# Need to hand solder 100+ MC-E's



## mds82 (Sep 9, 2009)

I have 100+ Cree MC-E's that i need to fit into a very tight spot and will need to hand solder them because i can not fit a board into the area.

currently i'm gueing them down, tinning the 4 tips, soldering a bar across them ( so they can all be in parallel).

I'm looking for any suggestions to make this easier ... can i dip each end into a solder pot? use solder paste to make it easier? 

i know the LED is 7x9mm, i have an area up to 1/2 inch x 1/2 inch to work with, and not much height to work with either.


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## London Lad (Sep 9, 2009)

I always find with that sort of job I waste more time looking for a clever way to do it than it would have taken if I just got on with it!


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## mds82 (Sep 9, 2009)

If i could find someone to make a Very small and think MCPCB, that would be great actually - are there any placed to order these from?


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## bretti_kivi (Sep 9, 2009)

did you talk to led-tech.de or leds.de? both do pretty much "custom" setups. What about some of the board houses?

Bret


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## Hack On Wheels (Sep 9, 2009)

mds82 said:


> I have 100+ Cree MC-E's that i need to fit into a very tight spot and will need to hand solder them because i can not fit a board into the area.
> 
> currently i'm gueing them down, tinning the 4 tips, soldering a bar across them ( so they can all be in series).
> 
> ...



Perhaps I misread, but won't your method of putting a "bar across them" actually put the dies in parallel as opposed to series?


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## mds82 (Sep 9, 2009)

Hack On Wheels said:


> Perhaps I misread, but won't your method of putting a "bar across them" actually put the dies in parallel as opposed to series?




Yup - i goofed on that. i ment parallel. I wasnt paying attention when i wrote that i guess


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## Sgt. LED (Sep 9, 2009)

I'm interested in the mega heatsink being used here!


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## bshanahan14rulz (Sep 9, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> I'm interested in the mega heatsink being used here!



Hah! Nerd! 

I've got some pretty nifty sinks. Some solid coppers, some stacked fin coppers, some composite (.5cm copper plate, stacked metal fins) and some extruded aluminum. Wish I had some with heatpipes, but those are all in use.

Someday I'll put them to use heheh


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## Illum (Sep 9, 2009)

what exactly are you trying to light with 100 MCE's?

It wouldn't happen to be a $3000 aquarium light would it?:duh2:


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## alpg88 (Sep 9, 2009)

just 100 leds?????
that is no big deal, shouldn't take more than 30 min.


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## jasonck08 (Sep 9, 2009)

Wow! What on earth are you trying to make!?

100 MCE's as in 70,000 lumens worth! 

Keep us updated!


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## jtr1962 (Sep 9, 2009)

London Lad said:


> I always find with that sort of job I waste more time looking for a clever way to do it than it would have taken if I just got on with it!


I agree here. The only time I try to find a better way to do something is if I'll be making 10 or 100 or 1000 of them. With one-off projects it makes more sense to just hack away until it's done.


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## Superdave (Sep 9, 2009)

London Lad said:


> I always find with that sort of job I waste more time looking for a clever way to do it than it would have taken if I just got on with it!



x2


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## Illum (Sep 9, 2009)

alpg88 said:


> just 100 leds?????
> that is no big deal, shouldn't take more than 30 min.



100 LEDs + 8 pins each = 800 pins to solder
Before soldering you'll have to prime with some flux, depending on location legs may have to be modified, etc.

At minimum preparation and solder that's 1600 steps not to mention re-dos. 
an intense 30 min workout, if thats even possible. :shrug:


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## rizky_p (Sep 9, 2009)

100 MCE??:sick2: 

can we expect beamshot? :twothumbs


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## znomit (Sep 9, 2009)

Regretting not getting P7s yet?


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## DimeRazorback (Sep 9, 2009)

What sort of project is this going to be!!


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## Th232 (Sep 9, 2009)

Are these for 100+ individual lights, or one absolutely massive light?

If so, I think we've got a contender for the BIG Lights thread.


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## Marduke (Sep 10, 2009)

If you have access to one, a stereo microscope makes such small soldering jobs MUCH easier.


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## alpg88 (Sep 10, 2009)

Illum said:


> 100 LEDs + 8 pins each = 800 pins to solder
> Before soldering you'll have to prime with some flux, depending on location legs may have to be modified, etc.
> 
> At minimum preparation and solder that's 1600 steps not to mention re-dos.
> an intense 30 min workout, if thats even possible. :shrug:



oh, 800, didn't think it was that many,

for priming pins i use a tube from a q tip, i just dip it into the flux, than put it onto the pin, once you get a hang of it, it is pretty fast process


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## alphazeta (Sep 10, 2009)

I'm actually quite interested in the power source being used to drive the project & the current level that is going to be used (especially since the leds are being setup in parallel)


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## mds82 (Sep 10, 2009)

Well - Everyone assumed that they would all be used for 1 application - not quite the case

I actually build and sell LED Replacement bulbs for car headlights - well for accent lights within the headlight. So i'm actually only using 2 LED's per application. Sorry to dissapoint everyone!!!!!

Good ideas so far, i think i may need to look into them a bit more

still thinking a custom MCPCB might be the easiest.


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## Illum (Sep 10, 2009)

alpg88 said:


> oh, 800, didn't think it was that many,
> 
> for priming pins i use a tube from a q tip, i just dip it into the flux, than put it onto the pin, once you get a hang of it, it is pretty fast process




I assumed he used MCEs because he wanted to individually address each die...in the great scheme of manipulation that is a highly desires aspect...especially if your driver wants you to serialize them:candle: For simplicity and perhaps better thermal management P7s may have sufficed
100S1P = 330V 200ma, 50S2P = 165V @ 400ma....sounds fun


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## mds82 (Sep 10, 2009)

Illum said:


> I assumed he used MCEs because he wanted to individually address each die...in the great scheme of manipulation that is a highly desires aspect...especially if your driver wants you to serialize them:candle: For simplicity and perhaps better thermal management P7s may have sufficed
> 100S1P = 330V 200ma, 50S2P = 165V @ 400ma....sounds fun



Its mostly about size however - I need to fit 2 of these onto a 1/2 round pice of aluminum, and i do not want them sticking out very far because they could get broken off during installation.

as well with the P7, the slug is Not electrically isolated, and this will cause a big problem for me

The P7 is also more costly..


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## RusDyr (Sep 10, 2009)

rizky_p said:


> 100 MCE??:sick2:
> 
> can we expect beamshot? :twothumbs


It looks like we will ALL see beamshots at the sky everywhere )


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## Illum (Sep 10, 2009)

RusDyr said:


> It looks like we will ALL see beamshots at the sky everywhere )




you wouldn't happen to be a future competitor of Data now would you?


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## Black Rose (Sep 10, 2009)

rizky_p said:


> 100 MCE??:sick2:
> 
> can we expect beamshot? :twothumbs


Go outdoors and take a look above you at noon.

Should be about the same


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## WeLight (Sep 10, 2009)

mds82 said:


> Its mostly about size however - I need to fit 2 of these onto a 1/2 round pice of aluminum, and i do not want them sticking out very far because they could get broken off during installation.
> 
> as well with the P7, the slug is Not electrically isolated, and this will cause a big problem for me
> 
> The P7 is also more costly..



Be happy to do a custom MCPCB for you and ''mount'' the leds.
be approx USD450 tool charge for the PCB


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## bshanahan14rulz (Sep 11, 2009)

Guys, he's making PnP bulbs for autos, right? So I doubt that they are all going on one bulb, he's probably making a batch of them

MDS, you should buy a small handful of heatpipes and sinks and make a few pairs with that as the base instead of the aluminum bar you are using. You know, as a personal model for yourself that you can overdrive, as you are already doing something like that, and a heatpipe would handle the heat quite nicely, I'd bet!


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## mds82 (Sep 11, 2009)

bshanahan14rulz said:


> Guys, he's making PnP bulbs for autos, right? So I doubt that they are all going on one bulb, he's probably making a batch of them
> 
> MDS, you should buy a small handful of heatpipes and sinks and make a few pairs with that as the base instead of the aluminum bar you are using. You know, as a personal model for yourself that you can overdrive, as you are already doing something like that, and a heatpipe would handle the heat quite nicely, I'd bet!



Thanks for the idea - 
I already have the housing made and everything. i'm using CNC'd aluminum that is custom made.


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## bshanahan14rulz (Sep 11, 2009)

Interesting! so is this car-specific or just bulb-specific? Like, you making replacement H3 or something or something specific to a certain car model?


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