LED DIY LIGHT build

1snapple

1snapple

Active Member
Okay, i am doing a LED build for my 3g JBJ Picotope.
I am going to use the Meanwell ELN-60-48D with the 2 color dimming kit.
I am going to run 2 circuits.
the first circuit will run 5 Cree XP-E Royal blue 3w LEDs; 1 Cree XP-E Green 3w LED
the second circuit will run 3 Cree XR-E Q5 Cool White 3w LEDs; 1 XP-E Red 3w LED
The heatsink will be out of 1" aluminum bar 3/16" thick. 12" long, 2 bars will be joined via ( i have no clue, shawn or corey help needed)
The LEDs will be attached to the heatsink via thermal grease.
So far I have only cut the heatsink. it will look like this.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
tagging along. I'm wanting to do one of these some day.
For best results try and keep track of all the costs involved not counting your man hours.
And LOTS of pictures :)
 
1snapple

1snapple

Active Member
Sorry guys, no Green or Red ordered yet, I ordered everything last night except the green and Red LEDs. Rapidled it getting in XP-E red LEDs sometime this week or next, and I am not sure where to get a green one under $8.75
the total so far is
$117.75
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
i saw a thread somewhere about steves LED's or something like that. you might google them.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
You're using the alluminum bars and not the square tubing is that right? You should be able to join them with two shorter pieces of the allumium bar, drill some holes through them and attatch them with some #6 or #8 nuts and bolts.
 
1snapple

1snapple

Active Member
Ya Corey, I was thinking epoxying and riveting but I like the nuts and bolts idea. I am hoping these come in quick, one of my new SPS frags is starting to get bleached out.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Josh how are you planning on riveting them together? Meaning how wide would your aluminum angle be? I thought about building that way, but think getting a rivet gun in might be tough due to size of rivet gun. I think for heat dispersing the box aluminum wool be better and might be easier to conceal your wiring!!!
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
My dads a welder, When i make mine I'm going to have him fab up the frame and heatsink.
pretty excited even though i know its a year or so off yet.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
he also has a break, I'm not sure how thick that stuff is you guys are using, but if you are just making a "U" shape with square edges it can likley be built locally by a fab shop. if you brought them the materials they would likley charge you next to nithing to put two bends in it.
I havn't looked too much into the designs of the frame and all, so I'm not entirely sure if I'm thinking the same way you guys are about how it gets built.
 
1snapple

1snapple

Active Member
shawn, not to sure how i was going to actually go about riveting them together, maybe just epoxy?
I was going to use square tubing but it thought this would work just as good as a heatsink.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
Knowing shawn he probbaly has a fancy heatsink made out of some space aged acrylic that you can use asa heatsink and a couple of the LED's will be faced towards the ends of the acrylic panels and change the color of the entire heatsink.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Josh I wasn't trying or attempting to beat on you.....I hope you figure a way to rivet them....I've been wrestling in my own mind how to go about getting the rivet gun to tie several together......

Sorry Jstdv8, no fancy acrylic heat sink for me......I can't honestly decide if I want to use the traditional heat sink or fab it out of box aluminum or the "U" channel....Definitely a lot lighter fabbing it myself, than the traditional heat sinks and I think it will be a heck of a lot cheaper as well.....
 
1snapple

1snapple

Active Member
Why not use box, and cut off 1 side, so its like a U, Gives alot of surface area, very little weight, and a side to join 2 together.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
I would keep the box....Only for the simple fact your wiring could be neatly hidden inside the channel.....JMO....
 
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