My DIY LED Lights

Cassette87 · 01-09-2008, 03:06 PM

Just thought I'd start my own thread for this, as i didn't want to hijack the other DIY led thread... not to mention this will be an ongoing project, that may lead to me building my own "solaris" equivalent. So far here is what I've got!

so far it's not much, and on this bar, i've placed the lights much too close together. I'm not sure whether I will continue to attempt making "supplemental" llights, or if my next attempt will be at an entire light fixture to replace my PC's. I plan to use a potentiometer to control brightness, and eventually a digital pot. programmed to auto light/dim for day, night cycles. I know this will be quite involved, but i think it will be quite an interesting DIY project! Enjoy!

I will have video of my tank with and without the lightbar to see the results with the above lightbar, later on today.

Thanks for reading!

Woodstock · 01-09-2008, 03:14 PM

How fun! It looks really bright already

BigAl07 · 01-09-2008, 03:18 PM

Very bright indeed!!

Allen LIKEY!!

tippMANn98 · 01-09-2008, 04:03 PM

I think thats a hell of a lot better than I would have the patience for. Looks good andy....How many are on that first strip? each individual watts? and how many total LEDS would you need for the whole tank?

boozeman · 01-09-2008, 04:12 PM

very cool

Dentoid · 01-09-2008, 04:20 PM

Bright idea!

Andy, I didn't know you were so handy!

Cassette87 · 01-09-2008, 08:08 PM

Thanks Everyone!

heh, scott

I try

Dan - there are 16 LEDs, running in parallel ~3.6v Max is 3.8, so they can get a bit brighter

Heres a video guys! Sorry about my voice if i sound congested or whatnot I just got home from the doctor

Been sick for a couple weeks now
*edit* i removed this vid and will be adding another below; I'll make a better comparison video tomorrow*

Cassette87 · 01-09-2008, 08:12 PM

It's not very easy to see what's going on in the video, and the colors are no good through my little point and shoot digi cam for video

anywho, i tried! more as it happens...

panmanmatt · 01-09-2008, 08:15 PM

Looks great. I have a nice little pico tank that they would work wonderfully on.

Cassette87 · 01-09-2008, 08:41 PM

K guys here's the shorter new vid as promised!

tippMANn98 · 01-10-2008, 08:51 AM

Wow that is super bright from that one strip. I WANT SOME!!!!! I can hook them up under my canopy.....if you dont mind me asking, how much was it to make that 16 led strip? from start to finish?

Dentoid · 01-10-2008, 08:56 AM

I'm impressed!

cracker · 01-10-2008, 09:15 AM

Very COOL!

Cassette87 · 01-10-2008, 04:47 PM

Thanks everyone!
Dan - i'll pm you with the info you wanted... I can't really say how many to light the whole tank yet, as that's what i'm experimenting with now to find out myself. I know theoretically i can light my whole tank (29 gallon, 30lx12dx18h with ~48 LEDs. whether or not this will provide sufficient intensity is yet to be determined. Each LED runs a max of 3.8v, but 3.4-3.6 is more likely where i'll be running them for longevity. If this all works out, i'll be happy to produce some fixtures for you guys! But for now i still need to experiment, i'd be embarrassed to send someone a piece of junk! Here is my start of the second trial:it should cover an area of 11" X 11" at a distance of 12" away from the light. I am using an identical number of LED's for this fixture as the bar, so obviously the light will be less intense, but i'm not yet sure what intensity is sufficient.. overkill is obviously not a good idea, for my wallet or my tank. Having the leds spread over a distance will also allow the "shimmer" of the water to prevail

updates to come...

Cassette87 · 01-13-2008, 05:55 PM

Okay guys, got the board in my last post set up for a test run, so here goes: enjoy the video

01-09-2008, 03:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
Cassette87 Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Palos Park, IL Posts: 1,272 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	My DIY LED Lights Just thought I'd start my own thread for this, as i didn't want to hijack the other DIY led thread... not to mention this will be an ongoing project, that may lead to me building my own "solaris" equivalent. So far here is what I've got! so far it's not much, and on this bar, i've placed the lights much too close together. I'm not sure whether I will continue to attempt making "supplemental" llights, or if my next attempt will be at an entire light fixture to replace my PC's. I plan to use a potentiometer to control brightness, and eventually a digital pot. programmed to auto light/dim for day, night cycles. I know this will be quite involved, but i think it will be quite an interesting DIY project! Enjoy! I will have video of my tank with and without the lightbar to see the results with the above lightbar, later on today. Thanks for reading! __________________ Andy My 29 Gallon Reef! My DIY LED Lights Current Status - around - 2/14/08 Happy Valentine's Day!

01-09-2008, 03:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 21,652 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights How fun! It looks really bright already __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* ~120 Reef Chronicle ~ *~29 gal QT/Hospital tank~* *~3 gal Pico~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 120 mixed reef, dual Reeflux 10k 250 MH, dual Actinic t5s,AquaController III, ASM g3, 2x Korallia #3, Mag 9.5 return

01-09-2008, 03:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Addict (hopeless) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 8,843 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights Very bright indeed!! Allen LIKEY!! __________________ Allen Allen's testimonial . . ."Let Me help you help YOURSELF" (Click Here) with a SW set up there is one basic fundamental rule that we ALL should follow *When in doubt... wait it out. This means take it slow and let the tank "develop" and don't rush it. Time is your friend Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Reef Balls & Cakes Debt Free & Change your Family Tree!!

01-09-2008, 04:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
tippMANn98 RS Nano Club UNLTD. Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Port Richey, FL Posts: 1,780 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights I think thats a hell of a lot better than I would have the patience for. Looks good andy....How many are on that first strip? each individual watts? and how many total LEDS would you need for the whole tank? __________________ Daniel W. Oceanic Bio Cube 29: Nanocustoms 4.36 upgrade, Sapphire BC29 recirculating Skimmer, Maxi 1200 Are YOU in the NANO CLUB? Special Thanks to: PEMfish My Reef Cronicle Our Wedding Pictures!! Sea World Honeymoon Slideshow! "Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday"

01-09-2008, 04:20 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 9,529 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My DIY LED Lights Bright idea! Andy, I didn't know you were so handy! __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

01-09-2008, 08:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
Cassette87 Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Palos Park, IL Posts: 1,272 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights Thanks Everyone! heh, scott I try Dan - there are 16 LEDs, running in parallel ~3.6v Max is 3.8, so they can get a bit brighter Heres a video guys! Sorry about my voice if i sound congested or whatnot I just got home from the doctor Been sick for a couple weeks now edit i removed this vid and will be adding another below; I'll make a better comparison video tomorrow* __________________ Andy My 29 Gallon Reef! My DIY LED Lights Current Status - around - 2/14/08 Happy Valentine's Day!

01-09-2008, 08:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
Cassette87 Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Palos Park, IL Posts: 1,272 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights It's not very easy to see what's going on in the video, and the colors are no good through my little point and shoot digi cam for video anywho, i tried! more as it happens... __________________ Andy My 29 Gallon Reef! My DIY LED Lights Current Status - around - 2/14/08 Happy Valentine's Day!

01-09-2008, 08:15 PM	#9 (permalink)
panmanmatt Acropora Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Waretown, NJ Posts: 1,727 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My DIY LED Lights Looks great. I have a nice little pico tank that they would work wonderfully on. __________________ The mind is like a parachute, it only works when opened. (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(")

01-09-2008, 08:41 PM	#10 (permalink)
Cassette87 Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Palos Park, IL Posts: 1,272 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights K guys here's the shorter new vid as promised! __________________ Andy My 29 Gallon Reef! My DIY LED Lights Current Status - around - 2/14/08 Happy Valentine's Day!

01-10-2008, 08:51 AM	#11 (permalink)
tippMANn98 RS Nano Club UNLTD. Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Port Richey, FL Posts: 1,780 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights Wow that is super bright from that one strip. I WANT SOME!!!!! I can hook them up under my canopy.....if you dont mind me asking, how much was it to make that 16 led strip? from start to finish? __________________ Daniel W. Oceanic Bio Cube 29: Nanocustoms 4.36 upgrade, Sapphire BC29 recirculating Skimmer, Maxi 1200 Are YOU in the NANO CLUB? Special Thanks to: PEMfish My Reef Cronicle Our Wedding Pictures!! Sea World Honeymoon Slideshow! "Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday"

01-10-2008, 08:56 AM	#12 (permalink)
Dentoid Over Achiever Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 9,529 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My DIY LED Lights I'm impressed! __________________ Scott Dentoid's Reeforama

01-10-2008, 09:15 AM	#13 (permalink)
cracker Reef Lobster Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: North East Florida Posts: 1,596 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: My DIY LED Lights Very COOL!

01-10-2008, 04:47 PM	#14 (permalink)
Cassette87 Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Palos Park, IL Posts: 1,272 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights Thanks everyone! Dan - i'll pm you with the info you wanted... I can't really say how many to light the whole tank yet, as that's what i'm experimenting with now to find out myself. I know theoretically i can light my whole tank (29 gallon, 30lx12dx18h with ~48 LEDs. whether or not this will provide sufficient intensity is yet to be determined. Each LED runs a max of 3.8v, but 3.4-3.6 is more likely where i'll be running them for longevity. If this all works out, i'll be happy to produce some fixtures for you guys! But for now i still need to experiment, i'd be embarrassed to send someone a piece of junk! Here is my start of the second trial:it should cover an area of 11" X 11" at a distance of 12" away from the light. I am using an identical number of LED's for this fixture as the bar, so obviously the light will be less intense, but i'm not yet sure what intensity is sufficient.. overkill is obviously not a good idea, for my wallet or my tank. Having the leds spread over a distance will also allow the "shimmer" of the water to prevail updates to come... __________________ Andy My 29 Gallon Reef! My DIY LED Lights Current Status - around - 2/14/08 Happy Valentine's Day!

01-13-2008, 05:55 PM	#15 (permalink)
Cassette87 Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Palos Park, IL Posts: 1,272 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: My DIY LED Lights Okay guys, got the board in my last post set up for a test run, so here goes: enjoy the video __________________ Andy My 29 Gallon Reef! My DIY LED Lights Current Status - around - 2/14/08 Happy Valentine's Day!

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