Looking for LED layout opinions

[daplatapus]

I've just received my heatsink and LED's in the mail and I'm looking for opinions on layout. I know this is a bit overkill for my 20 gal cube but I'm testing out for my full reef 80 at the same time. I have these LED's now, so while debates amongst my choices are welcome, there's not a lot I can do about it now :) I'm really looking for placement opinions on my heatsink.

Legend:
RB = 3W Cree XT-E Royal Blue 455nm
TV = 3W Exotic True Violet 395nm-430nm
3UP = 3 LED star, 3W per LED, 1 Cree XP-G Neutral White, 2 Cree XT-E Royal blue
OCW = Exotic Ocean Coral White

http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x353/daplatapus/LEDlayoutphoto.jpg

thanks for the input.

[mseepman]

This looks okay to me...though I have no experience with the OCW led and so you may find that it creates a large white color band in the areas where it's directly above. TV led's put out almost no color so they will be completely invisible to your eyes where they are.

Are you using any lenses on any of these? If not, you might find it's okay because they usually have 120 degree spread, but if you do use lenses, you may find some separation.

[sphelps]

I'd simplify things a little, your layout looks pretty uneven which may produce uneven spread and color. I would stick with a cluster style, similar to what most better fixtures and pendants use. I'd also take out the extra RBs, since the 3UPs have a 2-1 ratio already and the OCW are mostly blue and cyan if I'm not mistaken.

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/sphelps/LEDlayout-1.jpg

[daplatapus]

It's been a while since I originally planned this out, but I beleive a bunch of those single RB's were for moon lighting.

[sphelps]

It's been a while since I originally planned this out, but I beleive a bunch of those single RB's were for moon lighting.

3W RBs make poor moon lights as you can't usually dim lower than 5-10% which is still too bright. I'd either add some lower power LEDs for moon lights or use the the UVs.

[PurpleMonkey]

I think 4 OCW's will be too much... that 4 red LED's there. If you do use all 4, might want to keep them turned down. From my understanding, they help "round out" the spectrum of these LED builds.

+1 on the clusters

[sphelps]

I think 4 OCW's will be too much... that 4 red LED's there. If you do use all 4, might want to keep them turned down. From my understanding, they help "round out" the spectrum of these LED builds.

+1 on the clusters

I agree, personally don't like the idea of the OCW for that reason. Blue and cyan are nice additions and you'll want them pretty much full power. Red is good too but you'll want them much lower in comparison. If it was me I'd skip all the 3 led chips, they are nice in theory but soldering will be very difficult and they will also run hotter.

[StirCrazy]

I think 4 OCW's will be too much... that 4 red LED's there.

ok I think I am confused. your talking about reds but in his list he says
OCW = Exotic Ocean Coral White..... where is the red comming from?

Steve

[sphelps]

ok I think I am confused. your talking about reds but in his list he says
OCW = Exotic Ocean Coral White..... where is the red comming from?

Steve

It's a multi LED chip, 3 different leds on one star. 1 red, 1 blue and 1 cyan. I guess together it makes something close to white so they call it ocean coral white.

[daplatapus]

I think 4 OCW's will be too much... that 4 red LED's there. If you do use all 4, might want to keep them turned down. From my understanding, they help "round out" the spectrum of these LED builds.

+1 on the clusters

Yeah, that's what the guy at the supplier said as well. In my build I have only 2 shown

[daplatapus]

3W RBs make poor moon lights as you can't usually dim lower than 5-10% which is still too bright. I'd either add some lower power LEDs for moon lights or use the the UVs.

I'll be running these off of LEDgroupbuy's Dim4 board and have been told that I can dim these down all the way to 0% with it and use the 3W cree RB's for moonlighting. Being my first build I'm already seeing a couple things in hind site that I'd maybe do differently. I'm also going to be using their MakersLED heat sink so nothing has to be written in stone as I can move LED's around as I go.