Building a water cooled LED light

[lnevo]

I would say top and sides rather than a panel on the back

 

[Paul B]

I have the top and bottom covered and ran out of acrylic angle. I also coated the copper with clear enamel so it is not as dangerous as it looks.

 

[Geraud]

Hi Paul, beautiful an ingenious work! (as always). In terms of the clear epoxy coating you have applied, was it done everywhere, or everywhere minus the little pads where the LED's are mounted? (thinking about heat transfer there)

 

[Paul B]

I sprayed the coating everywhere than grinded it off where the LEDs mount to because I figured it may hurt with heat transfer.

 

[ravi197699]

Water cooled led fixture

Here is my version of water cooled led fixture that I have put together for my 350 gal system. size is 36" x 34" and concept is same but little different design, I went to Paul's place and saw this fixture in person and let me tell you it looked neat, clean and no heat what so ever and it was easy enough to handle.. I was able to put together fixture with help of my friend James and I guess we are crazy enough to try to things out. Now we are going to put together fixture for James for his 220 reef system. Here are the pictures and fixture has been running for a week with no issues...

 

[ravi197699]

More pictures

More pictures

 

[ravi197699]

pictures

pictures

 

[Paul B]

WOW, and I thought I was the only insane person. I absolutely love it. See what you can do with a few hundred dollars worth of copper tubing and a ton of free time. It looks really good.
Mine is still running perfectly with not even one problem. I am glad I installed the splash shield this time because my last fixture got covered in salt spray. But the splash guard does cut down on the light I am sure. It is a needed addition and I am sure the benefits outweigh the negatives.
Very nice job Ravi.


PS, this may start an entirely new revelation in lighting. OK, maybe not.

 

[ravi197699]

Thanks Paul, Copper tubes were not expensive at all, I bought 10' pieces so everything was less than 100 bucks and I had to return 23 bucks worth of pieces so it was not as bad but this fixture contains all the colors that i could find in leds, UV, Cool white, orange, dee p red, pink, Royal blues... My tank is lit corner to corner

 

[Paul B]

Very nice, I only used blue and white. If I ever build another one (not likely) I may add more bells and whistles. But I am very happy with the operation of the thing and I feel they are also very cool, in more ways than one.

 

[Paul B]

I am happy to report the water cooled LED fixture has worked "almost" flawlessly. I did have to replace two (I think) LEDs but I did get them from an old fixture and I don't know how old it was but I know many of the LEDs on it didn't work. I still have a bunch of them left over and they are not to difficult to change.
I have also been building other Steampunk stuff since then as I am in Steampunk Mode lately. I love anything metal, especially copper or brass. This first light is PVC and painted to look like aged brass. The second one was a red fire extinguisher. In both lamps the valve turns them on and the first one has bubbles generated in the water.

 

[ravi197699]

really nice art work, very nice vintage piece... my water cooled led fixture has been working flawless and it has been alomost a year I think, 0 leds went out.. knock on wood

 

[Paul B]

Yours is also a piece of art. They do work well and stay nice and cool don't they!

 

[ravi197699]

Yes and there are 98 3w cree leds and copper tube get warm but never got hot, in winder it says cold in summer warm..

 

[robertthomas]

It is very impressive.
Amazing

 

[Paul B]

My water cooled lights are also working just as was designed. I did have to replace a few LEDs but I started with old LEDs in the first place. If one goes out, I just put a jumper on the bad one so the rest of the LEDs stay lit. I have a jumper on one for about a month now. When I get time, I will replace it. I also got a replacement pump as a spare just in case mine dies.

 

[ravi197699]

Your design is perfect Paul, My fixture is working good so far and since I have built it and installed it on my tank, I never had to touch this,

 

[Paul B]

Ravi, now you can try building one of these.


The base is a telephone box from 1940. The vintage radio tuner on the right turns on the lights in the glass. The light on top has it's own switch.

 

[ravi197699]

Paul You are an artist, I will have to buy this from you if decide to sell,

 

[Paul B]

I have 8 different ones and I was invited to put them in an art show in July. So maybe I am an artist. :biggrin: