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02/28/2010, 03:26 AM | #1 |
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BioCube 14 DIY LED Build
My build has begun. Thought I would share this journey. A few weeks ago I ordered this from nanotuners.com:
1 x Nanocustoms Small Heatsink for AIOs 2 x Meanwell ELN-30-27D 12 x CUSTOM BERQUIST THERMAL PADS FOR XRE STAR 6 x CREE XRE-WG-Q5 on Star 6 x CREE XRE-RB on Star The shipping was delayed due to nanotuners waiting on the drivers to come in. I was assured I will be recieving everything this comming week. I decided to go ahead and get started with the dimming controls for my build. Today I picked this up at radioshack: 1 x 12v 1000ma wall adapter (Part # 273-0316) 2 x LM317 (Part # 276-1778) 2 x Linear Taper 10k Pot (Part # 271-1715) 2 x 1k ohm Resistor (Part # 271-1118) 2 x 470 ohm resistor (Part # 271-1115 1 x Project Box (Part # 270-1803) 1 x 3 pk 22g Wire (Part # 278-1224) 1 x M solderable jack (Part # 274-1577) 1 x PC Board (Part # 276-0150) 1 x 2 pk Metal Knob (Part # 274-0424) Here are some pics. Feel free to ask any question. |
02/28/2010, 09:08 AM | #2 |
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Impressive Job Thusfar! That looks "factory."
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02/28/2010, 02:59 PM | #3 |
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Thanks man.
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02/28/2010, 11:30 PM | #4 |
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I am still on the fence about the Berquist thermal pads. Has anyone else used them?
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03/01/2010, 07:52 AM | #5 | |
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I'm still trying to decide whether to use them or to drill and tap 200 holes. Bob |
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03/01/2010, 01:39 PM | #6 | |
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03/01/2010, 03:30 PM | #7 |
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03/08/2010, 08:12 PM | #8 |
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Spent about an hour polishing the heatsink because I like the bling. Now its ready for solder...
Last edited by DustnF; 03/08/2010 at 08:21 PM. |
03/08/2010, 08:18 PM | #9 |
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did you build your own variable voltage adapter for the meanwell because you couldn't find one to buy that you liked? or did you just feel like building one? I have the 5.6 LED retro from nanotuners on the way and I have the dimable drivers. I was hoping to get one from radioshack or somewhere that had 1v increments. Can not wait to see this on the tank.
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The only thing I know for sure is nothing! Carrie, why do you want someone in need to die? -iCam Current Tank Info: 29G BioCube with LED lighting, media basket, fuge (chamber 2), MJ1200 return pump, K nano & K 1 power heads, 32# LR, ~2" SB |
03/08/2010, 08:20 PM | #10 | |
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Here is a better pic showing the bling...lol
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03/08/2010, 09:53 PM | #11 |
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hmmm, 3v increments is unacceptable. I'm gonna have to ask you to build me a box like that. I'm completely incapable of wanting to do that myself.
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The only thing I know for sure is nothing! Carrie, why do you want someone in need to die? -iCam Current Tank Info: 29G BioCube with LED lighting, media basket, fuge (chamber 2), MJ1200 return pump, K nano & K 1 power heads, 32# LR, ~2" SB |
03/08/2010, 09:56 PM | #12 |
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Looks good
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03/24/2010, 10:07 PM | #13 |
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Since I was in the DIY mood, I finished up my LED array construction. Here it is all ready for install, which will not happen for a little while. Someone has already bought my BC14 with the LEDs togeather He is being very patient and letting me use it until my 65g is ready to accept its contents. It would not feel right to run lights he has already paid for. I am just going to install them when I get the tank emptied.
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03/25/2010, 08:40 AM | #14 |
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Looks sweet!
I'd add some sort of stress relief where the wires leave the LED array. As it is now, it looks like one good tug or pull will lift a pad off the first/last star.
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Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman) |
03/25/2010, 08:57 AM | #15 |
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Is it really that simple? If so it seems to me that LED fixtures are grossly overpriced.
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03/25/2010, 09:13 AM | #16 | |
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Most high-end commercial LED fixtures using comparable LEDs price out to about $20 - $30 per LED. Most DIY fixtures price out to $10 - $15 per LED. So on the surface, the DIY fixture is half the price. BUT, most commercial fixtures come with nice enclosures, a warranty, some sense of assurance that it's not going to burn your house down, and some degree of customer support; as well as paying for assembly labor (free in a DIY build), R&D, distribution, and some slim profit margin. IMHO as with many DIY ventures, the big advantage you get by DIY'ing an LED array is that you get EXACTLY what you want - no more, no less. It's a creativity thing, not necessarily a cost cutting thing.
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Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman) |
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03/25/2010, 10:14 AM | #17 | |||
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03/25/2010, 10:22 AM | #18 | |
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Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman) |
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03/25/2010, 10:38 AM | #19 | |
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03/25/2010, 10:39 AM | #20 |
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very nice!!!
PLZ don't stop update. |
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