Question for you heatsink gurus

[gus6464]

I am currently working on LED fixture for my aquarium and I have a box of core i5 3550 (77w) heatsinks I want to use. These are the thin ones with copper center core. Now I will just be placing one LED emitter on the heatsink but it can push out 30W at the maximum current I will be running it at. It's stupid powerful at that current though so the most I will be pushing is around 20W or less. Can the bare heatsink with no fan be able to cool that wattage?

 

[Blain]

I am currently working on LED fixture for my aquarium and I have a box of core i5 3550 (77w) heatsinks I want to use. These are the thin ones with copper center core. Now I will just be placing one LED emitter on the heatsink but it can push out 30W at the maximum current I will be running it at. It's stupid powerful at that current though so the most I will be pushing is around 20W or less. Can the bare heatsink with no fan be able to cool that wattage?

Is there any natural air flow past the HS, or will it be enclosed?

 

[gus6464]

Is there any natural air flow past the HS, or will it be enclosed?

The top and bottom are fully open. The enclosure is not small at all so there should be some natural air flow.

 

[aigomorla]

I am currently working on LED fixture for my aquarium and I have a box of core i5 3550 (77w) heatsinks I want to use. These are the thin ones with copper center core. Now I will just be placing one LED emitter on the heatsink but it can push out 30W at the maximum current I will be running it at. It's stupid powerful at that current though so the most I will be pushing is around 20W or less. Can the bare heatsink with no fan be able to cool that wattage?

oh so someone is now at where i was..

:thumbsup:

to answer your question... no..
The sink gets too hot without some air flow movement... I needed to put a small fan on it to keep it in check..

and yes LED's are FUN!
Also your better off comboing the larger emitters with the smaller ones like this one i did:

However on full wattage i ran into a large algae problem, and had to use a dimmer on them (a fan controller to be more exact)

lastly, u can get some pretty nice heat sinks now.. my brother still does his LED fixtures, and showed me what they make now, which are pretty nice.


Also... talking about more PC parts for fish tanks...
LOL... tell me this isnt the most expensive filter u have seen for its size...

yes its a 250mm EK res + a fully optioned out DDC on plastic fittings + Colder plastic QDC's
I had a ton of unused Watercooling parts, which i threw together as a play setup...
yes i was very bored...

😀

 

[gus6464]

oh so someone is now at where i was..

:thumbsup:

to answer your question... no..
The sink gets too hot without some air flow movement... I needed to put a small fan on it to keep it in check..

and yes LED's are FUN!
Also your better off comboing the larger emitters with the smaller ones like this one i did:

However on full wattage i ran into a large algae problem, and had to use a dimmer on them (a fan controller to be more exact)

lastly, u can get some pretty nice heat sinks now.. my brother still does his LED fixtures, and showed me what they make now, which are pretty nice.


Also... talking about more PC parts for fish tanks...
LOL... tell me this isnt the most expensive filter u have seen for its size...

yes its a 250mm EK res + a fully optioned out DDC on plastic fittings + Colder plastic QDC's
I had a ton of unused Watercooling parts, which i threw together as a play setup...
yes i was very bored...

😀

Nice filter! This was my first foray into DIY aquarium LEDs but it lacked in the looks department.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=388441

This made me realize I actually prefer a warmer tone to my lights which is why I am going with single Bridgelux Vero 18 arrays. I chose the Vero 18 because it's the only array in the Vero line other than the 28 which has a 90CRI emitter in a 5600K CCT. I want the higher CRI for it's much larger content of green and red in the spectra that way I can get as close as possible to a full spectrum LED with only one emitter. Plus advertised CRI output of the new Vero's are very conservative and they actually put out a CRI closer to the Decor series which are rated at 97CRI.

I guess I can modify the Intel HSF units to accommodate the fan in my custom pendant so I will just have to build a different housing. The Intel fans are a bit loud so I will have to add cheap fan controller.

 

[richaron]

I'd clock the LED (like with a mic) and run it at 100Hz or whatevs. Much better power.