180 Watt LED Film, Video, Photo Light 95 CRI - My Chip-on-Board obsession

[Archie Cruz]

Neat. Kind reminds me of LED-Z video lights.

 

[snarfer]

Neat. Kind reminds me of LED-Z video lights.

I guess the comparison was inevitable. I tested those lights a few times. Low CRI LEDs, a very tight beam spread, with no adjustability. Total output is a lot lower. And of course no adjustable color temp.

 

[LEDobsession]

Very Nice. Ive thought about making something similar to this but instead I made one that suited my offroad needs better.

By the way, where do you get these Connectors?

 

[rmteo]

Look for XLR connectors such as these:
http://www.neutrik.com/us/en/lighting/204_293581/DL_Series_productlist.aspx
http://www.markertek.com/Cables-Con...ectors.xhtml?gclid=CJKO6ZSqs5wCFYlM2godJk0gng

 

[LEDobsession]

Look for XLR connectors such as these:
http://www.neutrik.com/us/en/lighting/204_293581/DL_Series_productlist.aspx
http://www.markertek.com/Cables-Con...ectors.xhtml?gclid=CJKO6ZSqs5wCFYlM2godJk0gng

Mmm. :naughty: Just what I needed. Thanks.

 

[Stillphoto]

Neat. Kind reminds me of LED-Z video lights.

The "lens plate" is more reminiscent of the Nila lighting system if anything, and even that is a long shot.

Cinegear was full of overpriced led gear this year haha.

 

[snarfer]

Cinegear was full of overpriced led gear this year haha.

I was there too. It's really unbelievable the lumens/price ratio. Especially the stuff based on 5mm LEDs.

 

[spencer]

I would like more information on the driver solution you used. Is it a constant current or constant voltage solution? Did you design it or did you get a schematic from the datasheet or something?

Thanks,
Spencer

 

[snarfer]

I would like more information on the driver solution you used. Is it a constant current or constant voltage solution? Did you design it or did you get a schematic from the datasheet or something?

I designed it. It is constant current. Although I did start with some datasheets, the power output is far in excess of what the IC designer had in mind. I spent a lot of time doing simulations in ltSpice over and over again. I also use ASCO, which is an optimization software that is based on some fancy mathematical algorithms. It basically runs the simulation over and over again for days until it finds the optimum solution.

The first prototype boards had a nasty tendency to catch on fire, and I got some help from the engineers at the IC manufacturer to fix that problem.

Actually the driver is so overengineered now that it could probably handle 400 watts output. I had to add a lot of extra circuitry to make it possible to boost from 12 volts to 92 volts at 95% efficiency. There are nearly 130 parts on the board. I submitted a patent application for some of the dimming techniques I used.

At some point I plan to make some different versions of the converter available for sale. But for now I am spending my time trying to figure out how to make more of the lights themselves without going broke.

 

[spencer]

I would be extremely interested in one of these drivers. It sounds like it would work in an automotive application (what I had in mind for it) to run a couple hundred watts of LEDs for axillary lighting.

 

[65535]

That's amazing, I want it.

 

[snarfer]

I would be extremely interested in one of these drivers. It sounds like it would work in an automotive application (what I had in mind for it) to run a couple hundred watts of LEDs for axillary lighting.

Let me know what exactly your requirements are. You can't be the only one who wants something like that. I think for an automotive application you wouldn't need the microprocessor and all the networking features though. You might not even need dual outputs, depending on what LEDs you're running.

As it exists now the driver would probably be perfect for running about 6 MC-Es per channel in series configuration (6 x 4s1p). I guess you could run 12 per channel in 2s2p configuration, but you might lose a little efficiency. I've never tried it because MC-E CRI is too low for my application.

 

[Paradime]

Great job on the build! Many video lights simply turn off unneeded lamps instead or dimming. Any thoughts about this practice?

I am planning on building my own lights and wanted to stay with 3w units in the 4-5.5k range with a cri of at least 90+ any suggestions?

Sean

 

[snarfer]

Many video lights simply turn off unneeded lamps instead or dimming. Any thoughts about this practice?

Well it wouldn't really make much sense for LEDs I think. But it works for tungsten.

I am planning on building my own lights and wanted to stay with 3w units in the 4-5.5k range with a cri of at least 90+ any suggestions?

I think it will be difficult to come up with a cost-effective solution in 3w LEDs with cri 90+. Sharp is making some LEDs that are available on Mouser, but expensive...

 

[Bilway]

Yo Snarfer,

that's really an awesome project of yours. Repect!!
Do you have some lit images of your smoothly highlighted kitchen table for us? - Or maybe a look into the light with the MCOBs running at low current?
:thumbsup:

Cheers,
Andy

 

[Illum]

This thread really deserves a for the eye candy it has to offer:naughty:
I've been trying to imitate it for ages, but with a fixed color temp