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Enigma
09-07-2012, 04:26 PM
I'm working on Martin's BC29 kit. Originally this was going to go on an NC12 (Nanocube 12), but (providing the new tank doesn't fail its leak test) it is now going on an NC24 (for livestock sustainability reasons).

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a435/Iasgair/a49c97730c1294cac108e72ffb1bb204.jpg

The top of the heatsink in the photo will go towards the back of the tank, and the bottom will be at the front of the tank.

With two drivers, I can use a maximum of 14 LED boards. I do have an extra red board that I can swap out for something else.

In the right and left columns, I have (from top to bottom):
Royal Blue (RB)
Cool White (CW)
RB
CW
RB

In the middle column, I have (from top to bottom)
Blue (B)
CW
Red (R)
B

The royal blue boards and the red board will be on the same driver. The cool white boards and the blue boards will be on the same driver. That will change if I swap out something for the extra red board, however.

Feedback (before I epoxy these things in place) would be most excellent. :)

claymax
09-07-2012, 04:46 PM
i would maybe squish the two outside rows into the middle a bit. just my opinion, im a big cluster fan. be careful with all those leds, i bleached/nuked all my sps when i first got mine, they pack a powerful punch! you might find that red a bit overwhelming, even with just two, but the nice thing about those leds is they're super easy to replace(for me at least they were), and any later modifications are no sweat. if you do find the reds are too much, you could always just drive them with a moonlight driver. youre gonna love those leds.

Enigma
09-07-2012, 05:11 PM
I was thinking about sliding the outside rows in. I have the room to get them closer. Not only would that cluster the LEDs better, it may allow me to add even more in the future. These will be hooked up to an Apex, so I should be able to swing a good acclimation program.

Should I've the red farther to the back in the middle column? I could move it back (up) one spot, or into the last (top) spot.

claymax
09-07-2012, 05:28 PM
maybe one spot to the top, i dont see there being a problem with where it is now.

sphelps
09-07-2012, 05:32 PM
Kind of an odd number to work with but I'd probably do something like this

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/sphelps/LED.jpg

Enigma
09-07-2012, 05:34 PM
http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a435/Iasgair/857539f7e4148e9d1df76dd91c06e9a6.jpg

That is a close as I can squeeze 'me, and will make the wiring a bit challenging.

Enigma
09-07-2012, 05:36 PM
Kind of an odd number to work with but I'd probably do something like this

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/sphelps/LED.jpg

That is very interesting! I can definately see some advantages to that.

All of my lines on the heatsink are in the wrong place for that kind of layout. :lol: I'll lay it out and see how it looks.

sphelps
09-07-2012, 05:42 PM
So you have two drivers? What LEDs are going on what drivers? EDIT, nevermind..

Enigma
09-07-2012, 05:44 PM
The royal blue and red are going on one driver. The cool white and blue are going on the second.

I know that's a little weird, but that's just how it works out.

I've laid out your idea and I really like the look of it. It would allow me to add single LEDs to the heatsink, if I wanted.

claymax
09-07-2012, 05:45 PM
Kind of an odd number to work with but I'd probably do something like this

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a174/sphelps/LED.jpg

yep, I'd do this one instead.

Enigma
09-07-2012, 05:49 PM
Oh! I should clarify something. I ordered more LEDs than are what included in the kit. I ordered two additional royal blue and two red. Both of the royal blue are in the layout, but only one of the red.

sphelps
09-07-2012, 05:51 PM
Yeah I think you would have been better skipping the red and using two NWs in the center and 4 CWs around the outside with the RBs, if you know what I mean. If you later felt you needed it you could add lower wattage reds and greens for affect. I'm thinking the two 3W reds will too much given they'll be running at the same level as the RBs but may be OK too, guess we'll see :mrgreen:

Enigma
09-07-2012, 06:09 PM
I'll pull the red. Both of you have said that it'll probably be too much.

I did think about ordering some NW. I suppose I should have. I still can.

Now, if I go with two NW . . . That changes the driver situation. The blues would wind up on different drivers.

I could pull one of the blues, and have nw, b, nw, in the middle. The remaining blue could go on either driver.

Thoughts?

Edit: I should clarify. The "only" blue could go on either driver. I would probably put it on the one with the whites, though.

Enigma
09-07-2012, 06:12 PM
Oh. I could also order a red/green combo board in addition to the NWs.

sphelps
09-07-2012, 06:24 PM
It's hard when you more colors than you do drivers. It sure would be easier if you had a few more blues and ran those on a separate driver :wink:

claymax
09-07-2012, 06:59 PM
i went from 8 rb and 8 cw, to 16rb 2 blue 4cw and 4nw, and will probably switch out the rest of the cw with nw later the nw really warm up the colour, brings out the reds and orange. i run some rb on the white string and only use 2 drivers

Enigma
09-07-2012, 07:01 PM
Okay. I'll order the moonlight driver for the blues. And, I'll order two neutral white boards.

The reds are now "playing" nw in this photo.

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a435/Iasgair/955c124f619521e5c5481466bcf3ac28.jpg

I'm thinking I might add a red/green board between the two nw boards. But, then I'd rotate the centre boards so they were running the same way as the blues. In the event I didn't like the red/green, I could just remove the wiring for it. It could go on either of the two dimmable drivers.

Enigma
09-07-2012, 07:08 PM
Or, maybe add a RB in between the two NW? That might be a better idea.

Ross
09-07-2012, 07:09 PM
http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a435/Iasgair/955c124f619521e5c5481466bcf3ac28.jpg

I'd rotate the middle 2 boards vertically.
There is not enough clearance between the wires and the adjacent bulbs.
The spread will be the same, but the wires wont restrict light.
If you take this route, you can place them closer together and fit a few more boards in.

sphelps
09-07-2012, 07:15 PM
Move the blues outward slightly for wire clearance on the NWs, spread the NWs apart a little and add that extra RB in the middle. Squeeze in the two outside RBs in a little (away from edge).

Oh and stop drawing lines, you're like those real annoying engineers.

Enigma
09-07-2012, 07:38 PM
Oh and stop drawing lines, you're like those real annoying engineers.

Lol. Spoken to one annoying engineer from another?

Or, are you saying that you aren't one of the annoying ones?

Though, I'm not technically an engineer. I'm an "engineering technologist" (I do 80% of the work, and get 20% of the pay ;)).

The inside is going to take some fiddling to get the wires to work properly. Even spreading them out leaves things awkward. I think the way to go is to rotate them like this (as Ross suggested).

http://i1035.photobucket.com/albums/a435/Iasgair/2865987b365ea1f4e494636395ee68bb.jpg

So. . . . I'll order the additional RB board and stick it smack in the centre of the heatsink. I'll order two NW boards and place them on either side of the centre RB (where the red boards are in the photo). I'll get the moonlight driver for the blues.

I'll move the top and bottom RBs closer to the centre of the board.

I'm feeling like I've got it. Thank you, so much, for all of your suggestions, guys! You've all been a huge help, have really given me some things to think about, and have increased my understanding tremendously. :) I think this is going to turn out very nicely.

sphelps
09-07-2012, 07:45 PM
I try not to be annoying but....

Sounds like you got a good plan, I look forward to seeing it come together. Are you using 2 part epoxy?

Ross
09-07-2012, 07:46 PM
I'm an "engineering technologist" (I do 80% of the work, and get 20% of the pay ;)).


I fall under that category also.
MET Sait 2001.

sphelps
09-07-2012, 07:48 PM
damn sounds like I need a technologist, anyone want to work for me? I'll give you 20% for 80% of the work any day of the week :wink:

Enigma
09-07-2012, 07:57 PM
I try not to be annoying but....

Sounds like you got a good plan, I look forward to seeing it come together. Are you using 2 part epoxy?

It is a two part thermal epoxy. I ordered twice as much as I needed, as I read that it sometimes dries faster than indicated. All of my lines will speed up placement, though. :)

I fall under that category also.
MET Sait 2001.

GNT (formerly SVT) 2002 for me!

damn sounds like I need a technologist, anyone want to work for me? I'll give you 20% for 80% of the work any day of the week :wink:

Just remember that it is 100% of your reputation that is on the line if your technologist messes up. ;)