Milad's 72in LED build

[Milad]

so, it looks like im not going with the big aluminium heatsink design for two reasons
1. it gets heavy fast and is hard to hang
2. shipping gets expensive really fast ($150 for one 10x20 heatsink!!! to my house)

so, instead, ive following some advice of the larger builds and i think im going with aluminium u channel with small CPU heatsinks + fans attached (around 12). Once i narrow down how im going to do this, ill post some more models.

[roblarss]

I ended up making my own heatsink also as the shipping costs were crazy. I used a 1/4" aluminum plate and the fins are 1/8" aluminum angle. I just used some heatsink compound between the 2 pieces and riveted the angle to the plate. Made it nice as all the leds are on the plate and can go exactly where I want them. I then have 2 12v computer fans on top of each module. Havent had any problems yet.
With channel you can probably just mount the stars to the bottom face and then connect all the channel together on the ends. You just need to make sure you have plenty of heat dissipation for the heat. Mine starts to warm up slightly when I turn the fans off. Going to put a high temperature cutout on it soon..

[GMGQ]

FYI, you can ship stuff to a place in Point Roberts, WA, and just drive over there to pick it up and bring it back yourself. The US border guards there know that's what you go there for, so they just ask you straight up "what are you picking up?" Then when you come back, just be honest, and you may not get dinged. I ship stuff there all the time, and havent been dinged (knock on wood!).

This is one of the places I use:
http://www.thelettercarrier.com/

You basically register on their website, then mail stuff there under your own name, but use their address. When your package arrives, they'll either email you or give you a call, and you go pick it up (just bring photo ID). It costs $3-4US per package to use their service (price depending on the weight of each package).

From Burnaby to Point Roberts takes like 30minutes.

You save a LOT of money over 'international' shipping from the states. There's a place in Blaine, WA that does this too, but they just started charging a one time annual fee now in 2011.

And you wont have to deal with brokerage fees from UPS :P

Just another option for you to consider

Originally Posted by Milad

roblarss,
its a tough call. whats frustrating me is that cdiweb.com has them for half the price futureelectronics sells them for and $40 cheaper than wattsupply.com BUT cdiweb.com doesnt keep them in stock and the guy was rude. so i could take my chances with wattsupply out of the US and hope I dont get dinged at the border or use futureelectronics.... decisions decisions.

thats something like 20 LEDs i could buy if CDIweb had them.



did i just start using LEDs as monetary unit? WTF