LED Build - help sizing equipment

VicZA

VicZA

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Hi All, need some help making sure I size me DIY LED correctly (electrically)

Over my 1.2 x 0.6 m tank I would like to have a setup that look more or less like this:

36 x 1W Royal Blue
34 x 1W Cool White
4 x 1W Red
4 x 1W Green

I will be using a 5-channel controller for dimming etc

Question 1 :
If each 1W LED draws 350mA does that mean I need a power supply feeding this light that is rated for 78 x 0.350 = 27.3A (round off to 30A) ?

Question 2 :
My controller says it can have a load of 4A per channel (20A total), does that then mean the controller is inadequate or will it work ?

Question 3 :
What would be the best way to wire all of this up ?

Thanks
Vic
 
Hey @TaahirS after looking at what I have written I think I pretty much know the answers to Q1 and Q2 (eish - blonde moment) - sorry.

I was planning on using 1W Epistar LEDs from Improved Living PE that some guys have recommended.

I want to keep mostly SPS, some LPS and I have a clam and a nennie.
 
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VicZA said:
Hey @TaahirS after looking at what I have written I think I pretty much know the answers to Q1 and Q2 (eish - blonde moment) - sorry.

I was planning on using 1W Epistar LEDs from Improved Living PE that some guys have recommended.

I want to keep mostly SPS, some LPS and I have a clam and a nennie.
Click to expand...
With those corals i wont recommend anything else than 3W chips
 
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VicZA said:
Hi All, need some help making sure I size me DIY LED correctly (electrically)

Over my 1.2 x 0.6 m tank I would like to have a setup that look more or less like this:

36 x 1W Royal Blue
34 x 1W Cool White
4 x 1W Red
4 x 1W Green

I will be using a 5-channel controller for dimming etc

Question 1 :
If each 1W LED draws 350mA does that mean I need a power supply feeding this light that is rated for 78 x 0.350 = 27.3A (round off to 30A) ?

Question 2 :
My controller says it can have a load of 4A per channel (20A total), does that then mean the controller is inadequate or will it work ?

Question 3 :
What would be the best way to wire all of this up ?

Thanks
Vic
Click to expand...

Ok 1st 1w leds are no good and you need to really use a butload to really do anything..Go with 3w, 5w or 10w chips..

2nd what controller are you using..4A for a pwm channel does not seem rite as your driver does not put much power for pwm control..Maby like 10mA..

3rd your Current draw over a driver channel stays the same for that channel depending on led specs (350mA, 500mA, 600mA, 700mA, 1000mA ect.) Its the voltage for the channel that differs on amount of leds per channel in series..So if you have for example 10 leds with a FV of 3.2 and current draw of 350mA then it will draw 350mA and 32v from the psu/driver..If you add second channel it will draw 700mA and still 32v..Thats how you work your load out..

4th stick to series..Parallel becomes to complicated with balancing resistors ect..Keep your colours (Rb, White ect) on the same independent channels for better control..If you do mix colours make sure they have the same Current draw and make sure you driver/psu can handle the voltage..

For some more local led options look for a "shop" called LED SELECT on Bid or Buy..He has some nice stuff and prices are good..I bought alot from him..Guys name is David...

Good luck with the build and take many pics...:thumbup:
 
TaahirS said:
I think rather use the 3 watt LEDs. Cree would be best but epistar can work. Send Johan an email with your size tank and he'll sort you out.
Click to expand...

Taahir which Johan you talking about?
 
The controller is tc420. You a 12vdc 20A psu to run the controller sufficiently. The controller is constant voltage not constant current.

If you use 10w leds you will not need drivers but a resistor instead. Just for safety. 4 x 10w per channel plus resistor.

As for 3w leds you need a 12v dimmable driver for each channel to do the work. Can safely run 50 x 3w on the controller depending on drivers. I'm using 10 x 3w per channel with no heat issues.
 
saaid said:
The controller is tc420. You a 12vdc 20A psu to run the controller sufficiently. The controller is constant voltage not constant current.

If you use 10w leds you will not need drivers but a resistor instead. Just for safety. 4 x 10w per channel plus resistor.

As for 3w leds you need a 12v dimmable driver for each channel to do the work. Can safely run 50 x 3w on the controller depending on drivers. I'm using 10 x 3w per channel with no heat issues.
Click to expand...

Each driver I would use supports up to 3 x 3W LEDs, so if I wanted to run 15 x 3W I would need 5 drivers, right ? Then if I wanted this to be controlled by 1 channel, I would need to wire all those drivers together (their inputs) and control it that way - is that correct ?
 
VicZA said:
Each driver I would use supports up to 3 x 3W LEDs, so if I wanted to run 15 x 3W I would need 5 drivers, right ? Then if I wanted this to be controlled by 1 channel, I would need to wire all those drivers together (their inputs) and control it that way - is that correct ?
Click to expand...

Well are your drivers dimmable...Because thats how they get controlled..0-5V PWM or 0-10v analog/pwm...0-10v driver you can control with a pod and 10v psu so you dont need a controller then...
 
VicZA said:
Each driver I would use supports up to 3 x 3W LEDs, so if I wanted to run 15 x 3W I would need 5 drivers, right ? Then if I wanted this to be controlled by 1 channel, I would need to wire all those drivers together (their inputs) and control it that way - is that correct ?
Click to expand...

All the positives must be looped together,so from channel 1 to channel 5 you will have only 1 positive line throughout the circuit. The negatives will be separate for each channel. If you using 5 drivers in parallel for that channel then yes.
 
Also had that problem with one controller.

I downloaded a different version of software on the net to get it to communicate. I now use 2 laptops:lol:
 
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