DIY 80W vero 18 UFO killer

churchhaze said:
The heat is like 80W+80W+80W (240W). About 65% of that heat comes from the heatsinks, while the other 35% comes from emitted photons becoming absorbed by the plant and walls. I still have no fans on the heat sinks, but that's because I've been swamped. I design things for efficiency, but then in practice, if it works, i tend to leave it be while looking to design around the low hanging fruit.

The design is the same as before; a bunch of white leds spread out evenly over a 4'x2' canopy.

I do not like to post journals of plants. This thread was meant to be more of an instructional for people wanting yet another option.
Click to expand...

That's cool and I totally understand about the plant pic thing, I agree. I wasnt after that, I was after the heat at the light source, with fan, without fan, etc. and if the heat sink size you chose was sufficent to cool the LEDs. I see the company you bought yours from now has it in 12". Some LED manufacturers rate them at 25C, so I was wondering if your heatsink would keep them that cool or if 25C is an ideal scenario...
 
25C is just a test temperature they use to collect data for the datasheet. They have to find some method of keeping the heat sink at 25C while taking measurements or everyone will rightfully assume funny business in the numbers.

When hanging, the ventilation from the room causes a light breeze which brings the sink temperature to around 60C, which is not ideal, but will work in a pinch.

One thing to keep in mind though, operating temperature is not the same thing as heat produced over time. Heat produced over time is a measurement of power while temperature is a measurement of average kinetic energy of a system.

A hotter heat sink will not mean you have to ventilate more heat. The system dissipates 240W of power, which will ultimately be seen as 240W of heat power produced.
 
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The 12" profile would be great for many designs. It's more expensive, but there are many cases where being able to better fill design requirements trumps the ability to get the "best value".

I have plans to make a veg lamp using the 12" profile cut to maybe 4 inches. No other configuration would allow a 12" wide sink with the fins oriented the wide way instead of the long way.
 
I ordered some new stuff for some Baby Killers. (is that a bad name?)

Breakdown:
(1) HLG-60H-C350A - 45.30
(2) 12" heatsinkusa profile cut to 5" - 50.00
(4) Vero 18 5000k 70cri - $50.44

Price of major parts = $145.74

The driver is a bit big for the purpose, but I could not find a better option. I could have went with 2 PLD-25-350 which has an efficiency of 85%, but even with HLG-60H-C350 at 50% load, it still 88% efficient. I was agonizing over all the choices, so i just picked one. This driver gives the option of adding a third panel.

I will make a 3rd Baby Killer if I need a bigger veg area, which will put the driver load at 84%, bringing the efficiency of the driver closer to 91%. No need for a new driver for expansion.

(they won't kill babies, but will be killer babies)

Going by one of the @SupraSPL charts I saw, the vero 18 5000k 70cri at 350mA has an efficiency of 47.1%
 
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churchhaze said:
I ordered some new stuff for some Baby Killers. (is that a bad name?)

Breakdown:
(1) HLG-60H-C350A - 45.30
(2) 12" heatsinkusa profile cut to 5" - 50.00
(4) Vero 18 5000k 70cri - $50.44

Price of major parts = $145.74

The driver is a bit big for the purpose, but I could not find a better option. I could have went with 2 PLD-25-350 which has an efficiency of 85%, but even with HLG-60H-C350 at 50% load, it still 88% efficient. I was agonizing over all the choices, so i just picked one. This driver gives the option of adding a third panel.

I will make a 3rd Baby Killer if I need a bigger veg area, which will put the load at 84%, bringing the efficiency of the driver closer to 91%. No need for a new driver for expansion.

(they won't kill babies, but will be killer babies)

Going by one of the @SupraSPL charts I saw, the vero 18 5000k 70cri at 350mA has an efficiency of 47.1%
Click to expand...

So just like killer bud won't kill you, these killer babies won't kill anyone right?

:-D
 
The heat sinks and cobs arrived, but the drivers location is unknown.

Baby killer laid out, drilled tapped, and cleaned. No thermal paste or wiring done yet. Still need to do the other holes.

IMAG0151.jpg

HeatsinkUSA kicks ass! The long bar for 730nm. (that one seems so overkill, but it's the same price as a flat bar).

IMAG0144.jpg
 
In case anyone is wondering why that COB spacing is ideal for me, here's something that helped me make my decision. Remember, this is a veg lamp, and it's going to be up very close.. It's lined up with the netcups so the most intense portion of the output cone is hitting the center of the plant! This is a veg tote lid.

IMAG0153.jpg
 
hey church are you doing blind holes or thru holes? Just curious,can see the washer under the hardware and I imagine it is a blind hole, but just wanted ask!

Good setup for passive! :peace:
 
I manged to make them all blind this time. (I aim for all blind with 0.30" thick bases, but sometimes accidentally go all the way through). I did go all the way through for that overkill 730nm bar because the base is so thin, i purposefully went all the way through every time. That 730nm bar is so overly overkill. I've been spending hours working on it to make it nice... when my other bar is just an aluminum flat bar with rope tied around it. They both probably work just as effectively.

My 2 drill strategy has been foolproof. I put the dewalt's (tap drill) slip clutch on 1, and it will slip even if you floor it without regard for the bottom. I go real fast now. Slightly in, out, in out in out, in out, in, slip slip slip.... all the way out. next. wd-40 has been flawless.

As an extra "slip clitch", don't hold on to the heat sink while tapping. If it jams up, the heat sink itself will spin, which is basically an extra slip clutch. Better the heat sink spins than the hole ruined or tap broken.

I have zinc plated split lock washers under the m3 socket head screws. I'd take a picture under the screws, but it's just so boring. Do you just want to see the sinks without the vero 18 on them? (Edit: Just realized you were saying something else! yep, all blind holes)

Abiqua said:
hey church are you doing blind holes or thru holes? Just curious,can see the washer under the hardware and I imagine it is a blind hole, but just wanted ask!

Good setup for passive! :peace:
Click to expand...
 
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churchhaze said:
I manged to make them all blind this time. (I aim for all blind with 0.30" thick bases, but sometimes accidentally go all the way through). I did go all the way through for that overkill 730nm bar because the base is so thin, i purposefully went all the way through every time. That 730nm bar is so overly overkill. I've been spending hours working on it to make it nice... when my other bar is just an aluminum flat bar with rope tied around it. They both probably work just as effectively.

My 2 drill strategy has been foolproof. I put the dewalt's (tap drill) slip clutch on 1, and it will slip even if you floor it without regard for the bottom. I go real fast now. Slightly in, out, in out in out, in out, in, slip slip slip.... all the way out. next. wd-40 has been flawless.

As an extra "slip clitch", don't hold on to the heat sink while tapping. If it jams up, the heat sink itself will spin, which is basically an extra slip clutch. Better the heat sink spins than the hole ruined or tap broken.

I have zinc plated split lock washers under the m3 socket head screws. I'd take a picture under the screws, but it's just so boring. Do you just want to see the sinks without the vero 18 on them?

DIN_128_Lock_Washer_634593223417382449_1.jpg
Click to expand...

I would gladly like to see the sinks without the cobs, but only if you are willing....great to hear it is working out and .30" is probably the best point....I am thinking of going with some HSUSA sinks too....very curious, never thought to ask any of the guys actually using em' :peace:
 
8 blind holes. (hard to see them because no light leaks through them!)

IMAG0170.jpgIMAG0172.jpg


Abiqua said:
I would gladly like to see the sinks without the cobs, but only if you are willing....great to hear it is working out and .30" is probably the best point....I am thinking of going with some HSUSA sinks too....very curious, never thought to ask any of the guys actually using em' :peace:
Click to expand...
 
Perhaps more interesting, the overkill 730nm bar I put way too much work and money into. (hanging for display on a random wall with random screws in the wall. Nothing to do with a grow room.)

There are 2 chain links on the front and 4 on the back, with a big link connecting the 2 segments. Then the rope ties to the big link. The unevenness is to make it face forward, because it will go on the back wall of a tent/cab.

IMAG0179.jpg

IMAG0182.jpg
 
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For the 730nm light, or any sink using that profile, if you're going to use picture hangers, I would say you must back it with a jam nut or use rivets instead of screws, or just chain directly to the sink. The aluminum fin is too thin and soft to reliably keep 0.7 pitch threads. One of them stripped, so I put jam nuts on all 4 for security.

I also actually went with LEDEngin again, because their stars are higher total wattage, which is less annoying, and their datasheets actaully show top bins have higher efficiency than the new cree 730nm top bin leds at their test current. (please correct me if i'm wrong here)

http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/228/LZ4-00R308-318073.pdf
 
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churchhaze said:
Perhaps more interesting, the overkill 730nm bar I put way too much work and money into. (hanging for display on a random wall with random screws in the wall. Nothing to do with a grow room.)

There are 2 chain links on the front and 4 on the back, with a big link connecting the 2 segments. Then the rope ties to the big link. The unevenness is to make it face forward, because it will go on the back wall of a tent/cab.

View attachment 3348352

View attachment 3348353
Click to expand...

Take a gander at that craftsmanship! Makes my FR bar look like a joke!

(The stakes have risen)

:clap:
 
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