Bin code help on LS

What part of the bin code is the CCT? As in Q3H that I have. I think the 3 refers to the flux or color and the H is the Fv. What is the Q and does it have to do with the CCT?
A simple answer will do just fine.
I think I may have found a LS supplier and want to check what he has.
TIA.

Originally posted by sunspot:
What part of the bin code is the CCT? As in Q3H that I have. I think the 3 refers to the flux or color and the H is the Fv. What is the Q and does it have to do with the CCT?
A simple answer will do just fine.
I think I may have found a LS supplier and want to check what he has.
TIA.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The Q is the flux, the 3 is the bin for the CCT, assuming it is a white one, if it is colored the 3 is for the dominate wavelength. H is the Fv.

Thanks Doug. I have the Fv down pat now.
What is flux and CCT? As for the 3, I am talking about white. I think the lower the number, the dreener it is and a higher number will go to blue??

Dana,

Q = 30,6lu to 39,8lu
3 = 5.5 to 6K wavelength - most white
h = 3.03V - 3.27V Vf

Pretty much the best you can get these days

Klaus

What would the Vf for a "J" be?

3.27-3.51

Hi,
How do I measure the Vf on a LS? I have a Q3K LS
and according to the binning doc K = 3.51 - 3.75.
How can I know the exact Vf on my LS?

Kirk

Run the rated current (350mA) through the LS, then measure the voltage across the terminals with a volt meter. Yes, that simple

-Darin

Originally posted by evan9162:
Run the rated current (350mA) through the LS, then measure the voltage across the terminals with a volt meter. Yes, that simple

-Darin

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Actually not quite as simple as it sounds. The bin code Vf ranges are defined for a junction temp of 25C which would be hard to maintain if running a continuous 350 mA through the LED. The way they undoubtedly do it is to use a very low duty cycle pulse train of 350 mA pulses so that heating is negligible. Their measuring equipment would be capable of measuring the Vf during the brief pulses. You could do this at home if you have an oscilloscope.

Thanks Darin,
I've tried that, and I got 3.28v for the led terminals. That can't be right!?! Since my LS is from a Q3K bin and K = 3.51v - 3.75v. I'm using 3 used batteries thats outputing 3.85v. Don't know what the current is from those batteries since my cheap RadioSmack multimeter is only rated at 400mA MAX, which I've failed to notice and probe the batteries with it and now its not giving me any readings on mA at all. So, do I have to run the LS at exactly 350mA to get a correct reading?

Kirk

Doug we most have been posting at the same time,
I didnt see ur reply b4 I posted mine.
So, technically I won't get a correct Vf reading from the LS w/o the extra equipemtent and good understanding of temp and duty cycle and etc...?

kirk

Originally posted by Doug S:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by evan9162:
Run the rated current (350mA) through the LS, then measure the voltage across the terminals with a volt meter. Yes, that simple

-Darin

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Actually not quite as simple as it sounds. The bin code Vf ranges are defined for a junction temp of 25C which would be hard to maintain if running a continuous 350 mA through the LED. The way they undoubtedly do it is to use a very low duty cycle pulse train of 350 mA pulses so that heating is negligible. Their measuring equipment would be capable of measuring the Vf during the brief pulses. You could do this at home if you have an oscilloscope.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Measuring at 25C is all fine an dandy, but measuring with the heatsinking that will be used is a more pragmatic approach, as you are finding the voltage that your LS will operate at in the conditions that it will operate in. If you're going to be pulsing at 350mA then good. But if you're running it in a 2AA body, then attach the sucker to the 2AA body, run some current through it, and find the vF to choose the appropriate resistor.

-Darin

Originally posted by Y2Kirk1028:
Thanks Darin,
I've tried that, and I got 3.28v for the led terminals. That can't be right!?! Since my LS is from a Q3K bin and K = 3.51v - 3.75v. I'm using 3 used batteries thats outputing 3.85v. Don't know what the current is from those batteries since my cheap RadioSmack multimeter is only rated at 400mA MAX, which I've failed to notice and probe the batteries with it and now its not giving me any readings on mA at all. So, do I have to run the LS at exactly 350mA to get a correct reading?

Kirk

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Are the batteries holding 3.85V under load? I bet they're being pulled down by the LS.

The most pragmatic approach would be to attach the LS to whatever heatsinking you'll use, run the current at whatever your target current will be, then measure the voltage across the emitter. That will tell you exactly how your LS will operate given the conditions you're targetting.

-Darin

Originally posted by Doug S:

The Vf you are measuring is correct for the conditions that you are measuring it under as Darin has pointed out. It is not correct if what you want is the Vf as it is defined for the purpose of the bin code Vf testing.

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Ahh..I see! So the Vf rating is only relative to the testing conditions. That makes sense. Thank you all for your inputs.

Kirk

Where is the link to the Bining document.

I have a Q2J
What color is 2?

I got it attached to a micropuck. It seems to be a high dome since it looks different then the other 3 I have from before.

Originally posted by cave dave:What color is 2?

Click to expand...

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">It is white but tending towards green.
Best rule of thumb I use on bin codes are, the higher the first two digits, the better. The lower the last digit, the better.

Flux
M (average)
N (average)
O
P (really bright)
Q (very rare)

Tint
1 (quite green)
2 (greensish)
3 (ok)
4 (bluesish)
5 (purplish)

Vf
I
J
K (average)
L
M

Color BIN code of white LS:
Bin Wavelength
1 4500k - 5000k
2 5000k - 5500k
3 5500k - 6000k
4 6000k - 7000k
5 7000k - 8000k

Here's a good illustration of the colors:

It is about time I learned this stuff better! Thanks guys. Y2Kirk - you really brought home the tints for me.

For anybody who cares - I actually prefer Q2 over Q3, and that's how I set up my lights on purpose. To my eyes, Q2 is about as close to "daylight" as I've seen.

The very first LS I bought from Future is the brightest and the best looking of the LS that I have. Its a HD star, but I don't know what bin it was from, since I never bothered to look on the back before I mounted it. I think it would have been at least a Q4. It had a nice bluish tint that looked similar to HIDs in expensive autos. I have yet to come across one that can match its brightness and beauty. This would be the Holy Grail of Luxeons for me. Ahhh...my precious...