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Project Journals => Users Projects => Topic started by: Rover on January 15, 2012, 12:40:50 pm
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How I built a 12V LED fixture for the shed. The new shed (replacing the one Hurricane Irene crushed) needed a ceiling light. And since I like with these, and I had some around, figured I'd build ceiling fixture that spanned two of the ceiling joists.
Stats: 2000 lumen, ~ 22W , 6 K color temp , 96 LEDs used
LEDS: SMD 5050 LED strips. These are 60 per meter, cuttable every 3
Although I had used PVC has an LED holder in the past, 96 of these were generating way too much heat. See picture below, noticed the discoloration. That idea , discarded.
[attachimg=1]
Next thought process, is OK make it on aluminum, in this case .090" sheet that I had lying around. Problem, you can't just lay these strips down on aluminum. There are exposed contacts every 3 LED's, just placing it on sheet would produce quite a bit of magic smoke and sparkage when turned on. I still wanted to use the aluminum though, good heat sink. So what I did is drill holes anywhere where there would be a contact. Layed the strips down, then flipped the plate over and filled the holes with epoxy resin. See next pics
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
This is the backside, with the holes.
[attachimg=4]
The full fixture
[attachimg=5]
Backside of fixture
[attachimg=6]
In the Shed
[attachimg=7]
I would do this again, entire unit is a heatsink and casts a lot of light
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Good idea.
I didn't believe the heat leds put out until you bunch up a heap of then in very close proximity.... not as efficient as I first believed.
...............oztules
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Thanks Oztules,
The 5050 SMD's put out 20-22 lumens each (based on datasheet). They are a 3 chip unit (3 LED), so 96 is like 3x96 LEDs. The have a 120 degree beam angle, which is good for larger area lighting, especialy if used overhead.
Rover
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What voltage do you run it on ?
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Hi Woof,
These are premade, come on a roll for 12V, so basically stuck at that voltage. Each SMD has a 101 Ohm resistor with it on the strip.
Rover