New Custom LED is KILLER!!! DIYed by local friend (not myself)

[ScubaSteve]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

So, we just finished testing the PAR on my new LED that a friend of mine is building for me tonight. We're using 26 total emitters of 10w LEDs (12 x 10000k; 8 x 455nm Blues; 3 x 20000k; 3 x 6500k) for 260w max over a 5'8' x 2' x 2' 165g full reef tank.

My bad. Got lost in all those numbers before. I like the low profile look. Are the LEDs recessed or just mounted on the heat sink surface?

Also, who's the manufacturer of the 10W LEDs?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

My bad. Got lost in all those numbers before. I like the low profile look. Are the LEDs recessed or just mounted on the heat sink surface?

Also, who's the manufacturer of the 10W LEDs?

They are screwed onto the heat sink surface. My friend is going to add a 2" aluminum "shield" around the entire unit to block off the light so someone looking at the tank or walking by won't see the LEDs.

(more numbers to get lost in) Each emitter has a 100 degree spread which is perfect. 13 emitters per 5'8" heatsink and it's 12" wide, 2" tall. It's literally only 3.5" from the water surface, with good shimmer, full spread and no "spot lighting" or "disco ball effect". The two fans blow air up on the right side but most of the cooling is my conduction/convection. With all the lights on, there were still sections of the heatsinks that were cool to the touch and at most it was barely warm in parts. My friend will be adding pieces of aluminum on the open ends of the rectangular tubes which will make the fans more effective.

I can literally pick up the lighting unit with one or two fingers.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Just running the blues at half power and I've noticed one advantage of these LEDs is that even though none of the white lights have been on for at least 4.5 hours, many of my corals are still fully open. They usually closed up under the old moonlights within an hour or two of the MH going off. I'm liking this development

[Aughskel]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

So, we just finished testing the PAR on my new LED that a friend of mine is building for me tonight. We're using 26 total emitters of 10w LEDs (12 x 10000k; 8 x 455nm Blues; 3 x 20000k; 3 x 6500k) for 260w max over a 5'8' x 2' x 2' 165g full reef tank.

I used our group buy Apogee PAR meter on the metal halide (Phoenix 14000k 150w) in water at different depths and an inch under the light.

We then fired up the LEDs and at 100% power, the inch under the light reading is 3 times what my metal halide was reading and in water, it was double the PAR readings. The manufacturer lists the lumens as being 700 to 750 for the whites and under 300 for the blues. However, every colour spectrum tested out at about the same PAR. Woohoo.

When we dimmed it down (oh, did I mention he built in individual dimmers), it's about the same PAR at 50% as the metal halide. So, for my 165g, once everything is finished, I'm looking at 130-150 watts for my lighting with no heat issues and near silent operation. Each light spectrum has its own dimmer switch and there are three plugs (10000k; blues; 20000k/6500k) so I can put them on different timers. He was going to build digital timers for each light spectrum but he decided it was too complicated a fix for a simple issue.

The power supply heats up to about the same temp as metal halide ballasts, so he's going to add more heat sinks &/or fans to the power supply in the final prototype version.

I'm freakin impressed with this unit and can't wait for it to be finished completely.

For my fishy friends who want to check out the new LED over my tank before I pull it off to let my buddy finish the build, contact me and come over tomorrow afternoon/evening.

BTW, under 80w of 455nm blues, the corals glow like they're radioactive and the colours are the most spectacular I've seen (particularly the red flowerpot and red brain corals).

I'm in South Burnaby (and yes, though there is already a waiting list, my friend can build more lights as he gets some free time). This is a prototype so we will be doing a lot more testing on it before the next unit is built.

Anthony

Do you have some pics of these led lights?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

My LED friend is building new units with each colour on separate timers with new controllers. Can't wait to see the new lights when he finishes making them. I think these will be much more compact than the original prototypes and he's looking at building Kessil-type pendants as well. I have one retro-fitted into my Solana aluminum dome-pendant light and so does another Canreef friend. These pendant lights will be hung off custom stainless steel hanging kits.

[Aughskel]

Originally Posted by Aughskel

Do you have some pics of these led lighting?

I need to see pics.

[byee]

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

My LED friend is building new units with each colour on separate timers with new controllers. Can't wait to see the new lights when he finishes making them. I think these will be much more compact than the original prototypes and he's looking at building Kessil-type pendants as well. I have one retro-fitted into my Solana aluminum dome-pendant light and so does another Canreef friend. These pendant lights will be hung off custom stainless steel hanging kits.

Has your buddy finished building you your new LED lights?

We're all waiting to see photos!