Heat sink hate

[budman410]

as a LED newbie(quantum boards), I’ve been reading a little bit here and there about avoiding using heatsink. Is it because of price? Is creating your own heat sink a viable option. Would it be better to have one large heatsink or seperate heat sinks for individual boards spaced apart.

 

[mathewscott]

What are you looking to cool?

 

[dstroy]

as a LED newbie, I’ve been reading a little bit here and there about avoiding using heatsink. Is it because of price? Is creating your own heat sink a viable option. Would it be better to have one large heatsink or seperate heat sinks for individual boards spaced apart.

Either you need a heatsink or you don't.

If the TDP of the diode or array is greater than the substrate's ability to dissipate the heat then you need a heatsink. If you don't you don't.

 

[ANC]

You can create your own using the simple old rule of thumb of approximately 1 square inch per Watt

 

[dstroy]

https://www.digikey.com/en/articles/techzone/2011/nov/practical-led-thermal-design

 

[budman410]

quantum boards, 288s... then I know there’s the variable of running them soft or hard. I know that later in flower I would want to bump them up
Great read thank you dstroy, only thing that stumped me was the thermal interface protection. When my boards come in I’ll do a little experimenting, they do come with heatsinks. I was more curious if it was worth the effort to make my own

 

[TEKNIK]

At the price the boards are you are better off running more boards if you have the space to do so, heatsinks add weight and more boards will give you better spread. It depends on how you grow of course.

 

[Airwalker16]

True mostly. If its going to cost the same or a bit more to sink all the boards than to just buy 30-40% more boards and use the same driver, it's probably a better idea to do that.

 

[budman410]

Thank you guys, I grow mostly sog unless I’m flowering old moms or extra clones in coco. What is the min distance of spacing boards or do that depend on heat?

 

[TEKNIK]

You can space them touching each other if you wanted to, it's all about spread though so you will have to work out where you are getting an even spread with the boards you have

 

[budman410]

You can space them touching each other if you wanted to, it's all about spread though so you will have to work out where you are getting an even spread with the boards you have

What do y’all think about those 800 boards. I’m thinking about all the wiring I will be doing with so many boards and cringed lol I seen a thread on them seen pretty cool literally.

 

[TEKNIK]

If a big board fails you have more to loose

 

[budman410]

That’s is true didn’t think of that, speaking strictly table space I have one area that’s 8x4(two 4x4next to each other). Essentionally I could potentially cover that whole space with boards

 

[Airwalker16]

That’s is true didn’t think of that, speaking strictly table space I have one area that’s 8x4(two 4x4next to each other). Essentionally I could potentially cover that whole space with boards

Ya thats kind of what everyone's tryna do.

 

[Rocket Soul]

Ive recommended going without heatsink some times. The reason why is that it forces you to run the boards soft and spread out. It kinda force you to build a well performing fixture. I wouldnt run a board much harder than 50w per squarefoot. Ymmv.

 

[Airwalker16]

Ive recommended going without heatsink some times. The reason why is that it forces you to run the boards soft and spread out. It kinda force you to build a well performing fixture. I wouldnt run a board much harder than 50w per squarefoot. Ymmv.

Your motives might vary?

 

[Rocket Soul]

Your motives might vary?

Your mileage might vary. 50w per square foot (of board) is based around the boards that i use and might not be applicable in any situation

 

[budman410]

Your mileage might vary. 50w per square foot (of board) is based around the boards that i use and might not be applicable in any situation

Any particular testing meters you would suggest

 

[Rocket Soul]

An infrared thermometer.