Thanks for your comments. The driver has thermal management and high voltage cut-off to protect itself but has no options to monitor and throttle for heat sink temps. Im probably going to mount the drivers in a remote location on their own heat sinks and put a cheap ebay digital monitor on the light bar to monitor it. Id probably need to ask the driver engineer how Id intergrate a to220 into the system, unless you’ve got some ideas for monitoring and management. Even a warning light would be very useful.
I like Ledil TIR optics but need as many forward lumens as possible, so Ive decided to go with reflectors. I think youre right about not letting the reflectors be retained by the lens because of impact rattling over bumps, although I might have one cut from quarts glass and use orings between the lens and the glass to cushion the clamping forces. I still havent decided. JB Weld epoxy between the mcpcb and spacer and again between the spacer and reflector will definitely retain that side or the reflector. I just might build a centering collar with 40 holes to retain the reflectors, but that would be such a pain to make and even more difficult to precisely align all the emitters on the sink. I think Ive seen gaskets with a lip, so if I could find the right size to fit the reflectors, they’d retain themselves. Another option might be to glue orings to the lip face on the reflector to dampen vibration. Any ideas?
if you want simple light to go on in your car to let you know the bar is too hot, you don’t need to do anythig with driver.
build simple circuit, where to220 tstat is a on off switch, it closes when it gets to its close\open temp. i usuasally install 70c t stats. even with copper stars like sinkpad.
if you have resistor in your driver which value you can change to change current. you can do autodimming,
i did similar in the light in this thread, post 21 has diargamm.
I just discovered that the driver has an option to monitor a thermal sensor on the light bar and ramp the current. Sorry, Ive been reading so many data sheets that I must have mixed this one up with another.
OH MAN, THIS IS EXCITING! Sounds crazy and like a job for the FlashPilot. Will be following this one.
I don't have anything useful to say other than I think thermal throttling (like your saying) is the way to go. The thought of being plugged into darkness while in a moving vehicle sounds very detrimental to the longevity of the emitters.
I agree, its probably best to let the driver manage the temps; especially since its capable of doing so. I could just envision getting distracted with something else (like getting stuck in a bog) and forgetting to dim the lights before they overheated.
Does anyone have any ideas for a decent removable roof mount? Then I can take it down when Im not off-road. This will also give it maximum range and great cooling while on the move. The front bumper is taken up with other lighting.
Those suction cups made for moving cabinets? There are many types made for holding cameras, cell phones and gps too, but those typically cost a lot more.
Whelp, ya’alls aint gots what umma tellin ya! I needs to stick the daing thing tuh the roof sos it aint stuck there all permanent-like, and I aint ganna be boring no holes in muh rig neither, daing ya!
You know, the words “off Road” conjure up a permanent bracket that would take the abuse. Something you stick on, tie on, strap on, (oh, that didn’t even sound good did it?), or even the word temporary is synonymous with “Oh Crap bubba, I think the light bar just came loose and it’s hangin in a tree back there in the woods.”
Seriously, most of the temporary mounts I have ever tried weren't worth the powder to blow them up, if there was any vibration at all.
Youre definitely right… you sure dont want this thing coming lose and sending 25 lbs of metal down the trail. But like all of your mods: where there’s a will, there’s a way. How about my DIY removable mount holding up a 140lb HID searchlight assembly 3 feet off the deck through raging seas? Yup, its removable for quick take-down with a ton of expensive stainless hardware and a lot of head-scratching to fab it. The only ones that ever said, “Oh crap bubba” where the ones unfortunate enough to get caught in the beam. :bigsmile:
Im looking for a mount that can be removed without drilling holes through a roof. I dont mind bolting and unbolting the mount if its setup that way. If it comes down to it, I might have to rethink this and drill holes for a permanent mount, leaving the mount on the truck and use accessible bolts to attach the sink to the mount for quick removal. Either way, the light bar cant stay there permanently. It looks like ebay has a ton of different pre-made mounts from police cruisers, etc. Now to figure out which one I could adapt.
Anyone have any ideas? Looks like more cobbling and head-scratching.
mount the bottom to the boat or truck the other half to the unit when u want to put it on slide the clip and tighten down the screw and do the same to take off ??
only thing u might have to change is the screw u might need it longer ?
oh my that’s gunna be bright.