Testing out some 10W Chinese LEDS

hcker2000 · 03-15-2012, 12:48 PM

Well I went ahead and order a heat sink from heatsinkusa.com

$21 for the 31 inches of 1.8 inch wide heat sink
$5 handling fee

$8 shipping

Considering its almost an inch wider than what I'm using and is much thicker I think this should do it.

Still not bad for the total of the project.

$31 for 3 leds and 3 drivers
$34 for heat sink

I did forget to mention that even with 3 of these leds I'm getting some pearling on the substrate. Its not like a pool in bright sunlight but its there.

DanCottle · 03-16-2012, 09:29 PM

Im setting up a 40 breeder tank soon. I'm looking to have relatively low light but also would like to have the shimmer from the small light source. I was thinking about using 2 of these 10w leds. Would that be enough light- to have low light?

Naekuh · 03-17-2012, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanCottle

Im setting up a 40 breeder tank soon. I'm looking to have relatively low light but also would like to have the shimmer from the small light source. I was thinking about using 2 of these 10w leds. Would that be enough light- to have low light?

Yes but your light spread wont look pretty.

id say go at least 3 for a more even distribution of light.

hcker2000 · 03-22-2012, 02:35 PM

New heatsink has arrived and is substantial to say the least. I would say three to five pounds of aluminum.

I'm going to cut it down to size tonight and mount the LEDs.

Adkins.its · 03-22-2012, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hcker2000

New heatsink has arrived and is substantial to say the least. I would say three to five pounds of aluminum.

I'm going to cut it down to size tonight and mount the LEDs.

Nice! Please post pictures. Still waiting on mine to show up.

On a side note - I still need to do some learnin' on resistors so I can hook up the fan for my heatsink to the driver power.

hcker2000 · 03-22-2012, 05:19 PM

If you have a heatsink like this I don't think your going to need a fan. I ordered 32 inches and will need to cut it down a bit.

Adkins.its · 03-22-2012, 05:51 PM

Im using this guy. its about 2"x2"x.5"

hcker2000 · 03-22-2012, 07:11 PM

If it works let me know as thats much cheaper than the method I went for. Just keep on eye on it as the fans have tendency to burn out after a year or two. At least the ones on all my video cards have.

jingleberry · 03-22-2012, 08:05 PM

Anyone know approximately how high I should place these LEDs for a tank that's about 9-10" high if I'm aiming for medium/high lighting. Planning on mounting a shelf on the wall for these and I would rather not drill more holes than necessary.

hcker2000 · 03-22-2012, 08:34 PM

Mine are mounted about 2 1/2 inches from the top of my 29 gallon tank. This puts them 12 inches off the substrate. It will also depend on how many you are running as there will be overlap where one led lights the same area as another led.

I would personally shoot for 12 inches from substrate.

Adkins.its · 03-22-2012, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hcker2000

If it works let me know as thats much cheaper than the method I went for. Just keep on eye on it as the fans have tendency to burn out after a year or two. At least the ones on all my video cards have.

I will keep you posted. I'm hoping to under power it just a bit. If that won't ruin it. Even if the fan burns up, I would almost think it would be good enough without it. Maybe lol. I got if off eBay for $5 shipped so its a pretty decent deal.

hcker2000 · 03-23-2012, 12:26 PM

I don't think that will be enough metal to passively cool it if the fan were to fail. These LEDs get hotter than I figured they would. I have no idea how people are cooling the 100 watt versions that some places sell.

I see no reason you cant under power the fan a bit. You just have to make sure it gets enough power to start up. Thats why a lot of pc's will start with there fans on high and then they drop back down to a slower speed. I would think if you ran it at 9v-10v rather than 12v it would start just fine.

I'm thinking I may mount the led drivers with rubber bands to the heat sink. I have a splash guard so if it falls of it should not hurt any thing.

speerwashere · 03-23-2012, 12:42 PM

I ran 12v puter fans on 6v all summer last year without a problem. Tried 12v but they were alittle loud so I dropped the voltage and it quited them down.

Adkins.its · 03-23-2012, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speerwashere

I ran 12v puter fans on 6v all summer last year without a problem. Tried 12v but they were alittle loud so I dropped the voltage and it quited them down.

Did you use a separate power supply for your fans or did you run them of your drivers and regulate them some how?

speerwashere · 03-23-2012, 04:11 PM

I used a different power source

03-22-2012, 05:51 PM	#97
Adkins.its Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (7/100%) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 222	Im using this guy. its about 2"x2"x.5" __________________ 11.4g - Rimless Tree Scape

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03-15-2012, 12:48 PM	#91
hcker2000 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 55	Well I went ahead and order a heat sink from heatsinkusa.com $21 for the 31 inches of 1.8 inch wide heat sink $5 handling fee $8 shipping Considering its almost an inch wider than what I'm using and is much thicker I think this should do it. Still not bad for the total of the project. $31 for 3 leds and 3 drivers $34 for heat sink I did forget to mention that even with 3 of these leds I'm getting some pearling on the substrate. Its not like a pool in bright sunlight but its there.

03-16-2012, 09:29 PM	#92
DanCottle Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10/92%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Clarks Summit, PA Posts: 127	Im setting up a 40 breeder tank soon. I'm looking to have relatively low light but also would like to have the shimmer from the small light source. I was thinking about using 2 of these 10w leds. Would that be enough light- to have low light?

03-22-2012, 02:35 PM	#94
hcker2000 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 55	New heatsink has arrived and is substantial to say the least. I would say three to five pounds of aluminum. I'm going to cut it down to size tonight and mount the LEDs.

03-22-2012, 05:19 PM	#96
hcker2000 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 55	If you have a heatsink like this I don't think your going to need a fan. I ordered 32 inches and will need to cut it down a bit.

03-22-2012, 07:11 PM	#98
hcker2000 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 55	If it works let me know as thats much cheaper than the method I went for. Just keep on eye on it as the fans have tendency to burn out after a year or two. At least the ones on all my video cards have.

03-22-2012, 08:05 PM	#99
jingleberry Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: New York Posts: 225	Anyone know approximately how high I should place these LEDs for a tank that's about 9-10" high if I'm aiming for medium/high lighting. Planning on mounting a shelf on the wall for these and I would rather not drill more holes than necessary.

03-22-2012, 08:34 PM	#100
hcker2000 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 55	Mine are mounted about 2 1/2 inches from the top of my 29 gallon tank. This puts them 12 inches off the substrate. It will also depend on how many you are running as there will be overlap where one led lights the same area as another led. I would personally shoot for 12 inches from substrate.

03-23-2012, 12:26 PM	#102
hcker2000 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 55	I don't think that will be enough metal to passively cool it if the fan were to fail. These LEDs get hotter than I figured they would. I have no idea how people are cooling the 100 watt versions that some places sell. I see no reason you cant under power the fan a bit. You just have to make sure it gets enough power to start up. Thats why a lot of pc's will start with there fans on high and then they drop back down to a slower speed. I would think if you ran it at 9v-10v rather than 12v it would start just fine. I'm thinking I may mount the led drivers with rubber bands to the heat sink. I have a splash guard so if it falls of it should not hurt any thing.

03-23-2012, 12:42 PM	#103
speerwashere Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Conneaut, Ohio Posts: 273	I ran 12v puter fans on 6v all summer last year without a problem. Tried 12v but they were alittle loud so I dropped the voltage and it quited them down.

03-23-2012, 04:11 PM	#105
speerwashere Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Conneaut, Ohio Posts: 273	I used a different power source