chinese led lights

[headstrong]

Originally Posted by bhazard451

Definitely take time in deciding what you want. Even though there are way too many posts, try to follow the experiences of others in how to pick the led colors and features you want. Some fixtures may look good with a certain ratio, where it looks completely different on another because of different leds used. I tried quite a few fixtures and built my own, and each have been vastly different from each other.

The unique part about these is the customization, which is pretty cool. Ecotech would probably laugh at you if you told them you wanted to switch out their greens for warm whites or violets in the Radion you wanted to buy.

I've been chatting via e-mail with Jason about your situation. Hopefully they make things right as best they can. I'm torn, because I actually like the controller they include with their light, so I really want to give them a try. Just concerned what I'll get is not what I expect. Based on your pics of the light they sent I've changed my layout a bit to compensate for the dimmer white led's. Here is what I just sent back to Jason:

[IMG]http://i47.*******.com/k56cex.jpg[/IMG]

[bhazard451]

I may try the Houyi light next, as no one seemed to pick one up yet. The Pharos light is too expensive to try over a Maxspect R420r.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by headstrong

I've been chatting via e-mail with Jason about your situation. Hopefully they make things right as best they can. I'm torn, because I actually like the controller they include with their light, so I really want to give them a try. Just concerned what I'll get is not what I expect. Based on your pics of the light they sent I've changed my layout a bit to compensate for the dimmer white led's. Here is what I just sent back to Jason:

[IMG]http://i47.*******.com/k56cex.jpg[/IMG]

That layout would be fine. They told me they don't have 420nm violet though. They use 400 or 440 and it doesn't look as good as a 420. I had to choose 400.

[headstrong]

Originally Posted by bhazard451

That layout would be fine. They told me they don't have 420nm violet though. They use 400 or 440 and it doesn't look as good as a 420. I had to choose 400.

Well, nix that idea. Apparently they cannot make the light in that horizontal layout unless they build a new PCB for over $150 additional.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by headstrong

Well, nix that idea. Apparently they cannot make the light in that horizontal layout unless they build a new PCB for over $150 additional.

Keep it blended vertically then. They didn't and used two banks of blue to one bank of white on mine, which is why the outside of the tank is blue. Then there is the red led on the other side of the tank making it look red. Its a poor design choice unless you keep it at 1 blue row to 1 white row, with any other leds mixed in evenly spaced out.

[nebraskareef]

Does anyone have a lead on some China's that are apex VDM dimmable? I've been looking but can't track it down. I've seen the taotronics 120w blackbox and we've measured good par and have gotten good growth and color out of it on a frag tank, however I want more control for my display.

If I can't source them reasonably for a 180g display I will go with a DIY multichip build.

Thanks guys!

[Chicago]

led 80 piece twlight layout.pdf

here is what they suggested to me on my 80 piece led

[nebraskareef]

Wow that is quite the mix!

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by Chicago

Attachment 197774

here is what they suggested to me on my 80 piece led

I personly would not like it, after experimenting with different combinations over the last year.

First off eliminat both the red and the UV's. The shortest light you want is 420 nm and reds do encourage Cyno Algea. You have enough red light comming from your 10,000K LED's.

I do like the fact your getting 430-440 nm and 460 nm (455 to 465) LED's. as well as the green 515 nm (500 to 530 nm). but I do not like the ration. I would go with:

20 430 to 44 nm LED's
24 455 to 465 nm LED's
12 525 green LED's

For the whites I would go with simply the 10,000K which give a more balanced white spectrum. The 14,000K LED's are realy nothing more than 10,000K with the blue part of the spectrum kicked up a little higher. Your Blue LED's will do this for you only better. So I would get

21 10,000K LED's.

This would basicly give you a ration of 2.7 Blue to 1 White. Personle taste varies between 2 blue to 1 white to 4 blue to 1 white. I persnonly prefer slightly over a 3 to 1 ratio.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by nebraskareef

Does anyone have a lead on some China's that are apex VDM dimmable? I've been looking but can't track it down. I've seen the taotronics 120w blackbox and we've measured good par and have gotten good growth and color out of it on a frag tank, however I want more control for my display.

If I can't source them reasonably for a 180g display I will go with a DIY multichip build.

Thanks guys!

None of them are except for the Apollo Reef Led SolarBlast, which is a US company. The chinese boxes can be converted to Apex dimmable lights, but its a bit of a pain, and requires new drivers that can handle up to 100volts for some models. There are some with built in controllers as well.

If you were comfortable in swapping drivers, you could probably just build your own DIY light using better Cree and Luxeon leds like I did for around the same price.

[livingseas]

Originally Posted by bhazard451

None of them are except for the Apollo Reef Led SolarBlast, which is a US company. The chinese boxes can be converted to Apex dimmable lights, but its a bit of a pain, and requires new drivers that can handle up to 100volts for some models. There are some with built in controllers as well.

If you were comfortable in swapping drivers, you could probably just build your own DIY light using better Cree and Luxeon leds like I did for around the same price.

Where did you get the drivers to make them apex dimmable? How much did they run you? Thinking I'll take d120's and make them controllable.
You have to buy one driver per channel you want to dim I assume?

Not sure of the electrical charastics of these 3w led bulbs. How much voltage do they need?
so they run at 2w. So I at least need 2x 60w driver per d120?

Would these work?
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/57...ching_LED.html

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by livingseas

Where did you get the drivers to make them apex dimmable? How much did they run you? Thinking I'll take d120's and make them controllable.
You have to buy one driver per channel you want to dim I assume?

The drivers I used wont fit in the d120. They fit in the Nova though. You have to rewire the fans to their own outlet as well. I made instructions way back in the thread. 2 drivers needed.

I had the drivers made from China too. Company was called Plus Tech. Was around $55 total for 2, with a better discount if you got 4.

http://pspcba.en.alibaba.com/

Coleen Hu
coleen@pspcba.com

For the Nova, they needed to be:

up to 90-100 volts (Nova uses 88v)
630mah
0-10v analog dimmable. (turns off under 10%)

Driver looks like this. Try to get one with less height, as it was a pain to fit.

http://s10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...t=ebf713a0.jpg

[mlott132]

Well I finally had time to look at my Twilight fixture. Looking at Bhazards pictures mine looks a little different. Also, like Bhazard I am not getting a good color mix. The left side is blue while the right side is red. When I hold it over my tank I feel like I need to wear 3D glasses because it has this weird color effect. Going to contact Lyn this evening to see what can be done with this. I am still waiting for my other fixture so I will be real curious to see if they were build the same way. Bhazard, just wondering what they said to you about fixing your light?

[downbeach]

It also appears that there are a few that are not lit. Are they on a different driver?

[mlott132]

Yes, those are my moonlights which I have set to off right now.

[Zoanut]

mlott132 - Are the whites dull like bhazards?

[bhazard451]

They would send new leds to me to put into my fixture if I ordered another fixture. The problem is, the leds are poorly blended. There shouldn't be two vertical patterns of blue to 1 white, because blue ends up overpowering the weak whites. Having reds on one side is a poor design choice too, because now, like mine, one side of the tank is red.

Even though the leds are in parallel and this might not work, its best just to buy some $1.99 bridgelux whites, and solder them into the blues and reds to make the fixture look acceptable. Its a shame, because I love the controller.

[mlott132]

So basically change out the colored led's to just blue and white?

[mlott132]

Originally Posted by Zoanut

mlott132 - Are the whites dull like bhazards?

They seem bright. The only problem is that you have to set the blues quite a bit lower because they do overpower the whites. Still on the fence about these. Have to wait for my second fixture to come in before I make a decision on whether I want to keep them. Just hoping that Twilight will be helpful in getting these fixed.

[mlott132]

Here are a couple pics of the other fixture they sent me that was not mine. This unit has the built-in controller as well as manual dimmer control knobs. Nit sure what the specs are on this light but the whites do seem really bright.

[Chicago]

Mott. U sure that s a knob controll dimmer and LCD dimmer and trimmer. Twilight oasis could not o both

[mlott132]

The unit is setup such that the timer just controls on/off of the lights and the knobs control the brightness.

[bhazard451]

I'm going to see if removing the optics helps a bit first

[mlott132]

Might help brighten the whites, but won't change the overall color of the light. Going to talk to Lyn tonight to see what can be done. I was thinking of changing my red to a violet and then swapping a green and orange. Think that might help mix the colors better.

[ghrorick]

Finally getting around to posting some pics of my 3 d120s over my 135. Corals are looking better than ever. My 120gal with the nova a6s is doing great. The pinkbirdsnest is finally getting its color back. The d120s have 4 red, 4 green, 4 violet, 15 white, and 28 blue. The rack is temporary until I get my 180 set up. Sorry the pic isnt the greatest (not really that blue) the tank is a little dirty and it looks like edward scissorhands was maintaining the tank (scratches everywhere).