4000+ Lumen Test & BridgeLux LED Review

[saabluster]

I will take a moment and think about that before responding. The last thing we need here is any further negativity.

Well it's been several days. I guess maybe you are following the golden rule to not say anything unless you have something good to say? It certainly is better than more of the same but I think you owe jtr an apology. It would be nice to have resolution and have these silly posts taken out of this thread so we can go back to enjoying the good work you did. If such resolution does come about I will be more than happy to remove my posts.

[clint357]

So.....how would one go about driving this from a vehicle's 12v power supply?

[sami_voodoo]

I think the Taskled CCHIPO might work. They are unavailable at the time being though.

[clint357]

I think I could actually use the HIPCC and drive at 2.8A with a Vout of around 11v. How do you configure the output current on the customizable ones?

[sami_voodoo]

I think I could actually use the HIPCC and drive at 2.8A with a Vout of around 11v. How do you configure the output current on the customizable ones?

Except for the 6-die model, wouldn't you need a boost convertor to run from a 12 volt source?

[clint357]

Except for the 6-die model, wouldn't you need a boost convertor to run from a 12 volt source?

I don't know, if you put 2.8A to the dies at 11v with an input of around 13V, I don't know why you would need a boost? I guess I don't know exactly how those IC's work though. Is my math correct?

[Illum]

Holy momma.... I think I just peed my pants.

You think?! I just did

it blew me away that even with a peltier that started the run at 29F the junction immediately goes to 200F...

What does the manufacturer recommend to heatsink the LED?

[clint357]

If someone can tell me the best way to drive 2 of these c2000's, I'll but a setup and make some auxilary vehicle lights.

[sami_voodoo]

I don't know, if you put 2.8A to the dies at 11v with an input of around 13V, I don't know why you would need a boost? I guess I don't know exactly how those IC's work though. Is my math correct?

Original post:

6 die - 440 Lumens @ 600ma 9.8Vf - $12
12 die - 880 Lumens @ 1300ma 13.0Vf - $20
16 die - 1320 Lumens @ 1600ma 13.2Vf - $26
25 die - 2200 Lumens @ 1750ma 16.6Vf - $40 -- My Favorite!!!

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...44&postcount=1

Except for the smallest model, you need a boost convertor IMHO.

[snarfer]

Except for the smallest model, you need a boost convertor IMHO.

I think a buck/boost would be preferable for a 12 volt supply, otherwise you might not be able to dim them down much. Also a boost driver like the CCHIPO would probably not be able to turn the LEDs completely off unless you added an additional FET for the return.

[clint357]

How do you set the output current on the CCHIPO for 1.75A, will it adjust that high or do you have to mod it? Also, would this be safe to encapsulate in a thermally conductive, non-electrically conductive, potting epoxy as long as the heatsink is sticking out? I wonder because this would be put in an offroad vehicle somewhere and would probably be submerged at some point.

[clint357]

I think a buck/boost would be preferable for a 12 volt supply, otherwise you might not be able to dim them down much. Also a boost driver like the CCHIPO would probably not be able to turn the LEDs completely off unless you added an additional FET for the return.

Couldn't I just run a switch on the positive lead of the CCHIPO to turn it off?

[sami_voodoo]

Instead of encapsulating it in Epoxy or some Resin, why not a sealed aluminium box? That way you can set the current later if you wish, and you can thermally link the heatsink with the box. And from what I can read on the site, you'll have connections for an external pot to change the LED drive current.

[clint357]

Instead of encapsulating it in Epoxy or some Resin, why not a sealed aluminium box? That way you can set the current later if you wish, and you can thermally link the heatsink with the box. And from what I can read on the site, you'll have connections for an external pot to change the LED drive current.

I didn't know if any of the other components got hot enough that the air temp in a sealed box would be too great. As for setting the current, I would set it initially for the c2000 LEDs and never touch it again so I wouldn't care if it was permanently sealed.

[sami_voodoo]

The best bet would probably to shoot an email to Taskled and ask them about it. That way you'll cover all bases. Or else wait for more the more experienced to voice their thoughts.

[clint357]

So, does anyone have any ideas on how to get a decent beam out of these things?

[Zeruel]

So, does anyone have any ideas on how to get a decent beam out of these things?

Hee hee hee.

[degarb]

Hee hee hee.

I agree that one frustration with buying leds is that most suppliers forget the led is useless without lens/reflector and driver. They need to be one stop shopping, for at least one or two basic/typical setups.

Also, if the forward voltage were better matched a bit below easily attainable battery configurations, you wouldn't need a driver, perhaps only a pot.

(Easily attainable voltages: 3.6 volt, 6 volt with agm, 7.2 volt, 12 volt with agm, 18 volt. typical store bought lion config)

[Zeruel]

it blew me away that even with a peltier that started the run at 29F the junction immediately goes to 200F...

What does the manufacturer recommend to heatsink the LED?

Probably one of the usages is for cars' headlamps. So that the entire car is the heatsink.

[Benson]

So, does anyone have any ideas on how to get a decent beam out of these things?

8" aspheric? (More realistically... 8" (or even bigger) fresnel lens stack? Maybe rip the fresnels out of a couple or 5 old overhead projectors...)

[bshanahan14rulz]

I then took the lens out of an Acura TL HID projector I have and placed it over the LED. It's a nice smooth flood. This LED might work in this projector housing, maybe. I don't know. I'm going to experiment with it.

Maybe try putting the LED behind the cutoff shield facing up and positioned near where burner would be. I always thought that a strong enough LED right there could do wonders but don't have the money to try it out.

Hmm, just got another idea too. sit a flat mirror about level with that ledge on the sides of the TL and have the emitter on top of that facing up OR forward

btw, I've never tried LED + projector, I'm just throwing ideas that seem sound in my head. keep in mind it is very possible that somebody replaced my brain with pudding recently...

[clint357]

8" aspheric? (More realistically... 8" (or even bigger) fresnel lens stack? Maybe rip the fresnels out of a couple or 5 old overhead projectors...)

Could you make a reflector to gather the light into an aspheric lens? Just use the design of the P7 reflector and lens but scaled up.

[Greg G]

Maybe try putting the LED behind the cutoff shield facing up and positioned near where burner would be. I always thought that a strong enough LED right there could do wonders but don't have the money to try it out.

Hmm, just got another idea too. sit a flat mirror about level with that ledge on the sides of the TL and have the emitter on top of that facing up OR forward

btw, I've never tried LED + projector, I'm just throwing ideas that seem sound in my head. keep in mind it is very possible that somebody replaced my brain with pudding recently...

Keep the ideas coming. I am open to all suggestions. I hope to find time soon to sit down and do some beamshots. First with the original HID bulb, then with the LED. I went to Fry's electronics Sunday and looked at computer cooling systems for chips. I found a couple that will probably work, maybe, depending on how much current I feed the LED.

[bshanahan14rulz]

For a test probe, you could use a straight heatpipe or bar of copper and solder an xre to it, poke it into the projector and try to find that sweet spot

The TL is a very interesting part. I kind of want to think that the bottom part of the bowl behind the cutoff shield is there to reflect light back to the top part of the bowl to reflect out. I wish I could find some light ray simulation diagrams for any automotive projectors. It would help me understand them so much better.

I'm excited to see how this turns out.

[clint357]

I'm going to go buy a concave and convex lense to see what I can do with a P7 just for fun, but I'll let you know if it's worth toying with.

[Benson]

Could you make a reflector to gather the light into an aspheric lens? Just use the design of the P7 reflector and lens but scaled up.

Really, you want an elliptical reflector for most reflector/lens designs, and I don't know of any lights that use that.

But the critical thing here is that whatever you use, it must be large diameter to get a narrow beam from the large emitter area. And fresnel lenses can get large without getting heavy, unlike good reflectors or aspheric lenses.

So to me, a fresnel lens (or a stack of them) in a bulky, but lightweight, housing (possibly even a converted projector body) with a fan-cooled heatsink could be your best shot at a decently-tight spotlight, although it wouldn't be a real throw king -- nothing like an HID or even halogen spotlight with the same diameter reflector.

If you want a flood beam, then you could try various reflector and aspheric combos in the Mag to 6V lantern size range.

[HarryN]

Really, you want an elliptical lens for most reflector/lens designs, and I don't know of any lights that use that.
.

Well, there actually is one but it is not widely available - my CR2 based Breeze light. For those contemplating constructing this, it is a royal ____ and expensive to pull off.

I got the idea from the headlights of a BMW I used to own.

[blasterman]

Also, if the forward voltage were better matched a bit below easily [b]attainable battery configurations, you wouldn't need a driver, perhaps only a pot.

Man, do I hear that. It's obvious that LED makers are assuming they only need supply OEM'ers who have an engineering staff that does nothing all day but design custom power supplies from chinese parts. They might be surprised at the applause if they had a LED config, or multiples of LEDs, that could use...lets say...a standardized 12-volt or 6-volt. 12-volt would also accomodate the fixed lighting crowd where it's been a standard for decades.

As for lenses....feh.....If I want to diffuse one of these big muthas....I'll simply bounce it off of a white painted panel or glass. Paint the panel with chrome paint and and you get a more specular/directional source. I'm working on some cool lamp ideas based on this principle.

For flashlights or narrow flood, what you might want to try is take PAR 30 or PAR 40 narrow angle Halogen bulbs , pry the front cover off either with a razor or flame or both, rip the bulb out of the middle with a pair of needle-nose, and you have a decent reflector albeit heavy reflector.

Discount department stores almost always have close-out halogen hand torches for $10.00 or so. That big old reflector is just begging to have the bi-pin halogen removed and re-mounted with that 2000lumen Bridgelux.

[Guy's Dropper]

What are intended applications for these? They seem like they'd work well in a projector or something, with a lens of course. Those projector light bulbs are so expensive, it would be nice not having to replace them...

[Benson]

What are intended applications for these? They seem like they'd work well in a projector or something, with a lens of course. Those projector light bulbs are so expensive, it would be nice not having to replace them...

I don't think these would do well for projection -- I'd think any projector bulb with a filament or arc that big would be even higher-output, so it'd be too dim with these. They're probably intended for automotive or general-purpose lighting, where you don't need a tight focus.