Is the LS that great?

I jumped on the bandwagon right at the start and built 3 flashlights and 2 night lights with the LS.

This is not to knock the LS...just a honest question.

Having under/exact to specs/over driven slightly/over driven greatly the LS, I think I am more pleased with an array of Nichia's.

It SEEMS to me that the overall utility of the light is better with the more led's....sort of like the bathroom with 10 30 watt bulbs vs 1 300 watt. The watts are the same but the bathroom is more evenly lit with the string of 30 watt globes.

Example...the Versalux. I am continually pleased with that light and it costs about the same as a LS and chips to drive it.

SO...other than wanting to blind your friends, what are your opinions?


I guess I am trying to justify spending 100 bucks for an Arc LOL

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Wolfman:
I jumped on the bandwagon right at the start and built 3 flashlights and 2 night lights with the LS.

This is not to knock the LS...just a honest question.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wolfman,

Well, from the standpoint of modifying a flashlight, we can get the light of about 18 white Nichia's, which cost around $54, from one single Luxeon Star, which cost $14. Well, add in the cost of a regulator, $10 - $20, and you spend between $24 - $34. To use an array of 18 to 20 LED's, I have to design and etch a PCB board, solder the LED's, make sure they are aligned, etc.

The Luxeon Star is cheaper, easier to work with. It supposedly will get up to 5 watts at some point.

I think that eventually, the Luxeon Star will replace the white Nichia for the flashlight.

Now consider all these flashlight companies who have jumped on the white Nichia flashlight wagon. They are slow to switch, because, well, look at all they have invested to produce LED flashlights based on the Nichia. They would have to abandon what they have already done in order to switch to the Luxeon Star.

The general public is aware of the LED in flashlights, but how many people know about the Luxeon Star? How many Luxeon Star flashlights are out there right now? How many people are willing to spend $100 for a flashlight?

Somebody needs to make a Luxeon Star flashlight that is less expensive! Perhaps in the $40 - $50 price range? Maybe cheaper?

One major problem right now is that the emitters have this sick green glow to them right now, and I hope this is rectified. People like the bluish tint the Luxeon stars have, and are used to this, but nobody likes that icky green color.

Luxeon Star is the way to go!

Wayne www.elektrolumens.com

Daniel,

You're not alone. I've got a few dozen freshly machined flashlight blanks, and several more industrial and commercial light fixtures sitting in boxes with no Luxeons for them. The pea green quality of the recent shipping Luxeons has put an end to all of that. Nobody's interested in ichky colored lights.

Most depressing is one set of fixtures made under contract that I must now eat due to not being unable to deliver with a decent white colored light source.

I've talked to Future and Lumileds, but never hear anything back from them.

Interesting that at http://www.lumileds.com/solutions/general/general_index.html (click on Portable Lighting) they mention an option for "Cool white' light optional (5000-7000K), for distinct effect", but when I inquired at Lumileds about it, they just said no such thing exists; even though it's on their web page????

I get the feeling they just don't have their sh_t together.............

Daniel and Wolfman,

Don't know if you read my post on Shot 2002, but there is at least one company, for the time being, that feels mutiple leds is the way to go.... Innova 5x

I guess the sum of the whole is, yes, the Luxeon could be that great, if the quality issue is addressed. It's quite obvious from the wide range of 'tints' to the 'white' Luxeon (pink/violet/blue/green) that they need to bin sort for colors, but for some reason they refuse to do so. I've inquired both at Future and Lumileds about this (again, this is mentioned on their web page) but both deny there is any bin sorting.

Multi-LED lights have their place, but for the most part, that is inside. They just don't have the beam throw that can be generated with a good reflector and Luxeon.

My personal opion (just mine) is that they are selling 'seconds' thru Future to anyone who isn't a major customer. But they do this at the expense of future 'major' customers.

I find it hard to believe anyone could sell any type of lighting to anyone with the pea green light from the current Luxeons. The green pond scum color of the light generated is suitable for possibly aquarium lights, and that's about all.

For a company that is part of Phillips, they're unorganized approach to business is quite suprising. Something for the investors in Phillips to take notice about.

They're good about talking research and development, but when they can't control their current process on an established product, the credibility factor heads to zero real quick.

And for their sole distributor, Future, it just appears to me they are all about 'sales'. Nothing else (cutomer service) matters'; make the sales any way you can, don't worry about quality, or other customer concerns.

With Future's three day return policy (subject restocking fees) buying more that 10 or 20 Luxeons at a time presents a poblem. You've got to test what you get in that time frame (expensive extra step for me) and then play the resulting game if there are problems. There's no way I would buy 1000 Luxeons at once, because if they're substandard as the last pea green ones, you'd be stuck with them unless you could test them all in three days; then again, have to deal with the return/restocking fee/credit problems.

Lumileds only problem is themselves; they need to start being honest with customers; telling them the 'real' status of production, and associated problems. And they need to look beyond Future as their sole distributor to someone who can relate to customers.

Just my two cents..........

Thanks for the replies.
After reading everything, I got out my one remaining ( old stock nice white ) LS and cranked it up....compared it to the Versalux, and I am still more pleased with the overall light output from the versalux.

I still have the size issue to deal with. It would be nice if the LS could get things worked out. I was holding off buying more ... but for another reason. I THOUGHT the rumor of a better one coming out soon would have come to pass....not the "greenies". Perhaps someone in product development really thought the tint would go unnoticed.

DanielR....stop by and chat them up a bit. I would be curious what they say..

Good reply, DR

You addressed my original question better and more directly. I had a bear of a time with the little tit on the lens, not overdriving it, the heatsink, mounting etc.... and now quality control. I want the LS but not a "Jungle puke green" . I guess I am an optimist...I rather think their development people tried to make it a little brighter?? and the green tint was the result. I don't mind a tinge of purple, but the green I don't like.

I started a new venture and have not had the time to drill down through all the threads looking for info. on why the LS is seeminglygoing downhill.

I assume a thread on Arc home site addresses this. Mabye I should have jumped on the band wagon and got one of the first ones. The size of the ArcLS is really quite a positive draw for me....Oh. well..