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Unread 05/13/2012, 06:10 PM   #24
phasezero
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 239
Quote:
Originally Posted by Euler Kernighan View Post
DWMZ / TeraHZ,

thank you guys for helping us on this!

one more thing (last thing?) gimme your honest opinion here, i'm try to do:


a) six modules fixture, each one with 40 LEDs - each color Dimmable - modules don't "talk" each other
ratio of: 14 WHT (cool or neural?) + 14 BL (8 BL + 6 RB) + 4 RED + 4 GRN + 4UV

or


b) just "one" module fixture, total of 240 LED - each color Dimmable - modules "talk" each other
ratio of: 84 WHT (cool or neural?) + 84 BL (52 BL + 32 RB) + 24 RED + 24 GRN + 24UV


What is the best option?


based on your choice, what route should I take?

CAT4101 LED driver (how many per module) or LM3409HV
Arduino (how many per drive) or Hydra
power supply?


i tried to make some math on power supply (700mA for XPE, 1050mA for XPG) but didn't get it. got some information on the LEDs i'm planning to use but don't know how to use them:

these two must runnning @ 700mA, right?
Cree XT-E Royal Blue 3.5V
Cree XP-E Blue 3.5V

this one must runnning @ 1050mA?
Cree XP-G R5 Cool White 3.v

a just got this information about this three:
Osram 3W Red LED 2.15V @400mA
Violet UV 3W LED 3.5V @ 700mA
XP-E Green 3W LED 3.8V @ 1000mA


should I run all @700mA?

it seems there's a word caution with parallel string of LEDs, right? so i'm intend run them in series - what do you think?


as you guys know, I knwo nothing about this and will strictly follow your directions.


thanks a lot!
I think you should create separate heat sink layouts for modular capability. Then you could arrange your heat sinks to fit whatever aquascape you choose. If you limit yourself to one large heatsink with a ton of LED's, and you all of a sudden want a minimalistic aquascape with tons of open space, it would be a waste to have all these LED's blasting the sand bed, when you could just place less fixtures with no optics around those areas.

The separate heat sink clusters also gives you a chance for some extra planning. Experiment with one heatsink and order a butt ton of LED's and find out what you like best. Then you can just take this design and scale it to fit your tank. While you can do a ton of research to find what other people like, there's still that possibility it might not fit your taste when you see it in person. So experimenting with one gives you that chance to find out what fits your personal taste.

As far as the LED specs, many people seem to be satisfied with their light output using optics and don't see a need to run their LED's at their max rated capabilities to prevent bleaching or extending their LED life. I on on the other hand don't use optics and have my drivers set so that with my potentiometer turned to the max, that my LED's are using their max current. So right now I have my XPG's set to use 1.5A if i choose to, and my XPE RB's at 1A. I would set my whites to max but I don't have enough royal blues to offset the powerful whites.


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