Minimalistic multichip DIY LED build

[marspeed]

Jooce you can get heat sinks like these they sell many different types and are sold by the inch at heatsink usa

 

[Jooce01]

Jooce you can get heat sinks like these they sell many different types and are sold by the inch at heatsink usa

Thanks for the suggestion marspeed! They seem to be quality, making the piece to your exact specifications, but when looking at something as small as I'd be ordering, the shipping and handling actually makes it the most expensive option, and it really doesn't come out to what I can tell is even a better fit than the ebay pieces I've found so far.

Thanks again though, will keep in mind for the projects later, as the shipping and handling would be a much small percentage of a large order.

 

[prftavares]

Hello Lassef and other hobbysts!

I'm thinking about building a minimalist DIY Multichip build for my aquarium.

It has 156 cm x 66 cm x 60 cm (high).

How many Multichips do you guys reccomend?

Wich drivers?

Thanks for the info. I'm reading a lot about Leds now, and I need some advices!

Best Regards!

Rafael Tavares

 

[Sonny n Colleen]

Dream Chips!!!

Dream Chips!!!

Woohoo! My LEDs came in!

I grabbed the Cooler Master TPC 812 and set the chip on the heat sink...perfect fit!

I got to looking at the motherboard mount and guess what...it fit like a glove!!!

Don't worryabout the chip being little off center, it is just a trial fit. Now I need to get 2 more heat sinks and a plethora of drivers!!!

 

[ReefUrchin]

Sweeeeeeeeeeet!! I would be soooo jealous if it wasn't for all the drivers that need to be hooked up, so, I am just a little jealous, lol.

Cool deal non the less.

off topic real quick, thought you got a 90 gallon? When did the 6 footer come in?

 

[noplay180]

Where can I get that chip

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[CanadaChop]

Is this from the original group buy? When is AC-RC going to sell these 1 pc at a time? @ReefUrchin as I understand it you dont have to have all those drivers only if you want to control each color individually.

 

[Lassef]

Remember this is a test run - sonny a collen, me and around 30 more people worldwide is testing this for you guy’s. And at our own behalf (and expenses)
<O

I'm pretty sure that this type of chip (or variants) will be common in the near future. The advantages of this construction are so obvious for many different applications, so I do not think the idea will disappear. If you can you solve the problem with many drives by a compact solution I believe success is given. I know that compact solutions are in the pipeline in Sweden. Hopefully, I get such a solution for testing next week or the week after.
<O</O

Sincerely Lasse<O</O
<O</O

 

[Sonny n Colleen]

Sweeeeeeeeeeet!! I would be soooo jealous if it wasn't for all the drivers that need to be hooked up, so, I am just a little jealous, lol.

Cool deal non the less.

off topic real quick, thought you got a 90 gallon? When did the 6 footer come in?

So far, if there is a negative to this is all the drivers, but I would still have the same number of drivers if I used multiple single LEDs on the DIY I originally planned to do.

If you are talking to me I have always had a 125g.

CanadaChop, noplay180

Adding to what Lasse said, I am not sure when or if they will start selling the chip. It is a custom 5 channel chip and if IIRC the base is non-standard. He is probably waiting to see if the chip meets or exceeds expectations before he invests in tooling up for production. So far from what I have seen from the first few pictures and videos looks like the chip is a success.

 

[mr.wilson]

4 short movies from the first "Dream Chip" built (or test) 1, 2, 3, 4

The movies are from a test two swedish reefers (Remne and Benighteds) has done with the dream chip. This is the whole thread

Sincerely lasse

Are you happy with the colour? It's impossible to judge with a video, but it looks more violet than blue. Do you intend to run all channels at 100% or will you dim down to a preferred colour?

 

[mr.wilson]

So far, if there is a negative to this is all the drivers, but I would still have the same number of drivers if I used multiple single LEDs on the DIY I originally planned to do.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record this is why I think a three channel (red, white & blue) multichip makes more sense.

 

[Sonny n Colleen]

Lasse,

Is it possible to test each channel using a 9v or other type battery? I don't have a power supply or a driver to test with yet.

 

[Sonny n Colleen]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record this is why I think a three channel (red, white & blue) multichip makes more sense.

mr wilson,

I was already planning to use the same number of drivers for my original build. The only difference now is I won't have this large array of lights over my tank and just 10 wires presoldered to the chip to deal with.:dance:

I remember when snorkeling the reef at Kadena marina every day it always looked different each time. The lighting was always different because of the changing cloud cover and time of day. I want to be able to attemp to recreate the different lighting conditions I experienced with this setup.

 

[ReefUrchin]

Any guesses with or without a fan?

Okay, after a little hiatus bird dogging this MH fixture the lady is holding out on, I am back to planing my LEDs. If the MH does not pan, I am thinking, for now, to get things going, a 100w 20k chip and a 50w AC-RC chip, which runs at another 100w full tilt, so, that equals 200w worth of power. I plan to put the chips next to each other. Now, I do have my heatsinks which are 16" x 9 3/8" with a base of 1/4" thick (see pic). Will these be enough to dissipate 200w of heat (if i run them both at full, which I doubt I would) or should I fall back and punt?

@ReefUrchin as I understand it you dont have to have all those drivers only if you want to control each color individually.

And with alll those delectable channels ordered just for experimenting, who in the world would not want ot drive them all individual for full on experimental sessions, lol .

If you are talking to me I have always had a 125g.

Oh yea, you were debating in wall or not. Sorry, I guess fellow reefers are like my women, just cant keep track of them all, ha ha.

Lasse,

Is it possible to test each channel using a 9v or other type battery? I don't have a power supply or a driver to test with yet.

"I" personally would not see why not. Each channel is 10 LED's, so, thats at or a little over 10v, but, I will let Lasse answer that one because I have never had any single chips to play with.

 

[Sonny n Colleen]

I was considering a in-wall but I better figure out if I can keep a fish alive before I start knocking down walls!

 

[Lassef]

Lasse,

Is it possible to test each channel using a 9v or other type battery? I don't have a power supply or a driver to test with yet.

No I do not think that - each channel needs av FV between 30 - 36 V just for light upp.

@mr.wilson:

Are you happy with the colour? It's impossible to judge with a video, but it looks more violet than blue. Do you intend to run all channels at 100% or will you dim down to a preferred colour?

It is not me that have test so i have also only seen the videos. I have a special chip at home that include 445, 455 and 420 nm only - and yes it is an other colur compared with the orginal RB. But I like it.

Yea I´m going to finetune my colour both for growth and for looking - This is the advantage with 5 channels

Sincerely Lasse

@reefurchin: I think you need a fan.

 

[ReefUrchin]

Thanks Lasse, but I think my real question would be can the 1/4 base absorb enough heat "properly" (key word properly) with 2 100w chips next to each other? Sorry I didnt point that out, as I am at work and posting quickly before the boss comes by. I had an idea I would need a fan, but, with two 100w chips on "my" heatsink, next comes if they will need to be 10,000CFM or something small, lol? Only experimentation will tell, but, I know you have played with aluminum heatsinks so you would have a little better insight than I.

 

[Lassef]

The thickness of the base is probably not the problem.

It's the whole construction. If you should have a chance to have it to work I think that you must use two fans. You put them over each sets of fins and the centre of the fans should be 8 " from each side. The fans need to be as large so they cover the width of each package of fins. The part of the fin package that will not be covered by the fans - there you have to put a lid. The general idea is the fan should blow air down in the fin package and then go out at the short sides.

<OBut I'm not sure its enough of cooling capacity<O</O
<O</O
Sincerely Lasse<O</O

 

[ReefUrchin]

Hi lasse, yea, I was thinking of that before I even found this thread but I was also thinking what if the/a fan fails? Would having the unit covered make more heat quicker or should I have it fully open with the fans in case the fan(s) go bad? I have been tossing between with evil i should go with. Again, I guess if i keep a close eye on it once it is all together, that will be my answer. I have a infrared thermometer to keep tabs on the heat, so, that should not be too much of a problem. I just wasnt sure what kind of hot spots I would have with a 1/4" base plate.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Jooce01]

I ordered some of my parts today, just the driver, heatsink, and LED for now. I'm going to get the fan, some wire, and plugs and what not from rapidLED.

Here are what I ordered:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/280860475052?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

http://www.ebay.com/itm/270813981122?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

http://www.powergatellc.com/mean-well-eln-30-15d-power-supply.html

Question about dimming, is this something I can do with a screw that inside the driver, as I've seen in some videos, or is this something that requires an external knob type potentiometer? Does this potentiometer have to a certain type, any suggestions? Also, is there any type of specific wire I should be looking into, or will http://www.rapidled.com/bulk-wire-black/ work?