# DIY LED floodlight pendant lighting



## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Do yourself a big favor and buy x2 AI Prime Freshwater. Explaining the reasons for my advise would take volumes.

https://premiumaquatics.com/category/led-aquarium-lighting.html - 5% coupon is the cheapest place I know.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

GeorgeTheGuppy said:


> I see two options for control. One, I could take apart the housing to get to the DC part and splice in my own controller. However, I really don't like working with 120 on stuff like this if I don't have to, and I wouldn't want to mess up the waterproofing. Also, it'd be easy for me to screw something up.
> Secondly, because the remote just uses IR, I could build an Arduino circuit to spoof it. Infrared LEDs are cheap, so if you can figure out the codes an IR remote uses, you can imitate them with an Arduino. Luckily, I believe the codes are standard based on what I found here. My only reservations would be the unknown PAR of the lights and having to keep the Arduino LED pointed at the them.
> $90 for the lights, $20 for an Uno, $15 for various circuitry for the Arduino (RTC chip, LED, power supply, etc.), and ~$50 for a fixture for them (no idea how I'd do this; there are no obvious mounting points). That adds up to about $175 for this option.
> 
> ...



https://www.digikey.com/product-det...c/CTM-18-6527-90-36-TW01/1214-1551-ND/8324687
[email protected] $15 each.. Color tuneable from 27000-6500K $45


6 LDD HW's.300mA (300mA /channel/COB)
5.99 each = $35.94

Lumens/Watt @ Current - Test 88 lm/W Warm White, 98 lm/W Cool White Current - Max 660mA CRI (Color Rendering Index) 90 Viewing Angle 130° 







48V power supply
https://www.ledsupply.com/power-supplies/mean-well-lrs-enclosed
$20...
TC-420 $25
So for the "guts"..$125.94 plus shipping where applicable.
Now the really "expensive part:
https://www.rapidled.com/6-x-12-premium-heat-sink-and-enclosure/
$40 each..

$246 total
Except for the COB itself everything electrical is err "remote"
67W's at all full
6193 lumens approx.

Thing is the housing is really the key..You can get heat sinks for the chips at about $10 each..
And one could add lenses ect..
W/out your fixtures need to be about 6" off the water line..

*One can "power up" fairly cheap.* (on reflection good deal.)
https://www.digikey.com/product-det...c/CTM-22-6527-90-36-TW01/1214-1553-ND/8324689
adds $18.38 x 3 -45 = *$10.40*

Use 500mA drivers..same price
111W ...about 2 AI Primes and 10,323 lumens..


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## GeorgeTheGuppy (Jun 5, 2019)

OVT said:


> Do yourself a big favor and buy x2 AI Prime Freshwater. Explaining the reasons for my advise would take volumes.
> 
> https://premiumaquatics.com/category/led-aquarium-lighting.html - 5% coupon is the cheapest place I know.


Thanks for the link! 

Any chance you could satisfy my curiosity and give me the cliff notes on why using floodlights is a bad idea? The main reason I saw was chip degradation and failure over time, but both the lights I found were warrantied (the RGB one for 5 years).



jeffkrol said:


> https://www.digikey.com/product-det...c/CTM-18-6527-90-36-TW01/1214-1551-ND/8324687
> [email protected] $15 each.. Color tuneable from 27000-6500K $45
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for the detailed list. I don't know if I want to do something that involved, but I'm interested in pursuing it.

How does the control aspect work? Would you just PWM the DC-DC converter for whichever channel you wanted to dim? 

I'm a little concerned about waterproofing and the longevity of the system. It looks like the LEDs just shine through a grate in that housing, so it seems like water could splash up in there. Also, I know heat can make more powerful LEDs crap out rather quickly (even if they have a heatsink) - do you know the longevity of such a system?

For a more minimal look, I'm thinking 6 of these could work well:
https://www.amazon.com/Light-Northp...+flood+light&qid=1559844125&s=gateway&sr=8-13

It says they have Cree LEDs, but I can't find which specific chip. 

Edit:
It looks to use the XLamp XBD. Out of their list of chips, it was the only one that looked like what I could see in the product picture of the Northpole light:









They list it as a 6000K light, so based on the datasheet I'm guessing it's the cool white variant, which ranges from 5000K-8300K. I doubt it would have the (I'm guessing more expensive) 70 or 80 CRI cool white chips. I'll see if I can find the spectrum/PAR.

Edit 2:
Bingo, the datasheet had it a little later on.









So, there's a tall, narrow peak at ~440nm and a shorter, wider one at ~550nm, with not a whole lot from 0-420nm, 460-500nm, and 630nm up. Any of you guys experts on photosynthesis spectra? I'll start doing some research.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Plants can use any visible wavelengths..
Blue/cyan gap is more of a visual deficiency, though some carotenoid pigments use it...
higher K larger gap or at least deeper..

https://www.eenewseurope.com/news/novel-phosphor-and-purple-led-combination-yields-sun-white-light

You want cheap..quality bulbs..
6 pack..
https://www.amazon.com/Hyperikon-Di...-Medium/dp/B077G372FB?ref_=fsclp_pl_dp_2&th=1 
40 degree lenses so you can hang them relatively high.

2 rows at 12" above the water line should work quite well...

The tricky part is that manufacturers do not have to specify CRI on Lighting Facts labels. Sometimes you’ll see it printed somewhere else on the box. For example, IKEA always prints CRI on LED bulb packaging. Products with 90 CRI and higher almost always mention CRI on the packaging.



> But often, CRI is nowhere to be found. A good rule of thumb: if CRI is not specified and the bulb is from a name brand like Philips, GE, or CREE, it is probably about 80 CRI. If you don’t recognize the brand and it is low-cost, it may be in the range of 70–80 CRI.
> 
> You will probably find an 80 CRI bulb acceptable if it meets your CCT and lumen requirements, but try to get something with a higher CRI, if available.


https://hackernoon.com/the-trinity-...-when-purchasing-led-light-bulbs-46abb9a6398d


CRI is for you..not plants btw.


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## GeorgeTheGuppy (Jun 5, 2019)

jeffkrol said:


> Plants can use any visible wavelengths..
> Blue/cyan gap is more of a visual deficiency, though some carotenoid pigments use it...
> higher K larger gap or at least deeper..
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info. Do you know of any nice-looking fixtures those lights could go in? I know they make hanging cans for lighting, but I'm not sure if those bulbs would fit.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

IDK.. something like this maybe..
One thing.. If shopping see if they have, at least, a few vent holes on top.

https://www.dhgate.com/product/35w-led-track-light-super-bright-two-wire/423836126.html

go smaller bulbs..
https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/177390/IRT-10051.html

higher CRI "floods" are getting fairly easy to find and are more reasonable in price..though of course fixtures and desired intensity matter.


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

IMO, DIY (LED) projects get rather complicated rather quickly, with a steep learning curve. And, in the end, it still works and looks like DIY.
If the subject matter holds your interest then more power to you. If you want to get to the point of plants growing and fish swimming then buy off the shelf.


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## GeorgeTheGuppy (Jun 5, 2019)

jeffkrol said:


> IDK.. something like this maybe..
> One thing.. If shopping see if they have, at least, a few vent holes on top.
> 
> https://www.dhgate.com/product/35w-led-track-light-super-bright-two-wire/423836126.html
> ...


Thanks for the links, I'll look into that.



OVT said:


> IMO, DIY (LED) projects get rather complicated rather quickly, with a steep learning curve. And, in the end, it still works and looks like DIY.
> If the subject matter holds your interest then more power to you. If you want to get to the point of plants growing and fish swimming then buy off the shelf.


Thanks for the advice, that's kind of what I was afraid of. That's why I was initially looking at floodlights that could be plug-n-play.

If I end up going this route, I think I'll just get DC white lights that can be hooked up to a dimmer.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

GeorgeTheGuppy said:


> Thanks for the links, I'll look into that.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yea but what challenge is that???
200gal tank ..









build a fancy box around it...


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## GeorgeTheGuppy (Jun 5, 2019)

jeffkrol said:


> Yea but what challenge is that???
> 200gal tank ..
> 
> 
> ...


Holy cow, that tank looks amazing! (And the lighting looks slick, too)

I'm all about a challenge, but I'll be throwing this together as I begin my PhD. I have other DIY projects that need to take place at around the same time, and I don't want to delay the entire aquarium build because I'm too busy to finish a big project.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Well I had a hand in the lighting but not my tank..
They usually don't end up looking that good..

This is my 40B










Eventually just put a box around it (and lowered it)


Not even a "fancy" heatsink.. 









It's been running for over 4 years now, though periodically I'll change a few diodes when better ones come around..

Then again, throw one of these over a 40b but use about 1/2 of the available power (dim the blue channel to taste..)
https://www.amazon.com/Lightimetunn...rds=reef+led&qid=1559543691&s=gateway&sr=8-10
$100-ish..
And these are err..interesting..
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L5LHWNW/ref=psdc_2975458011_t3_B07F1BJB8B

See MY problem is everything is sort of close.. but so far away..


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## GeorgeTheGuppy (Jun 5, 2019)

jeffkrol said:


> Well I had a hand in the lighting but not my tank..
> They usually don't end up looking that good..
> 
> This is my 40B
> ...


Your tank looks good too! Way more lush than my current tank.

I'm not sure DIY looks as polished as I want, although it does sound really nice to be able to change out the diodes whenever you want.

Thanks for both the links. At 165W for that first one, I am losing sight of reasons to go with the floodlights. And the second is crazy slim. I can't believe a 300W LED doesn't have a heat sink. 2 year warranty, or I'd be nervous.

Do you think a single one (of either) would be able to light a 40b? If not, I suppose I could buy two for as cheap as any of my other options.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

GeorgeTheGuppy said:


> At 165W for that first one, I am losing sight of reasons to go with the floodlights. And the second is crazy slim. I can't believe a 300W LED doesn't have a heat sink. 2 year warranty, or I'd be nervous.
> 
> Do you think a single one (of either) would be able to light a 40b? If not, I suppose I could buy two for as cheap as any of my other options.



first neither is what it seems.. 
The 165W is closer to (at least from both kill a watt people and visuals) 100W
the 300W (it's stupidly a name)


> 338pcs High Intensity 0.5W


At BEST (and normally not run at 1/2w.. think of this as LED strips w/ lenses) 169W and most likely near the 100W level though I have seen it listed at 65W soo????

Better??


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## Remmy (Jan 10, 2007)

Just buy the standard floodlights and be done with it, i've had good success with them as a cheap and practical lighting solution
then focus your energy where it matters - the scape and plant growth!


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## GeorgeTheGuppy (Jun 5, 2019)

jeffkrol said:


> first neither is what it seems..
> The 165W is closer to (at least from both kill a watt people and visuals) 100W
> the 300W (it's stupidly a name)
> At BEST (and normally not run at 1/2w.. think of this as LED strips w/ lenses) 169W and most likely near the 100W level though I have seen it listed at 65W soo????
> ...


Thanks for the correction there. Come to think of it, I've heard of the LED floodlights being grossly overrated as well. 

Wait, "300W" is the _name_? That's pretty tricky. I didn't catch that they were 0.5W LEDs.

Nice canopy! For the sake of maintenance I like having mine topless, but a canopy + DIY LED seems like a great way to go.



Remmy said:


> Just buy the standard floodlights and be done with it, i've had good success with them as a cheap and practical lighting solution
> then focus your energy where it matters - the scape and plant growth!


 @Remmy
Looks like your plants are doing really well under the floods! Do you have a link to the lights you used? What color temp were they, and does it look that yellow in person? Also, did you just run the lights on/off, or did you use a dimmer?


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## Remmy (Jan 10, 2007)

GeorgeTheGuppy said:


> Looks like your plants are doing really well under the floods! Do you have a link to the lights you used? What color temp were they, and does it look that yellow in person? Also, did you just run the lights on/off, or did you use a dimmer?


No link but they were 30 watt COB style (with the single LED matrix in the center) and were listed as cool white 6500k~.
It wasn't as yellow as the photo shows, the light produced is a cooler white.
There's a bunch of new floodlight models these days with differing LED arrangements and types, i'm unsure if those are better or worse than the 'original' type that i used here.


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## GeorgeTheGuppy (Jun 5, 2019)

Remmy said:


> No link but they were 30 watt COB style (with the single LED matrix in the center) and were listed as cool white 6500k~.
> It wasn't as yellow as the photo shows, the light produced is a cooler white.
> There's a bunch of new floodlight models these days with differing LED arrangements and types, i'm unsure if those are better or worse than the 'original' type that i used here.


Thanks, almost everything I've looked at is COB now. If I go this route, I think I'll get three of these 50W 6000K lights. From what I read, LED floods are notorious for being overrated though, so I wish I could find its actual power draw.


It looks like there's a lot better selection of AC flood lights, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to dim it. Does anyone know if a dimmer like this can be used with AC led lights?


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

GeorgeTheGuppy said:


> Thanks, almost everything I've looked at is COB now. If I go this route, I think I'll get three of these 50W 6000K lights. From what I read, LED floods are notorious for being overrated though, so I wish I could find its actual power draw.
> 
> 
> It looks like there's a lot better selection of AC flood lights, but I'm not sure if I'd be able to dim it. Does anyone know if a dimmer like this can be used with AC led lights?


If the total lightning is under 200w and they have dimmable circuitry.. don't see why it wouldn't work..
It's made for AC bulbs..AC/DC conversion done inside the bulb/flood base


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## Remmy (Jan 10, 2007)

GeorgeTheGuppy said:


> From what I read, LED floods are notorious for being overrated though, so I wish I could find its actual power draw.


You're right about that, luck of the draw to a certain extent though. The 30's i used were pretty close to the listed draw however a 50watt i bought only drew around 36w from memory.


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## GeorgeTheGuppy (Jun 5, 2019)

jeffkrol said:


> If the total lightning is under 200w and they have dimmable circuitry.. don't see why it wouldn't work..
> It's made for AC bulbs..AC/DC conversion done inside the bulb/flood base


I think the TRIAC-type dimming can mess with LED drivers if they're not specifically made to handle it. Remember when LED light bulbs first were coming out, you'd put one in a dimmable socket and it would go nuts when you dimmed it? (If you're familiar with all this, I don't mean to patronize.)



Remmy said:


> You're right about that, luck of the draw to a certain extent though. The 30's i used were pretty close to the listed draw however a 50watt i bought only drew around 36w from memory.


Thanks. I just wish there were a way to be sure; annoying that overrating is so rampant. You'd think Amazon would take them down for false advertising.


At this point I'm pretty heavily leaning toward just buying the Fluval 3.0, though. I think I'll do that to start, and maybe over the next few years I'll start on a full DIY fixture - if I'm gonna do DIY, I think I'd rather take my time and do it to enjoy the project than just to save some cash.


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## Quesenek (Sep 26, 2008)

OVT said:


> IMO, DIY (LED) projects get rather complicated rather quickly, with a steep learning curve. And, in the end, it still works and looks like DIY.
> If the subject matter holds your interest then more power to you. If you want to get to the point of plants growing and fish swimming then buy off the shelf.


I agree if the hobbyist isn't very diy oriented I would stay away from making a fixture. Not to mention with the voltages we are talking about when wiring a fixture, it could be very dangerous if care isn't taken when working on it.

However I will say now that I've been around the block with making my own fixture using 3w led stars, LDD drivers, and a TC420 controller I don't think I'll ever use a consumer light fixture on future tanks. 
Once you know what is going on it's very easy to mix your own led's to suit any color spectrum you want. 
Also once you get over the hump of acquiring the hardware to assemble and make the fixtures things get fairly cheap compared to AI, Kessil, Ecotech fixtures.


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