LED Q&A (You ask, I'll answer)

keokea · Sep 13, 2012

Would running 16 leds on two parallel strings of 8 on the 60-48D make the amperage 650-700mah?

Texasnano · Sep 13, 2012

What do u need to create a lightning affect over ur tank... In conjunction with a apex

Reef Breeders · Sep 13, 2012

keokea said:
Would running 16 leds on two parallel strings of 8 on the 60-48D make the amperage 650-700mah?

It could be anywhere from 200 to 1800ma, you need to tune it! I would use a 1 ohm 5 watt resistor to test each string, and bring it to the desired amperage, using a 10v input to turn it, and making sure that the LEDs are all connected. Also, you need the same LEDs in each string, differing diodes will cause a current imbalance.

Reef Breeders · Sep 13, 2012

Texasnano said:
What do u need to create a lightning affect over ur tank... In conjunction with a apex

There are hundreds, please specify a little more.

Texasnano · Sep 13, 2012

Well let's just say if I wanted to hook up a doz LEDs on a bar to flash and simulate lightning what kind of LEDs and driver is needed. Something to do after my day lights go off so like a night time lightning storm. I dunno just curious

Reef Breeders · Sep 14, 2012

Texasnano said:
Well let's just say if I wanted to hook up a doz LEDs on a bar to flash and simulate lightning what kind of LEDs and driver is needed. Something to do after my day lights go off so like a night time lightning storm. I dunno just curious

I would use cool whites on an eln 60-48 set at 700 ma. Turn it on and off immediately after to make lightning. Keep in mind, fish in nature do not see lightning or notice a storm under water, so I am not a fan of that effect, it will stress your fish.

zemuss · Sep 14, 2012

anemonekeeper I will pm you.

Mightyfish · Sep 18, 2012

Hi Anemonekeeper, i have a mysterious problem with my led system and am getting no where to solve the problem, hopefully you can help please.

I have scratched my head off and could not figure out what is wrong with my newly purchase Maxspect P series LED system.

I bought a three modules system a few weeks ago. P series advertised that the system has feature for easy "plug and play" and paint your own rainbow spectrum and it has several different colour leds for customers to purchase separately in order to make changes to the existing system. So, i bought 12 x 660nm red (Maxspect brand) and replaced one channel of blue and warm white leds to red for each module. Unfortunately, these red leds only lasted betweeon one to three days and each channel of red just dropped off completely one module at a time, and the other strange thing is these red would only lit up when the cover panel (where secondary optics are placed) was not closed tightly, i.e., cover panel was hanging loosely from the cicuit board. As soon as i tightened up the cover panel the red leds would switched off. Since all red leds are dropped dead now, I have changed all red back to their original colour setting (blue and warm white) and the system is working fine. Because of that, i knew i changed led chips correctly otherwise the blue and warm white would not be lit up now.

I really cannot figure it out why the red all dropped off. There is no datasheet available for these red leds so i am thinking is it because the forward voltage and maximum current setting by manufactor of P series are not compatible to these red? i.e. whether manufactor setting has too high forward voltage and current drive?

Another mystery is the cover panel. My thinking is whether it is because the secondary optics do not fit well for these red (these red leds are the largest one among all the other colours built in) or is it because the temparture raised too much when circuit board is tightly covered and blew up those red?

I really hope you can provide some guidance and a solution to install the red [FONT=Lucida Grande, Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]less if possible. Thank you in advance.[/FONT]

fetta · Sep 18, 2012

Does anyone know where i can get the bridgelux not on the star, i want to change colors up in my chinese black box. Need 3w

scott9119 · Sep 19, 2012

I'm looking to get rid of my mh and go led. I have a 500 gallon mixed reef. The problem is I know nothing about them. I'm looking for someone who could build me a set.do you know anybody that could help me?

reefmaster719 · Sep 19, 2012

T5 or ai sols?

scott9119 · Sep 20, 2012

I think ai sols

Reef Breeders · Sep 20, 2012

I will answer you guys when I get home

Reef Breeders · Sep 20, 2012

reefmaster719 said:
T5 or ai sols?

Neither, T-5s use too much power, ai sols do not have enough colors to keep corals colored up.

Reef Breeders · Sep 20, 2012

Mightyfish said:
Hi Anemonekeeper, i have a mysterious problem with my led system and am getting no where to solve the problem, hopefully you can help please.

I have scratched my head off and could not figure out what is wrong with my newly purchase Maxspect P series LED system.

I bought a three modules system a few weeks ago. P series advertised that the system has feature for easy "plug and play" and paint your own rainbow spectrum and it has several different colour leds for customers to purchase separately in order to make changes to the existing system. So, i bought 12 x 660nm red (Maxspect brand) and replaced one channel of blue and warm white leds to red for each module. Unfortunately, these red leds only lasted betweeon one to three days and each channel of red just dropped off completely one module at a time, and the other strange thing is these red would only lit up when the cover panel (where secondary optics are placed) was not closed tightly, i.e., cover panel was hanging loosely from the cicuit board. As soon as i tightened up the cover panel the red leds would switched off. Since all red leds are dropped dead now, I have changed all red back to their original colour setting (blue and warm white) and the system is working fine. Because of that, i knew i changed led chips correctly otherwise the blue and warm white would not be lit up now.

I really cannot figure it out why the red all dropped off. There is no datasheet available for these red leds so i am thinking is it because the forward voltage and maximum current setting by manufactor of P series are not compatible to these red? i.e. whether manufactor setting has too high forward voltage and current drive?

Another mystery is the cover panel. My thinking is whether it is because the secondary optics do not fit well for these red (these red leds are the largest one among all the other colours built in) or is it because the temparture raised too much when circuit board is tightly covered and blew up those red?

I really hope you can provide some guidance and a solution to install the red less if possible. Thank you in advance.

The drivers shut down due to low forward voltage. The whites are cree XMLs, which have 10v each. The reds are bridgelux, which are 2v each. See how that would cause a problem? The drivers likely shut down as an emergency feature.