How to differentiate nichia LED from normal LED?
- Thread starter ruriimasu
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Marduke
Flashaholic
Unless it's a GS, I don't think you can, especially when it's already installed in something.
ruriimasu
Enlightened
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hi marduke,
how can i tell whether it is a nichia GS? i tried googling for picture but found none.
chimo
Flashlight Enthusiast
The GS has a non-square die so the beam pattern is slightly oblong.
ruriimasu
Enlightened
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chimo
Flashlight Enthusiast
Most 5mm LEDs have square dies.
Black Rose
Flashlight Enthusiast
The hotspot of a GS LED will appear oblong on the wall when the LED is activated.
I tried to find some beamshots in the Fenix E01 threads but couldn't find any that really show the oblong hotspot.
EDIT: I just took these using bare Nichia DS and GS LEDs.
Photo shot at -2.0 to ensure GS hotspot was visible.
GS is on top, DS on the bottom.
Notice how the hotspot of the top LED is almost rectangular?
I tried to find some beamshots in the Fenix E01 threads but couldn't find any that really show the oblong hotspot.
EDIT: I just took these using bare Nichia DS and GS LEDs.
Photo shot at -2.0 to ensure GS hotspot was visible.
GS is on top, DS on the bottom.
Notice how the hotspot of the top LED is almost rectangular?
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lebox97
Enlightened
don't forget that the nasty "angry" blue center (hotspot), and yellow ring around the edge is a giveaway Nichia DS/GS trademark too :sick2:
but they do seem to take more overdrive abuse than other LED
but they do seem to take more overdrive abuse than other LED
Fallingwater
Flashlight Enthusiast
I don't know about earlier Nichias, but the GS body is also slightly more oblong than normal LEDs, the lens is slightly smaller and the die is closer to the lens.
Marduke
Flashaholic
The GS is longer, and has a rectangular die.
The Gerber Infinity Ultra uses a Nichia CS. I have heard that they have recently upgraded to GS, but have not seen solid proof of that.
chimo
Flashlight Enthusiast
Fallingwater
Flashlight Enthusiast
Is the IU's head potted/glued in place? Or, in other words, can you get it open and replace the CS with a GS yourself?
Bullzeyebill
Flashaholic
What is a normal LED? I am guessing here, but is normal, for example, a Lux I, III, or V. Or a Seoul P4, Cree Q5, or a Cree 5mm LED? Reading your post I do see you are talking about Nichia 5mm LED's in your further posts. Are Nichia LED's not normal? Please explain. I mean no offense here.
Bill
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Black Rose
Flashlight Enthusiast
I e-mailed Gerber about the LED in the IU in early November.
I specifically asked if it was using the CS or DS LED.
They replied that the IU was using the Nichia CS LED.
Marduke
Flashaholic
You have to boil and bag the body to unscrew the head, then the pill comes right out for a swap. There is a threads on that mod around here somewhere.
In the context, I took it to mean Nichia 5mm vs generic 5mm
Black Rose
Flashlight Enthusiast
Yes you can mod it.
I put mine in a cup of boiling water (in a baggie) for 4 minutes and it released the adhesive that locks the head in place.
I've had mine apart but have not been succesful in getting the old LED out yet. I need something to hold the pill while I apply the soldering iron.
Bullzeyebill
Flashaholic
I think you are right. I was not thinking about 5mm LEDs at first, and forgot about the many generic 5mm's out there. I guess they are the normal ones. Thanks Marduke,
Bill
chimo
Flashlight Enthusiast
Here is a line-up I just took. Note the difference in the anode lead and cathode die cups for the Nichia vs the other brands. All the Nichias that I have seen use the same lead forms. The Nichias do not have the hash pattern on the encapsulated parts of the leads and have a different shape. While this may not be sufficient proof that a LED is a Nichia, but it may be sufficient to suspect that a LED is not a Nichia.
