L.E.D.s

StirCrazy · #1 05-29-2006, 12:22 PM

I would skip the 12V LED's and just use standard 5mm (lot cheaper and a lot better selection of color temps. only issue is then you have to add resisters to control the current, but if you are using a 12V power supply then you can put 3 of them in series with no resistors.

Kabong I don't even thing the second LED would light in your first drawing if they are 12V resisters.

Steve

Kabong · #2 05-29-2006, 05:45 PM

Agreed Steve.
You can defiantly get a better selection in other voltage's.
I used 12V as my example since 12V Adapters are easy to come by and
Tarolisol wanted a "Newbs how to". This being the same reason i didn't go into resistors.

As for the second LED in the first drawing lighting or not. It would depend on the LED. Some LED's will only fire at there specific voltage and in that case your right it wouldn't light.
Of course this is why I said not to wire them in series but in parallel instead.

Tarolisol · #3 05-29-2006, 07:50 PM

Very nice write up.

Although im a newbie i do understand resistors and such. Mainly im trying to figure out how to determine the proper power soure and number of resistors to use compared to the LEDs and number of them. I want to use them on my tank as well as a few other projects around the house and car.

Buccaneer · #4 05-30-2006, 06:06 AM

Well done Kabong ... very nice description

If you were to build a LED setup for lets say a 6 or 8 ft tank as a primary light source what would you suggest ?

What I am looking for is the equivalent of 14K colouration so I gues the correct mix of blue and white LED's to create that colour temp. ( Be as elaborate as you like )

PS ... @ Tarolisol ... sorry to hijack your thread but curious as to what level LED could be taken ... we already know that with the right tank T5's can work ... wonder if LED's can do a even better job

muck · #5 05-30-2006, 06:43 AM

Hey Buk, check out what PFO is coming out with..

http://216.187.96.54/vbulletin/showt...ht=wave+future

StirCrazy · #6 05-30-2006, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buk_A_neer

PS ... @ Tarolisol ... sorry to hijack your thread but curious as to what level LED could be taken ... we already know that with the right tank T5's can work ... wonder if LED's can do a even better job

Normal LED's.. no level aside from accent lighting and night lighting.. the problem is while they do have intensity they do not have the PAR output to be of any use to us. If we are talking about the 1Watt luxton stars, I am not sure as a few people who were going to send me one to test have disappeared but I suspect the levels off that will be minimal. PFO has something on the go but not any info on it yet.

I think if some one comes up with a LED that actually pounds out PAR the cost will be to high to make it worth it.

Steve

Kabong · #7 05-30-2006, 06:44 PM

I'm with StirCrazy on this one.
Truthfully I can't say Ive done any work with LED's as a main lighting source.
However I'm sure the amount of LED's you would need to light a large tank a get the penetrative power you'd need would be astronomical.
Personally I would wait until PFO releases there LED hood in June and see what feed back comes from that.

Tarolisol · #8 05-31-2006, 05:30 AM

That wiring that was dont for the nano is exactly what i want to learn how to do.

Kabong · #9 05-31-2006, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarolisol

That wiring that was dont for the nano is exactly what i want to learn how to do.

You mean the blue moon lights on my 10G?