Lighting project - need your expertise

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Lighting project - need your expertise

edgeoveredge
I am looking to put together some audience blinders/strobes using multiple 50W or even 100W leds.I plan on making 2 using 4ft aluminum box tube as the mount and heat sink...Now obviously these are not as simple to work with as our pedal leds (unfortunately) and that's what I'm struggling with... what all do I need to power these things? Is 1" by 2" aluminum box tube going to be an adequate heat sink?Can these be dimmable? Can I hook them up to a DMX dimmer pack?I'm using incandescent lights now but they're bulky, fragile and expensive long term...Anyone have any experience with these things?Thanks!Mat
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Re: Lighting project - need your expertise

Neil mcNasty
NO! You can not connect it to a regular DMX Dimmer Pack!
LED's do not run directly on 110/220v, and they have a shitload of components that requires a fixed voltage to operate.
100% digital tech, including the dimming which happens inside the circuitry/light fixture.

I've been doing Light Design for concerts for more than 20 years, and also have been doing repairs on many different light fixtures, including LED stuff.
And even though I have quite a bit of experience dealing with this technology, I would never embark upon such a project.
Not only are the schematics tightly controlled trade secret and is not being shared by the companies.
But you can also get professional DMX controlled LED lights dirt cheap from China, and the prices keeps dropping at the same time as the quality keeps getting better.
We have now reached the point where the cheap China stuff dominates the smaller rental companies, since hardly anyone can tell the difference between them and the high end product that cost 5-10 times as much.

Some thing are just better to buy instead of building yourself, and this is (in my opinion) one of those cases...
And I'm sorry to tell you: If you came to the club where I used to work, with such lighting gear... I would never let you use it at the venue. Not under any circumstance!
The fire hazard is quite more serious than with a simple dirt pedal that a DIY guitar player brings to a gig!