Burned CREE X-RE (Q5)?

Hey all!

Just wanna ask about this LED. Is it burned? LED from Fenix LD10. I run it on 14500 on short bursts for testing. Never got too hot (I presume) Never run more than 5 mins. Most of it (besides testing) is run with me holding the light.





Included is another Q5 for reference. From Eagletac T10LC2.



Interestingly though, the light now has a golden ring around the hotspot. xD (Like Eagletac's P100 series)

That is not the damage that you would see from over heating. It is probably just some dust or dirt that made it in the phosphor layer. Hard to tell from your pics. It's nothing to worry about. The rings you see are normal.

Phew... That's good, I think...

I've scrutinized it and I think the phosphor layer is not burned out. If you compare the two LEDs, there is a golden (or brownish, depends on how you see it) ring around the dome of my LD10, where the metal ring retainer meets the dome. I've compared dozens of other X-REs but none are like that!

BTW, the golden corona around the hotspot did not exist before. It wasn't there when the light was new.

edit: Dang... the black tie sounds nice! !!

polkiuj said:

BTW, the golden corona around the hotspot did not exist before. It wasn't there when the light was new.

edit: Dang... the black tie sounds nice! !!

Click to expand...

Sometimes things get noticed for the first time later.

Seems to me if it discolored and none of the others are like it, then it is from overheating... I wouldn't go with the dirt hypothesis, the torch is sealed with O-rings and not much dirt at all would get in there, even with opening it up a few times...

Maybe it's from something else other then heat? It could be over heating, but the phospor doesn't seem damaged.

The phosphor definitely looks normal. Maybe its some weird epoxy or silicon on the dome that is causing the strange color. It looks cool but I'm kinda worried for the LED. xD

I doubt that it's dirt or dust. The head is sealed tight. I even scarred it head trying to open it. No go so far. It is still watertight (I put it in the water, switched on to test).

Also, I've noticed that the lens in dirty in the inside. I can't wipe it off and it was far clearer when the light was new. My guess is burned epoxy/silicon used to glue the retaining ring on the LED dome. Smoke must have came out and dirtied the inside of the lens a little. The smudges are only noticeable when the light is on.

Perplexing...




There is definitely no golden corona when the light was new. The 1st time I've seen a golden corona is on an Eagletac P100A2 but that uses a X-PE LED.

But does it have a warm tint now...

I thought you were thinking that what looks to be a fleck of dirt on the current spreader in the second picture was evidence of too much heat. I now see the golden ring you speak of. That is a new one to me. Still does not look like typical heat damage. Looks more like something has contaminated the silicone gel. Could be some type of adhesive or even a lubricant that is reacting with the gel or impregnating it. This makes sense as the highest concentration would be around the base of the dome where the two meet as that would be the main entry point for any gases in the atmosphere. I don't think you have to worry about the LED failing but it would be nice to know what is causing it.

I also have a light that suffers the same problem. I suggest you return it. The color tint shifts yellow on my sample. Probably bad heatsink.

bodhran: It is the warmest tint light that I have by far but it suffers a little greenish tint.. =( Just wait till my Inova T1 comes back xD

saabluster: That's interesting... Contamination... Hmm... So that thing is some sort of silicon gel... =D

kimki: You do?? Cool! I've contacted Fenix, see what they say. =) They missed the yellow ring too at first so I have some re-explaining to do. I always thought that the heatsinking's not really good but the light does heat up pretty fast.. Maybe it's just too small. =D

polkiuj said:

I always thought that the heatsinking's not really good but the light does heat up pretty fast.. Maybe it's just too small. =D

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Or maybe it's because you're running the light out of spec by severely overdriving it on a cell it was never designed for....

Marduke said:

Or maybe it's because you're running the light out of spec by severely overdriving it on a cell it was never designed for....

Click to expand...

+1

looks to me like dome might have been pressed against. the yellow gel looks like it's on the outside. This might also happen from overheating if that gel stuff expands when it gets too hot, but I doubt that Cree would use a material that changes in volume with heat.


I have a question about burned Q5s as well. I have an aspheric and the p4 that came with my light had an even color to the image, while my q5 seems to be warmer in the middle of the rectangles and cooler near the current spreaders. Can anybody verify if this is normal or if my phosphor is degrading? The only reason I ask is because the cooler p4's color on the die was very even and consistent.

Thanks, and sorry for the thread hijack, I didn't want to post another thread about "burned q5?"

This is what Fenix says...

"Hello Walter

It seems that your LED rust, not burnt, and you can't do anything yourself to solve this problem, so please contact the dealer whom you bought the light from, he is nearer you and will carry out the warranty for us, this way, you will be helped out soon.

Any more question, feel free to contact.

Best regards!


Sincerely Joyce

Fenix Service Team"

:candle:

be glad that the overvoltage did not immediately kill the driver
(thats what could happen with much higher chance, than "burning" the led)

get a light that is meant for a Li-Ion

ignore the golden Cree ring in the spill

polkiuj said:

It seems that your LED rust, not burnt, and you can't do anything yourself to solve this problem, so please contact the dealer whom you bought the light from, he is nearer you and will carry out the warranty for us, this way, you will be helped out soon.

Click to expand...

wait rust now?

nah..
It MUST be those Chip Weevils!

yellow said:

be glad that the overvoltage did not immediately kill the driver
(thats what could happen with much higher chance, than "burning" the led)

get a light that is meant for a Li-Ion

ignore the golden Cree ring in the spill

Click to expand...

I actually like that golden ring. =D



csshih: Ask Fenix man..

polkiuj said:

It seems that your LED rust,

Click to expand...

That makes no sense. You'd see it on the outside if that were the case.
They don't have a clue but at least they are kind enough to help you out.

That's what I thought. xD I think I'll stick with your Silicon contamination theory. =D I too think it's not heat as the phosphor should be damage if it is heat related damage.

They are pretty helpful =D, but I'm keeping this light. xD Golden ring makes the warm beam even warmer and makes the greenish tint less green xD I kinda like it. As long as the output is not affected too much:shrug:, I guess its fine. :twothumbs