DIY Lighting Canopy, thoughts after 6 years

BradB · Feb 26, 2019

I've been using the cobs, they are robust and cheap but I have no idea if the spectrum is correct or how efficient they are. I know I had a cyan which should be long enough wavelengths for my Apogee meter to be accurate, put out somewhere near 10% efficiency compared to over 50 on the Luxeon rb spec.

User1 · Feb 26, 2019

With the LDDs you are going to have a mess regardless. So the trick is how to package them up so they stay somewhat cool (they do get hot) and away from water. Here is a partial full board I was testing with. It gets messier when you start to include PWM converter. They LDD's work, they work very well. Just the wires, package, potential heat, gets tired of messing with. There are people here though who have them packaged nicely and it isn't a issue.

You can use long enough wires to store the driver mess under the cabinet. Just do your best to place LED's in canopy then picture who you would route the wires to the LDDs and how to store them say under the stand and water tight. That is what I was doing but like I said I've since removed them.

BradB · Feb 26, 2019

For those using dimming on their LDDs, are your main drivers on a timer? Or do you have them connected 24/7?

User1 · Feb 26, 2019

I used a controller be it Reef Angel or an Apex today. Anything powered with the lights - fans, drivers, and power supply all on / off via controller. They come on first, then PWM ramp up over time, PWM ramp down over time, then everything off.

Lingwendil · Feb 26, 2019

Constant power to the drivers 24/7 and just controlled via PWM.

As to the comment on the Steve's solderless, yeah they aren't the best connectors. I really like the Coralux and RapidLED versions, and finally used up my stash of o2Surplus designed PCBs recently, so started working on a new set of boards with similar functionality, and I really like to use screw terminals for these types of connections.

BradB · Feb 26, 2019

I think I know my next change. MDFLY has a "RJ45 Ethernet Connector Breakout Board". I can connect wires to these and solder them to my LEDs, then run 22AWG ethernet with standard crimped connectors to a separate box with the LDD drivers.

I still have a mess, but I can put that mess outside my canopy and other than the wire between the terminal and LEDs, I have no connections at all in my canopy, and have quick disconnects.