5 channel Multichip Panel Group Buy

[Lasse]

I think i'm going to run the chip at 150w rather than the max with a 300w heatsink. What are you lot going to run yours at?

Thats my plan also , at least for the whites

Sincerely Lasse

[ronreef]

Not a good idéa cause it limit the choises of drivers - it will be a FV at 42,5 V max instead of 36. It will also take away that solution that many of us in Sweden want to do according to drivers. There is a guy - Janne88 working on a MB for driving 5 channels and 36 V is max for that soultion. This solution will have a small footprint (around 10*10 cm), two temperature probes, a fan controller, 12 V for fan, 5 V for regulation card. 5 drivers with true PWM, an adjustable constant current 0-1400 mA (through software) FV 30-36 V. To this there is allready a control card with 4 timers and delays. Because of its small fotprint - it wil be possible to mount it in the pendant and let the same fans that cool the chip also cool this card. 10*10 is just now optimal for us in Sweden at least.

Sincerely Lasse

Let me know how I can help out as I said in my email. I'm very interested in the driver card. You mentioned in an earlier message that the driver can be converted or changed from PWM to 0-10V. My neptune controller is 0-10V output. I know other US reefers run Neptunes as well. I can find a way around it if I have to.

Thanks, Ron

[janne68]

Hi

Please keep the 10 series x 10 parallel solution.

Regards,
/Janne

[janne68]

Let me know how I can help out as I said in my email. I'm very interested in the driver card. You mentioned in an earlier message that the driver can be converted or changed from PWM to 0-10V. My neptune controller is 0-10V output. I know other US reefers run Neptunes as well. I can find a way around it if I have to.

Thanks, Ron

Regarding the driver card Lasse mentions is actually controlled using a bus with a special protocol that the matching controller card uses. The protocol is simple and users of for example ReefAngle has also controlled DriverCards produced for this controller (there are existing driver cards aimed at 3W LEDs).

Then there is actually a variant of the controller card that takes some 0-10V signals as inputs (no built in timers/ramps) and uses them as the basis for further controlling.
It can be as simple as just driving different driver channels as direct matches to the incoming analog signals. It can also be a lot more complicated and flexible, generating several delayed signals from the incoming signals. Setting offsets individually for each connected driver chanel and some more stuff. It will aslo be here that you can set the current for each driver channel and I will probably add somthing regarding the fan controlling and temperature.

That was a very short and maybe confusing description :-)

But as you understand the driver card for this multichip is still under development and I might still run into unforeseen problems.

Regards,
Janne

[Lasse]

Hi

I have been thinking a little at the configuration of the chip´s channels. The one that we has agree with is the follow (from left to right on the chip)
white - RB 455 - RB 445 - white.

Several here have said they might run together multiple channels in parallel. Different FV (tot) can then occur. The white is no problem, I think, but maybe the blue. If you run this configuration instead (if possible):
white -> 10 pcs 445 + 10 pcs 455 -> 10 pcs 420 + 10 pcs 430 -> 10 pcs 445 + 10 pcs 455 -> white.

Then the two white are identical channels, and also the two channels RB. "UV" channel, by itself.

Sincerely Lasse

[JohnnyAirtime]

There is no conspiracy. No question about it. I am here to generate interest. I'm not here for health reasons. Many of the new members are from RC. I was followed here to facilitate a group buy. Reading the first post of this thread should have made it crystal clear.

I was following the RC thread too... and had many of my own posts completely deleted.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2128756

A great thread, with loads of valuable information for DIY Reef goers... with great info on "where to buy", however all that was DELETED once MODs got a hold of the thread.

... using SDReefs to facilitate the group buy may not be as lucrative (not quite the amount of members RC has, nor the vast worldly exposure), but it's surely a place to steer others to, as your not going to be scrutinized as you were on RC before you were banned.

Good luck on your venture!! Great idea, however not my taste as it's too "industrial" looking.

Why not lean on the "flood light" market, as they've pretty much already done where your going (somewhat) with those wattages (just not the custom chip configurations)?!

Last thought... why use two colors so close together (445 and 455)? it's almost a waste of chip space, when you could spread the spectrum out a bit and gain from using two (same) colors with more separation.


.

[Lasse]

Dubble post I´m sorry

Sincerely Lasse

[Lasse]

I
Last thought... why use two colors so close together (445 and 455)? it's almost a waste of chip space, when you could spread the spectrum out a bit and gain from using two (same) colors with more separation.

.

It's worse than that. All pure blue is at 420, 430, 445 and 455 nm. The remainder of the blue wavelengths comes from the blue peaks of the white chip´s.

The reason for the choice of the specific wavelengths are essentially two.

The main reason has with photosynthesis to do - these four wavelengths are also absorbance peaks for four photosynthetically active substances, substances in the possession of various forms of coral. Photosynthesis can be likened to quantum mechanics. For it to function optimally, you need the photons to have exactly the energy that the current photosynthetic active species requires. Photon wavelength speaks of its energy content.

Normally you have white light which, at best, contains all of these wavelengths. In order to get enough of the critical wavelength increases only the intensity until you get enough of the wavelengths that the photosynthesis needs. The blue LED is monochromatic sources can be directly (if you know the relevant wavelengths) put its strength precisely where you need it and not have to waste any energy at wavelengths that are not needed. But a blue aquarium may grow well but are not as nice to look at. That is the reason that you mix in white LEDs that contain a lot of the other wavelengths that are relevant to how we perceive colors. In addition, there are some wavelengths that have biological importance - we just do not know which.

The second reason applies to 420 nm. In that wavelength is, according to several sources, the fluorescence is optimal. This give your corals "the punch". The fluorescence is a phenomenon in which a photon is received by the organism, and another photon with less energy is transmitted bak again. Ie a different wavelength with different color.

This chip is meant to be a super chip in many ways.

Sincerely Lasse

[Screener]

Not a good idéa cause it limit the choises of drivers - it will be a FV at 42,5 V max instead of 36. It will also take away that solution that many of us in Sweden want to do according to drivers. There is a guy - Janne88 working on a MB for driving 5 channels and 36 V is max for that soultion. This solution will have a small footprint (around 10*10 cm), two temperature probes, a fan controller, 12 V for fan, 5 V for regulation card. 5 drivers with true PWM, an adjustable constant current 0-1400 mA (through software) FV 30-36 V. To this there is allready a control card with 4 timers and delays. Because of its small fotprint - it wil be possible to mount it in the pendant and let the same fans that cool the chip also cool this card. 10*10 is just now optimal for us in Sweden at least.

Sincerely Lasse

My goodness, you are making my dream come true! Will the Janne MB card be available as a separate purchase from a pcb manufacturer or as eagle file w/ his BOM soon? Please? I would be very interested in Janne's progress, has he been posting to a forum? This will save an enormous amount of work and trial and error.

[Maxium]

Put my down for 3 pcs Option A chip.

/Nissen /swe

[tentacles]

By my count that takes us to 49, ron, I will do a 4th chip so change me from 3 to 4 pieces.

[ronreef]

Put my down for 3 pcs Option A chip.

/Nissen /swe

Hi Maxium. Please send me your email address!

Thanks,
Ron

[ronreef]

Thats a shame. Well I guess i'll still just take two, it will be up to him if he wants my business or not after that cos I won't be paying 175 for one thats for sure. He told me that the max watt on each leg will be 50.4w, I think i'm going to run the chip at 150w rather than the max with a 300w heatsink. What are you lot going to run yours at?

gtfcniles, please PM your email address.

Thanks,
Ron

[ronreef]

Update: We are, unofficially, at 50 pcs. I say unofficially because I still need a few email addresses. I will send payment instructions via email.
On top of that, I'd like to create some margin by letting the buy go until this weekend. There are bound to be few dropouts. Plus, there are a
few still contemplating this group buy. Just a few more days!

Ron

[ronreef]

I was following the RC thread too... and had many of my own posts completely deleted.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2128756

A great thread, with loads of valuable information for DIY Reef goers... with great info on "where to buy", however all that was DELETED once MODs got a hold of the thread.

... using SDReefs to facilitate the group buy may not be as lucrative (not quite the amount of members RC has, nor the vast worldly exposure), but it's surely a place to steer others to, as your not going to be scrutinized as you were on RC before you were banned.

Good luck on your venture!! Great idea, however not my taste as it's too "industrial" looking.

Why not lean on the "flood light" market, as they've pretty much already done where your going (somewhat) with those wattages (just not the custom chip configurations)?!

Last thought... why use two colors so close together (445 and 455)? it's almost a waste of chip space, when you could spread the spectrum out a bit and gain from using two (same) colors with more separation.


.

What Lasse said.

Plus: As far as using the Kessil Gooseneck arm with the heatsink, it's actually not industrial looking. Over a rimless tank, it looks great. It's small and easily positioned. You can take two of them and angle each to create better coverage.
I agree a naked heatsink used as a pendant over a tank is pretty monstrous looking. Pendants in general aren't really for me mainly because they're static fixtures. With a low profile heatsink attached to the Kessil arm, its very dynamic in terms of positioning. Much more different than a pendant. Probably much better in person than in pictures.