Diy "Halo" moonlights for Kessil leds!!!

burban94 · 09/19/2012, 11:47 PM

Since I got my Kessil a350w's installed back in June I wanted to add moonlights back to the tank as well. The only problem I had was installing them and have them be as minimal as the kessils. So I got to thinking about some flexible leds that I had used as moonlights a few years ago and applied that to the kessils.

Here are all the tools I used for this project:

Next I cleaned up the bottom edge with alcohol and started taping the led strand around the fixture. The leds can be cut after every third led. Cutting the strand left me with a 1 inch gap that I hid in the back. After that I took a paint marker and covered about half of the leds (but not enough to block the light output) to control light spill. Painting the leds didn't give me the result I wanted, so I ran electrical tape around the strand about halfway down (same as the paint marker) and trimmed it in the groove just above the leds. Much better looking. Once that was all done all I had to do was wire them to a 12v wall wart. The strand isn't labeled with + or - but luckily they can only be wired one way. All in all it was a super simple process that anyone can do. No hacking the kessils or voiding your warranty...

burban94 · 09/19/2012, 11:51 PM

More....

burban94 · 09/19/2012, 11:55 PM

And more...

Forgot to mention these are side emitting leds. Two packs covered 3 a350s and 1 a150 with a little to spare.

fishyguy7 · 09/20/2012, 03:24 AM

Nice job!

Aquatron · 09/20/2012, 06:04 AM

Nice job thinking outside the box!!! Looks great

lcashman · 09/20/2012, 06:16 AM

Where did you purchase the LEDs?
Nice job BTW.

burban94 · 09/20/2012, 09:54 AM

I got them at SuperBrightLeds.

skunkmere · 09/20/2012, 12:23 PM

pretty awesome.

rckrzy1 · 09/25/2014, 09:35 AM

I went with halo angel eye led's, 80mm in black board. I also use 2 ac adaptors, a 9.0v for moon light and 12V for dusk to dawn as at 12V these are quite bright.

Pardon the mess as I was in the middle of changing to Kessils and getting things placed while replacing the "box" leds.

burban94 · 09/25/2014, 09:15 PM

Looks good, I like it.

morgank · 10/07/2014, 01:22 PM

@rckrzy1, what other parts were required to get those hooked up?

burban94 · 10/09/2014, 10:15 AM

The standard leds or the angel eyes?

rckrzy1 · 10/14/2014, 03:25 PM

Halo LED's on superbright web sight. I used 2 300ma ac adaptors from radio shack, adjustable voltage, I put it all together with euro style terminal strip from RS also, and 2 30V diodes I had laying around. Diodes used to keep adaptors from feeding each other.

I just built another for a local reefer.

If you don't want the dual intensity you can just buy 1 ac adaptor and hook it up.

rckrzy1 · 10/15/2014, 02:22 PM

Here is quick schematic of running dual intensity, the halo led will be very dim at 7.5 setting, since the steering diode drops .4v you may need to use the 9v setting to drive it, if you can find a 8.0 that would be the sweet spot for moon lights. At 12V the dusk to dawn type light is pretty bright, it draws 300ma at 12V, if you wanted more you can use 13V but then you will need a 500ma supply, these led's are meant for cars so even 13.5-14 would work.

burban94 · 10/16/2014, 06:37 AM

Is it safe to assume that only one power supply is running at any given time?

rckrzy1 · 10/17/2014, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burban94

Is it safe to assume that only one power supply is running at any given time?

Yes

rookie1346 · 10/20/2014, 12:12 PM

Can you post a pic of your tank with just the angel eyes (halo) on as moonlights, thanks

rckrzy1 · 10/21/2014, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rookie1346

Can you post a pic of your tank with just the angel eyes (halo) on as moonlights, thanks

will try and remember tonight. I have found that different supplies work differently at 7.5V ( what most adjustable have ) some put out a low level moon light, the one I bought would not fire at 7.5 so I have to run 9v which is a tad bright to me, 8.0v would be optimum . And 12V is quite bright and since these are meant for cars you can run 13.5V for enough to run a small nano almost, just be advised at 12V they draw 300MA and you can use a 300ma supply, at 13.5 you need atleast a 500ma .

rckrzy1 · 10/21/2014, 09:00 PM

Ok tried to as accurate as possible to what it actually looks like, did not get white balance for this level so it shows more purple than blue, used the same manual exposure for both 1/30 f2.8 iso 800 , first is my dusk to dawn 12v , second moon 9v

trukgirl · 10/21/2014, 09:29 PM

Nice!!! Great idea!!!

Love this!!

How long have you had these running? I run my Kessils at 100% during a good part of the day and I know they put out a lot of heat... have you had any problems/concerns with the heat of the Kessil messing with the LEDs or the way they are attached? (as in melting, smoke, etc)

itzonlithai · 10/21/2014, 10:50 PM

Wow! That looks great, going to have to put these on my Kessils.

rckrzy1 · 10/22/2014, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trukgirl

Nice!!! Great idea!!!

Love this!!

How long have you had these running? I run my Kessils at 100% during a good part of the day and I know they put out a lot of heat... have you had any problems/concerns with the heat of the Kessil messing with the LEDs or the way they are attached? (as in melting, smoke, etc)

Not my original idea, got it from OP , just used a different LED and then tweaked it, which is what this forum is about.

Been running for a couple of months, my kessils run 100% both channels and they are maybe 100F at most , very cool running, maybe your fan needs cleaned ? As I could not melt wax with mine.

I just wonder if my fish think they are on a different planet ? Being 2 moons ?
And I allready built this set up for a local reefer who did not have any electrical skills, actually enjoy these type of projects, and it looks so clean.

m.adamschwartz · 10/22/2014, 11:15 AM

Those look real sharp! Love the idea, and cool coloration from the LED's at night too!

burban94 · 10/22/2014, 11:24 AM

My kessils are warm to the touch but aren't hot. Try blowing them out with compressed air.

trukgirl · 10/28/2014, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rckrzy1

Been running for a couple of months, my kessils run 100% both channels and they are maybe 100F at most , very cool running, maybe your fan needs cleaned ? As I could not melt wax with mine?

My fans probably do need cleaned lol.... They don't run super hot I've just noticed the heat that does come off the bottom by the lens I didn't know if it was hot enough or not to mess with them that's why I was asking

Both ideas from the OP and the halo are awesome. I'm getting my husband to do this!!!

09/20/2012, 06:04 AM	#5
Aquatron Refugium pat.#D414,242 Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 844	Nice job thinking outside the box!!! Looks great __________________ Doctor "Aquatron" Mister "Spinner" 300 gallon TRUVU AquaSystem "Mod" w/ 150 gallon control center....... Build Thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2276765&highlight=300+dt+

10/21/2014, 09:29 PM	#20
trukgirl <3 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Granite City, IL (near STL MO) Posts: 631	Nice!!! Great idea!!! Love this!! How long have you had these running? I run my Kessils at 100% during a good part of the day and I know they put out a lot of heat... have you had any problems/concerns with the heat of the Kessil messing with the LEDs or the way they are attached? (as in melting, smoke, etc) __________________ JoAnn "The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian." - unk. Current Tank Info: 44g corner clown/nem tank, 220g aggressive/predator w/75g sump, Apex controlled, Kessil lit

10/22/2014, 11:15 AM	#23
m.adamschwartz Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Franklin, Indiana Posts: 52	Those look real sharp! Love the idea, and cool coloration from the LED's at night too! __________________ 28 gallon nano cube/ 90 gallon project in the works Current Tank Info: 28 gallon heavily stocked nano cube and currently building a 90 gallon reef

09/20/2012, 03:24 AM	#4
fishyguy7 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Fort Collins,CO Posts: 426	Nice job!

09/20/2012, 06:16 AM	#6
lcashman Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central IL Posts: 824	Where did you purchase the LEDs? Nice job BTW.

09/20/2012, 09:54 AM	#7
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 80	I got them at SuperBrightLeds.

09/20/2012, 12:23 PM	#8
skunkmere Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: chicago Posts: 6,434	pretty awesome.

09/25/2014, 09:35 AM	#9
rckrzy1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hurst, TX Posts: 219	I went with halo angel eye led's, 80mm in black board. I also use 2 ac adaptors, a 9.0v for moon light and 12V for dusk to dawn as at 12V these are quite bright. Pardon the mess as I was in the middle of changing to Kessils and getting things placed while replacing the "box" leds.

09/25/2014, 09:15 PM	#10
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 80	Looks good, I like it.

10/07/2014, 01:22 PM	#11
morgank Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Danbury, CT Posts: 44	@rckrzy1, what other parts were required to get those hooked up?

10/09/2014, 10:15 AM	#12
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 80	The standard leds or the angel eyes?

10/14/2014, 03:25 PM	#13
rckrzy1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hurst, TX Posts: 219	Halo LED's on superbright web sight. I used 2 300ma ac adaptors from radio shack, adjustable voltage, I put it all together with euro style terminal strip from RS also, and 2 30V diodes I had laying around. Diodes used to keep adaptors from feeding each other. I just built another for a local reefer. If you don't want the dual intensity you can just buy 1 ac adaptor and hook it up.

10/15/2014, 02:22 PM	#14
rckrzy1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hurst, TX Posts: 219	Here is quick schematic of running dual intensity, the halo led will be very dim at 7.5 setting, since the steering diode drops .4v you may need to use the 9v setting to drive it, if you can find a 8.0 that would be the sweet spot for moon lights. At 12V the dusk to dawn type light is pretty bright, it draws 300ma at 12V, if you wanted more you can use 13V but then you will need a 500ma supply, these led's are meant for cars so even 13.5-14 would work.

10/16/2014, 06:37 AM	#15
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 80	Is it safe to assume that only one power supply is running at any given time?

10/20/2014, 12:12 PM	#17
rookie1346 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 1	Can you post a pic of your tank with just the angel eyes (halo) on as moonlights, thanks

10/21/2014, 09:00 PM	#19
rckrzy1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hurst, TX Posts: 219	Ok tried to as accurate as possible to what it actually looks like, did not get white balance for this level so it shows more purple than blue, used the same manual exposure for both 1/30 f2.8 iso 800 , first is my dusk to dawn 12v , second moon 9v

10/21/2014, 10:50 PM	#21
itzonlithai Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 198	Wow! That looks great, going to have to put these on my Kessils.

10/22/2014, 11:24 AM	#24
burban94 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 80	My kessils are warm to the touch but aren't hot. Try blowing them out with compressed air.