LED group buy?

Milad · #1 11-30-2010, 06:11 PM

im ordering form a CREE supplier in Cali,
these are really powerful lights so im not sure if i would use them as "moonlights" way to powerful for that.

ScubaSteve · #2 11-30-2010, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milad

im ordering from EGT
these are really powerful lights so im not sure if i would use them as "moonlights" way to powerful for that.

Nope, not using them as moonlights per se. I want to experiment with a different lighting concept... something that isn't actinic and not moonlights. I have my tank design really to be super glowy at night time as that is the only time I ever really get to spent with it. I want to spotlight a couple of the really showy and glowy colonies for a couple of hours after actinics but before moonlights. I'll have a dimmer for them to gradually decrease to from high to off over those hours.

ScubaSteve · #3 11-30-2010, 06:39 PM

By the way, do they have a website?

edit: NM, I found it. http://www.etgtech.com/2006/html/xlamp.htm

untamed · #4 11-30-2010, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

Nope, not using them as moonlights per se. I want to experiment with a different lighting concept... something that isn't actinic and not moonlights. I have my tank design really to be super glowy at night time as that is the only time I ever really get to spent with it. I want to spotlight a couple of the really showy and glowy colonies for a couple of hours after actinics but before moonlights. I'll have a dimmer for them to gradually decrease to from high to off over those hours.

That's a very cool idea. Just a few hours of special show...Get more colours, though. You would want to like the greens with green light...reds with red light..etc.

ScubaSteve · #5 11-30-2010, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by untamed

That's a very cool idea. Just a few hours of special show...Get more colours, though. You would want to like the greens with green light...reds with red light..etc.

Sweet! Someone gets it! Everyone looks at me like I'm nuts when I tell them this. I'm going to start with the blue as most of my stuff fluoresces like mad under those lights. Then I'm going to start experimenting with different colours with narrow optics to really spotlight certain colonies. I think 1W LEDs will suffice for those.

sick lid · #6 11-30-2010, 11:57 PM

I would be interested as well

Ian · #7 12-01-2010, 12:04 AM

send me details I may be in for a bunch as well

jzz30tt · #8 12-01-2010, 12:06 AM

Would the group buy be local to you guys over there or can us alberta guys be in too?

reeferious · #9 12-01-2010, 08:35 PM

somewhat off topic but how deep am i wading into if i was to buy these leds, power supplies and heatsinks then hook them together to form a functional light unit? my electrical knowledge is still at the basic level.

Milad · #10 12-01-2010, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reeferious

somewhat off topic but how deep am i wading into if i was to buy these leds, power supplies and heatsinks then hook them together to form a functional light unit? my electrical knowledge is still at the basic level.

its actually pretty simple stuff

lets say you wanted to just do a basic 12 LED light

you get a heatsink from heatsinkUSA

you get a driver such as the Mean Well ELN-60-48

you use thermal paste to attach each led to the heatsink. then you connect one wire of the driver to the first led + then from that led - to the next led + and so on until you get to the last led and you connect the other wire of the driver to it (should be negative).

you use solder to make the connections.

then i believe you make some quick measurements with a multimeter to make sure you are around 700ma and tune the driver if you are off a bit and then your good to go.

if you have an apex controller you can get the D version of the driver to dim it via 10v.

We could have a vancouver build party if a bunch of us get LEDs and someone wants to host it at their shop/house. beers, pizzas, leds, how could it go wrong?