Reef Discussion

mscott · Apr 2, 2012

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/290622048696?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649
Hey guys im looking at buying these to create a small lighting unit for my soon to be 21L nano/frag/hospital tank, as im only going to need 6 Led's, if that, i was thinking this easier and cheeper than buying one off aquastyles.
I was thinking 3x RB 3x 6500K white, or 2xcyan 2x white 2xrb
Cheers

MagicJ · Apr 2, 2012

Yes, that will work, if you trust cheap Chinese made electronics :p

Keep in mind that it will only drive 2 or 3 leds.

But, you can't really have a multi use nano/frag/hospital tank - what is it going to be?

mscott · Apr 3, 2012

They are in all likelyhood exactly the same as the meanwell drivers, if they dont work, then its only 5buks, and 5 buks is 5 buks.
Well what its going to be is what we are still discussing, we are looking at using it as a small fowler tank, but when we start fragging put our frags in it, but also use it to help with makeing sick corals healthyier, as i would realy rather have that crash (if it does) than my big tank.
Cheers

aussieant32 · Apr 3, 2012

you could have it as a coral hospital tank but they don't really enjoy being moved much from what I have been told, but if the tank is crashing I guess it might be a better option.

Problem is you lose the ability to use the tank as a fish hospital tank if you put corals in it.

mscott · Apr 3, 2012

I think i shall start a tank journal for it, atm there wont be much to say/do as im waiting for the lights and a smaller heater, but i may start it up for its cycle when we move.
Cheers

Joshwaaaa · Apr 3, 2012

as magicJ said they will work no worries, they actually look as if they come out the same factory as the maxwellen's that aquastyle sell. Which I have been running for a little while now with no dramas, they dont produce any heat.

I think the main thing is that it will be driving at 660ma which is almost flat out for bridgelux, so it will be super bright with no dimming capability and may produce alot of heat from your LEDs. I'm just assuming your running bridgelux???

mscott · Apr 3, 2012

most likely will be yes, its still to be decided by the boss woman as to wether or not the tank will go ahead, i can always buy some dimable resistors to put inline with the LED's if i need to dim them down

mscott · May 7, 2012

well i got a coupple of these in today, wired them up in the same way as the meanwells, plugged them in then BANG, nothing worked and no more power was going thru, did i stuff up or were they stuffed up?
cheers

MagicJ · May 7, 2012

Have you got a photo of it wired up?

BTW I suspect it was you ;)

rockerpeller · May 7, 2012

crossed wiring?

MagicJ · May 7, 2012

rockerpeller said:
crossed wiring?

That's what I wanted to check ;)

mscott how did you connect up you 240v wires?

mscott · May 7, 2012

i used the spare set of plugs i got from aquastyles (they gave me 2 i used one), Black to brown and red to blue, which is what my others are at. I cant take pics now because I've take the thing apart, just incase, i have two more drivers so ill post up pics of the wireing before i plug them in to the 240V

MagicJ · May 7, 2012

View attachment ajto.tinxi.us_images_2807133_0.jpg

Look at the picture - the red and black wires go to your led's, not to 240v - the live and neutral gets connected at the other end.

Blue/Black is neutral; Brown/Red is active - please be careful and check everything before turning on.

Joshwaaaa · May 7, 2012

What magic said, 240V doesn't have red & black -> positive and negative. 240V is live and neutral

Becareful around 240V while this stuff is relatively simple it is also extrmely dangerous, take it from some one who has had a couple of boofs playing round in old house power boards replacing shitty fuses

VaultBoy · May 8, 2012

240v hurts a lot more than 12v!

Red and Brown together - Active or 240v potential. (Just remember "Brown gets you in the shit")

Black and Blue together - Neutral or 0v potential.

mscott · May 8, 2012

alrite my cockup, too much time at school and not enough time doing it.
Yea i know how it feels, I've shocked myself more than a few times, nothing major tho thank god.

shane_h · May 8, 2012

HAHA Josh I sat here giggleing when I read "boofs" Seen a guy arc out some 3 phase being lazy and not getting the pointy nosed pliers OR turning off the circuit before he tried to just nip a nut up another quarter turn with the bull nose pliers... A loud deep BOOOF is the noise it made as it threw him 4 odd meters backwards.. He was a little shaken but ok. Pliers were no longer bull nose, they were a melted mess.

VaultBoy · May 8, 2012

I used to work with electricians and one of the supervisors had a pair of pliers that got "bitten" by 22,000V both halves were welded together and the whole end of them was almost gone with bits of molten steel dripping from it!

The electrician survived to tell the tale BTW

Synodontis · May 12, 2012

mscott said:
alrite my cockup, too much time at school and not enough time doing it.
Yea i know how it feels, I've shocked myself more than a few times, nothing major tho thank god.

Do it again, do it again! get someone to record it & post it in here so we can see your young Einstein hair do!! :p

mscott · May 12, 2012

Synodontis said:
Do it again, do it again! get someone to record it & post it in here so we can see your young Einstein hair do!! :p

What hairdo?? i look like this all the time:confused: hahaha.
Well wired up a good one, and they are a no go, it dosnt hold enough power to keep the LED's going. They start to flash after about 10secs.
Cheers