Help with RSM 250 wiring diagram!

B

Bingocaller

Member
Hello

I am in the desperate need of some advice from you guys

I am thinking of placing 2 x 12 volts Blue LED strips in the top of my cabinet – but I have some trouble in where to connect them to the original wiring.

The LED strips should run like this:

1 x strip is on 24/7 = It should be connected to a 12 volts unit in the hood that is not a part of the timer

1 x strip is only on when the light tubes are on – and automatically shots of when they do = It should be connected to the timer watch that runs the lighting.

I have found the wire diagram for the Red sea max 250 hood (attacehd) – but I have no idea in what to look for.

I don’t want to run separate timers and 12 volt transformers since I already have plenty of these running

Could one of you be so kind to look at the picture and maybe illustrate on it in Paint or similar where I should connect the wires?

Thanks!

Bingocaller
 

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nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
welcomefish.gif

to ReefSanctuary and the RSM Club, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members
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Sorry I can't help, but we have many members in the club with DIY knowledge that should be able to help.

Start us a tank thread & share with us some pics of your tank, we would love to see it.
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Welcome to Reef Sanctuary and the RSM Club!

Wish I could help but I never do understand much of the electrical stuff.
 
B

Bingocaller

Member
Thank you for the nice welcome

The tanks isnt´s actually set up yet - I have just sold my RSM 130 and is begining to gather pieces for the new one.

I am thinking of running it only with a ATS system - should be interesting :dance:
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
is that an ATS - Algae Turf Scrubber ? Never seen one in a rsm... if you get one, start a thread & let us follow along...

my 130D & now my 250 both run 99.9% algae free... hardy cuc of snails (30 130d & more than 70 in 250) , cpe & purigen, weekly never miss 15% water changes ro/di, don't over feed, have been my keys - Cheer !
 
zenzence

zenzence

Member
Bingocaller,
I recently rewired my 130D hood to install leds and I have been thinking about your project. I was going to say that you could just splice the led strip AFTER one of the T5 ballasts for the timed strip. However I am not sure that the RSM ballast would be proper for your leds. As for the 24/7 strip I can only assume the 250 has a alternating light schedule similar to the 130. In other words light tubes come on then shut off and the moonlight leds turn on?? So there is no DC circuit that remains HOT 24/7 that you can tap into after a ballast even if we could say the RSM ballasts were appropriate for the leds, which I dont believe they are.
So my suggestion and this is only a suggestion is to install your new lights with their own drivers which you should have plenty of room to do so. You can splice in off terminal block for the "timed" led strip. Locate which lead off the terminal block is hot or has current during"lights on" using a simple volt meter and splice in BEFORE ballast. (I stress this you are going to be dealing with AC power so be careful and your leds must haver their own driver to convert the AC to DC)

For the 24/7 led stip you can splice into the AC lead from the wall as it enters hood or where it is attached to terminal block. (Again you will be dealing with AC power source so be careful and your led must have ther own drivers!!)

I am sorry but your wiring diagram is not color coded nor are the leads numbered as a traditional diagram so I cant tell you which wires to splice but you can find the correct wires to splice with a volt meter just be careful.

Disclamier I am not a electrician and not responsible for your safety this is intended as a recomendation only

Good luck
 
tnwillia

tnwillia

Well-Known Member
You need to get others to verify my suggestion and as Zenzence says "I am not a electrician and not responsible for your safety this is intended as a recomendation only".

My drawing are based on you leaving the 250 Blue LED switch on 24/7 and you run the lights in Auto letting the timer turn them on/off. Also, you need to think about the load your strips will place on the existing 12Vdc transformers. You may load them down to the point of failure. Others have added LED Strips so I'd let them jump in before you do this. Good luck!


DSC02540.jpg

DSC02539.jpg
 
zenzence

zenzence

Member
Tnwillia
Just curious my big thought was whether or not rsm ballast would be correct dc out for leds? I understood a ballast stores energy and supplies a initial spike of power which is required0 to "start the bulb" so was curious if this could damage the led strip but perhaps that only applies to MH ballast? Second wondering why is there a 24/7 dc lead in the rsm 250 hood? Does the lead hit ballast before the timer? In the rsm 130 the lead for lights hits timer first then ballast? Just wondering and in no way questioning your thoughts on project?
 
B

Bingocaller

Member
I did it once before on my RSM 130 - but they ran when the small blue led already installed ran - so it was damn easy jsut to tap into them (just follow the wires :) ) - this is a bit more tricky

Just that I am clear:

AC = 220 volt or similar
DC = 12 volts

?

Yes I should be an algea turf scrubber - and trust me I will load tons of pictures :)
 
tnwillia

tnwillia

Well-Known Member
Hey ZenZence, I'm doing some assuming from the DC drawing. It shows 2 12V Transformers (Source 12VDC converted from the 120Vac Transformers) I assume these are supplying the DC side of the timer/switches, Moonlite LEDs & Fans only. Looking at the AC drawing (Ballest/T5 lights) it has no connection to the DC side so I'm assuming these are completely seperate circuits (AC & DC). The Left DC transformer is hot going to pin 3 of the timer. The right is going to Fans/Fuse. Where I show tapping 24/7 is the hot section before it gets to the timer. Where I tapped the timed path is inline with the fans that only run when the T5 lights are on. I've not done this, Just looks like a possibility from the drawing. Thanks!

Bingocaller, yes 120/220 = Volts ac 12 = Volts dc in this tank drawing. Have fun!
 
zenzence

zenzence

Member
tnwillia,
Yup you are 100 percent correct! That makes alot more sense looking at those two diagrams. Only thing not sure about is the DC circuit is still hooked up to timer so not sure hes going to get 24/7 unless he taps in before timer?

zenzence
 
tnwillia

tnwillia

Well-Known Member
I think it will work this way assuming you don't load down the installed transformers with your LEDs. As I said, I've not tried this, your choice. Good luck!
 
tnwillia

tnwillia

Well-Known Member
I think someone's done 250 LEDs additions as you describe I'll have to do some searching when I get home. Not sure on the heat with the LEDs ither than I've seen pictures with some huge heatsink fins on them.
 
tnwillia

tnwillia

Well-Known Member
Your light strip doesn't look like it will cause heat problems. Good luck, others should jump in who've installed LEDs.
 
B

Bingocaller

Member
I am thinking the other way around - the LEDs dos not emit any heat at all - Im am thinking that the light tubes may melt the LEDs instead? If I glue the LED stribs on the back of the reflektor in the top - there is only 1 cm or so I think bewteen the light tubes and the LED stribs - so my concern is that the light tubes get so hot and the distance to the LED are so small - that the tubes might melt the LEDs?
 
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