LED heatsinks

[lilrobb]

After sourcing my LEDs for a good deal - I now need some LED heatsinks.
I am thinking solid LED profiles, about 24" long, 8" wide and .75" tall, about 6 fins per inch.
Each would run me about 35$ and my tank would need 6, evtl 9 of these.

Anyone found something locally that can be used?
This is from an industrial application and will cost a pretty penny to get shipped to the US...

Robb

 

[enderg60]

1"x1" or 1.5"x1" aluminum U channel will work just fine.

 

[rjrgroup]

Robb,
check on ebay and look under electrical or industrial. There should be plenty of available off-cut stock...
Also, manufacturers are all over the place for extruded stock. Check out M&M, I believe they still have bonded which is cheaper and better for certain applications.

 

[crew]

heatsinkusa.com

 

[mockery]

Crew;639246 wrote: heatsinkusa.com

IMO that place is overpriced

Robb I'd use U channel.

 

[tgray3]

The extruded aluminum U Chanel would be the cheapest. I'm sure there's some local places to get it. Or if you have access to a break you could bend your own. Shot me a TXT when your back in town, we'll see what we can come up with.

 

[morganatlanta]

It's overpriced, but I couldn't find another place to buy small quantities of it cut to length. If you want to buy it by the ton, you can get it really cheap.

After seeing what heatsinkusa was doing, I half considered importing a bunch and setting up a copycat operation.

 

[pwest]

Mockery;639247 wrote: IMO that place is overpriced

Robb I'd use U channel.

Can you point us to a place that's got lower prices on long 8" wide heatsinks? I've looked pretty hard and even made a couple of 'best offers' on ebay over the last year, and heatsinkusa has the best prices that I've been able to find.

-Phil

 

[sra_chipmunk]

I got both my heatsinks from nearsighted. I think they are fairly priced. Good products too,

 

[lilrobb]

I have an order in China pending,

Would love to avoid giving them my business - I'll check the places y'all mentioned...

 

[mcphock]

Why use aluminum when you can use copper? This is what I'm going to use for my freshwater LED build!

http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Rectangular-Thick-Width-Length/dp/B000H9N6FU/ref=sr_1_39?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1303823181&sr=1-39">Amazon.com: Copper 110 Rectangular Bar, ASTM B187, 1/8" Thick, 1" Width, 48" Length: Industrial & Scientific</a>

There are many different lengths, thicknesses and widths. I'm sure there is some combination of them that suits your needs.

 

[db366]

McPhock;639424 wrote: Why use aluminum when you can use copper? This is what I'm going to use for my freshwater LED build!

http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Rectangular-Thick-Width-Length/dp/B000H9N6FU/ref=sr_1_39?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1303823181&sr=1-39">Amazon.com: Copper 110 Rectangular Bar, ASTM B187, 1/8" Thick, 1" Width, 48" Length: Industrial & Scientific</a>

There are many different lengths, thicknesses and widths. I'm sure there is some combination of them that suits your needs.[/QUOTE]

Seems like that would turn green pretty quick..

 

[mcphock]

Perhaps. I dont know how copper would react, but as long as that doesnt change it's thermal absorbtion properties then it should be good.

 

[tgray3]

Actually, you can get 1x1 1/8" aluminum channel cheaper than the copper here;

http://www.brunnerent.com/Tools/Portfolio/frontend/item.asp?type=7&size=0&lngDisplay=0&jPageNumber=14&strMetaTag=">http://www.brunnerent.com/Tools/Portfolio/frontend/item.asp?type=7&size=0&lngDisplay=0&jPageNumber=14&strMetaTag=</a>


A 4' section is $11.36, Shipping is about the same cost as through amazon. I'm not saying don't use the copper, just that Aluminum is cheaper.

 

[mcphock]

Aluminum is definitely cheaper, but is less thermally conductive than copper. Whether or not it makes a big difference, i dont know.

I do know the LEDs i was looking at for my freshwater tank get pretty toasty and I thought the copper might serve better! DIY is not my strong point though.

 

[bruce 1]

I was told to get some of this. http://www.mcmaster.com/#t-slotted-framing/=c1nd8x">http://www.mcmaster.com/#t-slotted-framing/=c1nd8x</a>

you can find it on Ebay cheep also.

 

[guerry]

No offence guys but copper over your tank, I think that would be a really bad idea but thats IMO

 

[rjrgroup]

So has any body tried a water cooled heat-sink? A small CL system with a single fan on an exchanger perhaps...

 

[guerry]

now thats a good idea and you could also incorperate it into the chiller system. I know mine doesn't get near the work out it did before I went to LEDs

 

[morganatlanta]

Probably unnecessary. Mine barely get warm with the canopy open. With the canopy closed, a several cheap CPU fans (running at half speed so they are quiet) take care of it.