Finally going LED

[DoctaQ]

xp-e should not run at 1500ma..even at 1000ma it is being pushed harder than the xr-e a 1000ma because the package and thermal contact area are smaller

the the price for royal blues on ledgroupbuy is pretty insane, i ordered ten just to stock up, plus they are a very high bin

 

[Ace25]

All I was saying was they can run at 1500mA.. not recommended and will shorten the lifespan of course.. and most drivers (like mean well) will only go up to 1300mA max anyway, but try pushing even 1000mA to the china LEDs.. they pop instantly. You get better quality LEDs with Cree is all I am saying. Most people run them at 900mA or less, and they will last a very long time at that. If you run the China LEDs at 700mA your pushing the limits and reducing the lifespan.

 

[DoctaQ]

i did want to try running some xp-e at 1500 just to see what it would do..i wanted to do it to a white so if it were overheating i could see the led getting bluer as the phosphor burns off

i honestly dont bother running supposed chinese 3w leds past 350ma..at low currents like that theyre actually not bad

 

[Ace25]

I don't feel there are any LED fixtures on the market right now that I would say is the perfect LED light, most fixtures do not cover the entire spectrum leaving holes in UV, greens, and red part of the spectrum. In the last few months they have made LEDs to fill those gaps, specifically UV and Actinic spectrum (380-420nm). So it is possible to make an LED fixture that covers the entire spectrum, but for a fixture to come out that does it will take some time because the mfg will have to test different setups to get it looking good. For example, you want some reds in the spectrum, but a little goes a long way, so figuring out the number of red leds, placement, and intensity will take some time to research. Specialized controllers will be needed to give the correct voltage for each color LED to make them blend well. UV LEDs are still a huge question right now as well.. there are 2 sides to that argument and I have no idea what the answer is to the question "Is a little UV beneficial for reef tanks, and if so, how much?". Without knowing the answer to that question Mfg will not be putting those LEDs in their fixtures because the power and space could be used for lighting we see with our eyes, which will make the fixture look better.

Sheesh, I am really in the wrong line of business (fixing computers/networks).. seems every idea I have about lighting / making it better, someone comes out with the solution within a few months.

Here is the solution to my "spectrum" issue I had with LEDs... an Array Quantum LED.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/optoelectronics/quantum-dots-enhance-led-lighting

http://reefbuilders.com/2011/04/06/array-quantum-led-nano-dots/

Quantum dots, or nano dots as they are also called, have been in the science press for years now, doing cool things like assisting in medical imaging and improving the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. Nano dots are now getting partnered up with blue LEDs to produce a broadband light emission from the notoriously narrow bandwidth LEDs we are currently using. The Quantum LED spotlight from Array Lighting is being touted as the highest color rendering LED lamp ever made with a CRI of 90.

On top of that, we have ceramic MHs as low as 20w now, induction lighting, matrix arraw LEDs, Plasma lights, big advances in OLED lights, and vapor cooling technology to keep it all cool... this just in the last few months! Exciting times!

 

[DoctaQ]

cree already had a 90 cri line of warm whites...if the quantum dot can offer 90 cri in cooler color temps then that would make it interesting

 

[TabisFish]

Make me one. hahah

 

[Ace25]

I thought you said you were handy making stuff yourself. LEDs are very easy IMO.

 

[TabisFish]

Ok scratch the make me part and replace with "buy me " hahaha