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LED DIY
- Thread starter mow said
- Start date
Costa
Member
This is great Mow Said, well done! Amazing growth, great looking, lush plants!
I am thinking of replicating this for my 200 x 60 x 60 cm tank, and would very much appreciate some guidance on what to buy and a little hand holding putting it all together (although I don't live in the UK)
I am thinking of replicating this for my 200 x 60 x 60 cm tank, and would very much appreciate some guidance on what to buy and a little hand holding putting it all together (although I don't live in the UK)
Cactusface
Member
Hi,
I didn't find COB LEDS that good, in fact some individual leds failed to work after a time. The 1W leds seem to be doing the job, with good coverage better then COBS, are these from China? and quite cheap or not?
Mel.
I didn't find COB LEDS that good, in fact some individual leds failed to work after a time. The 1W leds seem to be doing the job, with good coverage better then COBS, are these from China? and quite cheap or not?
Mel.
hey were are you from and it can be done easily depends what you using the tank for co2 planted or low tech. That size of a tank you will be looking to spend close to 500 on led units but if you make your own like mine it would be way cheaper let me know what kind of tank you will running.
Costa
Member
Hey @mow said, thanks for the reply. I am based in Athens Greece and I do have access to all the items you described in your project. I was thinking of glueing the LEDs on a 2-3 mm aluminum piece directly, for better heat dissipation. I've never done this before so I really look forward to your suggestions.
Thanks again
Costa
zozo
Member
I can imagine, having a bad experience with a bad manufactured COB or maybe an very early generation that you might think it's in the type of led. But it isn't, it's more likely bad luck. I'm using COB leds now for over 1 year, still the same units, no problems at all. Both types of LED can do the job realy well. You also can buy bad quality 1 watt or 3 watt HP LEDs.
rebel
Member
- Joined
- 4 Aug 2015
- Messages
- 2,265
Thanks so much for the circuit diagram. It is clear to me now as to how to wire up such a system.
@mow said, what's the voltage for each led string with this system? I am thinking that 6x3W leds would need about 6x3V = 18V across each string?? or for 6x1W led should be 6x1v = 6V or there abouts?
@mow said, what's the voltage for each led string with this system? I am thinking that 6x3W leds would need about 6x3V = 18V across each string?? or for 6x1W led should be 6x1v = 6V or there abouts?
Barbara Turner
Member
Hi Mow
Looks really good, How long did it take you to solder? My DIY light took a while and I only have 25 Cobs
You can buy adhesive thermal paste that will give you far better results. sorry it's a uk link.. Hopefully, you can find similar.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thermal-...hash=item3f7a370a19:m:mUqVxPUog5TWL4BSJ2FnadQ
Interesting mix of colours, I went for cool white, full spectrum and cyan. It does look slightly pink but plants are doing well.
First batch of Cob's have given me some problems, they're meant to be 10w but blow up if you run then anything over 5w.
Just got another batch and haven't had any problems so far.
Looks really good, How long did it take you to solder? My DIY light took a while and I only have 25 Cobs
You can buy adhesive thermal paste that will give you far better results. sorry it's a uk link.. Hopefully, you can find similar.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thermal-...hash=item3f7a370a19:m:mUqVxPUog5TWL4BSJ2FnadQ
Interesting mix of colours, I went for cool white, full spectrum and cyan. It does look slightly pink but plants are doing well.
First batch of Cob's have given me some problems, they're meant to be 10w but blow up if you run then anything over 5w.
Just got another batch and haven't had any problems so far.
You will need a 1R8 ohm which is 1.8 ohm 2w resistor for 3w led. And you can wire 6 leds with it aswell. So it is not the same resistor used with 1w make sure its the 1R8 ohm /1.8 ohm 2w resistor for 6 3w leds
Obviously there is two resistors on this one but here is an example of how it should be soldered on the lm317, you will only need one resistor connected to the lm317 (1R8).Make sure you use a thermal pad as you can on the picture and a pad underneath the resistor aa you do not want to get electrocuted. Hope it helps
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When you use 24V power supply and 6 leds per 1 lm317 connected to resistor there is a limit factor. You can use more power than you need but not less. The led unit will draw what it needs. So if you have 500w supply and the leds you have only draws 100w then it will only draw that much power nothing more.
[How much can leds you connect with a single LM317/resistor ]
32V driver (8) leds
24V driver (6) leds
12V driver (3) leds
If you want to use 3W LEDs you will need 1.8 ohm resistor -/ which is equal to 695mA
(200pcs/lot) 1.8 Ohm 2W Watt 5% Carbon Metal Oxide Film Resistor
http://s.aliexpress.com/EB77nmeU?fromSns=Copy to Clipboard
To calculate what power supply you need to multiply ranks(6 led per rank) x mA = Amp
Example
8 ranks (6- 3w led per rank) X 0,7 A = 5.6 Amp
24v driver x 5.6 = 134.4
Make sure u have 10% power on the driver extra and for this reason i would get a 24v 200w driver. You can get 150 but to be careful i would go for 200w as they dont come in 180w/190w etc.
Do not forget each channel on the tc420 has a 4 amp max rating so to calculate this for 3w led/
5 Ranks (6 leds per rank) x 0.7 = 3.5
24v ( power supply) X 3.5= 84w
So this means max you can do is 4amp so you can only create 5 ranks per channel which is 84w and 84w x 4 channels = 336 w totals. So tc420 can handle 480w even more but to be safe 336w would be good enough as we using resistors and drivers.
As you can see the diagram i drew has 96 1w leds and 16 ranks all together.
16 x 0.3 ma = 4.8
24v x 4.8 = 115w
Power supply used was 6.5 amp 150w.
Ofcorse the number of leds is 96 and that is 96w but the led unit will draw more power something like 115w depending on how you dimmer the lights.
Let me know what you intend to make and i can draw a sketch for you as i do not have a pc atm.
[How much can leds you connect with a single LM317/resistor ]
32V driver (8) leds
24V driver (6) leds
12V driver (3) leds
If you want to use 3W LEDs you will need 1.8 ohm resistor -/ which is equal to 695mA
(200pcs/lot) 1.8 Ohm 2W Watt 5% Carbon Metal Oxide Film Resistor
http://s.aliexpress.com/EB77nmeU?fromSns=Copy to Clipboard
To calculate what power supply you need to multiply ranks(6 led per rank) x mA = Amp
Example
8 ranks (6- 3w led per rank) X 0,7 A = 5.6 Amp
24v driver x 5.6 = 134.4
Make sure u have 10% power on the driver extra and for this reason i would get a 24v 200w driver. You can get 150 but to be careful i would go for 200w as they dont come in 180w/190w etc.
Do not forget each channel on the tc420 has a 4 amp max rating so to calculate this for 3w led/
5 Ranks (6 leds per rank) x 0.7 = 3.5
24v ( power supply) X 3.5= 84w
So this means max you can do is 4amp so you can only create 5 ranks per channel which is 84w and 84w x 4 channels = 336 w totals. So tc420 can handle 480w even more but to be safe 336w would be good enough as we using resistors and drivers.
As you can see the diagram i drew has 96 1w leds and 16 ranks all together.
16 x 0.3 ma = 4.8
24v x 4.8 = 115w
Power supply used was 6.5 amp 150w.
Ofcorse the number of leds is 96 and that is 96w but the led unit will draw more power something like 115w depending on how you dimmer the lights.
Let me know what you intend to make and i can draw a sketch for you as i do not have a pc atm.
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Hey barbara ,
It took me a day i think it was like 8 hours. As i bought all material precut all i had to is get a ruler , measure , glue and solder. And soldering is very long but once you get the hang of it its all good.
Cob leds produce allot of heat i think @zozo knows more about cob leds than me. Show me you set up and what you are using maybe i can help you.
But in the future you can make something like this maybe. These pictures are not mine btw but i know were to get all these material online. I have all the link were to buy everything anyone who needs to build one just let me know and i would be happy to provide link to were you can buy drivers,heatsinks,leds and others
zozo
Member
I never builded something with HP leds, so i have nothing to compare.. And cobs are in several designs available. I have a few DC12 constant voltage units in use with a 1000 lum per unit that stay pretty cool to the touch if a proper heatsink is used. The smaller constant current cobs 30 volt 350mA 7 Watt/750 lum get significantly hotter..
Barbara Turner
Member
I'm using a
10 - Cool white 10w Cobs
10 - Full Spectrum10w Cobs
5 - Green 10w Cobs
You can see them glued down to the Aluminium profile with thermal adhesive paste.
I wired them in series in batches of 5
I'm then using 5 boost converters that allow me to run constant current or constant voltage these are run off 2 x 24v laptop power supplies
These are swiched on and off with a 4 channel sonoff controller that allows me to turn them on and off via my phone, It also set up schedule and controls CO2
10 - Cool white 10w Cobs
10 - Full Spectrum10w Cobs
5 - Green 10w Cobs
You can see them glued down to the Aluminium profile with thermal adhesive paste.
I wired them in series in batches of 5
I'm then using 5 boost converters that allow me to run constant current or constant voltage these are run off 2 x 24v laptop power supplies
These are swiched on and off with a 4 channel sonoff controller that allows me to turn them on and off via my phone, It also set up schedule and controls CO2
