LED Question

mrbprint · 01-16-2013, 10:52 PM

My first LED venture for a 10g was successful but I used a kit with everything included. Except for picking wrong temp LEDs it has been working great for almost a year for a $28 investment. My next venture is for a 20h. My problem is the LEDs I have picked are 700ma and the drivers I can get for what I am willing to pay are 350ma, 600ma or 1000ma. Am I correct thinking I can use the 600ma driver? Could the 1000ma be used with a resistor?

cheesehead · 01-16-2013, 11:28 PM

You can always go lower in current. 600 mA would be fine, and would extend the lifetime of your LED's.

Going higher with a resistor in series with your LED's will still drive everything to the maximum current (1000 mA in your case).

What LED's & drivers?

mrbprint · 01-16-2013, 11:44 PM

Still in wishful thinking stage but will be a 30w of 1 of 2 types. My first thought is for a simple 10 X 3w 5-3500K and 5-6500k. My other thought is for 30 X 1w with a mix of red, blue, 35k and 65k. It will depend on what I find at the scrapyard for a heatsink. All the parts will be the cheap Chinese stuff since I am keeping the project to under $50.

01-16-2013, 10:52 PM	#1
mrbprint Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Dover Plains, NY Posts: 112	LED Question My first LED venture for a 10g was successful but I used a kit with everything included. Except for picking wrong temp LEDs it has been working great for almost a year for a $28 investment. My next venture is for a 20h. My problem is the LEDs I have picked are 700ma and the drivers I can get for what I am willing to pay are 350ma, 600ma or 1000ma. Am I correct thinking I can use the 600ma driver? Could the 1000ma be used with a resistor? __________________ KISS Keep It Simple Stupid

01-16-2013, 11:44 PM	#3
mrbprint Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Dover Plains, NY Posts: 112	Still in wishful thinking stage but will be a 30w of 1 of 2 types. My first thought is for a simple 10 X 3w 5-3500K and 5-6500k. My other thought is for 30 X 1w with a mix of red, blue, 35k and 65k. It will depend on what I find at the scrapyard for a heatsink. All the parts will be the cheap Chinese stuff since I am keeping the project to under $50. __________________ KISS Keep It Simple Stupid

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01-16-2013, 11:28 PM	#2
cheesehead Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: River Falls, WI Posts: 33	You can always go lower in current. 600 mA would be fine, and would extend the lifetime of your LED's. Going higher with a resistor in series with your LED's will still drive everything to the maximum current (1000 mA in your case). What LED's & drivers?