I Really Need The Best Super Bright LEDs For A Project! HELP

[K-Shell]

Ive got a project where i need to illuminate an RC helicopter, it needs to look very professional and work flawlessly. so im asking for the best quality stuff.

The LEDs i need are:

Some really bright wide angle whites to simulate strobes, they will be pulsing.

some good wide angle red and greens (maybe arrays) for side markers.

plus a really bright focused (maybe flashlight head) that is light weight with white leds for a spot light.

any recommendations for parts, manufacturers and/or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

 

[qwertyydude]

I fly helicopters myself. I know you need to keep the weight down. The lightest package with excellent brightness for strobe would be Cree xp-e line. Also they mount completely flat save for the dome and don't look obtrusive like your everyday 5mm led. They come in different colors and would simulate strobes very well. Also they focus excellently with reflectors or optics. For intermittent strobes you wouldn't need much heatsinking if you keep the flash short and space them out like a real strobe. Probably just solder the thermal to a wire and use that to mount to the chassis. Keep in mind though they are a little on the fragile side same as all power led's.

 

[nickelflipper]

I would guess that scale will have something to do with what's appropriate. For smaller scale, these Cree 4mm ovals might work for indicators?

 

[HarryN]

The xp-e is a nice package, but I think I would look at the Lumileds rebel as well for a very small package.

 

[sandos]

What about being blinded by the LEDs? I also fly helis, and I am thinking about leds since its dark pretty early for a few months now

But any power-led driven at decent amps I would think will easily "blind" whoever is flying the helicopter if its at the right angle. That is, if its really dark anyway.

 

[aramid]

I'm with Sandos. Unless you're making ground-based searchlights, you actually don't want the Best Super Bright anything, or the pilot will hate you. For properly-scale appearance, whatever reasonably high-intensity 5mm LEDs you can find will be perfect. There's a possible exception for the searchlight or landing lights, but those should be switchable anyway, not always-on. Check on inexpensive P60 dropins for a good all-in-one LED, reflector, and driver.

If you're actually hoping the lights will allow you to fly the thing at night, though, your demands are entirely different. I've been doing some night RC plane flying lately, using a GWS Slow Stick (among the slowest, laziest, easiest models in the world), and found that scale navigation lights are totally unsuitable, and that even 5mm LEDs are way too bright if they're not properly diffused. Part of the problem is that little pinpoints of bright light overpower the detail of the plane they're attached to, and part of the problem is that scale navigation lights were never intended for such demanding orientation.

I talk about this subject from time to time on one of the big RC forums: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15312052&postcount=5

 

[VegasF6]

Yes, I must agree with the others. What you mean by the best just means the best for your project. In our projects, that means the brightest, perhaps the most efficient.

You project probably doesn't. For the marker lamps and strobe lamps I would suggest a common 3528 SMD led, and only your forward illumination light needs to be something better. The suggested luxeon rebel, perhaps a cree xp-e or xp-g. You could look into the tiny 10mm lisa optics which I believe you can purchase at the marketplace from one of our members.

I don't know your power source, so its hard to make a recomendation on how to configure them, but if it is anywhere near 12V I would probably just buy premounted 3528 on flexible tape, cut into strips of 3, and then cast them into an epoxy resin.