Need some help with my LEDs

[Victoss]

From the looks of this driver it seems to be a constant current (where as the dimmable drivers from rapid you can adjust the current with an internal pot). So maybe you need to just grab a 9v battery to get the dimming to be at 90% because with nothing connected it may be at 0 or low, depending how this driver works.

The only thing that confuses me is what LEDs from AquaStyle can you use with it if the current is 1.25A? I'm guessing you need to run the LEDs in two parallel strings then which is a PITA in my opinion and requires lots of safety precautions such as fuses and balancing of the strings. If I'm right then you DO NOT want to plug in the LEDs as a single string or you can blow them.

 

[ricklalonde]

Resolution:

So..... apparently I needed to string the LEDs in parallel not in series. I must have skipped over that part in the instructions lol. I knew it was going to be something simple. :?

Good news:

The LEDs look awesome. I actually like the whites as much as the blue. The light is spread much more evenly throughout my tank much like T5 lighting. I think the halide/LED rocks, perfect combo. I've now got the glow with the grow.

New question:

How hot can the LEDs get before damage occurs? With all my LEDs at full power and my halides running, I would say the heat sink is somewhere between warm and hot. 

 

[Salty Cracker]

Heatsinks should be warm but not hot.  Personally I found that running them without fans, the solder points would sometimes give (seriously!).

 

[ricklalonde]

I have a fan on mine but I'm just not sure if its getting enough air flow to the LEDs. The halide lamps in the fixture  kick off a boat load of heat as well. I'm going to test the temp after running them for a bit.

 

[Victoss]

If you can hold it I think you might be fine but with leds the cooler they are the longer they will last, a fan should be sufficient though.

 

[MrHermit85]

Yeah I guess the halides are warming the heatsinks a fair bit. I run just leds and the heatsinks barely get warm. I have 12cm fans blowing on each one though. Did you wire in fuses when you switched to paralell strings?

I have aquastyle leds too except I went with the controller kits. The colors are great and they are super Bright! Did you use UV at all?