Which epoxy for potting the converter board

[Icarus]

I have a question about epoxy used for potting the emitter board (NOT the emitter). As far as I know AA epoxy is not available in my country. So, if possible I want to use common 5 min epoxy for potting which I can buy in a local store and is less expensive than AA. The stuff I'm thinking about is called VersaChem 5min Epoxy (made in the US). In the assembly procedure for the McLux kit they advise to use AA epoxy or a mix of 2 Ton epoxy and regular AA. I suppose if only used for potting the emitter 2 Ton epoxy without AA could be used too?

 

[roguesw]

Re: Which epoxy for potting the emitter board

icarus, you dont need to bond the emitter board to the mclux head, just the emitter.
mixing the regular epoxy with regular AA creates thermal relief as well as providing a not so strong bond between emitter and the aluminium, in case you want to change emitter later on.
hope this helps
Des

 

[StoneDog]

Re: Which epoxy for potting the emitter board

This thread had at least two responses last night, one from McGizmo I think and one from me. What happened?

Jon

 

[Icarus]

Re: Which epoxy for potting the CONVERTER board

First of all thanks to everyone who answered my question but… when I read those answers I first didn’t understand why all of you were talking about the emitter board, until I checked my posting… shame on me… can’t still believe it but yes I wrote ‘emitter board’ although a meant ‘converter board’… I know I know better go to sleep instead of posting questions at 2 or 3 am.
So, to be clear I want to use regular epoxy for potting the CONVERTER board (NOT the EMITTER board). I’m asking this because I don’t know if regular epoxy is an electrical insulator. If it isn’t it’s not safe to cover the converter with this stuff.

 

[cosco]

Re: Which epoxy for potting the CONVERTER board

Ordinary epoxy is not elecricaly conductive at all. It can be taken as insulator. The AA epoxy is used for glueing someting to something when you need to transfer heat. You can glue Luxeon led to heatsink. You can also glue some heatsink to some ic chip (heatsink memory chips on video card when overclocking)...
AA is not electicaly conductive as well.

cosco

 

[Icarus]

Re: Which epoxy for potting the CONVERTER board

Thanks for the info cosco.

 

[roguesw]

Re: Which epoxy for potting the CONVERTER board

well, in terms of potting the convertor board, yeah, u can use AA grease mixed with regular epoxy, the convertor boards do heat up i think so thats why they put the AA into it. i assemble mine differently, i use regular epoxy around the rim of the convertor board to hold it in place, and just squirt the AA grease to fill up the rest of the ecan, this is just in case the convertor board malfunctions and is blown and needs to be replaced, that way, i just scoop out the AA and have minimal epoxy to remove, learned this the hard way when the first board i assembled short circuited, had to dremel out all that epoxy to get to the board.
hope your build goes well, btw, what are the specs of your mclux u r building?
cheers mate
Des

 

[Icarus]

Re: Which epoxy for potting the CONVERTER board

McLux PR-T HA with DB 917 and Lux III TWAK running on UBH with 3x CR123. However still waiting for the TWAKS from Elektrolumens.
Thanks for the info roguesw.