Boga's LED build

[MrHermit85]

[quote author=MrHermit85 link=topic=5641.msg54162#msg54162 date=1371827467]
Wow!!! I wish there was an emoticon for a slow clap as your build looks really awesome. I get the suction idea now, in your sketch there were no holes for the air to be pulled through so I was confused as to how the entire length of  channelling was going to be cooled. Your idea is like a cleaner 'Steves leds' idea with the suction which is really awesome.

I use the same moonlights from rapidled, they are really bright. How many are you planning to use? I think I read 4 but I see two of there drivers there? Was also wondering whether you were planning to use rubber washers to avoid the metal screws for the leds making contact with the live points on the led stars?

I cant wait to see this over your tank!

Ask and you shall receive... :slowclap:

:slowclap:

[/quote]

Lol!!! Thanks Torx!!!

:slowclap:

 

[MrHermit85]

[quote author=MrHermit85 link=topic=5641.msg54162#msg54162 date=1371827467]
Wow!!! I wish there was an emoticon for a slow clap as your build looks really awesome. I get the suction idea now, in your sketch there were no holes for the air to be pulled through so I was confused as to how the entire length of  channelling was going to be cooled. Your idea is like a cleaner 'Steves leds' idea with the suction which is really awesome.

I use the same moonlights from rapidled, they are really bright. How many are you planning to use? I think I read 4 but I see two of there drivers there? Was also wondering whether you were planning to use rubber washers to avoid the metal screws for the leds making contact with the live points on the led stars?

I cant wait to see this over your tank!

Ask and you shall receive... :slowclap:

:slowclap:

[/quote]

Lol!!! Thanks Torx!!!

:slowclap:

 

[teebone110]

Very nice... :slowclap:
Instead of sucking the air, would you consider blowing the air through the channels like ATI fixtures do (blocking one side)?

 

[teebone110]

Very nice... :slowclap:
Instead of sucking the air, would you consider blowing the air through the channels like ATI fixtures do (blocking one side)?

 

[Boga]

Thank you very much for support. 8) I will try to answer to your questions.

Are you going to put some sort of speed control on the fan to control air noise?

Yes, but not right away, because I am behind schedule and need the light ASAP. I did not decide what and how: manual adjustment, temperature controlled and self-contained, or Arduino controlled.

I use the same moonlights from rapidled, they are really bright. How many are you planning to use? I think I read 4 but I see two of there drivers there? Was also wondering whether you were planning to use rubber washers to avoid the metal screws for the leds making contact with the live points on the led stars?

I will do two identical fixtures. There are two moonlight kits: one for each fixture. So there will be eight Moon LED's. Do you think that they would be too bright? There are options to dim this driver, too.

No plans for rubber washers. The screw heads are tapered. There is sufficient clearance to avoid any short-circuits. It took me a while to get comfortable with this idea when I saw others using it.

Instead of sucking the air, would you consider blowing the air through the channels like ATI fixtures do (blocking one side)?

Yes, I will think more about it for future projects. This project is too close to completion and I can not do much about it. There are Pro's and Con's. I think that blowers would be more efficient for pushing air rather than fan. I've red this some long time ago. I think it is about positive and negative pressures and how each device works. There were few reasons I had opted for this style in my fixtures:
- more balanced heat distribution;
- need to move the hot air up, hoping to get it through the hood gap, away from the water surface.
- trying to simulate a PC power supply. Many pieces of equipment are using this exhaust type with fans.
- fans were more available at Surplus store, and they can run slower than blowers.
- symmetrical design.

Honestly, I do not if they are going to work as expected. They are prototypes. I saw other people having issues with cooling their fixtures. I am trying to maximize the heat exchange by convection, increasing the air flow.

 

[Boga]

Thank you very much for support. 8) I will try to answer to your questions.

Are you going to put some sort of speed control on the fan to control air noise?

Yes, but not right away, because I am behind schedule and need the light ASAP. I did not decide what and how: manual adjustment, temperature controlled and self-contained, or Arduino controlled.

I use the same moonlights from rapidled, they are really bright. How many are you planning to use? I think I read 4 but I see two of there drivers there? Was also wondering whether you were planning to use rubber washers to avoid the metal screws for the leds making contact with the live points on the led stars?

I will do two identical fixtures. There are two moonlight kits: one for each fixture. So there will be eight Moon LED's. Do you think that they would be too bright? There are options to dim this driver, too.

No plans for rubber washers. The screw heads are tapered. There is sufficient clearance to avoid any short-circuits. It took me a while to get comfortable with this idea when I saw others using it.

Instead of sucking the air, would you consider blowing the air through the channels like ATI fixtures do (blocking one side)?

Yes, I will think more about it for future projects. This project is too close to completion and I can not do much about it. There are Pro's and Con's. I think that blowers would be more efficient for pushing air rather than fan. I've red this some long time ago. I think it is about positive and negative pressures and how each device works. There were few reasons I had opted for this style in my fixtures:
- more balanced heat distribution;
- need to move the hot air up, hoping to get it through the hood gap, away from the water surface.
- trying to simulate a PC power supply. Many pieces of equipment are using this exhaust type with fans.
- fans were more available at Surplus store, and they can run slower than blowers.
- symmetrical design.

Honestly, I do not if they are going to work as expected. They are prototypes. I saw other people having issues with cooling their fixtures. I am trying to maximize the heat exchange by convection, increasing the air flow.

 

[MrHermit85]

I have 4 on my 75 and they are spread out in a single row placed at the back of the tank. I found with them in the middle it was way too bright hence the placement at the back. There is also crazy shimmer with them on which is ok. How do you dim the drivers? I don't recall mine having that option...

 

[MrHermit85]

I have 4 on my 75 and they are spread out in a single row placed at the back of the tank. I found with them in the middle it was way too bright hence the placement at the back. There is also crazy shimmer with them on which is ok. How do you dim the drivers? I don't recall mine having that option...

 

[AdamS]

Are they the meanwell ones ? Take the cover off, their is a screw type adjustment.

 

[AdamS]

Are they the meanwell ones ? Take the cover off, their is a screw type adjustment.

 

[Boga]

I have 4 on my 75 and they are spread out in a single row placed at the back of the tank. I found with them in the middle it was way too bright hence the placement at the back. There is also crazy shimmer with them on which is ok. How do you dim the drivers? I don't recall mine having that option...

Sorry. I do not think that it has a direct function. They need to be modified. You have to add a potentiometer. I got this link from a thread in the ReefTank forum.
https://sites.google.com/site/projectsbycliff/mods/dimmable_350ma_driver_mod

 

[Boga]

I have 4 on my 75 and they are spread out in a single row placed at the back of the tank. I found with them in the middle it was way too bright hence the placement at the back. There is also crazy shimmer with them on which is ok. How do you dim the drivers? I don't recall mine having that option...

Sorry. I do not think that it has a direct function. They need to be modified. You have to add a potentiometer. I got this link from a thread in the ReefTank forum.
https://sites.google.com/site/projectsbycliff/mods/dimmable_350ma_driver_mod

 

[MrHermit85]

Sweet I will check it out!

 

[MrHermit85]

Sweet I will check it out!

 

[Boga]

Progress for the last couple days:

Made the fan plates, one for each fixture. Marked them with a metal compass, then cut the large holes with a Jigsaw. Drilled and tapped holes for fan mounting. Used tap 8-32. The outer four holes are for plate mounting onto assembly.



Parts prepared for painting (thank you AdamS for paint protection reminder: you are right). One full fixture and the fan plate from the other. I already did the first fixture a few weeks ago. I used KRYLON FUSION for plastic.

 

[Boga]

After painting.









Eight gutter hangers will be my mounting brackets to the canopy.








My favorite part: LED mounting. Note the paint free zone where the LEDs are in contact with the tubes. Thermal grease was also applied.

 

[Boga]

After painting.









Eight gutter hangers will be my mounting brackets to the canopy.








My favorite part: LED mounting. Note the paint free zone where the LEDs are in contact with the tubes. Thermal grease was also applied.

 

[Flazky]

I would put some kind of padding between the fan and the metal, as I have had many cases where the screws became loose over time and the vibration noises from the fan wiggling on the fixture drove me nuts.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Flazky]

I would put some kind of padding between the fan and the metal, as I have had many cases where the screws became loose over time and the vibration noises from the fan wiggling on the fixture drove me nuts.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Boga]

I would put some kind of padding between the fan and the metal, as I have had many cases where the screws became loose over time and the vibration noises from the fan wiggling on the fixture drove me nuts.

Just my 2 cents

I agree. You are right. I've just tried weather striping and sponge cloth. Both interfered with the fan movement. Need something like 1 mm thick. I'm out of ideas.

Wondering if four patches of silicone at the four corners would do it? Hmmm. Maybe not.