Who still builds diy LEDs?

[BBQHILLBILLY]

I remembered an old friend rrasco who got me interested in plastering bridgelux LEDs in a heat sink. It was fun. Of course now I use hydra26hd led and they are awesome. Wifi has taken over and it's not looking back. Is anybody still making diy LEDs and what are some good sites with good kits? I actually have learned to appreciate the hybrid t5 led setup


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mkengr45]

So many excellent "off the shelf" options out there...but no matter what led fixtures I hang over my tank I'll always have a metal halide thrown in the mix. I've done this too long and just can't bring myself to fully abandon what I know works...I probably also run my tank a bit whiter than most.

[Zack]

Rapid led makes some really solid kits. I'll have to dig through my email but there's a few Chinese websites with some very high quality LEDs out there that are very affordable.

[rrasco]

At this point I don't even build them anymore. I don't need a new light but I'm running reefbreeders now. The price point for building versus buying is just too similar. Now if I needed some custom fixtures, you know I'd still be down. I'm planning a shallow mushroom garden for the future so I may build a little low output setup for that.

[alteredego]

If your doing something that doesn't need a pretty case, I'd rather build it.
If you look at the heat sinks from either rapid LED or Steve's LED they are really nice. There are 3 36" sections in my tank.
You can get 3-5W LEDs very cheap online, ensure they are Cree or Phillips.
Thermal adhesive works best IMO.
Source a LDD board 4 or 6 channel with the appropriate LDDs and a controller. I went with the Bluefish mini as it was only $100 and so very easy.
Wire it up with good clean solder joints and power it with an appropriate DC power supply.
I think I have $300 in my complete setup with 60 LEDs including the Bluetooth sound bar for when the storms happen so I hear the rain and see the lighting effects.
I'm deployed to Djibouti Africa but I have my lights set to the time and weather of San Antonio.
For under hood installs I cant see why not to DIY.