# Want to Learn about LEDs



## Flashlight Aficionado (May 30, 2008)

Can someone direct me to a source to learn the basics of LEDs. Especially the types of LEDs and their differences.

Thank you.


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## TigerhawkT3 (May 30, 2008)

http://tigerhawkt3.com/welcomemat


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## Flashlight Aficionado (May 30, 2008)

TigerhawkT3 - Thanks! :wave: That was a good education. I always wondered what vf meant.

What I am trying to learn is how to look at an LEDs specifications and know what it is good for and what it won't do well.


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## Calina (May 31, 2008)

Maybe you could read this sticky thread : https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/156772


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## Flashlight Aficionado (May 31, 2008)

Calina - Interesting post. Too bad I can't read those charts.  So, where can I learn to read them?


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## tsask (May 31, 2008)

Watch out you're living on the edge! you may find stories about others here whose lives have been forvever changed by LED lights!


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## Flashlight Aficionado (Jun 1, 2008)

tsask -




Bring it on!!


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## Freyth (Jun 2, 2008)

Flashlight Aficionado said:


> TigerhawkT3 - Thanks! :wave: That was a good education. I always wondered what vf meant.
> 
> What I am trying to learn is how to look at an LEDs specifications and know what it is good for and what it won't do well.




Same here. I've always wanted to learn but never got to it probably because I don't even know where to start. :shakehead

Perhaps a more knowledgeable person can direct us?


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## Flashlight Aficionado (Jun 3, 2008)

With all the modders and flashlight fanatics that reside here, isn't there somebody who will either pass on their knowledge or at least give point me in the right direction?


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## Gunner12 (Jun 3, 2008)

Wikipedia and Howstuffworks?

They have good simple explanations.

Do you have/though about buying a high power LED light?

I don't know much about the technical stuff.


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## Calina (Jun 3, 2008)

Flashlight Aficionado said:


> Calina - Interesting post. Too bad I can't read those charts.  So, where can I learn to read them?


 
This thread might help you to interpret the charts : 
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/192894


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## Flashlight Aficionado (Jun 3, 2008)

Gunner12 - Good links, thanks. It game me a good background, but doesn't help in differentiating different LEDs. I will have to read them again. I need time for the information to sink in.

Calina - Now I _think_ I can read the bin charts. You want to pick a bin that straddles the line between the pink and green/blue areas. The middle part seems to be best color wise. What is "Cy" and "Cx" stand for? Besides the obvious xy axis. Also what are the ####k numbers and how do they affect the LED bin? There is also a line labeled "BBL" Any idea what that refers to?


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## Flashlight Aficionado (Jul 6, 2008)

*Got some more questions.*

What do you mean when you say "warm" in reference to LED color? What are the different preferences? I assume some wants "hot" or "cold" Sorry, never saw the opposite word, so I took a few guesses.

Sort of OT (but it is my thread) What is the brightest SINGLE CHIP white LED out right now? Yes, I did a search. The closest I got was the MC-E which although bright is multi-chip.


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## spencer (Jul 6, 2008)

Cree XR-E R2 bin


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## Flashlight Aficionado (Jul 7, 2008)

What do you mean when you say "warm" in reference to LED color? What are the different preferences? I assume someone wants "hot" or "cold" Sorry, never saw the opposite word, so I took a few guesses.


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## Marduke (Jul 7, 2008)

"cool" is on the blue to ice-white color, where warm is more yellowish/orange, closer to sunlight/incandescent color. The charts linked above show the colors.


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## Flashlight Aficionado (Jul 7, 2008)

What are the pros and cons of warm and cool LEDs?

Any reason to choose one over the other or is it just preference?


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## Marduke (Jul 7, 2008)

Flashlight Aficionado said:


> What are the pros and cons of warm and cool LEDs?
> 
> Any reason to choose one over the other or is it just preference?



Cool is generally more efficient, cheaper, has poorer color rendition, and to some appears to be a "pure white" light which looks brighter (personal preference). 

Warm is generally less efficient, more expensive, has better color rendition, and depending on the person, can appear (to the eye) either less bright or more bright than an equivalent brightness (measured) cool white LED depending on personal preference.

There are more pros and cons which I'm sure others will expand on.


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## Flashlight Aficionado (Jul 7, 2008)

So, warm LEDs are closer to incandescents in light output. So a fan of incan (rhyme unintended) would choose a warm LED.

I'll have to play around with my sickly yellow(warm) LED and compare it to my incan and my bright cool LED.


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## Marduke (Jul 7, 2008)

Flashlight Aficionado said:


> So, warm LEDs are closer to incandescents in light output. So a fan of incan (rhyme unintended) would choose a warm LED.
> 
> I'll have to play around with my sickly yellow(warm) LED and compare it to my incan and my bright cool LED.



Pretty much. Personally, I don't like the ugly yellow of most incan beams, and usually choose a ice-white LED or just slightly warm white LED. In Cree-speak, those two bins are approximately WC and WH (for me at least)


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