LED conversion

mastertech

Member
I have a coralife 492w fixture that is going to slowly be converted into an LED system. i just ordered 12 blue and 6 white cree leds, 3 buck pucks, a power supply and heatsink. i will be converting one of the 96w CF housings into a 40 inch led strip with a push-pull fan system to keep them cool.
will post pics as progress is made.
 

mastertech

Member
well its my turn to make a conversion thread and in this case i am converting the 96w CF channels in my coralife 492w to LED strips (eliminating the two actinic CF and leaving the two 150 MH)
now for the pics.



 

mastertech

Member
my heat sink......................... $22.50 + $17.00 shipping ~$35.00
(this is the profile and the length is 10 inches)
http://www.heatsinkusa.com/storename...pt-263912.aspx
three buckpucks....................$60.00 + $5.00 shipping ~$65.00
http://ledsupply.com/03023-d-e-1000p.php
power supply.........................$15.00 + $?.?? shipping ~$25.00
http://www.mpja.com/prodinfo.asp?number=16854+PS
18 cree LED (12RB&6Wh)........$114.00 + $10.00 shipping~$125.00
and 12 lenses (6-40degree and 6-80 degree) dont know what i will need, lenses will be trial and error.
lenses.................................$15.00-$30.00??.............~$15.00
http://www.nanotuners.com/index.php?cPath=71
a bunch of used fans from computer repair facility in San Antonio
fans....................................$2.00..... ........................~2.00
total............................................. .....................~$267.00 one side
the only things i have recieved as of now are
heatsink, buchpucks, power supply and i picked up some fans.
 

mastertech

Member
time to cut up the heatsink with the old bandsaw.
i am only going to use three of these strips at this point. i am going to mount 6 leds per 10 inch strip. staggering them down the rail.
then i will mount fans some how. (have not completed that idea yet)


 

mastertech

Member
started the build and got really tired. will post pic tommorow. (didnt finish, only 1/3 of the way built)
ps. this thing is stupid bright!!
 

wangotango

Active Member
Originally Posted by mastertech
http:///forum/post/3199703
started the build and got really tired. will post pic tommorow. (didnt finish, only 1/3 of the way built)
ps. this thing is stupid bright!!
What are you driving them at?
-Justin
 

mastertech

Member
Originally Posted by IBEW41
http:///forum/post/3199720
are you placing 2 fans per side or 4?
i think i will only need one fan per side. still need to test and tune.
Originally Posted by WangoTango

http:///forum/post/3199736
What are you driving them at?
-Justin
i have 1000ma drivers but i will most likely only drive them at 3/4 power or less. because even then they are stupid bright!
 

mastertech

Member
ahhhhh. sleeeeepy.....
well i got it riged together, i will need to clean it up before it is "finished" but as of now it works GREAT!
a pic of the 492w coralife all opened up for work.
then i removed the ballast and re-routed the a/c power lead from the ballast to feed my new a/c to d/c 24v converter so it is on the same timer circuit as the remaining 96 CF.
then i laid in the heatsink assemblies with lenes and buckpucks installed. (sorry for the missed pics about building them, its easy just drill and tap, drill and tap, then solder and solder and solder)
then i installed some fans on each end of the fixture. (no pic because i may end up changing that to something more clean)
but i used an 12v 1.5 amp wall wort to power them and again that wall wort is spliced into the same timer as the CF and the LED converter)




 

mastertech

Member
then i assembled and cleaned up and powered up.
pic 1- one CF and LED's,
pic 2- with led and CF. (leds on 1/2 power)
some are with lenses and some without. the outer most leds have 40degree lenses and then 80 degree lenses and then no lens because the rock work is piled up in the center. (there are two lenses to help support the heatsink on the clear cover)
pic 3 - rough build
pic 4 - light with only one 96w CF on.
pic 5 - light on with one 96w CF and LED's




 

mastertech

Member
pic of the hood installed on the tank and power supply on the side.
then pics of tank dimmers and light shots. fist pic is just one CF, and the next pic is with leds added to the CF at 3/8 power.



 

mastertech

Member
total............................................. .....................~$267.00 one side
minus the cost of the 96w CF that needed replacement..~$200.00 one side
and i still have my MH for those that believe led are not enough
sorry for the lack of detail but i have two little kids that need attention.
if i missed any detail that you would like i can respond and take closeup pics of each componant in question.
 

mastertech

Member
day one without a hitch! all systems working as designed!
looks great, i like the shimmer it gives me, like nothing i have ever seen.
 

kraylen

Member
Nah, I just think some people are still stuck on simpler lighting. I am doing some LED builds myself and I thought this build was great! Everything looks like it was done pretty solid.
 

small triggers

Active Member
I think its FREAKING AWESOME,,,,, but now im back at a 12g tank,, and being cheap (or thrifty) I have ordered some submersible leds that im going to try out,,, i may end up modding them but for $25 you cant beat 2 sets of 4 white leds and 2 sets of 4 blue ones too....
 
Top