Dark, dungeon no more - the laundry room / utility LED lighting project!

run4jc

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My family and I live in a 42 year old town home just outside of DC, and when we purchased it the lighting reflected the home's age. Before we moved in almost 4 years ago we had many improvements done to the lighting and electrical - except for the laundry/utility room.

This is an unfinished room, with exposed studs overhead and on 1 wall - cinder block on the back wall, and the back side of old wood paneling on the other wall (which has been painted on the finished side - a rec room.

Lighting for this approximately 12 foot deep/8 foot wide room is/was provided by a single overhead light bulb and a hanging fluorescent fixture. Corners where tools and 'stuff' are stored are dark and dreary - plus the 'junk' is hidden...that's a good thing and a bad thing.

So I decided to do something about it, and use it as my pilot LED conversion project.

Here's the room - not showing the entire room - embarrassed to:
P1030208.JPG


Here were the light sources
P1030207.JPG


So I ordered and received the following:
8 Indus Stars with Cree XPG R2 at 4000 CCT
1 Xitanium 17 watt 700 mA driver
Arctic Alumina
Various optics (for experimenting)
4 angle brackets - 3/4 inch x 36 inches
Various pieces and parts - wire, etc., to support the install.

First I drilled mounting holes in the brackets
Before
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After
P1030210.JPG


Then mounted the stars with Arctic Alumina, and let them cure over night
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This morning, gathered all my 'stuff' in the laundry room - used the washer for a work bench :devil:

IMG_5946.JPG


Mounted the brackets on the studs - emitters are covered with masking tape
P1030215.JPG


1 of the 4 brackets mounted - 2 LEDs per bracket
P1030216.JPG


The 31degree wide angle frosted optics - ended up mounting these on 3 of the 8 LEDs
P1030239.JPG


Drilled holes to run all the wires :eek:
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Ran the wires for series connection - (the white wires are unrelated)
P1030226.JPG


People that build and do mods have a new level of respect from me! What a pain - soldering these joints. Doing it upside down and overhead was a real pain, too.
P1030231.JPG


Made the full series loop and connected the driver
P1030240.JPG


Checked all the connections - corrected a couple of mistakes, took a deep breath and fired it up - SUCCESS! Now you can see the major mess of a laundry room that will soon be better organized
IMG_5950.JPG


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I learned quite a bit doing this. To protect them I won't name them, but a couple of VERY well respected CPF members/builders/modders offered free advice. Cost of the project?
LED/Stars - 8x $6 - $48
Driver - $28
Angle Brackets - ~ $4 each for 4 or $16
Wire - about $20
Optics - about $20 total, although I didn't use 'em all.

So for a bit over $100 and a day's labor, my laundry room has nice, even lighting and we know just what a mess it really is!

What did I learn? Soldering is a pain. In this application, the best light is provided from bare LEDs, although 3 of the lights performed better using the optics. I'll likely need to move 2 of the LEDs slightly - I put them right near the doorway and a section of duct work overhead blocks the light - I think the light will be better utilized on the other side of the duct work. That will be done tomorrow.

So, thought I'd share. I hope to do many more home lighting retrofits, a la Don Mcleish (although my work doesn't even approach the quality of Don's!) It's fun, and the results are quite satisfying.
 

Microa

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Nice work. If I were you, I prefer to drive each 2 LEDs by 4 small drivers instead of one big driver.
 

Ken_McE

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A minor point - it is desirable to mount the power supply in a closed metal box, perhaps with a fuse, in case it should come to a bad end. Otherwise, :goodjob:
 

Microa

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Dear run4jc,

6W Straight to AC driver is difficult to find, my suggestion is to drive the XPG at 1A, if you like you can drive it harder at 1.5A maximum.

Wiring Diagram.
 
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run4jc

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UPDATE - moved the LEDs and disabled one. Learned a bit more about Vf, watts, etc., and realized that I was overtaxing the driver by 1 watt. Took the suggestion about the driver and mounted it on an aluminum bar to provide heat sinking and to keep it from being fixed directly to wood. It gets warm but not hot, but with a foot long piece of thick aluminum between it and the wood I feel better. I'm going to change the driver arrangement, but still considering options. (Thank you for the diagram, Microa!)
PicasaUp.jpg


I'd like to re-enable the disabled LED, plus add 2 directly over the washer. Still, after moving the two from over the doorway to the other side of the duct work, it's much more even and nicer lighting - even with one of those disabled. Heck, half the fun is in experimenting with it!

IMG_5951.JPG
 
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DM51

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Very good idea, and what you have now is obviously a great deal better than the CFL zombie-light you had there before. :) Should save you some $$ in the long run, too, although if I was doing it I wouldn't dare using Mrs. DM51's washing machine as a workbench lol.

I'll move this next door to Fixed Lighting.


Edit: I see you've moved the LEDs:

UPDATE - moved the LEDs

So instead of moving the thread next door to Fixed Lighting, maybe I should fix it next door in Moved Lighting, lol.
 
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deadrx7conv

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With home lighting, its easier just to use an AC driver, set it to the current you want(if adjustable), and wire up your series string of LEDs(making sure you don't exceed the voltage limit of your driver) and the current limit of your LEDs. The question is, were you really overtaxing the driver with one extra LED or simply under-driving your array a tad? I bet that there was enough V overhead or V reserve from the driver.

For the single remaining extra LED, you can just tie it in parallel to any one of the other 7 in series that are running, but the paralleled pair would be running at ~1.1 watt each and not ~2.2w. And, if you want to add 2 directly over the machines, you can also tie them in parallel also. You can spread the light around with more LEDs in parallel, but at a reduced output. And, with LED efficiency, 2 LEDs at 1w each usually will produce more lumen than 1-LED at 2w. Hint hint, buy 6 more LEDs and run the 14 in two series strings of 7 paralleled. Or, if one area has too much light, and not enough light in another, tie the extra LEDs in parallel to reduce blinding light from one area to improve light in the darker location.

One of the problems with power supply + DC(flashlight) drivers is that those drivers aren't typically UL listed, or in a pretty box that you can mount on the wall. For AC home lighting, I would prefer the AC drivers, like the xitanium(recom, dialight, magtech), over the DC power supply + drivers. Save the DC drivers for batteries or off-grid.
 

run4jc

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With home lighting, its easier just to use an AC driver, set it to the current you want(if adjustable), and wire up your series string of LEDs(making sure you don't exceed the voltage limit of your driver) and the current limit of your LEDs. The question is, were you really overtaxing the driver with one extra LED or simply under-driving your array a tad? I bet that there was enough V overhead or V reserve from the driver.

For the single remaining extra LED, you can just tie it in parallel to any one of the other 7 in series that are running, but the paralleled pair would be running at ~1.1 watt each and not ~2.2w. And, if you want to add 2 directly over the machines, you can also tie them in parallel also. You can spread the light around with more LEDs in parallel, but at a reduced output. And, with LED efficiency, 2 LEDs at 1w each usually will produce more lumen than 1-LED at 2w. Hint hint, buy 6 more LEDs and run the 14 in two series strings of 7 paralleled. Or, if one area has too much light, and not enough light in another, tie the extra LEDs in parallel to reduce blinding light from one area to improve light in the darker location.

One of the problems with power supply + DC(flashlight) drivers is that those drivers aren't typically UL listed, or in a pretty box that you can mount on the wall. For AC home lighting, I would prefer the AC drivers, like the xitanium(recom, dialight, magtech), over the DC power supply + drivers. Save the DC drivers for batteries or off-grid.

THANK YOU! Your post made my day. I was going to buy a 36 watt 700mA AC driver, but I really don't need 'more' lighting - just a better spread of lighting. I'd like to position 2 LEDs directly over the washer/dryer to eliminate some of the shadows that come from having the LED slightly behind the person standing in front of the washer.
I was under the mistaken impression that parallel strings had to be balanced in size? Evidently not? Your suggestion is perfect - I'll wire the 'extra' LED in parallel and that will balance out the lighting under those 2...don't need 'more light', just more balance. Then I'll order 2 more to put over the washer/dryer and run them in parallel with 2 existing ones.

Thanks for the post - very helpful!:twothumbs
 

deadrx7conv

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And, most say that I'm confusing and ramble on too much. (assuming 8 LEDs but can only use 7, in series, which leaves one extra to parallel around with):

What you have is 7 LEDs in series:
Driver-----LED-----LED-----LED-----LED-----LED---LED---LED---back to driver
OR ------2w-------2w------2w------2w-----2w----2w----2w---back to driver (note that I'm rounding my numbers, I've used my DMM on some projects and find that 2w could be anything from 1.8-2.4w when measured). Power will also change with LED temp. But, your low LED power and surplus heat sinking leaves nothing to worry about.

Since you have a low light area while using 7 LEDs, pick the LED that is too bright and add the 8th in parallel to dim it. Mount the 8th LED where you need some additional light:
Driver----LED-----LED-----LED----LEDǁLED----LED----LED----LED----back to driver

And it'll look like this since you are now using 8 LEDs:
Driver-----2w-----2w-----2w-----1wǁ1w----2w-----2w----2w--back to driver

Here's LED efficiency at work(notice that you get more total light):
driver-----220lm....220lm....220lm...220lm...120ǁ120...220lm...220lm----back to driver! 120+120=240lm shows improved LED efficiency at lower power!

And, your driver is blind to the extra paralleled LED.
driver----700mah---700mah----700mah----700mah----350&350mah---700mah---700mah---back to driver. It stays BALANCED to the DRIVER but visually you'll notice that the individual paralleled pair is dimmer.

So, now you get to use that 8th LED(or several if you buy more). You can dim one area in order to light another by paralleling.

In series, the current remains the same and you chop up the voltage from the driver(which is why you're driver limited to 7 LEDs that run at 3.2v). The limit of LEDs in series depends on the maximum available voltage...example 24v LED driver /3.2v-LED= 7.5 LEDs and round down to 7 LEDs driven!
In parallel, the voltage remains the same(using like LEDs), and the current is chopped up among the parallel LEDs(until you run out of current).

You can add LEDs in parallel to reduce the brightness and add more 'flooding'. But, don't go overboard with wiring runs and jumper wire lengths. Your 7 LEDs in series, with up to 7 LEDs paralleled, should work fine. I wouldn't go more than 14 total.... for example don't build this.... 25 5mm-LEDs in parallel x that 7 series strings for a total 175 5mm LEDs on the same driver. Too much wiring work!

Always stick with 'like" LEDs when paralleling. Series is more forgiving.
You can do this in series:
Driver----XPG----XML----XPG---Rebel---P4---Rebel---XML---back to driver since all will get the 700mah(home lighting is a great way to use up orphaned LEDs from upgrades).

But, you should NOT do this: XPGǁXML or XPEǁRebel or XMLǁP4 since unlike LEDs 'married' in parallel will divide the current paycheck unevenly(depending on temperature and resistance) like 400ǁ300mah or even worse 100ǁ600mah instead of 350ǁ350mah.

You can definitely go overboard with the "parallel dimming and flooding".
Driver--- 1LED----4LED---1LED---2LED---3LED---7LED---1LED---driver!
Driver --700mah---175x4---700---350x2---233.3x3--100x7---700----driver... Still balanced to the driver, but the parallel LEDs have their own lumen output from dim to bright depending on how many you parallel. For example, 1LED(cool white flood) in 3 locations across ceiling, 4LED(hi CRI) across top of wall painting, 2LED neutral over desk, 3LED over mirror-dresser, and 7 LED glow around border.... all from the same driver.
 
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run4jc

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Again, very helpful. I appreciate it, and I understand. The best thing about this project is the learning that has taken place. I also understand the suggestion on keeping the wiring simple and neat, and I agree. I also understand 'like' emitters - the two that I add will be additional XPGs - I may go with a warmer CCT but they will still be XPGs.

There are two LEDs in the series that sit about a foot back from the front edge of the washer and dryer - you can see them in the photo. I'd like to do the parallel connection for the 'new' 2 LEDs off of those two...it'll be pretty simple to do - actually easier than trying to extend the series to that area, and the slightly reduced output but greater coverage area will be perfect.

Again, your comments/suggestions/information are greatly appreciated!

Next project - kitchen under cabinet lighting!!:thumbsup:
 

blasterman

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One of the problems with power supply + DC(flashlight) drivers is that those drivers aren't typically UL listed quot[/quote

A bowling ball doesn't have to be listed with the FAA unless it has a rocket motor attached either. :thumbsup: The analogy here is that a low voltage DC driver doesn't need the UL listing because it doesn't have the AC in. I do agree that the AC/DC driver in this case though is by far the best choice, although I woulnd't have picked a Xitanium.

A couple years ago I would be giving deadrx7conv dumb looks, but his parallel suggestion does work, and I've used crazy variations of it with high powered reef lights. It's seem counter intuitive at first, but it makes sense from a circuit standpoint, and given the driver is 1000mA you can't hurt either LED.

What you are basically doing is running a simple parallel run inside a series run. Or, just breaking a single LED into two LEDs splitting the power at that point. The current to each get's halved, but you now have two to spread out. If one loses connection the other LED gets the full current, but at 1000mA there's no damage here. The rest of the LED string could care less and the driver sees everything the same.

Note if you were running two parallel runs at 1000mA, and using a 2000mA driver, this is where things can get hurt if one parallel string loses connectivity. That's why using longer series runs are more durable.

Never run an LED driver, especially an AC based one totally ballz out. This really beats on the driver, costs efficiency, and will lower it's lifetime. If the driver is let's say rated for 36 volts then I woulnd't suggest stacking 35volts total of LED's on it if you want it to last. As a general rule I never go higher than 75% of the driver's total voltage. Also, nothing against Xitanium, but Mean Well's are cheaper, have much higher power ratings, and come in far, FAR more rugged casings.

Conceptually you are way ahead of the curve in terms of distributing the lighting around. Lot's of 200/300 lumen light sources are far easier to work with than a single CFL. Personally I prefer to use a wide angle optic on the LEDs because once you start getting into XPG's they get painfull to look at if they are in your line of vision. Personal preference.

Soldering sucks, and I've never been good at it. One tip though - once you have the lights were you want them and everything looks good put a dab of epoxy over all your solder welds. Most irritating aspect of designing stuff like this is solder weld's popping off the LED pads down the road due to vibration or just age. A quick dab of epoxy on all the solder joints locks those suckers in place for good and your light will easily last decades (if you don't push the driver too hard).
 

LEDninja

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One of the problems with power supply + DC(flashlight) drivers is that those drivers aren't typically UL listed, or in a pretty box that you can mount on the wall. For AC home lighting, I would prefer the AC drivers, like the xitanium(recom, dialight, magtech), over the DC power supply + drivers. Save the DC drivers for batteries or off-grid.
With power supply + DC(flashlight) drivers only the power supply needs to be UL listed. The 'flashlight' driver does not need UL or UR if it is 24V or below. No danger of electrocuting anyone. Proper engineering practice should still be followed to meet the fire code. There should be sufficient ventilation/heat dissipation so the unit does not catch fire. And the case should be made of fire retardant materials. No cheapie boxes of unknown plastic.
 

deadrx7conv

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I'm more worried about the DC-DC driver burning out, and catching something locally on fire. No cobwebs, dustballs, or dryer lint building up in the pictures is a good sign!
And, with multiple DC-DC drivers, you increase your odds considerably, as in multiple locations of risk. Single MeanWell/Xitanium AcDc driver is an easy choice. But, I do like those 20mm stars with dcdc drivers on the same board as the LED, which I might consider for a acdc power supply for.

If it is for AC-DC interior lighting, stick with a UL listed driver, like the MeanWell or Xitanium. You won't have to worry too much about picking a case, mounting/heatsinking the driver, or hoping that the quality of it is acceptable. I've seen plenty of AC-DC power supplies dump AC downstream after a failure. So, the danger is there. I also don't have any faith in foreign AC-DC power supply hi-pot testing or quality control.

Ballz out? I try to run everything ballz out to see if it is capable of running under stress without overheating. If it burns out quickly, then the quality is questionable. Besides the LED voltage, we lose voltage in the wiring run. 8 LEDs might be ballz out. 8 LEDs + the wiring resistance voltage wasted is a little beyond ballz out. The OP is down to 7 in series and not an issue. I also have more faith in something name brand, and tested, to tolerate a little ballz out without instant self-sacrificing smoke release.

My neighbor, the fire fighter, likes the pictures. But, he stated that you shouldn't heatsink to the wood. Try some fire proofing coating/paint, and/or 'hang' the heatsinks in the air, just like just fluorescent tubes in the 1st picture. I know that the low DC power and mega surplus heatsinking, that the OP has, shouldn't be a problem. I'd wager that aluminum bars won't even warm up. I wouldn't even mount the Xitanium on a heatsink, but it is a great way to be a tad safer.

Not to nitpick, and I'm not an electrician, but if those were AC LEDs(Acriche), would the heatsinks need to be grounded? And, if the powersupply fails and sends AC to the LEDs, regardless of the type of driver/LEDs used, would it be justifiable to ground those heatsinks? Or, do we just hope that the LEDs electrical isolation is good enough and the odds of a driver/powersupply failing catastrophically while you're licking the heatsinks is nil?

Sorry guys. Always better be safe than sorry(and I'm not one to care about building codes). Protection level is for the owner to decide on. And, all the options need to be weighed. You can NEVER BE TOO SAFE.

And yes, for outdoor lighting runs, since the lawn, sidewalk, driveway, aren't too flammable, and AC wiring can be bumped into with a shovel, digging dog/rodent, tent stake, yard marker, landscaper....., I prefer DC runs outside with that AC-DC power supply and multiple DC-DC drivers. I've been tickled by AC too many times over the years, and watched an electrocuted employee take a 25ft flight because of defective power supplies. Not a pretty site.

Smoke is best NEVER released. Smoke when released from electronics is annoying. Smoke when released from people isn't repairable. Smoke released from your house will bring in the Fire Marshall and his sidekick, your insurance investigator.
 

blasterman

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Ballz out? I try to run everything ballz out to see if it is capable of running under stress without overheating. If it burns out quickly, then the quality is questionable. Besides the LED voltage, we lose voltage in the wiring run.

Both Mean Well and Xitanium will provide comprehensive MTF numbers for ambient temp and load on their driver. Well, at least Mean Well will if asked. Unlike a lot of the junk sold on Deal Extreme and E-bay these are pretty well made components and they try to comply with as many specifications as possible. If you have to worry about a driver blowing up under load, my advice is it's not worth the risk mounting in your basement.

Over in the reefing forums a common blunder by beginners is to assume the entire voltage range of the driver is available for the cumulative Vf of the LED series. Just pack as many LEDs in series as you can without going over the max voltage of the driver, right? Well, kind of, and not. If maxed out a AC/DC driver will run very hot, and then you have to calculate failure curves if it's partially covered, ambient heat levels and all that jazz. Doesn't help that Mean Well's are typically encased in thick plastic to retain heat, but that's to accommodate safety specs. Higher end LED drviers are often encased in metal with better insulation and this aids in heat transfer. Hence some of the 95%+ efficiency numbers some are getting.

Running a well made driver at 95-100% won't hurt it in the short term, so for peace of mind go for it. I'll stick to my advice of aiming for ~75% capacity if you want the driver to last and not get damaged if it gets a towel thrown over it or covered. Even at 75% my LPC-700's and 1050's get pretty warm. I've got a spare PLC-100-48 sitting around, and with a 2.1 amp rating I'm going to build something diabolical with XML's:naughty:

Grounding is an interesting question. 36-48 volt LED supplies are capable of throwing a pretty good arc when they fire up, so it's not a bad idea. Then again putting epoxy over your solder joints solves so many problems like this it should be mandatory.

I have yet to worry about voltage drop with long DC runs nor seen it manifest and simply don't feel it's an issue, unless you're running an XML 200 feet away at 3amps. For grins and giggles though at some point we should probably get a 100' spool of 20 AWG speaker wire, a fixed voltage supply, and see just how much power it eats side by side. Resistance tables are easy to reference but it will be easier to debate about if we actually see the results. I'm otherwise more worried about termination issues than wire runs.

The good thing is we actually see people building this stuff because I'm seeing nuthin' on the commercial market that's either not junk, or under powered, or just too application specific.
 
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run4jc

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Thanks, all! If bliss is measured by one's level of ignorance, then I must be the happiest man alive!:eek:

Just a few things - first of all, thank you all for your posts - I am learning from them and taking what you say to heart. As for the LEDs, I don't know how to designate them, but HERE is where I purchased them. As for the mention of epoxy over the solder joints, I like that idea and will follow through. Believe it or not, I used 14 gauge wire for the series runs and it wasn't easy - soldering upside down and overhead. I had a few joints pop loose, but I gave them all a small 'tug' when I was done to see how they would hold. I will be adding epoxy!

I like the idea of working well within a product's specs. My goal is to be at around 14-15 watts being 'used' from that 17 watt driver. I chose the Xitanium because my favorite flashlight maker used them throughout his home when converting his house lighting.

As for the heat sinking, again, ignorance is bliss but it would appear to me that I've covered that pretty well. Those aluminum 'angle' pieces are 36 inches long and 3/4 inch wide on each angle with 2 LEDs mounted with Arctic Alumina - and the LEDs are spaced apart. I've reached up and touched within an inch of the LEDs on the aluminum after letting the lights run for a while and I can't even feel any warmth. The driver gets slightly warm, but the bar stock behind it is fairly thick - 1/8 inch think x 1 foot long - and it seems to sink the heat away nicely.

So the plan is simple - add the disabled LED back in with a parallel connection - and add the other two I mentioned -with parallel connections. According to my calculations the system will be running at around 15.8 watts, so I'll be well over 75%....but another thing that I failed to mention - these lights rarely stay on for more than 20-30 minutes at a time.

So thanks again for all the suggestions - tweaking will continue!:thumbsup:
 

deadrx7conv

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Anyone try using liquid electrical tape, or spray on electrical tape? I tend to brush it on everywhere but it doesn't have 'epoxy' strength to it. What type of epoxy are you mixing?

I have a similar aluminum bar heatsink(sourced from lowes or homedepot), and it stays very cool when I'm testing stars and stuff on it. I will say that you can openly run 1w without ANY heatsink if LED is on a good MCPCB. So, you can triple the amount of power and still be luke-warm across the bar.

The main reason why I mentioned heatsink grounding, and I forgot to add it in my previous post, is lightning!!!! Attic/barn/garage/outdoor/... or other 'non lower level' areas might be susceptible to good ol' mother nature. I'm lucky if I see lightning 3 times a year in the northeast. But, it was 'daily' when I was down south. Lightning rod heatsinks might not be too fun.

The light that the OP built is pretty much the 'prototype' for almost every LED home/garage/barn/attic/room lighting project.

What, engineers trying to go >100% with their reef lighting.... no way:whistle:

Scotty: Shunt the deuterium from the main cryo-pump to the auxiliary tank.
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: Er, the tank can't withstand that kind of pressure.
Scotty: [laughs] Where'd you... where'd you get that idea?
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: What do you mean, where did I get that idea? It's in the impulse engine specifications.
Scotty: Regulation 42/15 - Pressure Variances on the IRC Tank Storage?
Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: Yeah.
Scotty: Forget it. I wrote it. A good engineer is always a wee bit conservative, at least on paper. Just bypass the secondary cut-off valve and boost the flow. It'll work.
 

run4jc

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UPDATE

FWIW - I reconnected the inactive LED with a parallel connection, then added 2 NEW warm versions of the same LEDs over the washer and dryer (connected in parallel with 2 of the originals), mounted on a 2 feet long aluminum bar. These are finished with wide angle optics - approximate 41 degrees. The bar is mounted perpendicular to the studs so it has plenty of air flow around it.

Then I remounted the 4 angle brackets (each with 2 LEDs mounted) so that there is 1/4 inch of open space between the side on which the LEDs are mounted and the bottom of the stud.

I have to think that the additional air flow ensures PLENTY of heat sinking.

Incidentally, the 3 extra LEDs made a HUGE difference. Even though they are running at 350mA - in fact, now 6 of the 8 are running at 350mA (parallel)... so if my calculations are correct:

6 XPGs with Vf of 3 @350mA = 6 X 3 X .350 = 6.3 watts
2 XPGs with Vf of 3.2 @ 700 mA - 2 X 3.2 X .700 = 4.48 watts

Total = 10.78 watts

I'm sure that if my calculations are incorrect some kind individual will let me know! Regardless, the lighting is improved and my wife is happy. But now I can REALLY see the clutter, so this afternoon I will probably be utilizing the light to do a room cleaning!
 
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