cheap led strip heat sinks?

taproot

taproot

Well-Known Member
What are you guys using for cheap frames and heat sinks for led strip style lights like the bridgelux EB series? I’ve got some EB at a inch width and some kingbrite style that are 2inch in width two strips in one. The last time I built my EB light I used aluminum flat bar that I ordered from the internet and chopped down to size for each strip. The two inch wide flatbar is expensive. I looked at heatsinks from heatsinkusa.com and dam $$. I was wanting to build a decent frame and have each strip on a heatsink to help make them last longer.
 
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Hooda Thunkit

Well-Known Member
Definitely t slotted aluminum extrusion. You can get the 3 sided extrusion, and use the blank side to mount your strips.

Also, a spine build (one structural member down the middle) is easier and more adjustable than a frame build. Also cheaper. I was just looking at some of this myself. The extrusion is reasonably priced, but the hardware is friggin' rediculous. Like, $4.50 for a single L bracket. I figure I need 30 or so. It adds up quickly.

Even aluminum u channel is stupid expensive right now.

Heatsink USA has extrusions that will also work. Harder to mount on a spline, though.
 
taproot

taproot

Well-Known Member
Hooda Thunkit said:
Definitely t slotted aluminum extrusion. You can get the 3 sided extrusion, and use the blank side to mount your strips.

Also, a spine build (one structural member down the middle) is easier and more adjustable than a frame build. Also cheaper. I was just looking at some of this myself. The extrusion is reasonably priced, but the hardware is friggin' rediculous. Like, $4.50 for a single L bracket. I figure I need 30 or so. It adds up quickly.

Even aluminum u channel is stupid expensive right now.

Heatsink USA has extrusions that will also work. Harder to mount on a spline, though.
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Thanks I'll look into it. Where did you get your slotted extrusion?
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
Befure you go and buy sinks from a online specialist id try where ever local construction source alu channel and angle. After looking around a lot what worked best for be was a local company doing alu channel for construction. Scarpyard might work as well. For 60w/2fopt strip imho youd need something like 50 mm U-channel 2mm thickness or about 150mm/2mm thick alu sheet. But this will vary somewhat whit diode count
 
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Hooda Thunkit

Well-Known Member
Definitely local source any stock you can. Saves shipping and is often cheaper.

If you do source stock online, if you have access to a chop saw, order lengths (e.g. 92 inches), and cut to length yourself. There is a fee per cut. Usually $1 or so.

Lastly, 80/20 is the brand everyone knows, but I found alternative producers that are significantly cheaper.
 
taproot

taproot

Well-Known Member
Hooda Thunkit said:
Definitely local source any stock you can. Saves shipping and is often cheaper.

If you do source stock online, if you have access to a chop saw, order lengths (e.g. 92 inches), and cut to length yourself. There is a fee per cut. Usually $1 or so.

Lastly, 80/20 is the brand everyone knows, but I found alternative producers that are significantly cheaper.
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That's what I did in the pics I posted above; I got those bars from metal depot or something like that for way cheaper than my local lowes and cut them down with a cutting wheel on my drimel sourced from harbor freight. I'm going to look local this time first. Say, what kind of aluminum is this lad using?

Bridgelux EB Gen 3 High Output 4ft Strips

Sorry but I disagree. Thermal runaway is an often mentioned theory but experience shows us that it's not a problem with grow lights. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I've never seen it here or anywhere else. Check this out.... Agree 100%, I've built a bunch of grow lights over the years...
www.rollitup.org
 
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Lou66

Well-Known Member
Just use the strips as heat sink. Buy more, run them at lower current and the air flow in the tent is sufficient to cool them.
 
Rocket Soul

Rocket Soul

Well-Known Member
Lou66 said:
Just use the strips as heat sink. Buy more, run them at lower current and the air flow in the tent is sufficient to cool them.
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This is a good approach depending on the strips themselves. But ali strips might not be the best sinking. OP, once you get driver you can make some "naked" test without sinking. Also if you wanna be extra care full and have a metallic counter top you can try it out on top, to have some sinking handy
 
Canadain Closet Gardener

Canadain Closet Gardener

Well-Known Member
I use the bottoms of Garage door weather striping
You can get it at almost every home building supply store.
www.homedepot.com

M-D Building Products 1-5/8 in. x 18 ft. Aluminum and Vinyl Garage Door Bottom 87668 - The Home Depot

The M-D Building Products 1-5/8 in. x 18 ft. Aluminum and Vinyl Garage Door Bottom is crafted with an aluminum base that seal easily attaches to the garage door bottom using included screws, ensuring a secure fit. Its durable aluminum base hosts a resilient vinyl seal engineered to seal off the...
www.homedepot.com

I also use 1/4 channel to screw it together

View attachment DSC_0460 - Copy - Copy.JPG

View attachment DSC_0480 - Copy - Copy.JPGView attachment DSC_0504 - Copy.JPG
 
taproot

taproot

Well-Known Member
Lou66 said:
Just use the strips as heat sink. Buy more, run them at lower current and the air flow in the tent is sufficient to cool them.
Click to expand...
Personally I'd rather just put some cheap sinks on them but I appreciate the input.
 
taproot

taproot

Well-Known Member
Canadain Closet Gardener said:
I use the bottoms of Garage door weather striping
You can get it at almost every home building supply store.
www.homedepot.com

M-D Building Products 1-5/8 in. x 18 ft. Aluminum and Vinyl Garage Door Bottom 87668 - The Home Depot

The M-D Building Products 1-5/8 in. x 18 ft. Aluminum and Vinyl Garage Door Bottom is crafted with an aluminum base that seal easily attaches to the garage door bottom using included screws, ensuring a secure fit. Its durable aluminum base hosts a resilient vinyl seal engineered to seal off the...
www.homedepot.com

I also use 1/4 channel to screw it together

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View attachment 5301986View attachment 5301987
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I looked at that years ago when I built my first light, for me that is way too expensive. I used flatbar for like 1/5 of that price.
 
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Roguedawg

Well-Known Member
You should go to classified section and ask for any used heatsinks. I have a ton of tnutz I need to get out of the way, there probably is other ppl that have used ones also that may be closer to you. They are 1inch wide in most cases though. If you end up buying, the thinner tnutz bars work good, i have been using them on a veg light for awhile.
 
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