2pairs
05-24-2011, 05:46 PM
DIY BUDGET LED BUILD
This is going to be a LED light for a nano, but some of the ideas could be used on any size light. I did a couple of things that can save you money and you can do it too.
First is the heat sink, Instead of buying one I used 3 computer heat sinks and epoxyed them together to give me the size I wanted. Then I sanded the bottom so it would be clean to the aluminum with that done I gave it a squirt of paint on the top only just to make them all match.
Here are the heat sinks.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink.jpg
The epoxy I used.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink2001.jpg
Glued, sanded and painted.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink1001.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink1002.jpg
With that done and dried it is time to mount the LED’s. But first let me tell you what I did to save some on the LED’s. Ebay is where I got them and no they aren't the cheap knock off ones. I found someone selling 4 strips of 6 LED’s and these are the ones used in the Solaris LED fixture, a pricey fixture to me but good quality. I should mention that one of the emitters wasn't working and I just by-passed it. So for $20 including shipping I got them all.
OK back to mounting the LED’s there are several ways to do this and I chose to use thermal adhesive, it is a two part adhesive and you use it just like epoxy two equal parts mix together and apply the cure time varies but one hour is usually good.
This is the thermal adhesive I used.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink2002.jpg
LED's mounted
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink3.jpg
Drivers
This is ware I went with a bit more money and it could have been done for less, but I wanted it to be dimmable and that costs more and for this application is best.
I used 3-Buck puck drivers with a external pot. This could have been done on two but with one emitter bypassed it gives an uneven amount and wouldn't work so I used a extra driver for just 2 LED’s. This way every thing is dimmable and you can dim just the whites or just the blues or both what ever you need or want. The part that makes this method more expensive is you also need a power supply; I am using a 24 volt 30 amp power supply.
This is the box to hold the light.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink4001.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink4002.jpg
I still need to finish the wiring and make the feet for it to set on.
Well I had some time today so I finished the wiring and here it is.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink5002.jpg
And with the lights on.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink5001.jpg
So What Do You Think?
This is going to be a LED light for a nano, but some of the ideas could be used on any size light. I did a couple of things that can save you money and you can do it too.
First is the heat sink, Instead of buying one I used 3 computer heat sinks and epoxyed them together to give me the size I wanted. Then I sanded the bottom so it would be clean to the aluminum with that done I gave it a squirt of paint on the top only just to make them all match.
Here are the heat sinks.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink.jpg
The epoxy I used.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink2001.jpg
Glued, sanded and painted.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink1001.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink1002.jpg
With that done and dried it is time to mount the LED’s. But first let me tell you what I did to save some on the LED’s. Ebay is where I got them and no they aren't the cheap knock off ones. I found someone selling 4 strips of 6 LED’s and these are the ones used in the Solaris LED fixture, a pricey fixture to me but good quality. I should mention that one of the emitters wasn't working and I just by-passed it. So for $20 including shipping I got them all.
OK back to mounting the LED’s there are several ways to do this and I chose to use thermal adhesive, it is a two part adhesive and you use it just like epoxy two equal parts mix together and apply the cure time varies but one hour is usually good.
This is the thermal adhesive I used.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink2002.jpg
LED's mounted
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink3.jpg
Drivers
This is ware I went with a bit more money and it could have been done for less, but I wanted it to be dimmable and that costs more and for this application is best.
I used 3-Buck puck drivers with a external pot. This could have been done on two but with one emitter bypassed it gives an uneven amount and wouldn't work so I used a extra driver for just 2 LED’s. This way every thing is dimmable and you can dim just the whites or just the blues or both what ever you need or want. The part that makes this method more expensive is you also need a power supply; I am using a 24 volt 30 amp power supply.
This is the box to hold the light.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink4001.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink4002.jpg
I still need to finish the wiring and make the feet for it to set on.
Well I had some time today so I finished the wiring and here it is.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink5002.jpg
And with the lights on.
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj228/poboxjc/DIY%20LED%20LIGHTS/Heatsink5001.jpg
So What Do You Think?