DIY LEDs - The write-up

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Anyone know how I could anchor a couple of #8 size screws (the standard size that they pretty much all are) into the heatsink I got from heatsinkusa without drilling and "tapping"? Can I just drill a hole thats a little smaller than the threads and then screw it in?

I'm not referring to mounting the LEDs to the heatsink; this is just so that I can mount the fixture above the aquarium the way I've been planning...
 
on the subject of setting the fans correctly.

can i suggest an in line non super led, as an indicator, and an inline dial (pot/stat).

the dial will let you adjust your voltage to the fan, turn off, wait, turn on, did the fan start? adjust dial as needed till the fan starts and is as quiet as possible. also, use a locking dial so it dont get bumped.. or a trimming pot... any which way should work.. ymmv.
 
Hey for all you electrical manufacturing types out there:

I am doing another LED build and I ran out of the generic white thermal grease I ordered for CPU heat sinks.

However I have "Apiezon H" High temperature thermal grease:

http://www.apiezon.com/uploads/apie...erature Vacuum Grease Technical Datasheet.pdf


It states "Thermally conducting Apiezon H grease is a filled hydrocarbon grease which exhibits excellent heat transfer properties"


It has a Thermal conductivity @ 20°C, w/m °C = 0.216

As far as I can tell this stuff is probably better than the generic stuff.

Think I should just go for it?

Oh and it works under High Vacuum ;-)

I could do a couple with the older grease and the rest with the new stuff & see if I can measure a difference.

Stu
 
And after Stu's question, I simply bought the Arctic Silver Premium Adhesive from LEDsupply.com which apparently has "Thermal conductivity greater than 7.5 W/mK" whatever that means. I'm assuming that it's fine because it's sold there... Going to be OK then?
 
That's fine stuff widmer.

Stu.... Those numbers sure aren't close to Artic Silver.:sad2:
It's 34 times less conductive than the AS!

The K and the C can be interchanged in this case - use whichever as it's only a 'relative' number and both K and C have the same spacing, as it were.
 
nitjt said:
Is anyone going with Cree XP-Gs yet I noticed AI is shipping their new fixtures with these LEDs and I see Digikey has them for sale $9.00 per LED has anyone seen them anywhere else?
Click to expand...

I was just skimming the thread, but I ordered my XP-G's from Cutter. I found a coupon online and got them for $5.80/ea shipped.
 
This is pretty quality for the XPG's, $7.45 each

http://www.lck-led.com/p673/Cree-XP-G-Emitter-w/-14mm-Base---R5-Bin,-345LM-@-1A/product_info.html

LOL! And XRE blues or the 3 diferent whites for $4.50 each

http://www.lck-led.com/p682/Cree-XR-E-Emitter-w/-16mm-Base---Colour-LEDs/product_info.html

Or a 3-up Cree white with built-in driver to run on your old 12v wall wart for $19.50

http://www.lck-led.com/p340/3xCree-Q5-LED-Module-w/-12v-Constant-Current-Driver/product_info.html

...I have 3 $6 white Crees and a $20 buck puck sitting here waiting to be made into a sump light lol..

Wish I had known before I bought my XRE's lol I haven't even made the fixture yet...
 
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Ok guys, decided to build a rig for my 46 bow, and with the weird shape, I'm having trouble deciding on how many to use. Right now I'm thinking 24 total, 12 white and 12 blue.


Thoughts?

Scott
 
Neogenocide: I was actually getting carried away browsing the site I linked to, and referring to the general public :). As far as your 24 LEDs for the 46 bowfront goes, some might tell you its on the low side, but it's quite possible that it's more than enough light, as the trend seems to be people ending up turning the output on their fixtures way down...
 
I should have also noted that I'm not planning on SPS, LPS, or heck even any leathers at this point. Mostly thinking of a pair of clowns with a anemone or two.

Thanks for the reply Widmer,

Scott
 
widmer said:
And let's not forget making your fixture remote controlled for dimming:

http://www.lck-led.com/p621/LT-3200...-LED-Intelligent-Dim-Switch/product_info.html

...This website is pretty hardcore..
Click to expand...

One of the conference rooms at my prior employer ('till about 4 months ago) was retrofitted with LED lighting. It had a controller similar to that, but more complicated. You could change the color (it showed K) and intensity separately. the screen on the controller changed hues and intensity to match the settings you had, so even from around the corner, without looking at the settings, you could tell what you were doing.


Neogenocide said:
I should have also noted that I'm not planning on SPS, LPS, or heck even any leathers at this point. Mostly thinking of a pair of clowns with a anemone or two.

Thanks for the reply Widmer,

Scott
Click to expand...

The anemones might want lots of light depending on the species. Otherwise you should be fine. I put 16 LEDs on a 92 corner tank at an LFS for a short term test. It would have been fine for low-light corals or FO.

Worst case, you can concentrate the LEDs near the spot on the rocks where you want the anemone to be. They're usually smart enough to crawl around and find the best conditions.
 
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