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DIY LED for a 48"x24"X24" tank

Hmm. No so sure of the router plan.
The real risk I see is the fact that you are cutting vertical to the heat sink fins.
It is pretty easy to safely route a flat piece.
But cutting a fin like that, the router bit will really be chattering against the end at times.
It would be real easy to move the bit in too fast, and the router blade could easily shatter.

Probably ok if you use a spiral up-cut bit though.
 
magnetar68 said:
Tamazula said:
Seriously, did you check this out? http://www.heatsinkusa.com/
Click to expand...

Sorry, Vic, not sure what you are point to here? My plan was to buy a Heatsink USA heat sink, but carve out a place to put a fun so it does not need to sit on top. I would therefore need some method to carve out the fins where I want the fan to go and like run some diagonal groves so the fan will cool better across the heatsink rather than just along the groves it sits inside.
Click to expand...

My bad, I missed that you were already getting a heatsink. I seriously thought you were trying to machine a block of aluminum into a heatsink with fins.... and was thinking about how a video of someone trying to do that, especially without a lot of experience, could end up either on World's Funniest Videos or Emergency 911 Stories. :)

Much much easier to do what you're suggesting than what I was imagining. In fact you may be able to get by with a dremel.. but it'd probably come out sloppier.
 
What happens if I cluster some optics like this? (This is an attempt to copy the AquaIllumination SOL light):

AquaIlliminationCopy.png


60 Degree Optics:
AquaIlliminationCopyw-Cones60degree.png


These 30 degree cones represent where most of the light falls from a 60 degree optic (someone told me this; I assume that the light falls off geometrically, so a substantial majority of the light exists in the first half of the cone spread).
AquaIlliminationCopyw-Cones30degree.png
 
Clustering the lights help them blend better... Downside to clustering is the increased heat in a smaller area on the heatsink...

I'm not an expert, these are just my observations...
 
I am a big fan of clustering. The color banding effects bug me.
Agree, the heatsinkusa sink is very thick, so heat spread from clustering is not an issue.
Looks almost exactly like the clustering on my second light.
Note that you might get slightly increased shimmer and shadows, since it is not spread as evenly,
but those shadows/shimmer will all be the same color.
 
OK here's the decision I need to make. I need some lighting for my new tank and I can either build it or buy it.

If I build it, I will likely build the unit I posted above this post (8x8x8 CWxRBxB with 60° optics and clustered).

If I buy, one of my options are three of the new 100W Cannons from Ecoxotic with dimmers in order to run them well below 100W since that is too much lighting for my tank. Two nice things about these is that they are passively cooled (no fans to make noise) and they have an elliptical reflector so they give better spread than the 50W cannon version. I would put two white and one blue and run them fairly high off the tank. This would cost me $1800 with the dimmable drivers. This is a lot of LED lighting for $1800. I know someone who knows someone (LOL) who says they look great and the corals grow great (who knows if that is true).

Anybody have any initial reactions to running these cannons in the configuration outlined?
 
I was looking into doing the clustered led lay out also and wanted to know what was the update on your project? Did you go clustered? What problems did you face while installing? Costs? Tips?

Thanks
 
Gil_likeOnAFish said:
I was looking into doing the clustered led lay out also and wanted to know what was the update on your project? Did you go clustered? What problems did you face while installing? Costs? Tips?
Click to expand...


I am on the road this week, so I will try to give a more detailed update when I get back, but I am not quite done this build. One problem I had, however, was that 8 LEDs in series was not enough for the driver when dimmed. The total voltage would drop below 24V and the Meanwell driver would blink to signal an error condition. I therefore ended up with 9 LEDs in series, adding another cluster in the middle of heatsink. With the XP-Es maxed at 1.0A and the XP-Gs maxed at 1.2A, the fixture draws ~90 Watts and is crazy bright. I don't have PAR readings. I am trying to finish the project box which holds the three drivers and the dimmer circuits.

2011-05-31_07-39-33_707.jpg


2011-05-31_07-39-03_832.jpg
 
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