LED Technology information

Perhaps someone could help me out. My job requires that I work outside at night (helicopter mechanic). For years I have used flashlights, but they were just tools, like a wrench or a screwdriver, I never thought much about them. Since arriving here I have become more interested in the workings of these tools. Is there any kind of reference material about Led's, the circuitry etc. which would be suitable for the layman? Also some kind of glossary for the jargon would help. What the heck is a bin? Thanks in advance. And hey, if you ever fly in a helicopter you can feel better that I saw any problems it might have had because I had my nitecore NDI, and not the 2D energizer bulb flashlight I used 30 years ago when I first started out!

Try the Welcome Mat (linked on main page)

:welcome:

Quick and simple answer, that no doubt will be corrected by someone with a technically more accurate, yet more confusing answer:

The higher the bin, the brighter a flashlight can be.

When they make LED's it's a crap shoot. Some leds will come out pretty good, and some will come out not so hot. They sort them into various bins according to how well they turned out. The closer towards the letter Z, then the higher the number, the brighter it can go.

Q3 < Q5 < R2

For single die emitters, look for something in the "R" range, and you should be ok... heck, the Q5's are still pretty awesome.

In the end, it doesn't make THAT big of a difference going up 1 bin, or down 1.

Let the corrections begin...

Okay...

Higher bin doesn't mean brighter, it means higher efficacy. How the manufacturer takes advantage of this higher efficacy depends on the specific design...

Marduke said:

Higher bin doesn't mean brighter, it means higher efficacy.

Click to expand...

Beat me to it. yalskey also said it:

yalskey said:

The higher the bin, the brighter a flashlight can be.

Click to expand...

It also should be pointed out that the various manufacturers (e.g., Luxeon, Cree, Osram, SSC, etc.) use different letter codes for their flux bins, although generally the "higher" the letter, the greater efficacy of the emitter. The "R2" bin that was referred to above happens to be a Cree designation, so that statement is only true for Cree emitters. So, for example, according to Cree's specifications, an emitter rated to produce 114.0-122.0 lm when a 350.0 mA current is applied across the diode is designated as belonging to the R2 flux bin. Another popular flux bin in many somewhat recent flashlight designs is Cree's Q5 bin, which happens to be rated at 107.0-114.0 lm @ 350.0 mA. But as Marduke said, this doesn't necessarily mean that an R2-equipped torch will have more output than a Q5-equipped torch. That's a whole 'nother can...err, bin...of worms.

LOL

Exactly the replies I predicted... did I call it or what? LOL

CPF nerds are a special breed, I tell ya.

(I can say that because I am one of them, but just not as smart

yalskey said:

LOL

Exactly the replies I predicted... did I call it or what? LOL

CPF nerds are a special breed, I tell ya.

(I can say that because I am one of them, but just not as smart

Click to expand...

LOL!!! I tried to resist...honest, I did!