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Cultivated Reef

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CrazyEyes

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So while redoing the tank I realized I'd like to maybe redo the light aswell, not the LEDs or anything but the way the light is housed. I don't hate but I definitely think I could be happier with it. Although having everything in a big enclosure is really convenient I'd like to make build something a little less bulky. Any thoughts?

 

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Turn the heatsink into the housing.

 

If you got a wad of cash burning a hole, get a custom CNCReef heatsink.

 

If you are a risk taker, there us a guy in the Ukraine who sells a beautiful 5 and 10 inch wide heatsink. Shipping is a bitch. He takes wire transfers only. And Ukraine is at war with Russia right now. I can give you his contact info if you like.

126894e57140.jpeg

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Get that power supply off the light, thats a safety hazard. Get a waterproof real Meanwell HLG or CLG thats IP65 or IP67.

 

Get a long and wide heatsink from HeatsinkUSA, like the 5.9"or the 10". Then get two thin heatsinks, and bond them to the sides of the main heatsink to form an enclosure.

 

Do the same thing with aluminum flat stock.

20140918_200906.jpg

 

Do the same with acrylic, bond it right to the sides of the heatsink.

 

Put your controller and drivers in the heatsink enclosure, so you have only the power cable running to the light. RLL has a tiny controller .5" tall, wireless to Android device. Thin drivers, .5" high will fit in the heatsink enclosure.

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I'm gonna sound like an asshole for asking but, in the pic, where can I pick that up, not the heatsink but what you'd use to connect them. I've literally never seen anything like that so I don't even know what it's called.



Yeah the PS is definitely one of the things I was going to change about the light. I haven't had any issues with it, doesn't mean it won't happen though. The extra cost of the HLG isn't too significant when you don't have to worry about fires and shit.

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I'm gonna sound like an asshole for asking but, in the pic, where can I pick that up, not the heatsink but what you'd use to connect them. I've literally never seen anything like that so I don't even know what it's called.

Yeah the PS is definitely one of the things I was going to change about the light. I haven't had any issues with it, doesn't mean it won't happen though. The extra cost of the HLG isn't too significant when you don't have to worry about fires and shit.

http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/RichardSperry/media/5ba0064004cc.jpeg.html]5ba0064004cc.jpeg[/url]

 

I can get you his contact info. Its very risky, as I wrote. I decide to just mill my own version in the pic above.

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Do you happen to have anymore pics of your light build? I'm also trying to figure out how long I want/need the heatsink to be. Tank is 48". I know cooling is obviously one of the concerns when choosing heatsinks but I also need to make sure the coverage will be okay. I contacted Dave to see what kind of prices we'd be talking to just have him build one.

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Get a Meanwell SCW05C-12 DC to DC transformer for your fans.Pull power off your main power supply, so you dont have a separate fan power supply and cable.It too is small enough to fit in a heatsink enclosure.

 

Do you happen to have anymore pics of your light build? I'm also trying to figure out how long I want/need the heatsink to be. Tank is 48". I know cooling is obviously one of the concerns when choosing heatsinks but I also need to make sure the coverage will be okay. I contacted Dave to see what kind of prices we'd be talking to just have him build one.

Im currently still sanding out some imperfections in my sides.Then I need to anodize them, the end caps, the main heatsink and the aluminum perf sheet that will form the top.

 

http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/RichardSperry/media/20140918_200811.jpg.html]20140918_200811.jpg[/url]This is just proof of concept.The Noctua 92x14 fits in that slot. There are 3 fans in the 30" length.It will be topped with anodized perfed aluminum to hide the fans.

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I'd love to be able to run the drivers, controller and both fans off of one power supply.



I hate to keep changing shit up but I just cannot be happy with something unless it's exactly what I want. I do appreciate your help so far farkwar.

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I have to ask, do you do all the machining yourself or is that something done by a metal shop in your area? I just have no way of doing any of that, so if you did take it to someone, what sort of price does something like that cost to do?

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I have to ask, do you do all the machining yourself or is that something done by a metal shop in your area? I just have no way of doing any of that, so if you did take it to someone, what sort of price does something like that cost to do?

 

Its just a router and carbide bits. Same work as with woodworking, easier actually. It really cant burn like wood can if you rout wrong.

 

I didnt price the routing work. I knew I could do it.

 

The Ukrainian guys 36 inch 10 inch wide heatsink he priced me like 110, shipping was like 65 or something. Wire transfer. Post above has the links to his site. His avatar name is airsoft, he goes by Andrew. It includes the end caps.

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So I guess my next question is, is it safe to paint the heatsink? Meaning will it hurt with heat transfer if I was to paint it? I could always tape up where the LEDs get attached to if painting will make it to where it won't transfer heat.

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So I guess my next question is, is it safe to paint the heatsink? Meaning will it hurt with heat transfer if I was to paint it? I could always tape up where the LEDs get attached to if painting will make it to where it won't transfer heat.

 

Many paint using a powder coat process. My Kessils are painted, for example.

 

Im going to try anodizing myself, its a skill I wish to learn.

 

If I paint, I would use either a barbeque paint, or most likely PlastiDip spray paint.

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I really do like the Rapid heatsinks but I just didn't want to buy new heatsinks when I have them already. I think I am just going to something similar to what you did farkwar, just going to use some 1/2" x 2'' aluminum channal and connect them both together with that. Then get the RLL drivers, might just use my typhon controller still, not sure. And I like the idea of anodizing, a buddy of mine does powder coating and anodizing I may just do that.

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F*cking beautiful. That is exactly what I was looking for. I usually check speedy metals but their prices were a little crazy. Honestly, now that I think about it, I should be able to fit my current driver setup in there, it's just two Coralux 4up boards. I definitely want to ditch the PS though and pickup a HLG.

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Just ordered the 1/2" x 2" aluminum channel. Thanks for the link man. Now I can get my light out of this f*cking flower box. I wonder if JB weld will be strong enough of a bond to bond the channel and the heatsink. I've seen JB weld do some crazy $hit when it's mixed correctly.

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If seen it hold together a hillbilly tranny case on Youtube.

 

If it can do that...

 

I bought some black thermal adhesive potting epoxy from MG Chemicals for mine; but i was going to use JB Weld first.

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There isn't much JB Weld can't bond.

That was my thought. I've seen it lift a VW bug filled with weight so, I'm sure it will hold my light fixture together just fine.

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Once again Farkwar thanks for that metal shop link, they got my order in really quick, picked up a 6' piece of 1/2" x 2" x 1/8" channel. Cut it half (still might take it to a welding shop and have it shortened as I just did a quick hack saw cut down the middle). I also threw the flower box enclosure out, sold the PS. I think it's going to look really good when it's all done and painted.

 

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