Cree LEDs vs. 5/10mm LEDs vs Luxeon LEDs

[z_mTorbin]

Hey all,



Im fairly new to electronics and I have some questions about LEDs. Ive been writing simple scripts for the MSP430 microcontroller and what I call regular LEDs (the ones with the long leads that are measured in mms). I have a project in mind that I was going to take on with a friend to build a bike light. Initially I was thinking of using a ton of LEDs since Ive seen that done before but then a friend suggested I look at a Cree LED which Ive never worked with before.



Could someone point me in the right direction or give me a brief compare/contrast on CREE LEDs versus Regular LEDS versus Luxeon LEDs? Is it simply a difference which tool is better for which application or is one an outdated technology?



Thanks,



- MT

 

[Yoda4561]

To cut through some of the confusion first, Cree is a company that makes all sorts of LEDs, including 5mm ones. What your friend was talking about are their Power LEDS, power LEDs are a term that's broadly used to refer to high output non-5mm type LED emitters, they usually come mounted on a small PCB with a small lens on top. Luxeon/Lumileds, Cree, Seoul Semiconductor, Luminous Devices, Osram and a number of other companies have power LEDs as part of their product line. Typically used in your application are/were the Cree XR-E, MC-E, XP-E, XP-G, and XML. A typical high output 5mm LED might produce 10-20 lumens, a power LED can produce over 1000, and is MUCH easier to focus into a beam, as opposed to a 5mm array which is always a flood light. Right now one of the most popular LED's is the Cree XM-L, with a combination of low cost, high output, and high efficiency it's really popular with flashlight makers and other forms of portable lighting.

Here's some links to get you started.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?277224-The-Welcome-Mat-a-FAQ
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?270419-Commonly-Used-LED-Emitter-Index

EDIT: The similar threads function at the bottom strikes again. Really gotta remember to look at those last post dates.