Grizz's DIY Heat sink & LED build / showing all colors
 

I put all this in my build tread for the 300 gal 8'er but thought I should do a DIYthread to make it easier to find.

I finally got a chance today to start building the heat sinks for this tank. I have decided to do 2 - 39" x 12" heat sinks both will have 136 LEDs but will have room for more.

Got my main plates of 1/4" aluminum cut & 48 pieces of 1/8" x 1" aluminum flatbars as well.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/6fdf3801.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/f911a280.jpg

First 5 flatbar fins tacked on:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/247d6073.jpg

Now 10:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/e1036f9f.jpg

15:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/231bf249.jpg

20:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/a9ab4266.jpg

And finally the last 3:

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/20854a32.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/88e7e9ee.jpg

As you can see in the 2nd last pic I removed the very first flatbar fin, yes this was planned because I am going to wrap the whole out side of the 1/4" plate with some 1/4" x 2 1/2" flatbars.

I cut some 2 1/2" strips out of a small sheet of 1/4" aluminum on my tablesaw, then cut a notch into them for my 1/8" clear acrylic cover.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/730fb6ac.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/585733bc.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/4eb0079b.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/d8fee96f.jpg

Added a 1/4" x 2" strip across the front but have to add something below the groove to hold the acrylic flat.

LED side:
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/08273d90.jpg

Fan side:
http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/57c27ce7.jpg

Added a couple pieces of 1/2" square tube to mount the fans onto the heat sinks.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/f9a36f0e.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/dc8a9e30.jpg

Laid out all the LED boards from Modular LED for one heat sink and came up with this so far.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...7a59c7-1-1.jpg

LED legend

CW - XP-E Cool White
CW HEW - XP-E Cool White High Efficiency
NW HEW - XP-E Neutral White High Efficiency
HN - XP-G Cool White ( used for high noon kit )
RB - XP-E Royal Blue
B - XP-E Blue
G - XP-E Green
R - XP-E Red

Are those tig welds because it's aluminium and whatnot?

excellent. just great. this is LED deliciousness

No tony not TIG welds, I have an aluminum spool gun for this type of work. It's easier to tack with the spool gun vursus needing to use 2 hands for the TIG.

I wish i understood better what this does and how it all works.... Its slow at work and i have a bunch of plate and flat bar just waiting to be cut up.... Just dont know what im even planning for other then dimentions LOL
is there a specific spacing that works best per foot or thickness of plate ect?
Is there maybe a guideline to follow for us LED newbs...
Looks amazing bro.... Hope i get the invite next time i stop in your kneck of the woods

Heres's the piles of LED stuff, LED's, optics, connector, fans & power supplies, 1 EVG Profiilux controll board, adhesive and what nots.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/703b6481.jpg

Drivers, 5 - 120w, 2 - 75w & 2 - 38w (still need to pick-up from Martin)

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...r/a2c33030.jpg

I just used what Martin had figured out for a 48"L x 24"W tank to get an idea of what I needed & asked Martin what he thought I would need. I was going to go with 4 - 12" x 12" heat sinks but decided to go with just 2 - 39" x 12" so that I had a 6" difference on all 4 sides of the tank & between each heat sink.

Any time your down here drop me a line.