can we manupilate the reflectors like that?

Hi all:

I got in the mail a week ago a nuwai 1-watt led light, which suprised me with its tight beam for an LED light.

SI i was thinking about this:
we have a looked at the size of the rflectors at one point or another, so instead of increasing the diameter of the reflector to make a tighter beam, can we instead make a longer reflector for that purpose?

why i say this is that i looked at the lazer pointerand said. "hey, this thing has a really thin beam and really small diameter refletor."

now i'm not saying that a reflector liek e2e is not good, infact i like it som much i carry one every day, but just wished it would have a little more throw. SO does anyone know enough about reflectors to tell me that either it's doable or it's a dumb idea? My dream EDC ligth would be a e2e sized, digitally regulated incandescent light with throw in the range of 3000-5000 lux area.

am i dreaming beyond probability?

Nick

IIRC I believe I read that the Aelph 38mm is basically the 27mm extended further forward. I have a nuwai that has a deep reflector and has a real tight beam, it's just too bad that the reflector is fixed to the head so i really can't try it in other applications.

You may have gotten the idea of the extended 27m Aleph from Don's (McGizmo's) photo of a large reflector that could be cut down, but the two reflectors are separate and distinct. it isn't possible to stretch the 27mm into a 38mm though I understand your idea. It would be great if we could elongate a .5" diameter light to make it throw like a spotlight!

It is possible to achieve a more focused beam (assuming a constant filament/die size) by increasing reflector diameter, depth or both, but diameter is the dominant factor.

I'm no expert on lasers, but since they use coherent light the lens diameter may play a smaller role than it would with conventional light. You might want to check with Craig (LED MUSEUM) about that.

Brightnorm

inova total internal reflection optic works like that, except for they use an optic too

maybe someone can try to make one out with the dia 15 mm and 5 cm long

Hello Nick,

You should check out the Heliotek light.

If memeory serves me, its reflector is around 2.5" deep and it has good throw.

Tom

Maybe I am getting this wrong, but I think this is how reflectors work with LEDs:

If a light source (a perfect theoretical point source) is placed at the fucus of a parabolic reflector, you get a thin beam of light from light that went sideways or back and then out from the reflector, and some "spill" from light that left the source forward and never bounced off the reflector.

With a reflector that is not deep, you get more sideways light escaping. This is especially true if your light source primarily emits light forward and not sideways. Hence the effecacy of the UK 4AA eLED, with its very shallow reflector and side emitting LED.

Another problem is the size of the reflector compared to the size of the light source. If you have a small reflector and a large source, most of the source is not at the focal point. Light rays approach the reflector from funny angles, and you get a poorly focused, i.e., floody, beam.

The way to get a good tight beam is to have a reflector that is large in comparison to the source. Specifically this means having a large distance between the source and the reflecting surface. This works because, from some spot on the reflector, the source if farther away and thus smaller -- the rays from the source are all closer to the ideal reflecting angle.

Theoretically, a deep reflector should get you the brightest, tightest beam because 1) it catches more light froma forward-emitting source and 2) more of the reflector surface is far from the source.

As in everything else, the applicable theory is true and accurate, but it is also very simplified. There are probably "ground truth" issues that are significant but not part of the anylitical geometric theory of the parabola. Actually getting a reflector to work is a complicated problem.

Scott

270winchester said:

Hi all:
why i say this is that i looked at the lazer pointerand said. "hey, this thing has a really thin beam and really small diameter refletor."

now i'm not saying that a reflector liek e2e is not good, infact i like it som much i carry one every day, but just wished it would have a little more throw. SO does anyone know enough about reflectors to tell me that either it's doable or it's a dumb idea? My dream EDC ligth would be a e2e sized, digitally regulated incandescent light with throw in the range of 3000-5000 lux area.

am i dreaming beyond probability?

Nick

Click to expand...

Lasers put out coherent light and have no need for a reflector.

Probably the best way to obtain what you want is with a good reflector and a fresnel lens.
The fresnel lens were used in light houses to throw oil lamp light out 20 miles.

You can look at the Streamlight 4AA Propolymer Lux (and a few other SL's) to see that deeeppp reflectors capture more of the light, to make a great beam.

Centering the light source at the proper place in a good reflector works ONLY if the light source is very small.

Luxeons emmitters are not small.