DIY LED's!!

[bblumberg]

WOW what an insane amount of information. Thanks guys! Bruce, I really appreciate your advice and the time you took to write this for me! I am also a DIY kinda guy, so this is something I will give a shot at in the future for sure. Would you mind if I contacted you when the time comes around?! Thanks again fellaz. Admin, can you make this a thread possibly? A lot of valuable information given from these gents!

You are most welcome - I am happy to help. What little I know was learned from other kind reefers willing to share their knowledge together with my own trial and error. There are many very informative threads about DIY LEDs on this and other forums.

Bruce

 

[Donovan Joannes]

You can buy LED strips/pucks nowadays. It will save you a lot of time and will look much nicer. No more "noodles" all over the place. My DIY led lights is a 110cm (L) x 10cm (W) and 4cm (H) heatsink. I am using 30cm strips with 12 leds and managed to cramp 93 pieces of LEDs on it. If my drivers allow, 108 pieces of LEDs should be the limit.

 

[TherealDusky]

You can buy LED strips/pucks nowadays. It will save you a lot of time and will look much nicer. No more "noodles" all over the place. My DIY led lights is a 110cm (L) x 10cm (W) and 4cm (H) heatsink. I am using 30cm strips with 12 leds and managed to cramp 93 pieces of LEDs on it. If my drivers allow, 108 pieces of LEDs should be the limit.

Could you send me a link where to buy those?

 

[bblumberg]

So many choices:
DIY
https://blueacro.com/acrostrip
http://www.stevesleds.com/PARmax2-Extreme-14-up-LED-Array--Solderless_p_323.html
http://www.ledsupply.com/rigid-high-power-led-strips

premade
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/blue-xho-led-strip-light-reef-brite.html

I am sure there are many others,
Bruce

 

[Picassoclown]

Hey Bruce. I am already saving everything you and all these other fine gents have been providing me. I am taking notes and looking everything up. Would love to get your feedback and guidance when the time comes for me to start it all!! Thanks pal!

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Could you send me a link where to buy those?

Bruce has given some ready made strips ready to fire. I got mine from ebay, 1W or 3W foot prints (generic LED or equivalent) is very common. Search on ebay for a cheaper blank strips/pucks (aluminium printed circuit board) if you like to start from scratch. They have all matching accessories (lenses, heatsink etc) as well.

 

[bblumberg]

Bruce has given some ready made strips ready to fire. I got mine from ebay, 1W or 3W foot prints (generic LED or equivalent) is very common. Search on ebay for a cheaper blank strips/pucks (aluminium printed circuit board) if you like to start from scratch. They have all matching accessories (lenses, heatsink etc) as well.

Definitely a good way to save some money! Another way is to buy aluminum U-channel of the correct length and simply glue on RB LEDs at the spacing you like. I will bet that is close to the cheapest alternative. You could take a step up to the narrow linear heat sinks that RapidLED and other vendors sell http://www.rapidled.com/1-6-x-48-anodized-heatsink/. Better cooling, but at 3x the cost of U-channel. Still MUCH less expensive than commercial strips.

Good luck with build.

Bruce