Cheap DIY led lighting retrofit build

[grumpy-crab]

So the other day i came up with an idea how to retrofit a stock hood light with led lights i had bought many months before. The leds are cheap Chinese lights off ebay. one is 9- 1w 10k the other is 9- 1w 560nm blue which will give me a 50/50 mixture with only using 18w when fully on. Total cost of build was less then $50 that includes the led light. And only took a few hours. Below is the screen shot of the ebay sale and the fixture im going to retrofit.

 

[grumpy-crab]

Start by removing the stock florescent mount assy. And the wires and switch. As seen below.

 

[grumpy-crab]

Next is test fit and placement. Great they will fit nicely

 

[grumpy-crab]

Then i painted the inside of the fixture. I used white because its what i already had. But you could use any color you would want lile silver or fake chrome ect. Or you dont have to paint at all.

 

[grumpy-crab]

Then i glued them in place. I used gorilla glue because its water resistant.

 

[grumpy-crab]

Then take a old knife or putty knife and heat it up till it really hot. You can use a propane torch or even your stove to accomplish this. Then take your hot knife and cut a spot out of the fixture for the power cables. It will melt its way through the plastic housing.

 

[grumpy-crab]

Here is the test. Not bad

 

[grumpy-crab]

Here it is above my 29g tank. It turned out great!

 

[grumpy-crab]

And here is the FTS with lights on and only the 560nm blues.

 

[fyrfytr]

Thanks for the post! Been thinking about something like this myself for my 36g bowfront...only I was thinking the heatsink and solder LEDs from like rapidLED or aquatraders so I could custom out what I wanted.

Did you run into any issues at all?

 

[grumpy-crab]

Thanks for the post! Been thinking about something like this myself for my 36g bowfront...only I was thinking the heatsink and solder LEDs from like rapidLED or aquatraders so I could custom out what I wanted.

Did you run into any issues at all?

I didnt have any problems. If i was going to keep corals i would have used rapidled.com and went that route but sense im fowlr i can get away with the Chinese fixtures with 1w leds. But my ne 93g cube im building i will be using rapidled.com and i will post that DIY led build once i start it.

 

[fyrfytr]

I am currently FOWLR but I want to get into corals. Since the tank is in the living room I want to keep it as clean as I can, and the lights hanging off the wall or ceiling just is not a option for me at this point, so I want to be able to intergrate coral-able (is this even a word) LEDs into the hood itself so it looks "stock" but has the punch. Also was thinking the DIY so I can custom out what color combination I want

 

[grumpy-crab]

You should be able to find heatsinks to fit in there. Also if you do the DIY you will want the light fixture to be raised off the tank so you get a even coverage and not spotlights with shadows. You can make a stand for them or like in my pictures a canopy frame which i can leave open or inclose it.

 

[fyrfytr]

I was under the impression that without optics it would work just fine

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[grumpy-crab]

I would imagine there would still be spotlighting if it was sitting on the tank sense it is suggested the DIY leds be spaced further apart for heat reasons.

 

[mcarroll]

I am currently FOWLR but I want to get into corals. Since the tank is in the living room I want to keep it as clean as I can, and the lights hanging off the wall or ceiling just is not a option for me at this point, so I want to be able to intergrate coral-able (is this even a word) LEDs into the hood itself so it looks "stock" but has the punch. Also was thinking the DIY so I can custom out what color combination I want

If you have at least 3+ inches (2.5" inside the hood) of vertical space I would take a look at 3x1w GU10 bulbs. Get them with 90° or 120° optics if they'll be low to the tank. (30° is the default). Ask if you want more info on this.

-Matt


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[FragStar101]

I love my diy leds good luck

 

[fyrfytr]

If you have at least 3+ inches (2.5" inside the hood) of vertical space I would take a look at 3x1w GU10 bulbs. Get them with 90° or 120° optics if they'll be low to the tank. (30° is the default). Ask if you want more info on this.

-Matt


Sent Via the R2R Forum APP

here is me asking for more info

 

[daz87]

Great guide...thanks for sharing it!



http://www.decoledlight.co.uk/led-spotlights.asp?types=*LED+Spotlights+>+LED+GU10