Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[bowfront90]

How to attach lens and base to 50W LED that will be sitting on a large heatsink?
Do you use "Heatproof Silicon Adhesive" that AC-RC sells?
Or do I need to screw it into the heatsink?
The lens look big and heavy?

 

[SUMMERS]

Returned home from work travel and got some more stuff in from the vendors. Still waiting on combo leds to arrive along with my optics. Registered mail taking forever.

Got heatsinks put together. Have to pickup two small junction boxes for fan connection. Driver box gets warm from the two drivers. I will add a small fan tomorrow to expel warm air.

In my tests so far the 10k light is very white and bright. There is no yellow tint at all. I like it even without any blue supplementation. Im waiting on the combo LEDs to arrive before I adhere the lights to the heatsink. Based on what I see so far I will only be running two 50w LEDs over a 36" tank. Depending on how the combo light looks I may just go with the 10k. All in all I'm happy with the switch from 3w LEDs. Thanks Maglofster and Lassef for bringing these lights to out attention and answering all the questions.

Siri Sent This Using Tapatalk

 

[tahiriqbal]

My almost three year old project......now RIP

Tahir

 

[pbradley0]

Anyone know all the different variations of multichip leds available? Such as the different color combinations and wattage per chip?

 

[Heavy Hittah]

You could just drill a series of holes in the junction box to help with heat dissipation. It's what I did. I'm liking these chips so far

 

[maglofster]

How to attach lens and base to 50W LED that will be sitting on a large heatsink?
Do you use "Heatproof Silicon Adhesive" that AC-RC sells?
Or do I need to screw it into the heatsink?
The lens look big and heavy?

If you screw it to the heatsink use thermal paste. If you want to glue it to the heatsink use thermal adhesive. Buy it from a computer store. I recommend Arctic Silver.

The adhesive you are referring to is for attaching the lens.

 

[maglofster]

Returned home from work travel and got some more stuff in from the vendors. Still waiting on combo leds to arrive along with my optics. Registered mail taking forever.

Got heatsinks put together. Have to pickup two small junction boxes for fan connection. Driver box gets warm from the two drivers. I will add a small fan tomorrow to expel warm air.

In my tests so far the 10k light is very white and bright. There is no yellow tint at all. I like it even without any blue supplementation. Im waiting on the combo LEDs to arrive before I adhere the lights to the heatsink. Based on what I see so far I will only be running two 50w LEDs over a 36" tank. Depending on how the combo light looks I may just go with the 10k. All in all I'm happy with the switch from 3w LEDs. Thanks Maglofster and Lassef for bringing these lights to out attention and answering all the questions.


Siri Sent This Using Tapatalk

Nice! Looking forward to see what combo you eventually will settle for!

Try to keep the drivers as cool as possible. I actually used thermal adhesive to glue on small passive heatsinks to a couple of 50W drivers I use for another project. Since the casing is metal it works very well to keep the drivers cool. A fan will do wonders to that box!

 

[Lassef]

My almost three year old project......now RIP



Tahir

Why RIP?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Lassef]

Anyone know all the different variations of multichip leds available? Such as the different color combinations and wattage per chip?

Its a lot of variations and it changes very fast. Till now I have found most of the chip I use at AC-RC

Sincerely Lasse

 

[USF Nealio]

Would the RGB Multi Chips be worth investing in?

I would think that 2 or 3 of the 50w or 100w chips (w/optics) coupled with 3 properly sized drivers (1 per color), you could have a wickedly simple yet completely flexible (colorwise and positioning) fixture.

Or am I grossly over-estimating/under-thinking this?

 

[007Bond]

Question, the Cree Cool White 3W leds say they are in the 5-8300k range the 20W multi-chip come 10--14--20k range. How do you figure what range to use?Thanks---Rick

 

[pbradley0]

Anyone have an issues with color blending with multiple units over a tank? Just curious how well a 20watt white and a 20 watt blue would blend and if they give the desired effect. I'm guessing they would given their angle of illumination and the results posted by others using chips with combined colors on a single unit. Anyone have experience with different colored units over a single tank?

 

[SUMMERS]

Rick. The "cool white" unit I have was listed as 10k light but it's a very crisp white light. So I would say the kelvin ratings are pretty close to what they state. If you want more yellow go for a lower kelvin. More blue go towards the 20k.


Pbradley0 I have put both white and blue 50w over my tank without optics and as Maglo pointed out you will get color blending or what he referred to as the disco ball effect. My optics just arrived at the po so I will check again tonight with optics to see if the blending minimizes.


Siri Sent This Using Tapatalk

 

[maglofster]

About color blending!

When using optics, the more narrow beam you use, the closer the LEDs need to be to avoid the colors NOT blending. I.E since we dont want the different colors to show up as individual "disco lights" you need to keep them pretty close if you are using lenses. Currently I'm not using lenses and I can position my LEDs about 20 cm apart without being able to tell the colors apart.

Also the bigger the difference are between the LED's you are using the closer you need to place them. I.e a warm white and a royal blue needs to be really close if you want the to mix without any chance of seeing them as different colors.

Why do we want the colors to blend together as much as possible? Because we want to be able to have all of the different LEDs running at the same time with ONE color light in the whole tank.

 

[tahiriqbal]

Why RIP?

Sincerely Lasse

I just didn't like the looks on the colour spectrum with these mulichip LED diodes. There were also some concerns when it came to lumens per watt output (very poor) and high rate of failure on some of the diodes. Howerver, I do see these new hybrid multichip LEDs with better performance and colour mix and may give it a try for the fuge.

Tahir

 

[Lassef]

Would the RGB Multi Chips be worth investing in?

I would think that 2 or 3 of the 50w or 100w chips (w/optics) coupled with 3 properly sized drivers (1 per color), you could have a wickedly simple yet completely flexible (colorwise and positioning) fixture.

Or am I grossly over-estimating/under-thinking this?

The problems with RGB chips is that the three colors contained therein do not correspond very well to the wavelengths that are active in photosynthesis, ie there is no good biological choice. The only works aesthetically with a blue color to about 470 nm, a green color (I do not know the wavelength) and red with wavelengths around 600 nm. Possibly they go to use in a fish-only tanks so that they minimize any photosynthetic growth - ie algae growth. This I do not know - have not tried but I have thought of the idea a long time.

Speaking of disco effect, I have 10 watt chips of different colors and color temperatures placed about 7 cm (2.7 inch) apart - no lenses and no disco effect

Sincerely Lasse

 

[maglofster]

I just didn't like the looks on the colour spectrum with these mulichip LED diodes. There were also some concerns when it came to lumens per watt output (very poor) and high rate of failure on some of the diodes. Howerver, I do see these new hybrid multichip LEDs with better performance and colour mix and may give it a try for the fuge.

Tahir

The product development in the last three years is just stunning to think about. A lot has happened. I think it will be worth another try. It always hurts to be an ultra early adopter.

The new hybrids with 100 x 2,5w leds in them are very nice.

 

[Lassef]

I just didn't like the looks on the colour spectrum with these mulichip LED diodes. There were also some concerns when it came to lumens per watt output (very poor) and high rate of failure on some of the diodes. Howerver, I do see these new hybrid multichip LEDs with better performance and colour mix and may give it a try for the fuge.

Tahir

Thanks for the input.

I have used 27 pieces of 10-watt chip for a year now and nobody has broken (frankly, three have been broken - they did not like to swim 60 seconds in my tank - but that's another issue )

Sincerely Lasse

 

[007Bond]

Rick. The "cool white" unit I have was listed as 10k light but it's a very crisp white light. So I would say the kelvin ratings are pretty close to what they state. If you want more yellow go for a lower kelvin. More blue go towards the 20k.


Pbradley0 I have put both white and blue 50w over my tank without optics and as Maglo pointed out you will get color blending or what he referred to as the disco ball effect. My optics just arrived at the po so I will check again tonight with optics to see if the blending minimizes.


Siri Sent This Using Tapatalk

SUMMERS, (outside seems like its here today!) Thank you for the input. I was going to do Cree 3W build with RB and CW in a 2 to 1 set up RB to CW, so the 10K sounds like the way to go and sounds like spacing should be aprox. 3" as in 3W builds. I am planning on 60 degree optics due to the depth of my tank. I did not understand the difference in 10,000K and the 20,000K chips. This thread is Great!---Rick

 

[Lvb034]

007Bond, how deep is your tank? I just ordered three 50W 10K and blue mix panels for my 19" high and 48" long tank. I'm not sure whether or not to order lenses either.. I'm thinking about waiting to get the lights to see how they look first. Getting excited about my build!