My First DIY LED

Hey what's up people!

I've got a custom COB light in the works. I'm building it specifically for my grow box I just built. Which you can check out by clicking the link in my sig.

I've almost got everything I need for the light but I thought it was a good time to start my thread about the build. Now lets get to the good stuff...

This is what I came up with for a design. Credit goes to Abiqua for helping me with the finer details when it comes to doing a DIY LED.


For the visually impaired, what I got goin on here is 3 3.5" x 20" heat sinks from HeatsinkUSA, with 5 Vero10s on each sink. Each sink gets its own 80mm fan which is attached to the case/cover. All three sinks will be attached to some aluminum angle. The driver will be mounted off the fixture, somewhere in the grow box. I've got two pictures showing how I'm going to lay out the wiring. All the little blue blocks are going to be spade terminals for easy maintenance. If anything isn't clear, please feel free to ask.

when you get it built, luv to see some real pics

That's what I came up with, but lets see how the real thing comes together.

First we grab some heat sinks and some COBs.


Get an idea on how I want everything spaced out. Then make the precise marks for the holes. I have 3 dots for each COB. Two that will be drilled and tapped. The 3rd will be for the wires coming off the COBs.


On Sunday I went out and bought a drill and tap. I was a little to excited to get started and did a test hole. I made a rookie mistake and didn't use any cutting oil when I was using the tap...and...it broke in the hole. Oh, I was using the tap in a cordless drill. I probably had it on the wrong setting. So I said, fuck this and asked my dad if I could use his tools.

This got the job done in no time. Now I've got perfectly drilled and tapped holes. Then I had to make sure the COBs went on nicely.
It fits!

So do the rest of them!


And that's all I've got done up til now. Stay tuned for more.

PurpleBuz said:

when you get it built, luv to see some real pics

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Wish Granted

Aaaaaand I forgot some important details you guys love to know. So as I stated above, I'll be running 15 Vero10s. They will be run off one driver @.35amps. Specifically the HLG-120H-C350B.

methinks you might have oversized your heatsinks. you could probably run vero18s around 700ma, maybe more ?, on them.

The build looks good! Is that a drill press or a mill in your dad's workshop? It looks like it weighs more than my car.

PurpleBuz said:

methinks you might have oversized your heatsinks. you could probably run vero18s around 700ma, maybe more ?, on them.

Click to expand...

aka room to expand

PurpleBuz said:

methinks you might have oversized your heatsinks. you could probably run vero18s around 700ma, maybe more ?, on them.

Click to expand...

Abiqua answered that for me. Room to expand and I also I really wanted to make sure these COBs stay cool.

BigYellowCob said:

The build looks good! Is that a drill press or a mill in your dad's workshop? It looks like it weighs more than my car.

Click to expand...

It's a mill and it's so fucking heavy. I had to help move it in there. It's one of the old school ones but works great.

I got the 80mm fans yesterday evening so today I'm going to figure out the exact dimensions for the outer case. This is such a fun project. I read a bunch of DIY LED threads before I started this. There is so much knowledge to absorb.

Update:

This morning I figured out the dims for the heat sink covers and had one made up at work. It came out pretty good. I only had one made just to make sure everything fit together. It's no fun when you make multiple of something only to find out its the wrong size. Then you have wasted material.


The preliminary fit is good. Tomorrow I'll have the 2nd one made. The 3rd I'm going to hold off until I have the AC inlets. At this point I don't know how big the holes for them will be. The plan is to paint these white to hide any machine marks. And I like things to look pertty.

bump,, watching

I naturally had to make sure the fan went on...


There will be a finger guard on that hole. I just don't have them yet. These fans will be juuust above the heat sink fins. Figured there'd be less heat from the fan transferring into the heat sink.

DIY on RIU is friggin' gold. Nice metal skillz.

Got a little more done today. I had the 2nd cover made and screwed one of them to a heat sink. Fits nicely.


I ordered the fan guards and another fan. I had all 3 already but I accidentally broke one. Good thing they're not expensive. Should have them tomorrow or Monday. Out of curiosity I weighed the one I put together so far and it's 4.25lbs. This is going to be to a decent weight when done. You guys with commercial lights, how much do they weigh? My covers are made from 1/16" aluminum. They're pretty light. And the best thing about these heat sink covers is they're FREE

I'll try and put the second one together tonight but I'm a bit beat from work. Aaaand I'm quite right now. Anyway we're makin progress, so stay tuned!

BillyBudThornton said:

DIY on RIU is friggin' gold. Nice metal skillz.

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Thanks!

I can't take credit for actually making the covers. Where I work they have a machine that cuts stuff out of sheet metal with a laser. It"s badass. I gave the guy that runs it a drawing of what I wanted, and boom, in minutes they were made. I take advantage of my resources.

Here's a shot of the prep for drilling for the cover mounting screws.


And them next to each other. Don't they look sooo nice side by side? I think so, but I'm biased.

Both covers are on. The 3rd one will be put together in a week maybe two. I've got to buy the ac inlets and get the dims for them so theycan be cut in when the 3rd cover is made.



Right now I've got four screws holding each cover on. I planed for 8 on each. I don't think I need'em.

SSJGemini said:

Thanks!

I can't take credit for actually making the covers. Where I work they have a machine that cuts stuff out of sheet metal with a laser. It"s badass. I gave the guy that runs it a drawing of what I wanted, and boom, in minutes they were made. I take advantage of my resources.

Click to expand...

Ok, now I'm jealous.