where to get bright 5mm LEDs?

[ArisaemaDracontium]

I am looking to upgrade some ~5 year old headlamps and bike lights with newer, brighter 5mm LEDs. I am looking for about 18 white LEDs and 15 red LEDs. So can anyone reccommend some brands/models I should look at and where I can buy them in these smaller quantities at a reasonable price?

I know color tint is also an issue, what I am looking for is what appears to be brightest, I won't mind if the white LEDs have a slight blue tint or something, as long as they are bright.

 

[JohnR66]

First, forget the Ebay/cheap Chinese LEDs that claim 55,000mcd brightness. They are not that bright and they will fade after a short time.

Nichia NSPW500GS (commonly called the Nichia GS)
Cree C503D series

These are probably the brightest white 5mm LEDs around with good lumen maintenance. Funny thing, they seem difficult to find in the US. Nichia claims to be the only official distributor in the US and don't list the GS LED. Cree's distributors in the US only show C503B LEDs that are good, but not as bright. If they ship to the US, Cutter has the bright Cree ones.

I have some Cree reds that are very bright. I bought them a while back and don't have the part number.

You might be able to shoe horn a power LED, optic and heatsink into your lights if you are adventurous.

 

[ArisaemaDracontium]

Well, thanks for letting me know WHAT to buy, now I just need to figure out where to get them. Should I post in the WTB section of the Marketplace?

 

[Th232]

Well, as per JohnR66's post, check Cutter for the Cree LEDs.

Website is http://www.cutter.com.au...

 

[ArisaemaDracontium]

Well, it looks like cutter has the Cree white and red LED's you guys mentioned, but shipping from Austrailia is $12 on what would be a $18 order. I just posted in the WTB market place, lets see if that gets me anywhere first.