View Single Post
Old 06-29-2009, 10:41 PM   #283 (permalink)
Hoppy
Planted Tank Guru
 
Hoppy's Avatar
 
PTrader: (22/100%)
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 5,688
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JDowns View Post
You can still use the screws. Just use ceramic washers as a barrier.

Glad to see you got it fixed.
Back during another "debate" over how to mount the LEDs, by another DIYer, he chose to use a silicone material to mount the stars. In retrospect I think that was a better idea than screws. It is true that you can use insulating washers, and bushings, to separate the screw from the star, but that is very much harder to do. For one thing, the notches are designed to fit #4 diameter screws, but with an insulating bushing, you would need smaller diameter screws, hard to find and much harder to drill and tap for. I would rather just use adhesive, easy and simple. Here is the one I used: http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_a...l_adhesive.htm Time will tell whether this was a good choice.

For a reef light, needing the LEDs to be driven at near maximum current, I think it would be worth the added effort to use insulated screws, but for our use, the heat that has to pass from the LED to the heat sink is much less and a lesser thermal compound should work fine.
__________________
Hoppy
Hoppy is offline   Reply With Quote