Biocube 14 LED upgrade

[klok95330]

 

[klok95330]

Tank is just sitting with water and pump to keep water moving. Its only running so I can clean it until I'm ready to get it going.

 

[klok95330]

Question for you guys. I'm putting mine together and am looking to finish it by tonight.

My question is, how does one wire the moonlight LED lighting into the hood?

I completely gut it out. I have my heatsink and LED's all installed along with the 2 drivers. Now I need to connect my 2 stock fans and the other fan that came with the LED kit. I just need to connect the moon lights somehow.

Should I connect them (2 actinics) straight to a DC power adapter?

As it is I'm going to connect the 2 stock fans and the 1 CPU fan and solder them together to fun off 1 12v DC power adapter. It has 1 amp and I'm assuming for the 2 small fans and the 1 bigger fan thats fine.

But should I use a dedicated DC power pack for the 2 moonlights? Or is that over kill? I have extra LEDs white/blue. I'm also trying to figure out what to do with the stock toggle switches for the light.

Should I run them inline with the LED and drivers so function?

My lights are going to be on timers of course. So I wonder if I would need toggle switches? I'm thinking I will for when I would need to just turn it off to life the hood. Then I need to figure out where to mount my potentiometer. But now my concern is mostly the questions of my moon LED lights.

Please respond when you can! I'm very anxious I'm excited to see it come along. I will post pics of my progress tonight!

 

[BLADEYAMAHA]

Well the moonlights are lower wattage and maybe different milliamps so yes you should have a separate driver for them, also you might want to use 4 1 watt LEDs as moonlights and not 3 watt LEDs if you aren't going to already. I would install a toggle or remote controlled A/C power on/off jack for turning them on and off. The remote controlled power jacks come in a plug n play adaptation and I got mine off Ebay, work nicely.

These are the ones I got but from a different vendor. Easier than using and installing a toggle switch IMO.

3 Pack Wireless Remote Control AC Power Plug Outlet Switch Model BH9936-3 | eBay

 

[klok95330]

Would I need the driver and the AC power adapter? Or could I get by with just using the AC power adapter for 2 LED's?

 

[saltlife305gio]

sweet upgrade well worth it i also have a nano its a 28gallon jbj it was hqi but took hood off and got rapidled 24 bulb 3 watt dimmable and i just love it

 

[klok95330]

How are your moon lights set up? Do you have a 3rd driver? Or just a AC power adapter?

 

[saltlife305gio]

i have 2 drivers one for blues and one for whites

 

[klok95330]

But the moon LEDs are straight off the power adapter? Did you use the stock hood set up for them?

 

[saltlife305gio]

no they didnt have a kit that fit my hood so i took off the hood and now i have the heat sink hanging over the tank, the moon lights are wired straight to driver the dimmer is hooked up to a ac power sorce

 

[klok95330]

I just wanna hook up my 2 LEDs and I'm not using anything stock. I'm not an electrician genius, so I'm being cautious. Wish it was as easy as soldering them to a 12v power supply

 

[klok95330]

Ok so I got the 12 LED's and 2 drivers set up. But I have 1 problem. When I dim either one too low it starts blinking. Any ideas? Maybe the drivers cant support them that low? Too few LEDs? Any ideas? I dont have a multimeter till weds when I get to work and pick it up.

 

[sk8rdn]

Ok so I got the 12 LED's and 2 drivers set up. But I have 1 problem. When I dim either one too low it starts blinking. Any ideas? Maybe the drivers cant support them that low? Too few LEDs? Any ideas? I dont have a multimeter till weds when I get to work and pick it up.

Most LEDs have issues being dimmed to less than 5%... Blinking is a common issue in situations like this. Try dimming to 5-10% then have them switch to a hard off (if you use a controller).

....Secret Super Hero....

 

[klok95330]

Right now they are always on time only. No manual shut off short of pulling the plug from the wall. Was thinking of using the toggle switches up top. But not sure exactly how I would do that.