Did you use a solder mask?I have done some work on soldering LED arrays: 24x total of which 2x are spares for future use. I used a cheap Chinese made reflow station that I bought on Amazon for under £10. It works pretty well - keeping temperature at promised 260C. I wanted lower temp - so I controlled it using a mini heatsink (chunk of aluminium painted in black ) and a fan.
Cultural Learnings of Borat Continue To LED Light
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Borat
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No I didn't. Do I need to?
Amazing work!
Looking forward to seeing this complete.
Looking forward to seeing this complete.
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Borat
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It is indeed easier than it appears but only for single led stars. Soldering multi led mcpcbs is quite a challenge - just because if one led is not properly soldered you have to resolder all of them.No, just adding soldering paste to those tiny pads is beyond my skills.
I got a mask for my boards that used lux z's.
Just made my life easier.
Maybe it's easier than it looks.
This video is very good - i fpund it very useful for first time soldering
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Borat
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I had some thermal glue (it is in fact thermal epoxy, not quite glue) that I bought a couple of years ago - still have about 10 tubes spare. I only needed one tube to glue all LED MCPCBs to the aluminium base. I then spent about 20 min warming up the aluminium base to about 50 degrees Celsiums - this is in order for glue to start set-in process.
As the thermal epoxy is left to cure, I have also glued 2mm acrylic placeholders for LEDs glass cover. The glass size is 50mm (whilst the MCPCB is only 40mm).
As the thermal epoxy is left to cure, I have also glued 2mm acrylic placeholders for LEDs glass cover. The glass size is 50mm (whilst the MCPCB is only 40mm).
Just curious, sorry if i missed it - this stuff is all newer to me - are you planning on running these chips at full wattage or are you reducing that? The heatsink/cooling seems pretty solid
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Borat
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It's kind of a yes-and-no answer... XPE2 LEDs can be run at 1A.. Often people run them at 700ma. I only managed to source LDD 600H - so will be running them at 600ma.
However the led fixture will be pulling about 300w (on max setting) of the available 320w that the PSU can supply. So effectively I compensated lower current and lower output per LED by high number of LEDs mounted on the fixture.
Thanks. Need to catch up on this thread.
I will now look upon your post treasures now, is this understood? Is exciting me
I will now look upon your post treasures now, is this understood? Is exciting me
Fishy Jacket
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Mind providing a few top line numbers...size, weight, and cost to date?
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Borat
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After a few minor hickups - the fixture is finally ready for deployment.. I still need to assemble and mount LED light bracket - which will be made of 2020 aluminium extrusion and will be mounted on the wall behind the tank. I am planning to finish it tomorrow.
For now the fixture has been fully tested and I will mount the cover with fans tomorrow.
2020 extrusion brackets (to be drilled, edges to be finished)
For now the fixture has been fully tested and I will mount the cover with fans tomorrow.
2020 extrusion brackets (to be drilled, edges to be finished)
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Borat
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I shall post those once everything is assembled. Cheers.
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Borat
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Weight: 7.5kg
Length: 100cm
Height: 8cm
Width: 16cm
Max wattage: 300w
Number of LEDs (3w): 154
Drive current: 600ma
Cost to date - I recon about £600, major components are:
PSU: £100
LEDs (Cree XPE-2): £250
Acrylic: £100
Electronics: £100
Bits-and-blobs: £50
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Borat
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I built new brackets that are made of 2020 V-slot aluminium extrusion these are screwed into wall, and have a pivot connector allowing the LED fixture to be lifted up for maintenance. The existing brackets held 2x ReefLED 90's and my prior DIY fixture. Those will soon be sold with my ReefLED 90s.
I now have 2 LED fixtures, both same in length and height, but new one is about double the width of existing (existing one was DIY'd 2.5 years ago and have 56x 3w Bridgelux/Epiled LEDs with total wattage of ~120w). I will mount the existing LED fixture tonight and post updated pictuures.
I now have 2 LED fixtures, both same in length and height, but new one is about double the width of existing (existing one was DIY'd 2.5 years ago and have 56x 3w Bridgelux/Epiled LEDs with total wattage of ~120w). I will mount the existing LED fixture tonight and post updated pictuures.
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Borat
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The fixture at minimum PWM duty cycle during night hours (0.03% intensity)- runs really nice glow, probably weaker than full moon light.
In contrast - my older fixture has a relay that cuts the power off to all LEDs during night hours..
In contrast - my older fixture has a relay that cuts the power off to all LEDs during night hours..
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