# Where to buy Nichia GS



## Fallingwater (Dec 30, 2008)

I ordered ten GS fauxtons from DX when they were selling them and harvested the LEDs, but I'm almost out and they aren't restocking them. I got a baggie of fifty Jeled 55cd to use in less important projects, and while they're decent (and a far cry from the usual generic LEDs that get installed in cheapo lights), they aren't quite at the efficiency level of the Nichias.

In other words, I need more GS! More! MOOORRREEEE!!!

As usual I tried eBay, but couldn't find any auction for them, and searching them online doesn't give any significant results either. Looked in the marketplace too with the same outcome.

Does anyone know of websites that sell them? Or, heck, any way at all in which I could buy some from anyone, anywhere?

Thanks.


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## mitch79 (Dec 30, 2008)

The best Nichia GS LED's that I have found are the ones available from Amilite. W rank, C0 tint. The brightest bin with the warmest tint available.

There shipping fees are a little confusing, just go with the $5 registered mail option - it is international. Took about 2 weeks to get to me in Australia.

Good luck


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## Fallingwater (Dec 30, 2008)

Thanks, they do indeed have what I'm looking for. I was expecting lower prices though... :sigh:


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## ToTo (Dec 30, 2008)

http://www.led-tech.de/de/Leuchtdioden/5mm-LEDs/Ultrabright-LED-LT-1206_1_4.html
ships world wide


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## Cydonia (Dec 31, 2008)

Availability of any and all Nichia 5mm LED's has always been a great difficulty over the _*years*_. Thanks for the amilite source mitch79!


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## PCC (Jan 18, 2009)

I don't think they list GS LEDs, but, this is a start.


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## ARC mania (Jan 19, 2009)

Fallingwater: I have some 5mm GS-K1 W in brightness with a C0 tint. I need to sell them in batches of 10pcs. Price is $22.00 shipped by registered airmail. Let me know if interested. One of the reasons the price is a bit steep is the US dollar loosing its power over the Japanese yen. 

ARC mania


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## Cemoi (Jan 19, 2009)

Another source here (10 euros for 10 pieces + shipping).


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## PCC (Jan 19, 2009)

Cemoi said:


> Another source here (10 euros for 10 pieces + shipping).


What's that in US$? Probably $100000 at the current exchange rate 

I'm hoping to find a source that is in the US. Too bad that Nichia's store that I linked above does not have the GS. I might consider the DS but I really want something brighter. I made the mistake of buying the JELED 55,000 MCD LEDs fro eBay and I don't think they're anywhere near that rating. At least I have a few cheap 5mm LEDs to mess with (I bought 100!).


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 19, 2009)

PCC said:


> What's that in US$? Probably $100000 at the current exchange rate
> 
> I'm hoping to find a source that is in the US. Too bad that Nichia's store that I linked above does not have the GS. I might consider the DS but I really want something brighter. I made the mistake of buying the JELED 55,000 MCD LEDs fro eBay and I don't think they're anywhere near that rating. At least I have a few cheap 5mm LEDs to mess with (I bought 100!).


the 9.9 euros via paypal is $12.94 USD, not sure how much they want for shipping though.


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## Fallingwater (Jan 19, 2009)

To everyone who's offered me Nichia GS leds: I have decided that my current stock of eight is satisfactory, since I don't plan on using them on showerhead lights and at my current rate of use they ought to last me a long time... and when I do exhaust them, maybe there'll be even more efficient HS ones  Thanks anyway. 
I'll resurrect this thread should I need more in the future.



PCC said:


> I made the mistake of buying the JELED 55,000 MCD LEDs fro eBay and I don't think they're anywhere near that rating. At least I have a few cheap 5mm LEDs to mess with (I bought 100!.


Millicandela ratings are not universal. The mcd value changes as the beam width changes. JeledHK sell 10mm "120000mcd" LEDs that use, I think, the same die as the 55000mcd ones, but focus the beam even more.

That said, I've bought a 50-pack of Jeled 55cd LEDs too, and I'm finding them rather useful. The beam has significant artifacts and a rather angry blue color with occasional blotches of yellow, but I don't look for beam quality in 5mm lights (just in high-flux ones), so it's not a problem. And they genuinely are brighter than generic chinese LEDs; this, coupled with their cheapness, means they're fine for upgrading things like showerhead lights, where using Nichia GS would be economically unwise. On this subject, I noticed that when you use Jeleds in showerheads their collective beam is almost artifact-free, as they cover each other's artifacts.


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## PCC (Jan 19, 2009)

Thanks, guys!

The remark about 10 Euros being US$10000 was a joke. I looked it up and it's a very reasonable $13 and change right now but shipping will probably be about the same amount and that's just more money than I want to spend on 5mm LEDs right now. I don't have a problem buying 100 at $80+ plus shipping (hence the remark about the Nichia website offering GS bin LEDs) but it'll end up being $20+ for 10 LEDs and that's just not worth it to me.

Not to take this thread off topic, but, I guess I was expecting more from the JELEDs. I did play with one earlier where I hooked one up to 2, 3, and 4 NiMH cells and these LEDs do light up nicely at 4.8V. Same goes with 3 alkalines so I think I've found the magic bullet for these LEDs. I just need to push them harder than the cheap Radio Shack LEDs I've been buying up to now. I did manage to burn one out DD on a 9V battery, though.


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## Fallingwater (Jan 19, 2009)

They do have a slightly higher Vf than Nichia GS (or most other LEDs I have), but 4.8 volts is murder on them regardless. They'll die soon if driven that hard.


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## Lynx_Arc (Jan 19, 2009)

what surprises me is how expensive nichias are still when other LEDs are getting dirt cheap.


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## Calina (Jan 20, 2009)

PCC said:


> Too bad that Nichia's store that I linked above does not have the GS. I might consider the DS but I really want something brighter.


 
Just because it is not listed doesn't mean that they don't have some for sale. Give them a call or drop them a line. 
You'll never know if you don't try.


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## PCC (Jan 20, 2009)

Good point. I'll have to wait a month or two but I'll do that.


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## JohnR66 (Jan 20, 2009)

The 55cd 5mm LEDs on ebay I tried are pretty good. I got them from "Light of Victory" (someone tells me they are the same as Jeled (??)).

I doubt they are 55cd but they are brighter and whiter than the cheap ones I tried and they held up well in my 192 hour 30ma "fade" test where some of the cheap ebay LEDs faded some. Even the "superbrightleds.com" 18cd 5mm 15 Deg purple shifted and faded a bit in this test.

The most interesting 5mm LED I have used is the Radio Shack 276-0017. 2 LEDs for $2. Lovely color temp in the 4k Kelvin range. It is bright considering the wide 30 Deg beam that would make a nice floody flashlight. I don't know if they are Nichias, but a fair price if they are. I bought ten packs to get a discount.


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## Black Rose (Jan 20, 2009)

PCC said:


> Too bad that Nichia's store that I linked above does not have the GS. I might consider the DS but I really want something brighter.


When Buck91 did the DS/GS group buy last year, he got them from Nichia in the US. Not sure what route he took to get them though.


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## Cemoi (Jan 20, 2009)

Lynx_Arc said:


> not sure how much they want for shipping though.



Expensive to the US IMHO: 11.90EUR without tracking, 21.42EUR with Fedex.
This is outrageous, considering that 10 LEDs can be sent in a small envelope weighing less than 50 g.


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## Fallingwater (Jan 20, 2009)

JohnR66 said:


> (someone tells me they are the same as Jeled (??)).
> they are whiter


They ain't jeleds if they are whiter. Jeled 55cds are known for their angry blue beam with random yellow blotches. They're probably using some other die.
Hmm, I might wanna try some of these Light of Victory ones...


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## codypop (Jan 21, 2009)

mitch79 said:


> The best Nichia GS LED's that I have found are the ones available from Amilite. W rank, C0 tint. The brightest bin with the warmest tint available.
> 
> There shipping fees are a little confusing, just go with the $5 registered mail option - it is international. Took about 2 weeks to get to me in Australia.
> 
> Good luck


Wow, they are very fast with their turnaround. Paid on the 16th, received on the 21st! This to Brisbane, Australia.


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## JohnR66 (Jan 21, 2009)

Fallingwater said:


> They ain't jeleds if they are whiter. Jeled 55cds are known for their angry blue beam with random yellow blotches. They're probably using some other die.
> Hmm, I might wanna try some of these Light of Victory ones...


 
I received another packet of "Light of Victory" 55cd white yesterday and they perform the same as the ones I bough a few months ago, so I'd say you are correct. LOV LEDs are cool white (but no blue tint) and even tint across the beam.

I also got some 20ma "Piranha" Flux LEDs from them. OMG are these things bright. Ideal for wide angle, low current light source. Unfortunately, They are not binned in any way and you get form purplulish white to yellow white color tinits, so you'll have to self bin them before use.


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## Fallingwater (Jan 22, 2009)

Could you post a few links to those? Thanks.


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## JohnR66 (Jan 22, 2009)

Here is the ebay listing number to the Flux LEDs: 350085219102
Looks like 50 is the minimum order. $19 (free ship)
The other LEDs are in their ebay store.

I am currently running a 192 hour 30ma "fade" test on some to see how they hold up.


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## 2009Prius (May 14, 2010)

Any update on where to by the Nichia GS or other bright, narrow angle, low power 5mm white LEDs? Thanks!


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## JohnR66 (May 17, 2010)

I sold my 100 pc. bag of Nichia GS LEDs. I don't have many left so can only sell two at a time. They are the brightest bin (Rank W) and warmest of the cool white tint (bin c0). Contact member "milkyspit" if you are interested in qtys of 100 or more.

I sold them because I found better LEDs, The Cree C503C series. These are very bright, last long and don't have strong blue tint to the beam center as do the GS LEDs.

I have brightness bins 23-28cd, 28-32cd. Tints in the Wk-Wm range. 15 Deg beam. They are for free plus shipping ($2). PM me if interested.


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