# Bioload LED Fixture



## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Here we go again!

I've been collecting some parts for my latest LED build, plans of which are evolving and subject to change as I progress

The fixtures will likely consist of 40-60 LED's in a 2 to 1 ratio of 14,000K white and Blues.










The dimensions will be ~22" long, ~6"-8" wide, and as thin as the components will allow.

I would like a separate controller that will have individual timers for 14K's and Blues, and house the drivers with cooling.










There will also be moonlight LED's worked into the fixture as well, running 24hrs. The fixture will have active cooling with the number and size of fans to be determined.

Each LED will be mounted onto its own heat sink to facilitate replacement if needed and colour ratio changes.










I'm hoping to attain a clean finish seen in commercial grade fixtures like those of Orphek and AI and willing to spend the time to get the right components that will match form to function, keeping within what my limited budget will allow.










Looking forward to working with everyone.......More details to come.


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## caker_chris (Apr 22, 2010)

i am definatly following along on this one


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## Chromey (Sep 25, 2010)

im liking the heatsinks.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Hi Chris/Chromey,

Need some help sourcing multiconductor cable between the controller and the fixture. Does anyone have any thoughts on what can be used.

For the number of conductors I was thinking:
3-4 drivers (6-8 conductors) 0.700A - 14 LED's per driver
moonlight (2 conductors) < 0.028A - 4 in series
cooling fan (2 conductors) < 0.210A - 2 in series

I would like to have a cable that is flexible, and ability to connect/disconnect easily if I needed to.

I would like to use DE-15 cables if possible.


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## Chromey (Sep 25, 2010)

flea markets. Ive seen them for 1.99 for a 7.5'


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

http://www.sayal.com/ActionContacts.asp


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/shielded-vga-cable-1-5m-5168
- Length: 1.5M
- Connectors: 1x DB15 HD Male, 1x DB15 HD Male
- Colour: Black
- Double shielded
- Conductor: copper

$5.64 deilvered to your door with free shipping

I've used this site a thousand times and am very happy with their product


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Chromey said:


> flea markets. Ive seen them for 1.99 for a 7.5'


I've got a few of them at the moment, however, I'm still researching if they would be able to handle the 700mA from the driver to the LED string.

Still looking of options as the build progresses


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Will said:


> http://www.sayal.com/ActionContacts.asp


Hi Will, Thanks for the link. I've been to their location in Vauhgn, but was unalble to find an alternative. I might give some other location a try as well.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

altcharacter said:


> http://www.dealextreme.com/p/shielded-vga-cable-1-5m-5168
> - Length: 1.5M
> - Connectors: 1x DB15 HD Male, 1x DB15 HD Male
> - Colour: Black
> ...


Thanks alt, copper would be ideal. I've checked a few that state 26AWG conductors and I'm hoping that would be enough for the current requirements.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

This is the wiring diagram that I've done so far. Based on this I would require 12 conductors from the controller to the fixture


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Here are some pics of what I have done so far....I'll be mocking up the fixture using MDF and then using the MDF as a template later on. I have two of the 4 LED modules completed and will be working on the other two in the next few days.


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## Chromey (Sep 25, 2010)

what do you plan to keep moisture off the MDF?


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Chromey said:


> what do you plan to keep moisture off the MDF?


The final fixture will be acrylic. I'll be using the MDF for now only to minimize the cost of mistakes/changes.....I can then use the MDF to fabricate the acrylic parts.....like this


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Here are some pics of the bottom of the fixture that I completed today. The optics will sit flush with this so I may need to use some standoff/spacers to get the height of the LED perfect. A second sheet will then seal it all up.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

altcharacter said:


> http://www.dealextreme.com/p/shielded-vga-cable-1-5m-5168
> - Length: 1.5M
> - Connectors: 1x DB15 HD Male, 1x DB15 HD Male
> - Colour: Black
> ...


from where they ship?

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## Shoryureppa (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm curious as to how much this cost in parts, Sweet build btw


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Shoryureppa said:


> I'm curious as to how much this cost in parts, Sweet build btw


Hi Shoryureppa, I have a parts list that would give a rough estimate + time/tools/mistakes/modifications ....The parts list to date is ~ $500.

White LED	
10pcs 3W Power LED Star Emitter 14000K 
$18.99x4 $75.96

Blue LED	
10x 3W LED 455nm 
$23.99x4 $95.96

Heatsink	
5pcs 1W High Power LED Aluminium heatsink 
$4.23x16 $67.68

Optics	
20x 120 Degree 
$6.00x4 $24.00

Timers	
DIGITAL PROGRAMMABLE WEEKLY TIMER SWITCH 12VDC 16A 
$12.00x2 $24.00

Drivers	
Mean Well LPC-35-700 constant current driver 
$16.00x6 $96.00

Cooling Fan	
Brushless DC 11 Blade 12V 80mm x80mmx10mm 8010s 2 PIN WIRE 
$5.60x4 $22.40

Cooling Fan Grill	
5 x Axial 80mm CPU Cooling Fan Grill Metal Wire Finger Guards 
$5.40x1 $5.40

Relay	
110V AC Coil Power Relay DPDT JQX-13F 10A With PTF08A Socket Base 
$7.00x1 $7.00

Power Supply	
12V DC Power Adapter Supply Box For CCTV Camera 1A 
$9.98x1 $9.98

Acrylic	
24" x 48" x 1/4" White 
$6.00x8 $48.00

Acrylic	
12" x 48" x 1/4" Clear 
$6.00x4 $24.00


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

sig said:


> from where they ship?


Dealextreme ships from Hong Kong Greg. Give me a call and I can tell you more about that company. Russian Bastard


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## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

Just a suggestion Bio, maybe you could swap out some of the white leds with some other colors. The whites are extremely bright and they tend to drown out the warmer coral colors. I'd go with some reds, violets and maybe cyans to add to the spectrum.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Hi Kooka.....I do find the whites a bit too harsh. The 14000K's I'm using helped alot with colour, but I do plan on trying some different configs...any links to some reds, violets, or cyans?...won't take to long to swap out a few.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Updated wiring:


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## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

I also went with a 50/50 white/royal blue ratio and while the color spectrum is OK when the royal blues are turned up to say 3:1 of the whites, the color gamut the LED's are able to display is considerably less when compared with 
T5's or metal halides. The purple coralline algae for example disappears under my lighting, and the greens fade considerably. Here's a good read on the different types of LED's you can use to help bring out a wider color spectrum from your fixture: www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1885076

I got my LED's and heatsink from rapidled.com, and Mike the salesperson there is super helpful and very accomodating to any questions you might have. The DIY LED party is still somewhat new, and I think over-time this technology will advance to the point where it will replace the other types of lighting due to their amazing versatility, energy efficiency and brightness.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Great info!...there often seems to be a lack of photos of led tanks, but then again taking accurate pictures using LED lighting is a challenge as well. 

Im planning on some trial and error when it comes to color configuration. Going to have to get some corals in my tank first.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Fired up for some tests and I'm pleased with the colour, and a big improvement from the 50:50 Cree's used previously. All I need to do is find the right settings that will allow me to take some pictures of the tank and fixture at the same time.

All of the pics are either overexposing the fixture or underexposing the tank, not to mention the white balance.

Here is the MDF version before I tear it all down again to start on the acrylic.














































I've managed to clear up a lot of room mounting everything into the fixture, and eliminated a few power cords as well. The fixture will have a standard C-13/C-14 connection, but I will need to order a locking cord to prevent an unintentional dip in the tank.

The cooling fans are shutting off after several minutes of running and I've identified the relay as the cause of the problem. The vendor is sending a replacement at the moment since this is a rare occasion where I only ordered a single unit. I'm hoping that it is just a faulty relay. Still waiting on what I'll be using for moonlights to arrive as well.

The 2x4 sand will not be in the final design...will be working on some mounting brackets, and maybe a hanging kit....still haven't decided.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Beautiful setup dude! I would love to see this in action when it's done.


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## Kooka (Feb 8, 2011)

bioload said:


> Fired up for some tests and I'm pleased with the colour, and a big improvement from the 50:50 Cree's used previously. All I need to do is find the right settings that will allow me to take some pictures of the tank and fixture at the same time.
> 
> All of the pics are either overexposing the fixture or underexposing the tank, not to mention the white balance.
> 
> ...


Thats a sweet looking fxture, can't wait until you get it over some corals to show those colors! That was a good plan with the cord, I went with a molex connector on my fixture, but yours looks to be even better.

What kind of wood/particle board did you use for the enclosure? Are you planning on painting/staining it?


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Yeah I know you wanted to change the wood to plexi, but it might be a better idea to just waterproof the wood you have already since it looks really nice. 

Bondo then waterproof it in my opinion.


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## disman_ca (Nov 12, 2011)

The design and finished product is impressive to say the least.


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## Shoryureppa (Jul 1, 2011)

That is bada$$ . Would you consider making this for people?


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

altcharacter said:


> Beautiful setup dude! I would love to see this in action when it's done.


Thanks,....Getting a bit impatient myself. Unfortunately, my only corals are some GSP's and fading Zoa's at the moment.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Kooka said:


> Thats a sweet looking fxture, can't wait until you get it over some corals to show those colors! That was a good plan with the cord, I went with a molex connector on my fixture, but yours looks to be even better.
> 
> What kind of wood/particle board did you use for the enclosure? Are you planning on painting/staining it?


Thanks,....This was made from MDF and pine. The final plan will be acrylic for the top and the bottom. The sides are going to be either acrylic as well, stained maple or brushed aluminum.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

altcharacter said:


> Yeah I know you wanted to change the wood to plexi, but it might be a better idea to just waterproof the wood you have already since it looks really nice.
> 
> Bondo then waterproof it in my opinion.


Good idea to water proof/seal the MDF. This will be a template for cutting the acrylic, and I would hate to get the "master" damaged. Had a near miss when I left the bottom sheet leaning up against the front of the garage with the rain.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

disman_ca said:


> The design and finished product is impressive to say the least.


Thank You, Not sure if I posted my inspiration


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Shoryureppa said:


> That is bada$$ . Would you consider making this for people?


Thank You,...............lets finish mine first


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Thanks all for the feedback . Does anyone have any leads on extruded aluminum in the GTA? Can't seen to find anything locally.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

A good idea for the aluminum would be to head to your local fabrication shop and tell them what you're doing. They can put 4 pieces of aluminum together and weld them together to make a seamless frame. Might as well spend a few bucks to get what you want right?


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## WiseGuyPhil (Jun 15, 2011)

http://www.ctidirectory.com/search/product_company_list.cfm?prod_code=2866200

CTI Directory has a ton of listings as well.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

@altcharacter - I'll give it a shot at least once...If I run into issues I may just do that.

@wiseguy - Thanks, I'll have to bookmark that one, I was able to find these guys http://www.mckinnonmetals.com/ and they have what I need in stock


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

I finished a few sketches to help in my decision regarding the finish Maple & Aluminum.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Idea I have for the mounting bracket.










Still thinking of the material, but leaning towards clear 1/2" polished acrylic. It would be nice if the light from the fixture would illuminate the edges of the bracket as well.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)




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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

Anodized black aluminum dude! Just draw what you need in a CAD/CAM program and mail it off to your local fab shop and they'll have it ready in a few days. You'd probably pay like $20 a leg but you'd get what you want.

I'll draw something tonight and post it.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

altcharacter said:


> Anodized black aluminum dude! Just draw what you need in a CAD/CAM program and mail it off to your local fab shop and they'll have it ready in a few days. You'd probably pay like $20 a leg but you'd get what you want.
> 
> I'll draw something tonight and post it.


I like ...........but where is this local fabrication shop that everyone keeps talking about?


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## disman_ca (Nov 12, 2011)

I just have to ask, what is it you guys do for a living? I get the hobby and interest in learning about how to DIY but designing stuff and sending it away for fabrication is not something everyone does. I'm subscribed to this thread purely for interest in seeing it built, so far so good.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

disman_ca said:


> I just have to ask, what is it you guys do for a living? I get the hobby and interest in learning about how to DIY but designing stuff and sending it away for fabrication is not something everyone does. I'm subscribed to this thread purely for interest in seeing it built, so far so good.


Glad your along for the ride, and I hope that I can see this one through to completion. I work for a pharma company for about 15 years now. Before that I worked in a shop that made wooden futon frames for a couple years. My first DIY was a re-circulating skimmer with a pasta container and maxi jet. I wish I had a picture of that thing, and I can't believe that a grown man could be so proud of making bubbles, I guess we never grow up, but after that I was hooked.

I've thought of having some of my parts fabricated that are beyond my DIY abilities. The problem is finding someone that will be able to make a couple "one off" pieces at a price that is within my budget. After all, everyone has a finite budget that they work within. The rule of thumb I use regarding cost is the price of a comparable. I don't mind spending up to the price of a similar unit for a build. Cost savings isn't my primary focus when it comes to DIY, but rather an added bonus if it should work out that way. For example, two Orphek LED units would run me approx $1500-$1600 plus taxes, and I still don't get all the features that I'm looking for in a fixture.

My last project completed was my protein skimmer which ended up in the $500 range mainly due to the pump which I purchased from SWC. I wasn't able to DIY the impeller and the volute at the time and didn't want sacrifice form and function so that had to be "contracted". In that time I was still within the price range of comparables&#8230;&#8230;.and I'm happy with the performance to date&#8230;..

After a shot of vodka 









The budget took a hit with the aluminum that I received for the frame. It's WAY too heavy for the fixture for my liking. The weight of the aluminum alone is in the 20lb range and I'm worried that it may be too heavy for the tank. A friend of mine told me not to worry, that most canopies are heavier than that. However, once he picked up the aluminum bars his first words were, "Damn that's heavy"&#8230;..so back to the drawing board

These are some sketches that I've completed with some modifications to the frame&#8230;.I hope it will address the weight issues. The center will be a wooden frame with wooden or acrylic end caps, and using only a ¼" brushed aluminum trim on the front and back. I'm currently Google-ing "DIY Brushed Aluminum", and finding some nice tips (as usual).



















And just for kicks 




























My wife really likes this one&#8230;..I might regret the fact that she knows I can change the colour


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## disman_ca (Nov 12, 2011)

Set aside the strength you get from aluminum, why are you not considering plexiglass or some other form of sheet plastic? Is there heat concerns when using plastic? I've been considering a DIY project and I was thinking I would incase the heatsink with plexiglass to give it a cleaner look and hide the wiring inside. Of course it would be vented and have fans on top to remove the heat.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

disman_ca said:


> Set aside the strength you get from aluminum, why are you not considering plexiglass or some other form of sheet plastic? Is there heat concerns when using plastic? I've been considering a DIY project and I was thinking I would incase the heatsink with plexiglass to give it a cleaner look and hide the wiring inside. Of course it would be vented and have fans on top to remove the heat.


Encasing in plexiglass should be fine....I had my Cree's running for over a year in a bottomless plexi case with no issues, and no cooling fans. The acrylic did get warm/hot but did not show any ill effects from the heat. That fixture was mounted directly on the upper trim of the tank and was supported on 3 of its 4 edges.

This one, if mounted directly on the tank, will be supported on the ends with a span of approx 44-46". I was thinking all acrylic, but I'm worried that I might get some deflection in the center of the fixture.....but the aluminum trim on the front and back should prevent that??

Now you've got me thinking again


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

plexi aint cheap either


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

I wonder if I can laminate a few sheets or acrylic to make up the 1" x 1.25" lengths I need for the frame..... 4 x 1/4" or 2 x 1/2". You can't actually see the sections that run lengthwise.

With lamination I would be concerned about the “endcaps” and the visibility of the seam between the sheets. I remember in shop class back in elementary days I did that for a keychain….can’t recall what the seams look like.

I’ll mess around with some scraps this afternoon………….I could then use some Weldon to attached the frame to the base creating a water tight seal around the bottom side of the fixture…….Thank you disman!!!...and all that have contributed....sometimes it just takes the right questions


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

altcharacter said:


> plexi aint cheap either


Not sure if I can get it the dimensions I'm looking for.....but will let you know once I find out.


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## sig (Dec 13, 2010)

You can use legs from Sunlight Tek lights or make something like this

http://www.goreef.com/Sunlight-Supply-T5-Tek-Light-Elite-Tank-Bracket-Kit.html

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## disman_ca (Nov 12, 2011)

altcharacter said:


> plexi aint cheap either


Yes, but it is lighter and easier to work with ;-)


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## J_T (Mar 25, 2011)

disman_ca said:


> Yes, but it is lighter and easier to work with ;-)


and mistakes become frag racks that you trade for frags


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## Dax (Sep 29, 2010)

Lexan is a little more expensive, but a lot easier to work with. It is more bendable, more formable and less likely to break. Matter of fact it is bulletproof when thick enough .
We use this stuff at work exclusively and it's great. I think a dark, smokey one would look awesome. I can give you some pieces of the clear one to try out.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Dax said:


> Lexan is a little more expensive, but a lot easier to work with. It is more bendable, more formable and less likely to break. Matter of fact it is bulletproof when thick enough .
> We use this stuff at work exclusively and it's great. I think a dark, smokey one would look awesome. I can give you some pieces of the clear one to try out.


I might have to take you up on that offer Eric. I picked up a few sheets for the bottom and top yesterday. Peidmont Plastics is getting out of any colors thicker than 1/4", unless I need a skid.....I was thinking of a dark grey for the ends or possibly black with a matte finish, but the dark smoke does might work as well...will let you know. I'll be doing the first frame out of pine for now until I finalize/source the plastics.

Thanks all for your help!


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

After going through numerous threads and articles on LED color combinations I've come to the conclusion that the capability to change would be advantageous. With that being the case, having to remove and re-solder the LED's into the fixture would almost certainly be tedious enough to prevent it from happening for any type of experimentation.

The idea I came up with is to solder PCB 0.1mm pins to the stars and use jumpers to connect the strings together. I've ordered a few of these from e-bay and await their arrival as I complete the remainder of the build.



















Initially the pins will need to be soldered but once that is completed I would have a star that can be connected/disconnected with relative ease, or at least I hope so.


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## Dax (Sep 29, 2010)

You really are going all out plug and play. I love it. The only thing missing is a swing clamp for the LED stars instead of the screw down. Since you're going down the quick connect wire route this would let you swap out any LEDS at will. This way you can play with colour combinations without taking apart the fixture.


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## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Swing clamps would be nice....Jumpers arrived yesterday .....but still waiting on the pins 

Does anyone have any experience with these drivers?.....I'm thinking of giving them a try.

http://a-starlighting.com/products_show.asp?c_id=104


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