Neptune SKY LED

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Coralcare gen 1 uses 2 subpanels. The internal panel screw holes do not match.

Please provide evidence. Include both COGS and distributor fees.


Spread has never been the question. A Kessil also has similar spread. Actual tank coverage with auqascape and corals is the question.


Please provide a source. Otherwise we could make a rumor that "The diffuser was a collaboration between Neptune and Philips."


There may be a good engineering reason for this. Reactivity of saltwater and thermal paste? Macro vs Micro structural effects dominating the thermal conduction? Effect on the paste as it dries and the pieces move? The thermal load could also be so low that it does not matter. This is not the same as a CPU with a high point load, rigid structure and small size. Good question for Neptune.


They blow down through 4 slots on the edge of the fixture. There is no conclusive evidence that this raises or lowers the tank temperature.

Telegram was surmising that the gen 1 panel was re-machined.

Regardless, send Neptune a bill, and I think you should watch BRS's video talking about the quality of Chinese black box LED fixtures and then re-examine the SKY and realize it's "license plate" led panel is 50% thinner aluminum, has less of heat sink, and no thermal paste... name brand LEDs the Sky does have, i will give it that--and very nice software everyone seems to agree on.

My overall point is that the "control freaks" at Neptune turn a lot of people off by trying control the message about Skys more than any other manufacturer about any other product. They make unsupportable exaggerated claims. They copy other's products. Which is basically fine--except when they claim they're doing something unique.

 

[ReefBeta]

There may be a good engineering reason for this. Reactivity of saltwater and thermal paste? Macro vs Micro structural effects dominating the thermal conduction? Effect on the paste as it dries and the pieces move? The thermal load could also be so low that it does not matter. This is not the same as a CPU with a high point load, rigid structure and small size. Good question for Neptune.

Or a good reason to cut cost. Putting thermal paste over that big heatsink cost too much in material and effort, and regular reefer do not understand the importance of it. It's not like lots of reefers have PC building background that know the importance of it. They only care about the heatsink being big. Whether heat transfer between it and the light is efficient or not is not important for marketing purpose.

 

[Hydrored]

Coralcare gen 1 uses 2 subpanels. The internal panel screw holes do not match.

Please provide evidence. Include both COGS and distributor fees.


Spread has never been the question. A Kessil also has similar spread. Actual tank coverage with auqascape and corals is the question.


Please provide a source. Otherwise we could make a rumor that "The diffuser was a collaboration between Neptune and Philips."


There may be a good engineering reason for this. Reactivity of saltwater and thermal paste? Macro vs Micro structural effects dominating the thermal conduction? Effect on the paste as it dries and the pieces move? The thermal load could also be so low that it does not matter. This is not the same as a CPU with a high point load, rigid structure and small size. Good question for Neptune.


They blow down through 4 slots on the edge of the fixture. There is no conclusive evidence that this raises or lowers the tank temperature.

Really on the temperature? It’s well known the lower the juncture temperature the longer the life for LED’s.

Either way I hope everyone enjoys their SKY lights and they feel good on the value provided by them. Me personally, I think they are an overpriced black box based on the build alone.

https://cree-led.com/media/documents/XLampThermalManagement.pdf

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Really on the temperature? It’s well known the lower the juncture temperature the longer the life for LED’s.

Either way I hope everyone enjoys their SKY lights and they feel good on the value provided by them. Me personally, I think they are over an overpriced black box based on the build alone.

https://cree-led.com/media/documents/XLampThermalManagement.pdf

Makes me think.

One question, is thermal past necessary or better?:

 

[MichaelReefer]

I just cant see spending that much on two lights for my tank. I have three Hydra 32s for nearly what one light costs.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Im sure its a fine light. Just dont make it out to be this new groundbreaking product when its clearly not.

 

[telegraham]

I'm originally from Maine, so you being in New England, I presupposed you had common sense.

I’m in MD, so its 50/50.

 

[Jon's Reef]

Really on the temperature? It’s well known the lower the juncture temperature the longer the life for LED’s.

There are 2 thermal junctions being discussed. LED to aluminum platter, aluminum platter to heat sink. The junction noted to have no thermal paste is the secondary stage of aluminum platter to heat sink. In the case of a small chip to metal backing, thermal paste fills the micro-cracks and is well documented to cause issues if applied at any appreciable thickness. In the case of the large aluminum platter and heat sink, macroscopic waviness of the non-rigid surfaces combined with limited clamping may result in reduction, rather than increase of thermal transfer capacity with thermal paste present. This was likely taken into account at some engineering stage.

A simple test is to take one of these "disassembled" panels, Turn it to 100%, measure the temp of several areas and map it out. If the LED panel is significantly higher than the heat sink, then there is an issue. One could also then add thermal paste and see the difference.

 

[Hydrored]

@telegraham do you know what LED's are in this fixture by chance?

 

[telegraham]

@telegraham do you know what LED's are in this fixture by chance?

I’ve been told what they are, but that’s other’s data. Not my own, and unconfirmed, so not mine to share.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I’m in MD, so its 50/50.

Lol, yeah pretty close to DC... common sense is lost exponentially the closer you get to the rat's nest! Lol. I'll still tune in, though, you appear to have some sense left at least to reefing!

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

There are 2 thermal junctions being discussed. LED to aluminum platter, aluminum platter to heat sink. The junction noted to have no thermal paste is the secondary stage of aluminum platter to heat sink. In the case of a small chip to metal backing, thermal paste fills the micro-cracks and is well documented to cause issues if applied at any appreciable thickness. In the case of the large aluminum platter and heat sink, macroscopic waviness of the non-rigid surfaces combined with limited clamping may result in reduction, rather than increase of thermal transfer capacity with thermal paste present. This was likely taken into account at some engineering stage.

A simple test is to take one of these "disassembled" panels, Turn it to 100%, measure the temp of several areas and map it out. If the LED panel is significantly higher than the heat sink, then there is an issue. One could also then add thermal paste and see the difference.

Or Neptune could have used a better, perhaps less cheap to build, design.... I mean i am no expert, but the if you're using a license plate design and your license plate is half as thick as the cheap Chinese black box's license plate design (that BRS previously heavily criticized)--that does not exactly impress me (even though BRS says now that the Sky is not like a cheap Chinese black box in any way???).

 

[oreo54]

thermal paste fills the micro-cracks and is well documented to cause issues if applied at any appreciable thickness.

I'd like to see those studies.
Never saw a cpu heatsink
concerned with that.

Even 3 w stars run at 2 ish watts will easily die w/ out thermal paste/tape/silicone

My current 15w 80cm sq led boards with generous (about 100% coverage) easily push 120f on the heatsink pins so no transfer issues afaict.
That said current quality diodes are much less susceptible to high temps.

 

[oreo54]

Thickness isn't important

 

[telegraham]

There are 2 thermal junctions being discussed. LED to aluminum platter, aluminum platter to heat sink. The junction noted to have no thermal paste is the secondary stage of aluminum platter to heat sink. In the case of a small chip to metal backing, thermal paste fills the micro-cracks and is well documented to cause issues if applied at any appreciable thickness. In the case of the large aluminum platter and heat sink, macroscopic waviness of the non-rigid surfaces combined with limited clamping may result in reduction, rather than increase of thermal transfer capacity with thermal paste present. This was likely taken into account at some engineering stage.

A simple test is to take one of these "disassembled" panels, Turn it to 100%, measure the temp of several areas and map it out. If the LED panel is significantly higher than the heat sink, then there is an issue. One could also then add thermal paste and see the difference.

Given the 1mm plate thickness, there’s no way I’m pushing those diodes to 100%. I’ve cooked my share of diodes. Something I considered given the thinness of the plate is the thermal expansion coefficient when the light is amped up. More screws and the thinnest of layers of transfer compound would have put my mind at rest. I really would have appreciated the use of more screws.

No access to thermal imaging, so I put it back the way I found it.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Thickness isn't important

It was to BRS when they reviewed chinese black boxes.....

 

[MichaelReefer]

It was to BRS when they reviewed chinese black boxes.....

Hahahaha love your name.

 

[oreo54]

It was to BRS when they reviewed chinese black boxes.....

Actually their main beef was it was cool, showing poor heat transfer.
That's what I took out of it.

Surface area is much more important.
Active cooling can " fix" a lot of ills.

 

[Jon's Reef]

I'd like to see those studies.

From: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url...=2ahUKEwjQy_DBlcjyAhVLYs0KHX-UAX0Qjhx6BAgAEAs

Also from the cree doc reference above:
"though a TIM may have better thermal conductivity than air, its conductivity will not be nearly as good as metal’s, so the approach is not to add material between metal components but rather to fill the voids that are typically occupied by air."

Or Neptune could have used a better, perhaps less cheap to build, design.... I mean i am no expert, but the if you're using a license plate design and your license plate is half as thick as the cheap Chinese black box's license plate design (that BRS previously heavily criticized)--that does not exactly impress me (even though BRS says now that the Sky is not like a cheap Chinese black box in any way???).

What is the total thickness of the heat sink and aluminum backed plate? Also what is the difference in the size of the heat sinks? Lastly, what is the CFM of the fans used in the BB light?

Whether the thickness of the heat sink is included in the overall thickness depends on the resistance of the plate to heat sink junction, which without testing cannot be determined. Heat transfer is also significantly guided by dT across the thermal junction. So again without a temperature measurement it is simply speculation.

 

[oreo54]

So where are the real life units on the axis?

As to thickness guess there is some importance.

Optimizing Heat Sink Base Spreading Resistance to Enhance Thermal Performance | Advanced Thermal Solutions

www.qats.com

On the other hand, increasing the base thickness above 4 or 5 mm gives diminishing marginal returns; the improvement in spreading resistance is minimal compared to the increase in thermal resistance due to the reduced fin area.

See lower limit in link.