The November 2011 Hurry up January updates
Nov 1, 2011
Pointless updates: (sorry - these are for my own benefit as much as anything)
- Updated first post of TJ to reflect changes since I first committed to this build.
- Worked out parts list and costings for electronics (parts for the lighting setup, switched power boards, some UPS batteries). $332.30! Batteries and power boards are a big chunk of this. Hopefully will order this start of December.
- Found someone who can deliver 1000l for under $200 (he does have to come 200km out of his way to deliver it).
- Still waiting for Andreas to respond to the whereabouts of the missing pump from my last order.
- Woke up at 5am and added a stack of little things to the electronics order list after mentally wiring 4 rows of LEDs and deciding I wanted to put terminal blocks in at each point where wires connect to the individual strips so I can dismantle them easily.
- Worked out that when I first build the lights, I'll build the first 3 strips which will use 48 LEDs - 12 of these will have to come from the nano's light, as will one of it's drivers. I'll have to rewire the nano light up to one driver. 12 crees is still overkill for the nano. Once I migrate the nano's inhabitants, then I'll put the last 12 on the 4th row at the back of the tank as they're destined to run on one driver anyway.
Nov 23, 2011
Typhon LED controller arrived today. I hooked it up to the nano in place of the RapidLED controller I have on it, and I'm already impressed. Timer seems to work well, and the fade function goes from 0% up to whatever maximum is set on the controller over the fade time that I set. I could do this for each channel, and program them on individual times. The RapidLED controller doesn't really allow for this. If you want sunrise/sunset, you get specific program periods, a set maximum intensity that is the same for all channels, and you get preset light periods, and fading doesn't fade right out.
It looks like this will behave how I want it to - I want to have more intensity in the blue LEDs, I want them on longer, and I want a better fading effect. Other than it being awkward as just a circuit, functionality wise, it seems to be pretty cool.
Driving channels one and two only.
Channel 1 is white, and I've just set the timer to turn it on only a few minutes before and has a max intensity of 30% (has made it up to 5% while it fades in), where as channel 2 was set to start hours before, with a max intensity of 50%.
I may play with this for a couple of days while it's hooked up to the nano and see how it goes.
Nov 25, 2011
I've bought most of the electronics - power points, and cable and bits and pieces to go into the cabinet. Getting a step closer to get this puppy built. Still need to order some UPS batteries yet.
Pointless updates: (sorry - these are for my own benefit as much as anything)
- Updated first post of TJ to reflect changes since I first committed to this build.
- Worked out parts list and costings for electronics (parts for the lighting setup, switched power boards, some UPS batteries). $332.30! Batteries and power boards are a big chunk of this. Hopefully will order this start of December.
- Found someone who can deliver 1000l for under $200 (he does have to come 200km out of his way to deliver it).
- Still waiting for Andreas to respond to the whereabouts of the missing pump from my last order.
- Woke up at 5am and added a stack of little things to the electronics order list after mentally wiring 4 rows of LEDs and deciding I wanted to put terminal blocks in at each point where wires connect to the individual strips so I can dismantle them easily.
- Worked out that when I first build the lights, I'll build the first 3 strips which will use 48 LEDs - 12 of these will have to come from the nano's light, as will one of it's drivers. I'll have to rewire the nano light up to one driver. 12 crees is still overkill for the nano. Once I migrate the nano's inhabitants, then I'll put the last 12 on the 4th row at the back of the tank as they're destined to run on one driver anyway.
Nov 23, 2011
Typhon LED controller arrived today. I hooked it up to the nano in place of the RapidLED controller I have on it, and I'm already impressed. Timer seems to work well, and the fade function goes from 0% up to whatever maximum is set on the controller over the fade time that I set. I could do this for each channel, and program them on individual times. The RapidLED controller doesn't really allow for this. If you want sunrise/sunset, you get specific program periods, a set maximum intensity that is the same for all channels, and you get preset light periods, and fading doesn't fade right out.
It looks like this will behave how I want it to - I want to have more intensity in the blue LEDs, I want them on longer, and I want a better fading effect. Other than it being awkward as just a circuit, functionality wise, it seems to be pretty cool.
Driving channels one and two only.
Channel 1 is white, and I've just set the timer to turn it on only a few minutes before and has a max intensity of 30% (has made it up to 5% while it fades in), where as channel 2 was set to start hours before, with a max intensity of 50%.
I may play with this for a couple of days while it's hooked up to the nano and see how it goes.
Nov 25, 2011
I've bought most of the electronics - power points, and cable and bits and pieces to go into the cabinet. Getting a step closer to get this puppy built. Still need to order some UPS batteries yet.
