DIY Planted Tank Hood with LED lighting: 2. Electricals & Wiring

Time to get the PVC base ready before attaching the aluminum LED fixtures.

Materials required:

a) Length of regular wire

b) A few DC connectors (male & female) & an AC connector (female)

c) Tools required for drilling holes, cutting wires, soldering, and hot gluing.

Tools & wire

AC & DC connectors

Found the right measurement only after an intense bout of simple calculations, erring once. (note the many marker points!)

Below is the wiring diagram for the LED Fixtures divided into two light banks (1 & 2) which will allow an option for staggered lighting in future.

LED wiring diagram

A total of 16 holes were (8 on each side panel) drilled for wiring 8 LED fixtures.

I used old telephone wires which I had with me for the wiring. The stiffness of the wire made it easy to navigate it inside the 1.5 in PVC tubes for concealing all wires.

A few holes were drilled on back panel to accommodate a couple of 12v DC connectors (female) and a AC power connector (female) for a fan alongwith a switch for it.

The connectors + switch were soldered and all the (electrical) contact points were insulated with hot glue before mounting. 

Connections soldered

Insulated with hot silicone glue

A final application of hot glue around the switch & the 220v AC connector made it rock solid and ready for mounting and connecting the LED fixtures.

Now to waterproof the LED strips and prepare the LED fixtures. 

Hopefully coming up sometime soon…