240 watt LED project build using 10w chips

topenjoin

topenjoin

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Hi guys, just wanted to share my newest project.

I am in the process of building my LED light for my 75G tank. Currently I have x2 of the Chinese group buy fixtures which i love, but do not have much control on them.

After a ton of research, calculation cost and performance, I have come to this!

240+ watts of total power probably will not ever need that much, but for the cost of everything, I am able to overbuild

Here is a picture of what I want to build
View attachment 18719

So here is a list of what I currently have and built

total cost around $130
48V DC 7.3A 350W Regulated Switching Power Supply - ebay
4x Meanwell LDD-1000H LED Driver - ledgroupbuy
4x Meanwell LDD-700H LED Driver - ledgroupbuy
2x LDD-4 Driver Board - coralux
Storm LED Controller - coralux
2x 8 foot aluminum C channels for diy heatsink - home depot

LEDs
8x 10w Blue 450-455NW - ebay $2each

LEDs on order from china - ALL ebay chips
2x 10w UV 390-405nm ultra violet $10each
2x 10w 460-470nm Blue $1.19each
2x 10w 3000-3200k Warm white $1.19each
2x 10w 6000-6500k Cool white $1.19each

projected cost $250

This is my list so far still deciding if I should go 3w LED cool white and warm white instead of the 10w ones for better color shading, also looking into purchasing 10x 3w red LEDs and 10x Green

A little background on why I chose all these items. Mainly cost/performance/control-ability

After a ton of research on what is out there on the market. I planned this build using 4x LDD 1000 each of these drivers will control x4 10w led chips at full 1000ma power, the LDD 700 can control 12 3w LEDs 100% on each driver. That is 8 different controllable channels I can mix. I was looking at doing a whole 3w LED build but the cost was up the roof. These 10w chips have way better performance than the bridgelux 3w which amounts to less than 2w at rated current in my opinion.

3w Led chip running at rated current -about 1.8w of power
10w led chip running at rated current - about 9w of power

Some pictures for you guys tired of typing, so far have 8 10w blue on the heat sink and man these are bright! Much more to come just received the LDD drivers today, still waiting on my other LEDs to come in from China. So far so good. Also if anyone had any questions just let me know.

View attachment 18729
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I was trying to do 2w blue to 1w white like everyone says but in the end I want more of a blueish purple look on my tank, I will definitely keep posting on progress as the led chips come in.

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 4
 
I think that this sounds like a great build. I'll be watching. I have a 90 with 324watts of 3 watt led chips. But I just got 5 20watt 20,000k whites and am planning on using 10 watt blue, royal blue, 14,000k white, 6,500k white, red, green, 3watt uv, and 3 watt actinic violet. The color that I believe that you may be missing is that violet or uv. IMO with your controlled dimming you will be able to achieve the results that you're looking for. Good luck with your build. I look forward to copying your success.
 
I ordered 2x 10w ultra violet so I think that should be enough the chips I got for $10 each the most expensive led in the build lol.

Going with these 10w chips I was able to get around 38 watts per channel if I went with all 3w LEDs I would only be at 22w

Also an update on the build I need to buy more aluminum c channels at around 70% running right now its getting pretty hot. I need to spread the 10w chips a little. Having them close together builds up a lot of heat also not using any fans yet

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 4
 
Would it be possible to put smaller c channel stock inside the larger and bond it in with thermal paste/adhesive?

Looks nice!
 
Yes you can do that. I was going to build my heatsink with square aluminum tubes and have a blower fan to each tube. But I lt was getting more expensive. I can just add more c channels

Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 4
 
Alright so I received a couple more chips in the mail.
some updates not much yet.
planning on doing all cool white led chips

ordered 30x 3w Cool white LEDs, 10x 3w Green, and 10x 3w Red, this should give me a good color spectrum and not needing warm white in my build

so far I put in 8x 10w blue chips and 4x 10w cool white chips on my build.

Here is what just 12x chips look like on my tank so far at 80%
View attachment 18878

Still trying to figure out a good way to keep these LEDs cool in my canopy, this is what i came up with. Having one 80mm 5w fan in the middle, and covering the tops of the c channel so the air has to go through the aluminum, with this technique I was able to run 4 10w LED chips on each aluminum c channel at 100% for more than 10 min and still was cool to the touch. Now to have one fan for the build I plan on making something out of sheet metal and cut a whole in for the fan and have it running over all the heatsinks
View attachment 18879

also some pictures of the LEDs on the heatsink at 1% and the other picture of 80% and last picture no LEDs on.
View attachment 18880View attachment 18881View attachment 18882

On a side note, does anyone know how I can sync my fan to turn on only when my LEDs are on with an LED controller? Because this 5w Fan I have is pretty loud, even in a canopy
 
Pretty cool build man but these are gonna cost you a mini fortune in electric bill. How many total Amps is that unit gonna draw when its on
 
acasp4 said:
Pretty cool build man but these are gonna cost you a mini fortune in electric bill. How many total Amps is that unit gonna draw when its on
Click to expand...

With everything running at 100% it will be drawing 6.8 amps at 48v = 326 watts, but I will not be running anything at 100% probably the most will be 70% = 230 Watts. Which is not that much if you look at it. For my 75 I would need at least 2x 250w MH bulbs or even more (I have never used MH bulbs but this is what I hear) that's more than half the power consumption and less heat emitted by the bulbs thus not needing a chiller.

Right now I am using 2x Chinese group buy LED fixtures both of those are running about 220w, so not a big increase in my bill, just more customization and better colors to my choosing.
 
topenjoin said:
On a side note, does anyone know how I can sync my fan to turn on only when my LEDs are on with an LED controller? Because this 5w Fan I have is pretty loud, even in a canopy
Click to expand...

If you have an output from your controller available, you can use that to control a relay which can turn power on or off to the fans. What input voltage do the fans use?


Side question: what are you using to protect the LEDs from the saltwater environment? If you don't protect them they will corrode over time and eventually stop working.
 
beetlenut33 said:
If you have an output from your controller available, you can use that to control a relay which can turn power on or off to the fans. What input voltage do the fans use?


Side question: what are you using to protect the LEDs from the saltwater environment? If you don't protect them they will corrode over time and eventually stop working.
Click to expand...

Did some study on relays, and this is just what i need! I will be running 12v fans, my controller is 5v pwm. I did have one question about that though, say the relay is 5v does that mean it has to be 5v to turn on the coil? because I want to connect this 5v relay to an existing channel of LEDs I believe you can right? so if I am running the channel at around 50 that's 2.5% volts will that be enough to turn the relay on?

This is the one I was looking at http://www.ebay.com/itm/1Pcs-Mini-P...334?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5af3ec452e


As for protecting the LEDs, Not sure I need to. My 75 acrylic tank has a full acrylic top with acrylic sheets that go over the openings, so the build is not exposed to open water? or do I still need to protect the LEDs, and how would someone go about protecting LEDs from saltwater?

Thanks for the info!
 
topenjoin said:
With everything running at 100% it will be drawing 6.8 amps at 48v = 326 watts, but I will not be running anything at 100% probably the most will be 70% = 230 Watts. Which is not that much if you look at it. For my 75 I would need at least 2x 250w MH bulbs or even more (I have never used MH bulbs but this is what I hear) that's more than half the power consumption and less heat emitted by the bulbs thus not needing a chiller.

Right now I am using 2x Chinese group buy LED fixtures both of those are running about 220w, so not a big increase in my bill, just more customization and better colors to my choosing.
Click to expand...



Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

How long are you going to run them for? and how much do you pay per 1Kw hour on your electric bill. Id like to run the numbers on these beasts
 
As far as running the fan in sync with the lights. It could be as simple as running a power block splitter plug, which will allow you to run more than one device from one power source. Or even just using a timer to power it. But depending one the brand of controller that you have it should be capable of syncing them.
 
acasp4 said:
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

How long are you going to run them for? and how much do you pay per 1Kw hour on your electric bill. Id like to run the numbers on these beasts
Click to expand...

In my current living arrangements utilities are included in my apartment, so I am pretty lucky. lol but i did some quick math to figure out how much the setup will cost yearly. Do not quote me on this math I am not 100% sure but I think it sounds right

250w ran at 8 hours day roughly
.250*8 = 2kW a day * that by 365 at current kw hour rate (searched Chicago's kW hour rate because i dont have a bill lol) 5.5 cents/hour per kW

so .250x8= 2
2x .055 = 11 cents per day of usage
.11 x 365 = $40.15 yearly cost of running 250w 8 hours a day


2clowns said:
As far as running the fan in sync with the lights. It could be as simple as running a power block splitter plug, which will allow you to run more than one device from one power source. Or even just using a timer to power it. But depending one the brand of controller that you have it should be capable of syncing them.
Click to expand...

I could always use a timer, but in this build the fan is crucial to keeping the LEDs from burning out, so if the LEDs are on I need the fan running also. So now I am thinking of getting a 5v relay and run that off the controller that sends 5v signal to the LDD drivers, from that 5v relay that will turn on a 12v adapter to power on my fans. Seems simple enough and the 5v relay is only $1. But still have to see if it will work.


green111 said:
progress bump
good info
Click to expand...

working on them as we speak lol. Trying some cooling methods now. While playing Battlefield 4 beta on xbox lol
 
If it's not against the rules I would like to know what sight that you ordered the chips, board and drivers from.
 
all LEDs are from Ebay driver boards and controllers and from coralux.net and drivers are from ledgroupbuy.com
 
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