(Another) DIY LED Build - Linear Design
- Thread starter katchupoy
- Start date
katchupoy
New member
There you go Dave.
Even better if you can have it anodized with the color you want...
http://www.alphametal.com/services/anodizing/155
or
http://anodizingservice.com/colorano.htm
pimped led light...
Powder coating or anodizing will both work, can't really comment on paint b/c we've never tried that before (I tend to agree with kcress though, a thin layer probably wouldn't hurt). But there's basically no heat difference when we've powder coated or anodized the heatsinks.
daveonbass
New member
I only ask because I paint for a living...and could do that...but I'm afraid that the heat would deteriorate the paint, or the paint would deminish the effectiveness of hte LED system (too hot).
I may know a guy that can powder coat it for me...hmm...
I may know a guy that can powder coat it for me...hmm...
daveonbass
New member
Awesome!
daveonbass
New member
all I can do is paint...no powder coating can be promised yet. 
TheFishMan65
New member
IIRC I read somewhere that black is actually better than plain aluminum because it dissipates the heat faster. Also IIRC where the LED is attached you must sand off the paint or powder coating, because it hinders the transfer to the aluminum. If I am remembering correctly then a dark blue might be a benefit, but white might actually be bad.
katchupoy
New member
Dave, go for it. Then show us your pimped heatsink. Is it going to be like mine on a strip? Dont worry about the temp. With 3" spacing, it only goes up to 100F max. Lower on the blues since they run at 750 ma.
If you go tighter than 3 inch then make your tube/channel bigger.
Remember that this 3" spacing is between leds. But between tube/channel, then thats a different story. I believe you can make is as close as possible, just add some tiny air gap between them for air circulation.
good luck.
kcress
New member
Make it about 1/4" minimum. Less than that and air flow is curtailed a lot.
I have heard the current reccomended ration is 60% rb and 40% white is your are using the XP-E's and XP-G respectively. Not sure if using cool vs nuetral white changes that however since that would drop your color spectrum down some.
TheFishMan65
New member
How many gallons and size?
daveonbass
New member
wow...a 3 gallon tank will not need 12 leds. One PAR38 bulb would probably be able to fry most corals. And those range between 5-7 leds. If I were you I'd do 6 to start...like this:
B W B
W B W
and still use a dimmer on each different color, then tone down the Whites so that you get a nice blue effect. Also dim them all by about 50% to start with. So 50%Blue and like 25%White. Then ranmp up the corals. Odds are you will never need 100% on any of the LEDs.
B W B
W B W
and still use a dimmer on each different color, then tone down the Whites so that you get a nice blue effect. Also dim them all by about 50% to start with. So 50%Blue and like 25%White. Then ranmp up the corals. Odds are you will never need 100% on any of the LEDs.
TheFishMan65
New member
+1 on what daveonbass said
TheFishMan65
New member
Buckpucks would do it or the CAT4101.
