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Thread: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

  1. #1
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    DIY 2ft LED Lightset

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    Hey AQ,

    Decided to do up a 2ft LED lightset for my tank as off the shelf LEDs are expensive, and I needed somewhere in between the higher end, and the lower end specs in terms of the number of wattage of LEDs.

    Below are some specs and pictures of the LED I made.
    Looks very raw and exposed with the driver hanging around.

    Here are some, if not all the equipments i used:
    18 X 3W 6500K LEDs (but i think i got the wrong one, seems to be 8000K-ish)
    12-18 3W LED Driver (Courtesy of bro dales)
    2 pin plug scavenged from spoiled electrical appliance
    Thermal paster for conducting heat as well as to glue the leds to the "heatsink"
    Aluminium curtain rails as heatsink
    Solder wire and iron (Counrtesy of bro dales)
    Wires
    Heatshrink to protect the exposed wires.

    Now let us let the pictures do the talking..
    9000 words ahead. warning!




















    Placed the LEDs directly above the tank, sitting on the glass, but it seems too bright, as well as the danger of water splashing onto the exposed contacts of the solder and LEDs.

    Temporarily used hot glue to cover the exposed metal parts.. while i source for a cheap material to cover and protect the LEDs from water.
    Also hanged it up higher to reduce the intensity hitting on the substrate.





    A dimmer is currently on the way to my place.. hope to install it and control the brightness..
    Supposed to be a total of 54W, however only measured 45W of usage..


    This is the first LED light set a made.. very raw, ugly with everything exposed.. however, still a cheap way to get the light that i want, at a fraction of the off-the-shelves price.

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Good job..
    you should get that clear acrylic sheet as light cover to prevent water from hitting the led.
    Is that 8020 aluminum extrusion?

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by zerofighterx101 View Post
    Good job..
    you should get that clear acrylic sheet as light cover to prevent water from hitting the led.
    Is that 8020 aluminum extrusion?
    Yup.. Water splashing is my only concern. You know where to buy cheap acrylic?

    Besides that, the aluminium curtain rail is doing well dissipating the heat..

    Yup it is.

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Nice DIY!

    One thought is to use an insulating epoxy over the electrical contacts instead of acrylic sheet.
    This could be a neater solution.

    http://www.performancecoatings.com.s...lating-varnish
    http://www.performancecoatings.com.s...lating-varnish

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Well done. It's really not as messy as you think. In fact I think it's quite elegant. Not sure about the heat dissipation though.
    I am balding but i am still young!

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by Suzerolt View Post
    Nice DIY!

    One thought is to use an insulating epoxy over the electrical contacts instead of acrylic sheet.
    This could be a neater solution.

    http://www.performancecoatings.com.s...lating-varnish
    http://www.performancecoatings.com.s...lating-varnish
    Cool stuff! But the led produces quite some amount of it, will it blur off due to the heat?

    Currently I'm using hot glue to cover the exposed contacts. The LEDs not hot enough to melt the glue yet..

    Currently not using any fans to cool it..

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by Erctheanda View Post
    Well done. It's really not as messy as you think. In fact I think it's quite elegant. Not sure about the heat dissipation though.
    Heat dissipation so far so good.. Can come over have kopi and take a look..
    I'm quite an OCD, but too lazy to make it look good. One reason being that I do not foresee myself using this led lightset for long enough to make the effort of casing it nicely worth it..

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by qngwn View Post
    Heat dissipation so far so good.. Can come over have kopi and take a look..
    I'm quite an OCD, but too lazy to make it look good. One reason being that I do not foresee myself using this led lightset for long enough to make the effort of casing it nicely worth it..
    On you! Lol. After cny.
    I am balding but i am still young!

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Wow.. remarkable, sleek and neat.. amazed..

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by qngwn View Post
    Cool stuff! But the led produces quite some amount of it, will it blur off due to the heat?

    Currently I'm using hot glue to cover the exposed contacts. The LEDs not hot enough to melt the glue yet..

    Currently not using any fans to cool it..
    I would mask out the LED portion with masking tape. Then spray over the rest of the surface (i.e. contacts only)
    I think the epoxy is rated for 150degC.

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by memzsa View Post
    Wow.. remarkable, sleek and neat.. amazed..
    Thanks memzsa, it's not as difficult as it seems.
    Just connecting everything in series, and you're done.

    Looking at other people's led sets where they make the effort to do up a casing, with fans as well as knows for dimming the lights, mine is quite raw and seems very unprocessed..

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    yeah but u got electrical whiz, something I don't have, anyway nice work, admirable attempt kudos!

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by Suzerolt View Post
    I would mask out the LED portion with masking tape. Then spray over the rest of the surface (i.e. contacts only)
    I think the epoxy is rated for 150degC.
    Haha Yea, that's what I will do if I get that..

    But buying that, means I will have unused epoxy left over, and taking up space.. Parents nagging about me and my fish stuff will increase..
    So looking for something which will not have leftovers, or cheap enough to throw away..

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by memzsa View Post
    yeah but u got electrical whiz, something I don't have, anyway nice work, admirable attempt kudos!
    Do note about the use of sms lingo, AQ promotes us to improve our English! Hence the rules.

    Not that I have the talent, but more of the reading up, and the inertia to try something I haven't done before.
    Definitely will have your first time doing something, and it might go a little wrong, just like how I burnt myself while learning to solder..

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by qngwn View Post
    Do note about the use of sms lingo, AQ promotes us to improve our English! Hence the rules.

    Not that I have the talent, but more of the reading up, and the inertia to try something I haven't done before.
    Definitely will have your first time doing something, and it might go a little wrong, just like how I burnt myself while learning to solder..
    next time I screenshot a chat with one of my colleagues from overseas. let you laugh....

    he does not understand all of my short form, not just with a single colleague but with many. mostly from non ASEAN countries.

    Aq is not simply a Singapore site... Its quite well known... a rule with a good reason.

    I don't like to go see sites that have folks posting weird slangs that make no sense to me...

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Hi qngwn,

    care to share where are the equipments bought from; estimated price; and more detailed writing/photo of how to do the wiring?

    thanks alot!

    Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by dabaixiang View Post
    Hi qngwn,

    care to share where are the equipments bought from; estimated price; and more detailed writing/photo of how to do the wiring?

    thanks alot!

    Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
    dabaixiang

    I cannot exactly advise where I get my items from as they are a mix from leftovers from past projects, or given to me by friends.

    You should be able to find them over at sim Lim tower, from heatsink, led, drivers, as well as wires and heatshrinks.

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    impressive.
    Any good website to learn about the calculation of voltage/current/wattage for LED setup?
    I am thinking of adding some more LEDs to my current green element 3wx24 4ft lightset, wonder if anyone has done is before?

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Oh okay, hmm, how much would be the estimated cost of this project? Is there any particular brand of LED to take note? And how did you do the switcher? Thanks!

    Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

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    Re: DIY 2ft LED Lightset

    Quote Originally Posted by angus View Post
    impressive.
    Any good website to learn about the calculation of voltage/current/wattage for LED setup?
    I am thinking of adding some more LEDs to my current green element 3wx24 4ft lightset, wonder if anyone has done is before?
    For me, I'll just get the driver according to the number of LEDs I will be using.

    This driver that I used is rated for 12 to 18 x 3W LEDs, so although I wanted to use more, putting more than the rated will cause it not to light up, while lesser than that will cause your LED to burn.

    The current green element lightset LEDs are soldered onto the chipboard and the driver might not support additional LED as usually they will use only what it is rated for. If you would want to add more LEDs, you would have to get another separate set, maybe just like what I've did here.

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