Nicrew Hyper Reef Led

[Aparker2005]

Do the Nicrews give that good coral pop? Our old bar light from them looks better on coral than our R24s. I'm seeing some say the Smatfarm doesn't have too good of pop either. Still going back and forth lol

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Not to confuse you but you might want to consider Smatfarms.
More channels means more ways to adj. to what you like..

This thing is a bang for the buck. Blows the old nicrew out the water. Bought one for the 50g cube, it's legit. Now it's only 95w, so you may need 4 over the 6ft tank.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

The not having to buy a separate controller is appealing on the Smatfarms. They're cheaper too for 3x 95w ones VS the Nicrew.

Decisions, decisions

After now having both, go smat farm. Outside of the ultra sensitive buttons on the unit it's nice.

 

[Aparker2005]

After now having both, go smat farm. Outside of the ultra sensitive buttons on the unit it's nice.

How's the color pop on corals?

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

How's the color pop on corals?

I'm happy, currently running on mix mode on a 50g cube. Previously had a nicrew and a black box on the same tank over the years. If your good with some disco effect and you can crank up the blue with it for 'pop' I'm personally not into a LOT of blue so if your asking about 'pop' I'm the wrong guy, lol.

50g cube: moonlight

50g mixed mode:

Nicrew was controlled by apex for dimming and black box was just a on/off at the outlet.

 

[oreo54]

Oops..responded to old post.

 

[SpyLand]

Hi, anyone using a Nicrew controller can give me some feedback?

I need to know if the light turns on right away on the first line from one of the channel bars seeing in the controller screen?

On that bar value can someone measure with a multimeter the voltage value that the controller is sending to the lamp for that channel?

Thanks.

 

[oreo54]

Hi, anyone using a Nicrew controller can give me some feedback?

I need to know if the light turns on right away on the first line from one of the channel bars seeing in the controller screen?

On that bar value can someone measure with a multimeter the voltage value that the controller is sending to the lamp for that channel?

Thanks.

This Nicrew uses 0-10v analog dimming.
The bars represent 5% (of 10v) and hopefully is linear.
This would represent 0.5V would be the signal for the first "bar".
There is a lot of err "slop" in 10v analog dimming at the low end.
Example from Meanwell:

Soo it should be .5V and each bar "should" increase by .5V
Very few analog dimmed drivers like to work well below 10% (1V)
Sloppier example:

Note: The curve above is "planned". A more natural application of dimming.
It's the beginning and ends that aren't.


Your question leads me to believe you have some issue?

 

[SpyLand]

@oreo5457 thanks for the information, yes I'm having this strange problem with my DIY Reef Pi controller as I said here on another forum post.

This is the behavior I'm having now:

- First voltage to turn the light on is 0.82V which is 3% on Reef Pi
- After the 3% I can go back to 2% minimum still having the light on which gives 0.39V and this changing is notable since I get lower dim visually.
- 1% independent being as initial value or as a going back value after having the light on gives always 0V so light always off as expected.
- 100% gives 10v and lowering down until 84% the same 10v, so 83% lowers voltage again giving 9.97V.
- In between the previous value until reaching 50% I get jumps of +/- 2V.
- 50% gives 7.49V, and so on in small steps.

So I really need someone that could measure at the Nicrew controller what is the real voltage value or confirm what you said that with the first line of one the blue/white color bars (the 5% in theory) is really giving the 0,5V predicted by you since from a off state I only can turn on my at first with 0.82V as I mention.

 

[oreo54]

It wouldn't be unusual for " no light" at <0.82-ish volts.
Once the diodes are err "warned" up I assume they can now go lower w/ their v(f) created from the lower analog voltage
or that is my guess.

Going from digital (ref pi) to analog has it's own set of translation inconsistencies "I" assume and afaict every light with a microcontroller the dim signal starts at 3.3 or 5v pwm.

I get that you are seeing inconsistencies.
From my perspective they are not unexpected.
Right or wrong.

83% of 10v should be 8.3v.
Sounds more like your d/a conversions is err sloppy.


https://www.codrey.com/electronic-circuits/pwm-to-voltage-module-v1/

Keep in mind at the above design level is beyond my pay grade.

 

[oreo54]

Reef Pi dimming test problems and Raspberry pi native two hardware PWM vs PCA9685

Hummm... I see what you are saying, but the 10K resistor there will be in parallel with the already existing led and 4K7 resistor from the board witch will lower even more the resistance. Let's calculate more or less: 1 / 1000 ohm (new resistor) + 1 / 470 ohm (one from the board plus the led...

www.reef2reef.com

Hmm you already went though this with def better minds than mine.

 

[DIYreefer]

All grown from small frags under Nicrew Hyper Reef lighting (supplemented with T5). These are in my 125g which is about 14-15 months old now.

 

[SpyLand]

Reef Pi dimming test problems and Raspberry pi native two hardware PWM vs PCA9685

Hummm... I see what you are saying, but the 10K resistor there will be in parallel with the already existing led and 4K7 resistor from the board witch will lower even more the resistance. Let's calculate more or less: 1 / 1000 ohm (new resistor) + 1 / 470 ohm (one from the board plus the led...

www.reef2reef.com

Hmm you already went though this with def better minds than mine.

Yes opening a post here on this tread was only to ask to possible owners of the Nicrew controller if they can measure the voltage giving by the first line of a bar so to compare that value to my tests.

Looks like if that first bar is 5% as you said that it already passed on top of other lower voltage/DIM values that the lamp can do even raping smoother to these 5% the lower DIM values never going to be seen since is quick to reach from 0% to that 5%.

Since the lamp is brand new I need to know if is working correctly or not and for now the only problem I can notice is this shifted voltage initial value needed to turn the lamp on and after is on I can go lower, but since the official controller starts already higher than mine I think will never know if its the normal behavior by design or not.

So I ask again to all owners of the Nicrew controller if they can manually put one line in one bar either for blue or white color and measure with a multimeter the voltage is giving up in the moment.

Thanks.

 

[likvor]

Hi all, I am in need of advice for best settings for Nicrew 100W.
Tank is 60x45x45cm and light is mounted as high as mount allows.
I am now on 5% white and 60% blue channel.
What levels would you reccomend for mixed, majority LPS and soft corals and few SPS?

 

[zdandoh]

Hey all, I'm pretty new to reef lighting, I've had the same 20 watt LED light on my 10 gallon tank for a bit over two years. I haven't gotten much growth in that time, so I figured I'd pick up a more powerful light. Just picked up the 50 watt HyperReef and set it up. I'm confused by it - my old 20 watt light seems to be way brighter even on the HyperReef's highest setting. The tank looks dim compared to how it looked before, I suspect this is down to the spectrum, and probably a lot more blue light coming from the HyperReef, but just checking in if this is normal. Attached two images, both running at 100% intensity (only ran the HyperReef at 100% for a short time). Note the dimness under underhangs.

 

[TheNamthor]

Okay just got the timer and set it up super easy with my nicrew 50 for my small 10 gal tank, if anyone has more suggestions lmk also I can update you guys as I go

 

[TheNamthor]

Okay just got the timer and set it up super easy with my nicrew 50 for my small 10 gal tank, if anyone has more suggestions lmk also I can update you guys as I go

 

[TGamble]

I have them on my 120. They are OK, but I've had better growth & par out of black box lights. The par they claim is way overrated.

I know this is late but what do you mean black box lights?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I know this is late but what do you mean black box lights?

Amazon lights. Go to Amazon and type in reef led lights. They are the cheap rectangle lights for 90 to 175. They don't have the more expensive led spectrum of the higher price lights. But many people swear by them and others say a fire hazard.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I know this is late but what do you mean black box lights?

Look up mars aqua, willis, viparspectra. They are just cheapish no frills led lights.