DIY Radeon clone?

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I've also been looking for a convenient puck design as well. right now i've been stuck usin
rushbattle said:
That's the thing about DIY though, you can have what you want! I would like something with more power than the 48w pucks from theatrus, but that's what was available for my upcoming builds. I would prefer to be able to mount them higher, running something like 100w. Then the corals receive light from more angles than just straight above with low hanging sources. I got around that by just using T5, but in the future I may go all LED and do higher power and higher mounted pucks that I make myself.
Click to expand...

I've also battled with this. I've opted to use LedZeal for the last 3-4 years and have it custom built in china than sent over to me. Where else can you light a 4' tank for under $400 with ramping,timer,wifi,android,ios? :-D
 
WWC
rushbattle said:
That's the thing about DIY though, you can have what you want! I would like something with more power than the 48w pucks from theatrus, but that's what was available for my upcoming builds. I would prefer to be able to mount them higher, running something like 100w. Then the corals receive light from more angles than just straight above with low hanging sources. I got around that by just using T5, but in the future I may go all LED and do higher power and higher mounted pucks that I make myself.
Click to expand...

All comes down to how much reflector one can pack into a build - density and heat is the big limit :)
 
Anyone have any suggestions for a product that I can place on or between a heat sink and circuit board / driver to prevent any exposed wires from shorting? I have a couple drivers that I want to mount to the heat sink but there are some solider points on the bottom and if I secured it as is it will short out.

I know there is a thin pad, paper, or film that does it but no idea what it is called. I've done a few searches but it seems my returns are just cpu to fan/heat sink square. I need to be able to cut to size or at least fit it on a 2" square. Thanks for any tips.

Edit: Disregard :) I had to refine the search. I finally found something that I believe is correct - heatsink cooling thermal conductive silicone pad in .5mm thickness.
 
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saf1 said:
Anyone have any suggestions for a product that I can place on or between a heat sink and circuit board / driver to prevent any exposed wires from shorting? I have a couple drivers that I want to mount to the heat sink but there are some solider points on the bottom and if I secured it as is it will short out.

I know there is a thin pad, paper, or film that does it but no idea what it is called. I've done a few searches but it seems my returns are just cpu to fan/heat sink square. I need to be able to cut to size or at least fit it on a 2" square. Thanks for any tips.

Edit: Disregard :) I had to refine the search. I finally found something that I believe is correct - heatsink cooling thermal conductive silicone pad in .5mm thickness.
Click to expand...
Kapton tape
 
Ecoscape Reef Rock
theatrus said:
All comes down to how much reflector one can pack into a build - density and heat is the big limit :)
Click to expand...

This is very true. For the record the image below is from Fluence and their vypr line. This is what I'm sort of replicating using the 48W pro's of yours. My 2" x 50" heat sinks came in yesterday and the fans are arriving later today. I have to go back and re-read what the spread is with your chips using the reflector but I'll be mounting 4 chips on each bar along with 4 of your IQ drivers. Add the two fans and that fancy new PWM converter of yours should provide a solid, repeatable to build, light bar. If it works like I planned I'll then move the existing 4 stars I have and replicate it. If I need more light then I'll just add a third bar with either 2 or 4 stars.

I prefer a bar of lighting rather than the single chip. I think it is just easier to install and has a wider distribution of light. I don't know.


upload_2018-12-20_8-31-0.png
 
theatrus said:
Was just going to recommend this. Kapton/polyimide tape, or if you want something thicker, kapton film held on by kapton tape (since most tape is only 1mil)
Click to expand...
You can stack capton tape when used as an electeical isolator, very common to see.

As for the O.P. original use it seems like you need something that will also conduct heat away and isolate electrical wires. You can apply kapton tape to the electrical poibts you want ti protect then put thermal padding on top of that. As far as thermal pad thickness, the right method to pick out the proper thickness is to see the gap you have to fill, then add the distance from the lowest peak composnet and the highest peak component you want cooled. So you would use kapton to cover the electeical points and a thermal pad over the entire area you want heat wicked out of.

If you head over to the eevvlog forums you will find tons of information on what isolators, insulators, and thermal conductors to use and combine.
 
saf1 said:
This is very true. For the record the image below is from Fluence and their vypr line. This is what I'm sort of replicating using the 48W pro's of yours. My 2" x 50" heat sinks came in yesterday and the fans are arriving later today. I have to go back and re-read what the spread is with your chips using the reflector but I'll be mounting 4 chips on each bar along with 4 of your IQ drivers. Add the two fans and that fancy new PWM converter of yours should provide a solid, repeatable to build, light bar. If it works like I planned I'll then move the existing 4 stars I have and replicate it. If I need more light then I'll just add a third bar with either 2 or 4 stars.

I prefer a bar of lighting rather than the single chip. I think it is just easier to install and has a wider distribution of light. I don't know.


upload_2018-12-20_8-31-0.png
Click to expand...

Note the drivers should only be exposing GND to the heat sink. The LEDs are fully isolated. The APEX PWM converter has the knarly RJ45 pins though - perhaps just use some small standoffs?
 
theatrus said:
Note the drivers should only be exposing GND to the heat sink. The LEDs are fully isolated. The APEX PWM converter has the knarly RJ45 pins though - perhaps just use some small standoffs?
Click to expand...

Right - the LED's are fine. It was the IQ and PWM converter. The RJ45's are knarly like you said and that is what I wanted to prevent from shorting out.

The driver backside is smooth but it looked like it had exposed, albeit tiny, copper or board that could cause a problem. So I was thinking for both converter and the driver to put a piece of thermal pad or the tape for it to rest on then secure to the heat sink.
 
Ariel V Rosa said:
You can stack capton tape when used as an electeical isolator, very common to see.

As for the O.P. original use it seems like you need something that will also conduct heat away and isolate electrical wires. You can apply kapton tape to the electrical poibts you want ti protect then put thermal padding on top of that. As far as thermal pad thickness, the right method to pick out the proper thickness is to see the gap you have to fill, then add the distance from the lowest peak composnet and the highest peak component you want cooled. So you would use kapton to cover the electeical points and a thermal pad over the entire area you want heat wicked out of.

If you head over to the eevvlog forums you will find tons of information on what isolators, insulators, and thermal conductors to use and combine.
Click to expand...

Thanks - never saw the EEVblog forums before. Added to bookmarks.
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
In case anyone is interested and would rather a push connector to direct soldering to the board, the connectors used on the round 5 channel ebay puck are WAGO 2060-451 connectors. Took a bit of googling but I finally found them. I didn't want to have my pucks soldered together.
 
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Odd enough name, would have never even remotely tried to google that.

But since we are talking connectors any good recommendations say for connecting 4 fans together to a single plug that is maybe quick release? Or just good quick release for our DIY LED's. Say if I want to remove the bar - something quick would be ideal.

Edit: Maybe I should go to that book mark, eh? I was hoping to get to that today but alas I didn't (Christmas cookie making night).
 
Nutramar Foods
saf1 said:
Odd enough name, would have never even remotely tried to google that.

But since we are talking connectors any good recommendations say for connecting 4 fans together to a single plug that is maybe quick release? Or just good quick release for our DIY LED's. Say if I want to remove the bar - something quick would be ideal.

Edit: Maybe I should go to that book mark, eh? I was hoping to get to that today but alas I didn't (Christmas cookie making night).
Click to expand...
I'm using molex connectors I got from stevesled
https://www.stevesleds.com/Connectors-and-pins_c_96.html
 

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