29g LED Lighting system build thread
- Thread starter Cory Keeper
- Start date
Well, slight error, not sure how to fix it either. Seems I two boards a tad short, so now it doesn't quite fit all the way into the front. I suppose I could shave off some of the back board so it would fit.
Ok, update. Got some .87 ohm resistors, for all the good it did me. Power is only up to 30w but it is deff brighter. Though It has yet to compete with 69w of CFL light as far as what I can see. I think a 2-3 week test on plant growth is in order, If I just had a door, heh.
I may attempt a DIY constant current supply, however I doubt this would work, but might bring it up a little. For some unknown reason, even when I remove the resistor (bad I know) is current only goes up to 850mA. Something screwy. However If this sucker works, I will test it with current setup of three LEDs in series. If it still fails, a backup is to rewire the LEDs (not pleasent) to two LEDs per string, that should raise voltage, and current to correct levels. However I don't think I can run this thing without fans for much longer, those heatsinks are getting much warmer much faster.... heh.
You may be asking, why don't I just wire two in series and add resistors of different values? Simple. Doing so would require the use of 5w resistors. Not cheap, and deff inefficient. A constant current device would bypass that. Though maybe not 95% efficient, but alot more efficient than a 5w resistor.
the device is simple enough, and costs less than $5 each (I think). Just a NPN transistor, two resistors and a N-Channel FET. I'm hoping Radio $hack has something useable.... though doubt it.
Another think I may wind up doing is using lenses, I think that would up the overall brightness level of the tank....
Oh yes, looks great btw. love the color rendering, I still havn't seen it with any surface agitation
One thing I've notice about LEDs over CFL's, consistant light levels at all levels of the tank... very interesting.
I may attempt a DIY constant current supply, however I doubt this would work, but might bring it up a little. For some unknown reason, even when I remove the resistor (bad I know) is current only goes up to 850mA. Something screwy. However If this sucker works, I will test it with current setup of three LEDs in series. If it still fails, a backup is to rewire the LEDs (not pleasent) to two LEDs per string, that should raise voltage, and current to correct levels. However I don't think I can run this thing without fans for much longer, those heatsinks are getting much warmer much faster.... heh.
You may be asking, why don't I just wire two in series and add resistors of different values? Simple. Doing so would require the use of 5w resistors. Not cheap, and deff inefficient. A constant current device would bypass that. Though maybe not 95% efficient, but alot more efficient than a 5w resistor.
the device is simple enough, and costs less than $5 each (I think). Just a NPN transistor, two resistors and a N-Channel FET. I'm hoping Radio $hack has something useable.... though doubt it.
Another think I may wind up doing is using lenses, I think that would up the overall brightness level of the tank....
Oh yes, looks great btw. love the color rendering, I still havn't seen it with any surface agitation
One thing I've notice about LEDs over CFL's, consistant light levels at all levels of the tank... very interesting.
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Well, I'd deff be willing to say 30w of LED light beats 55w of PC, CFL.... But man the heat. Depending on how may LEDs are on the heat sink, and size of the heat sink, the heat sink can get as hot as 155+F, without a fan of course. I put a fan on one end, and it lowered the last HS down 30 degrees, and it was hardly getting air movement at all. I plan to add one more fan, (both pushing) and cut several vents on the top to help heat removal.
Oh, and Tannins really make the color look bad with LEDs. I basicly did a 100% WC so I could move the tank a little on the stand (it shifted, and I don't know how) and wow.... no tannins and the color is absolutely stunning. I don't want to add any blues, maybe some greens but thats it.
Sad part was water got into my PSU, again.... though the cover was off (I took it apart and I havn't gotten around to putting it back on. It will be fine, it just shuts off untill it dries....
I think I shall run it as is for the next week and see how plant growth is without CO2.
Oh, and Tannins really make the color look bad with LEDs. I basicly did a 100% WC so I could move the tank a little on the stand (it shifted, and I don't know how) and wow.... no tannins and the color is absolutely stunning. I don't want to add any blues, maybe some greens but thats it.
Sad part was water got into my PSU, again.... though the cover was off (I took it apart and I havn't gotten around to putting it back on. It will be fine, it just shuts off untill it dries....
I think I shall run it as is for the next week and see how plant growth is without CO2.
Ok, so its been longer than a week, heh. Anyone with plants and looking to upgrade their lights need to give serious thought to an LED system, wicked cool 
Plants are seemingly exploding in growth, havn't figured out why but I have an idea. Java moss LOVES this light, growing at a rate I've never seen before. The ferns also seem to be growing at an amazing pace. My E. Barthii is growing a full new leaf every two days, growth only matched with CO2 (and I havn't add CO2 up until now). The crypts growth is slow... but its there, though I just moved them all and its not doing so hot at the moment, one is suffering an acute case of crypt melt and the others grows at a super super slow rate. Please keep in mind I am not at full power, and yes, I haz shimmer 
I got the compenents for my current regulator, however digi-key fouled up and sent me these hugeish 1A potentiameters instead of my heatsinks for the mosfets. I'd fire it up but it would require resoldering the LEDs, and right now I don't feel comfortable running the MOSFETS without a heat sink.
Plants are seemingly exploding in growth, havn't figured out why but I have an idea. Java moss LOVES this light, growing at a rate I've never seen before. The ferns also seem to be growing at an amazing pace. My E. Barthii is growing a full new leaf every two days, growth only matched with CO2 (and I havn't add CO2 up until now). The crypts growth is slow... but its there, though I just moved them all and its not doing so hot at the moment, one is suffering an acute case of crypt melt
and the others grows at a super super slow rate. Please keep in mind I am not at full power, and yes, I haz shimmer I got the compenents for my current regulator, however digi-key fouled up and sent me these hugeish 1A potentiameters instead of my heatsinks for the mosfets. I'd fire it up but it would require resoldering the LEDs, and right now I don't feel comfortable running the MOSFETS without a heat sink.
Ok, after about 5 hours of slaving over a hot soldering iron, its finally finished, and finally running at 50w like I wanted it to. Its way brighter too, plus matching color temp of my old CFLs, but its not quite bringing out the red in my E Barthii, not sure why, may just be the plant, its done this a few times. And I'm thinking about adding a few blues, but gonna have to go crees if I do that. Oh yes, again the shimmer is awesome :evil_lol:
better fans are in order though, middle heatsink is running 130F, but its hardly getting any air.
Oh, I do have some pics, enjoy. Project is now about 85% complete, just a few finishing touches to do
The tank
Main constant current control board
Single LED string
The whole array
better fans are in order though, middle heatsink is running 130F, but its hardly getting any air.
Oh, I do have some pics, enjoy. Project is now about 85% complete, just a few finishing touches to do
The tank
Main constant current control board
Single LED string
The whole array
Nice, looking good. If you really wanted it to clean up nice, you could get one of those prefabbed gear boxes at radio shack to contain all the wiring and just one wire in and out, maybe with a toggle switch on the front too.
any pictures of how you're cooling your heatsinks?
If it were me, I would have found heatsinks will tall fins or somehow had the fins extend through the canopy, so the heatsinks are in the open. It won't look very good but it'll definitely keep it cool, especially with a fan.
If it were me, I would have found heatsinks will tall fins or somehow had the fins extend through the canopy, so the heatsinks are in the open. It won't look very good but it'll definitely keep it cool, especially with a fan.
Its two 12v fans wired in series, I had to do that or else get a headache every time I turned on my lights, those things may put out alot of air, but they are crazy noisy. Some newer, quieter fans are on their way, I have hopes that this will cool things down alot better while still remaining quiet. If not, plan B, bigger heatsinks.
And I'm not cutting holes into the top for the heatsinks,
And I'm not cutting holes into the top for the heatsinks,
