6 sided LS high dome ambers are out

[Badbeams3]

Came today...I can`t really play with it as I`m remodeling my house and emptied everything but my bed, TV and computer into my shed out back. All my wires, clips, batts are in/under boxes and I don`t even know where to start to look.

Sorry, I know this is a let down to some of you. But you should be able to order them now although I don`t know if the beam, while it should be bright, is suitable for flashlights. It looks nice...but it`s the beam that will count.

Gadget, I don`t know where I put your address but if you don`t already have some on order and would like to play with it e-mail me at [email protected] and I will ship it to you. I have a 6 sided low dome white that might work well with the reflector in your Surefire and will send that as well. Maybe you could make a convert and post pictures for us.

Ken

I edited this post to correct my "I can`t count that high" error.

 

[PeLu]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ken B:
it should be bright, is suitable for flashlights. It looks nice...but it`s the beam that will count.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

With 8-sided do you mean the hexagonal ground plate ones? .-)

 

[The_LED_Museum]

This bizarre looking thing is the only non-square single LED LS module I've seen documented.

Found this in a PDF file... there doesn't seem to be any handy way to grab images out of PDF files using Acrobat Reader, so I just snagged the whole screen from Windows.

 

[RonM]

Based on that picture, my guess is that the 8 sided LS is designed for use in flashlights and other more conventional lighting housings. The octagon approximates a circle, which is the standard shape of most lighting fixtures. Just my guess.

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

Actually, Ken told me they are the 6 sided ones. He just didn't have it in front of him when he was typing.

He's sending it to me due to his remodeling. I will attempt to gather useful info once it arrives.

I'm anxious to see if it could be used with a traditional reflector, as opposed to the clear lens we've seen on the Stars so far.

 

[Gransee]

I did a double take on your post Ken since I have been told that we couldn't get the high domes until the end of November. Turns out that is still true because the two high dome parts that are available right now do not have lenses. Without the lenses, we can't use them in our flashlight anyways. I tried using lenses fromt the other colors but that wasted a lot of the output. I heard that high dome lenses and low dome lenses are optomized differently. For now, yes, you can order high dome parts. But without a lens, it does not have a very usable beam for flashlights.

Peter Gransee

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I think the 6 sided version (hexagon) is designed to make it easy to cluster a bunch of LS together in shapes other than rectangles -- like hexagonal paving blocks or tiles. I was guessing that this version gave the L. star its name. I don't think flashlights were their main market. [Yes, flash-o-holics, there are other bright things in the world, hard though it may be for us to imagine them!]
Walter

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Stingmon:
...there doesn't seem to be any handy way to grab images out of PDF files using Acrobat Reader, so I just snagged the whole screen from Windows.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Stingmon:

Try clicking and holding on the toolbar button with the "T" in it and dragging the cursor down out of the button. A group of three tool buttons will pop down. The two with the "T" in them are used to select text, the square box icon is the graphics selection tool. Move the cursor over it and release. Your cursor should then turn into a large "plus" sign. Now just draw a box around the area you want to copy and select "Copy" from the Edit menu. It acts like a screen grab, but just grabs the portion you selected.

I'm going from memory here, and I primarily use a Mac, so I could have some details wrong. But I know that this does work.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Marlan:
[QB
Try clicking and holding on the toolbar button with the "T" in it [...][/QB]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hmmmm... it seemed to work, but the resolution still blows. So the picture of the LS isn't any better than the one I posted.

Thanks for the tip though. Definitely something I'll file away the next time I need something cut from a PDF.

I was pulling my hair out for half an hour before I finally got the Windows screen dump to actually put anything on the clipboard.

 

[Badbeams3]

Sorry for the confusion, I should have posted six sided...guess my math isn`t any better than my spelling...it`s the one Stingmon posted the pic of above. I think even the high domes will need a reflector...hopefully we will know more soon as Gadget should get them Friday or Saterday (unless the FBI is looking at them, thinking they might be used in bombs somehow).

These were samples Lumiled was kind enough to send me...after the proper amount of grobbeling and begging of course.

 

[PeLu]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ken B:
Sorry for the confusion, I should have posted six sided...
I think even the high domes will need a reflector.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's wha I asked if you are referring to the hexagonal units .-)

And the high domes need a reflector as much as or as less the low domes.
If you need floodlight. no reflector, for a spotlight you will need one. And as we learned before, their reflectors are optimized for the die, so any other reflector will have probably less efficience. Unfortunately there are only plans to offer a 10° and the flood versions.

 

[PeLu]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Walter:
I was guessing that this version gave the L. star its name. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, also the square shaped ones are named 'Star'. And you're right the hexagonal makes it easy to put them together, tehy are already available as clusters. And it's main appliction is by far not the flashlight market. It is from traffic signs to reading lights.

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

They arrived today. Sorry, but I was so busy and then dead tired, I will have to "play with them" tomorrow night maybe.

Anything in particular you guys want me to check out?

 

[Badbeams3]

I would like to know if the beam pattern is differant from the high dome than the low dome and if they can be used with standard reflectors. I was also interested to see what you come up with for heatsinking.

Ken

 

[bikeNomad]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ken B:
I would like to know if the beam pattern is differant from the high dome than the low dome <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes. The low dome has peaks at 40 degrees or so from center (that is, it would show a bright ring). Look at the data sheet at
Luxeon's web site.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>and if they can be used with standard reflectors.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, they have about 140 degree beam width. I suspect a normal reflector will affect their beam. If you want a tight beam, though, you may be better off with the Star/O (the one with optics).

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

Sorry to keep you hanging.

I finally got around to hooking up the high and low dome ambers side by side.
I will post some pics tomorrow morning.

The batwing has definite rings and dark spots when compared to the lambertian. The batwing's not bad, but the lambertian is perfect.

I used two seperate current controlled power sources to get both LEDs running with the same POWER input. The lambertian appears slightly brighter, but definitely has a better beam quality (no rings or dark spots). I only fed them 100mA, so the brightness difference may be more aparent at rated current (350mA).

I expect that when the optics are available, the lambertian Luxeons will have an excellent beam quality.

I will attempt to line up a standard reflector and take pictures of the beam produced. It's quite difficult to do, since the high dome doesn't stick up far enough to reach the reflector's focal point. I took one of the DB reflectors and shaved it quite a bit. Still needs some fine tuning.

More to follow... in the morning.

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

OK, now for some pics...

Lambertian Amber on left, batwing Amber on the right. All pics taken with "daylight" white-balance. Luxeons running on about 100mA. They were adjusted so that each had the same power, about 1/4W. The Lambertian took 2.54v @ 102mA, the batwing was 2.44 @ 106mA.

First pic is at about 3/4" (2 cm) and parallel to the paper. Color is about right, actually a little lighter than shown. Note the nice even beam of the Lambertian...

This on is at an angle to the paper to show the rings of the batwing.

Here is a shot looking at the back side of the paper. Luxeons about 2mm away.
The lighter, smoother beam is the Lambertian. Forgot to flip the pic before uploading and it's taking a while for Webshots to update.

If the pics don't load, try again later. While uploading this post, they were still not working. Webshots is having a bad day, I guess.

More pics of beam using a standard reflector with the lambertian as soon as I figure out how to set it all up.

 

[Go Go Gadget Flashlight]

I took a bunch of shots of the setup and beam using a Double Barrel reflector shaved to accept the LS amber high-dome (lambertian).

Rather than post a ton of pics, I put them all in an album on Webshots.

Amber LS in a DB reflector

Be warned, a few of the pics are large.

All the pics (except the first three from previous post) are with the LS getting 340mA. They were taken with a Kodak DC280 set to "daylight" white-balance.

All the ones that start with "DCP..." are just various F-stop settings to show the beam color and shape.

The set of three "Vs Mag-lite" pics are at 4 feet. One is at tightest Mag focus, and the other two are my attempt to make the beam patter similar to the LS.

There are a few shots of the LS "rigged" for the test.

Anything else you'd like to see Ken? Anyone else?

 

[Badbeams3]

Thank Gadget

It looks about the same in output as the Mag.

Ken

 

[Ron]

Thanks for the info Gadget.

I was wondering how does this compare the the current amber Luxeon with Optics?

I was also wondering how much of a difference does the reflector make?

Ron