nailed "the perfect combination" until coming on this forum across the idea of dumping white altogether and tricking the wye with combinations of colours, like red, blue and cyan (or even mint).
I will put forward to your scrutiny my blend:
- I've used a 5 channel x5 leds board
- Channel 1 (1000mA) - 5 Cree XTE Royal Blue
- Channel 2 (700mA) - 5 Cree XPE2 Blue
- Channel 3 (1000mA) - Crer XTE 6500k + XTE 5000k + XTE 6500k + XTE 5000k+XTE 6500k
- Channel 4(700mA) - 5 SemiLED UV 420nm
- Channel 5 (1000mA) - 5 Cree XTE Royal Blue
This is the resulting board (done by Chinese - Kiwilighting):
I have found that running the channels at 100% produces too blue a light for my taste. Also, I found that dropping one Royal Blue produces a perfect light for my taste (RB:B:CW/NW:420 1:1:1:1).
Now I'm strongly considering to go for a smaller board (4 channels of 3 leds each) to achieve this spectrum. This way I eliminate the extra Royal Blues and can have a more even spread of leds - instead of three boards I use five for the same number of leds.
The only limitation is that Kiwilighting has only Cree and SemiLED as top leds. And there is no binning info.
My first fixture was done with 20mm stars leds and I couldn't feel my fingers for some weeks from pressing.
This, the disco effect and the fact that my light ended like a BlackBox clone made me consider grouping leds close toghether.
Would love to see a few more images of your tank
If you stay with the 5 channel just take the 4th or 5th channel and use lime. That would be the channel that you use to adjust the spectrum to your eye/taste. This way the corals get their spectrum and you get yours. Isolating gives you the control to adjust color and power which should be enough to get you what you want.
SimilarIsh specs to Seoul LEDs, just no US distributors.
hmm
i might go with 2x Copper PCB´s blue istead of royal blue & 3x16 royal blue PCB´s
RB-mixC-RB-mixC-RB
& some mint (lime amber, cyan)
https://de.aliexpress.com/store/pro...l?spm=a2g0x.12010612.8148356.8.48794d23PIUnzw
i don´t think they are real rebel es but Kampo has them & likes them
wat do you think?
i might go with 2x Copper PCB´s blue istead of royal blue & 3x16 royal blue PCB´s
RB-mixC-RB-mixC-RB
& some mint (lime amber, cyan)
https://de.aliexpress.com/store/pro...l?spm=a2g0x.12010612.8148356.8.48794d23PIUnzw
i don´t think they are real rebel es but Kampo has them & likes them
wat do you think?
Efficiency is higher especially at shorter wavelengths, but 3x the cost
When I've ventured in the LED DIY experience, I wasn't even aware that you have to limit currents (not voltages) when driving leds.
I hoped my father (retired industrial electrician) could help. He apparently was more familiar with tri-phasic systems then leds. But forums proved a good guidance.
My aim was to obtain a light of similar quality to AI Hydra52 HD at a lower price.
While I think I've managed this (similar number of leds, same or better diodes, eliminated some undesirable ones as green, low UV and kept more desirable ones as 420nm, RB, B and CW/NW/WW), I have a feeling I've just emulated their inefficiency by not thinking out of box.
I've retained as a last trend the addition of Warm White where before only Cool White was considered acceptable in a Reef light. It makes sense if you want to rid of the red leds. And you want to do without red leds, as the required red is a small quantity, but providing it with a few leds would result in disco spots / poor blending or grouping leds with different properties on a driver.
On my RSM130 the led conversion was planned with these criteria in mind:
- to change as little as possible the aspect of the RSM original canopy
- to grossly match the power of the original T5 light
- controllable
- cooler
I've used two of my 5 channels 25 leds led chips with five ldd-hw and a bluefish mini wireless controller. The leds are driven at lower currents (max 70W/chip instead of the 105W possible) totaling max 140W (original t5 lights were 110W). It's grossly a (more efficient I think) equivalent of a AI Hydra 52HD.
For cooling, I've used a centrifugal video card from a ATI Radeon HD (has PWM so added it on channel 6 of the controller).
The leds used are: 20 Cree XTE Royal Blue at 1000mA (Ch1 + Ch5), 6 Cree XTE Cool White + 4 Cree XTE Neutral White at 1000mA (Ch3), 10 Cree XPE2 Blue at 700mA (Ch2) and 10 Semileds 420nm ar 700mA (Ch4).
I would compare the visual effect of the T5s with 25% of Whites, 420nm and Blues (without any Royal Blue).
Driving the leds at 100% is cooler than the stock t5s, but not possible due to light being too bright and too close to corals.
I'm currently after months of acclimatization running them at max 60% (with both RB channels totaling 60%) and the fan at 50%.
One immediate effect of changing from T5 to this blend of leds was mass death of my GHA. Very impressive indeed. The other was that a Sinularia struggling to survive for the last three years started to recover to its former glory. Also, good growth and color on my Sarcophyton and all of the photosynthetic gorgonians. All being corals I've had for ages in shallow tanks.
The light doesn't create a disco effect despite being very close to the water surface due to leds being very close together and not lensed. A diffuser was planned, but not needed.
Some internal photos:
dantimdad
7500 Club Member
When I've ventured in the LED DIY experience, I wasn't even aware that you have to limit currents (not voltages) when driving leds.
I hoped my father (retired industrial electrician) could help. He apparently was more familiar with tri-phasic systems then leds. But forums proved a good guidance.
My aim was to obtain a light of similar quality to AI Hydra52 HD at a lower price.
While I think I've managed this (similar number of leds, same or better diodes, eliminated some undesirable ones as green, low UV and kept more desirable ones as 420nm, RB, B and CW/NW/WW), I have a feeling I've just emulated their inefficiency by not thinking out of box.
I've retained as a last trend the addition of Warm White where before only Cool White was considered acceptable in a Reef light. It makes sense if you want to rid of the red leds. And you want to do without red leds, as the required red is a small quantity, but providing it with a few leds would result in disco spots / poor blending or grouping leds with different properties on a driver.
On my RSM130 the led conversion was planned with these criteria in mind:
- to change as little as possible the aspect of the RSM original canopy
- to grossly match the power of the original T5 light
- controllable
- cooler
I've used two of my 5 channels 25 leds led chips with five ldd-hw and a bluefish mini wireless controller. The leds are driven at lower currents (max 70W/chip instead of the 105W possible) totaling max 140W (original t5 lights were 110W). It's grossly a (more efficient I think) equivalent of a AI Hydra 52HD.
For cooling, I've used a centrifugal video card from a ATI Radeon HD (has PWM so added it on channel 6 of the controller).
The leds used are: 20 Cree XTE Royal Blue at 1000mA (Ch1 + Ch5), 6 Cree XTE Cool White + 4 Cree XTE Neutral White at 1000mA (Ch3), 10 Cree XPE2 Blue at 700mA (Ch2) and 10 Semileds 420nm ar 700mA (Ch4).
I would compare the visual effect of the T5s with 25% of Whites, 420nm and Blues (without any Royal Blue).
Driving the leds at 100% is cooler than the stock t5s, but not possible due to light being too bright and too close to corals.
I'm currently after months of acclimatization running them at max 60% (with both RB channels totaling 60%) and the fan at 50%.
One immediate effect of changing from T5 to this blend of leds was mass death of my GHA. Very impressive indeed. The other was that a Sinularia struggling to survive for the last three years started to recover to its former glory. Also, good growth and color on my Sarcophyton and all of the photosynthetic gorgonians. All being corals I've had for ages in shallow tanks.
The light doesn't create a disco effect despite being very close to the water surface due to leds being very close together and not lensed. A diffuser was planned, but not needed.
Some internal photos:
Very nice right up!
Steven Garland
Valuable Member
I have 1 mint on my white channel and its not overwhelming at all but also in the same scheme of things there is 4 NW and 4 WW and 2 Cyan on the same channel. But overall I'm in love with the Mint,its makes everything so crisp.
Steven Garland
Valuable Member
Does anyone know where I can get a 3up with 3 different spectrums of Violet,short of reflowing my own ?
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