New build///Need Help

[e-roc]

Well that would most likely be right. If i hadn't bought two new ones and a new controller.
They tested OK Rapid let me return them. I'm waiting in a reply from rapid now. I'm pretty sure there
just going to say deal with it as its a DIY project. Many people have done well with these but they
just didn't work for me. The tank was much brighter with just the CPF on it. I could never get the
Leds to brighten up at all really annoying,

 

[snakeblitz33]

Did you buy the correct drivers and use the correct number of leds per driver?
Did you prep all your solder connections? Are you sure everything is well grounded? Did you use nylon bolts and washers? Got good connections on everything?
Did you take a voltmeter and test each line to make sure it has the correct miliamps and be even across the board?
Was it an actual electrician or was it a buddy that isnt certified?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Btw, i have absolutely zero experience with diy leds. I have read quite a few threads and have a general feel for them. There is a lot of trouble shooting that has to go on for them to work properly. Now, if you want more specific help, i suggest talking to someone like mr. Btldreef, 2quills, mr. Meowzer and a few others.
All i can give is general advice.

 

[2quills]

99.9% of the time these issues can be attributed to the user and not the products. What you're describing sounds like poor soldering and probably shorts to the heatsink. No offense.

 

[e-roc]

The 1st person who set them up was my father. A life long certified electrician. The next was a guy that
builds these at a local LFS and sells them. once it was all put together again and still had the same problems
he said the problem was in the drivers. So he played with them and couldn't get them to work. So as of right now
i know there is a problem its just nobody i know is smart enough to fix the problem. So I'm stuck with lights that
kinda work. So i really cant rely on them so as i said I'm looking for new lights. The only problem with that is this
tank is 20.75 inches wide another hard fit.
Any ideas

 

[2quills]

Sorry but the blinking your described along with the dim leds does not sound like drivers to me. Sounds like poor connections and shorts to the heatsink. If you read around it's a pretty common problem that seems to happen a lot with new or first time builders. But without having your components in front of me to test them myself then it's hard to say with 100% certainty. You can test all of your components quite easily with a multi meter. Problems can be tracked down it just requires a little bit of trouble shooting.

 

[e-roc]

OK it is done
I got it all put back together well not all the way 12 new blue LEDS are on there way
they all blew i talked to rapid and they said there was a power surge in the driver and it screwed them
up once again i know nothing about setting these up but i got the white ones back up and running fine
i had to buy two new dimming driver and i went with the cheaper parts this time and they seem to work a
lot better i went out and bought some new live rock along with the old pieces i had in my friends tank
let me know what you think

 

[rickross23]

Koo!

 

[e-roc]

Thanks i think im gonna leave it like that for a week and see what happens then get a little more CUC
then move back to a fish as i had to give away my nice clown in the move the sand sifter star i have in there
sure is making a mess

 

[e-roc]

Took a pic of my zoos under my new lights

 

[e-roc]

Went to the pet store and after about 30 minutes of talking / slight begging he cut me off a piece of this
Its a nuclear Green torch with blue tips he said it came from Australia
I i have been looking for this for a few months now im happy

Sorry for crappy pic i will get a better camera one day

The real question is whats next