New brighter LEDs?

I just got this in my e-mail today.
Sorry if this info was already posted. It's new to me. I wouldn't mind getting some of these.

From: NightShft8@aol.
Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 01:39:49 EST
Subject: Breakthrough LED news?
To: [email protected]

http://www.lumileds.com/news/lumen.html

This got me to thinking they mention 350mA at 3.2v and being 17,000 mcd. Now think about that for a minute. A Nichia white is rated 3.7v at 25mA at 5,600 mcd. Now 4 of them would pull 100mA and put out over 20,000 mcd. See where I am going with this? You would be far better off using 4 Nichias then 1 of these. For reference a 2 AA MAG light is 2.8v at 300mA. I would be willing to bet the MAG would be brighter.

I guess the advantage is it would make a good replacement for a standard lamp and be unbreakable. But it uses over 3 times the power of the LED's we are used to seeing. Then again it is 1/4 the size. I guess you have to give up something for the smaller size.

Please don't take this to mean I don't like the idea, I will probably own their first flashlight, but I am just thinking out loud.

Brock

Brock, good point about the total light output to power consumption of the new led vs the Nichia.

I think the manufacturer is focusing on the fact that they are getting this much output from a single light source, which is beneficial in terms of designing fixtures and reflectors. There is no easy way to focus the light from multiple sources. So, this new LED could be beneficial in certain applications, while the use of 4 of the Nichias would be better in others.

That's 17 LUMENS, not Candela! It's somewhat more light than, say, the Surefire E1 at 15 Lumens. This LED appears to be about 48.6 lumens/watt, compared to the Nichia 5600mcd whites at 15 to 16 lumens/watt. (Check out Don Klipstein's LED page for lumens/watt. www.misty.com/people/don/led.html#ll
Lumens measure total light output, no matter how focused or spread out it is. Candelas or millicandelas measure the brightest spot. I seem to recall Brock had a better explanation posted somewhere.
Where can I get one?!
Walter
P.S. This forum is great.

WOW, can I say that again, WOW. I completely spaced over the 17 lumen vs. 17,000 mcd. I am sorry for missing that very important detail. I am just so used to thinking in MCD's for LED's. Now I really want to see one of these LED's. So if it is truly 17 lumens this would be a break though for LED's and lighting in general.

I don't even remember how I stated the difference between lumens and mcd. Lumens is light that is measure in every direction from the source (total light output), like when you take the head off an AA mag light, it shines in every direction. That is how lumens are measured. Candlepower is measure at a given distance from the light, whether the light is focused or not. So a reflector or lens plays a lot in to CP ratings while they don't make any difference to a lumen rating. The same mag light will have a higher CP rating as you spot the light tighter, but lumens will remain the same.

Can I say it again WOW !

Brock

Go HERE to learn all about light geometry.

Walt

WOW is an understatement! This kind of light output from a single LED changes everything!!! We're talking serious light output with LED reliability. I want it and I want it NOW. (Like the little rich girl in Willie Wonka)

Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret that parenthetical comment?

I want it and I want it NOW.

And so do I!
Something tells me they`re going to cost a small (or perhaps not-so-small) fortune when us flashaholics can finally get our hands on them though.

I called the company and spoke with a lady their. She said they were duo out in late March. She did not know to much more about it. She said she would have an engineer call me back. She took my name and number and said they would send me a sample when they came out. Somehow I question the claim. But if it is true..well...welcome to the new century.

It's never easy to be an early adopter, but hey, someone's gotta do it.

Hmmm...read the note at the bottom of the article.

I called them too and spoke to a very nice young lady on the phone. All she was able to tell me is that the samples would be out in late March or April. She is going to send me a sample and data sheet. If these things are good I hope we can buy them in non-OEM quantities.

So is this lady married? I'm already falling for her - what with her LED connections and all. Seriously, this sounds like a real breakthrough. I hope they're not yanking our chains.

So you can get a sample LED if you call this lady? I already e-mailed them after I had the news posted here.

Well, what has me confused is they claim it`s 4 times more powerful than the most powerful current white LED. Now..if the most powerful is the Nachia...5600mcd then...well, it seems they would say it was 10 times more powerfull or something like that

Sure...I don`t think that my telling her I was a purchasing agent for Surefire had anything to do with her decision to send me a sample. I think it was my wonderfull voice. Ok..ok...all kidding aside I hope her boss doesn`t block our getting some(samples). But if we all jump on the band wagon...well it`s possible no one will get one. But since your the one who brought it to our attention I think you should call her and try...no...not a date...a sample

Just a brief note - lumileds is affiliated with agilent (and someone else - forgot who ) - who was at one time hp. The HP HLMP-CW15 LED was one of the first white leds to be truly white (the CW stood for cool white) - it had NO purple tint to it whatsoever - if this LED uses the same chemistry to avoid the blue/purple spike of most "white" leds, and gives truly cool white light, then who cares if 4 nichias would beat it for candlepower, and efficiency - it's color I'm looking for - and a *REAL* white led would be awful nice.

BTW - the HLMP-cw15 mysteriously disappeared a while back when hp/agilent/lumileds all broke up and re-married. I have some samples, and the color just puts nichia to shame.

Did you guys contact the "editorial contact" or did you click on contact at the bottom of the page? Thanks.

The one at the bottom. The number I called is 1-877-298-9455. Let us know how it goes. Good luck!

One more thing, first question them about the claim of 17 lumens, then offer to buy a sample to compare with, thats what I did