Mounting Single LED Heatsinks??

[Reef.medic]

How would/have you mounted single LED heatsinks above your tank or off of the side? I have two Onyx LED fixtures hanging from the ceiling. I'm thinking about adding some moon lighting from Rapid and using these single LED heatsinks to mount the LEDs http://www.rapidled.com/single-led-aluminum-heatsink/ Wasn't sure if i could attached them to the fixtures already there or what i should do.
Back story to help paint a visual of the situation.
120gal (24X24X48)
Display side in facing my Den in the basement. The Business side is in fish/laundry room on the other side of the shared wall. In other words, an in-wall build. So this is an OLD pic but helps you see.

 

[mcgyvr]

Don't need "high power" LEDs nor heatsinks for moonlighting IMO..
Just a couple typical 20mA regular indicator LEDs.. a resistor and a wallwart power supply.

 

[Reef.medic]

point taken. easy option yes, but how much fun is that really?

 

[billdogg]

point taken. easy option yes, but how much fun is that really?

LMAO I like you! Why would I ever want to go the easy route???

 

[perkint]

point taken. easy option yes, but how much fun is that really?

Agree completely

I had similar response when i was building a switched cabinet LED using Cree XTEs. My reply was same as yours - yeah, i could probably buy an off the shelf cabinet light for about the same money, but where's the fun in that?

Tim

 

[mcgyvr]

My response is more about an absolute "OVERKILL" for the amount of light one should need for a moonlight for a tank that size.

You can still "have fun" figuring out how to wire the smaller LEDs/resistor/power supply and how to easily mount/conceal them into your onyx fixtures..

Or you can stay with your "cree/star boards" but just run them at reduced current (because thats all you need) and you shouldn't even need to add heatsinks.

 

[perkint]

How much current do you think a normal (decent) LED on 20mm star would take without heatsink?

Tim

 

[oreo57]

How much current do you think a normal (decent) LED on 20mm star would take without heatsink?

Tim

Maybe you can answer that using something here. Beyond me though..
http://support.luxeonstar.com/custo...at-sink-i-need-includes-heat-sink-calculator-

 

[perkint]

Maybe you can answer that using something here. Beyond me though..
http://support.luxeonstar.com/custo...at-sink-i-need-includes-heat-sink-calculator-

Had a quick play and with low currents (eg 100mA) it's easy to get the required heat sink up to 100+ °C/W but I'm not sure what sort of capacity a normal surface (eg wooden cabinet) would have and, of course, you are guessing at some of the figures as the datasheets don't give fV for high power LEDs at 100mA when it's designed for 1500mA :lol:

Tim