HLD lamp?
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illumiGeek
Registered
Luxeons can be focused if used with a reflector. The lights from Mal Light appear to be using optics, and probably can't be focused (don't have one, though, so not 100% sure).
HID will be brighter, but LED modules are more durable. They are, for all practical purposes, shock proof (Luxeons are tested to something like 1500Gs) and have very long run life.
Note that the Luxeons have nowhere near the 50,000 to 100,000 hour claims by the various manufactuters of the lights using them. I don't know where they get these completley bogus and grossly exagerated numbers from. If the Lux is kept very cool (cold) you might get half of that. But under typical flashlight use, a high power Lux 5W emitter will usually give between 1000 and 5000 hours run time to 50% brightness (depending on temperature), and the 3W maybe twice that. Although nowhere near the exagerated claims, it's still impressive compared to Halogen or even HID life.
HID will be brighter, but LED modules are more durable. They are, for all practical purposes, shock proof (Luxeons are tested to something like 1500Gs) and have very long run life.
Note that the Luxeons have nowhere near the 50,000 to 100,000 hour claims by the various manufactuters of the lights using them. I don't know where they get these completley bogus and grossly exagerated numbers from. If the Lux is kept very cool (cold) you might get half of that. But under typical flashlight use, a high power Lux 5W emitter will usually give between 1000 and 5000 hours run time to 50% brightness (depending on temperature), and the 3W maybe twice that. Although nowhere near the exagerated claims, it's still impressive compared to Halogen or even HID life.
illumiGeek
Registered
Also, power requirements for LEDs are simpler than for HID. An LED light can be direct driven off of batteries (or batteries and a simple resistor). But even the regulation circuits are much simpler than the HID Ballast, and therefore should be more reliable.
LEDs themselves are also more forgiving of power variations. For instance, driving a 10W Solarc HID lamp at 11W will reduce its life by 50% (and more will damage the lamp). An LED will handle a 10% overdrive with little, if any, detrimental affect. If properly heat sinked Luxeon LED emitters can be significantly over driven (100% or more) and still deliver a reasonably long life (several hundred hours). Under-driving a Solarc 10W at less than 8W will also damage the lamp, while an LED will simply have lower output.
Aloha, iG
LEDs themselves are also more forgiving of power variations. For instance, driving a 10W Solarc HID lamp at 11W will reduce its life by 50% (and more will damage the lamp). An LED will handle a 10% overdrive with little, if any, detrimental affect. If properly heat sinked Luxeon LED emitters can be significantly over driven (100% or more) and still deliver a reasonably long life (several hundred hours). Under-driving a Solarc 10W at less than 8W will also damage the lamp, while an LED will simply have lower output.
Aloha, iG
ams511
Contributor
Thanks for the info Illumi. However from what you describe these LED lights do appear to have some benefits over the HID's and also appear to be less expensive to manufacture. However it seems that these cost savings do not get passed on to the consumer. Perhaps you should go into business and make your own.
illumiGeek
Registered
I do make my own. For personal use. Flashlights are sort of a "hobby" of mine.
Small quantity pricing on the 5W Luxeon emitter is about half what WA charges for the 10W Solarc. And pre-made current regulation circuits also run about half the price of the WA Ballast. So, yes, it should be cheaper to make an LED light. Done a few 1W dive light mods myself. Would like to do a 5W mod, but good "X" binned 5 watters are hard to come by now, and the heat issue is real problem. Got some real nice "T" binned 3 watters in the house now. Will probably be doing something with them soon.
Aloha, iG
PS: "X" bin is the brightest of the Luxeon 5W (and pretty much the brightest LED in the world). Similarly, "T" bin is the brightest bin for the 3W (most are S bin).
Small quantity pricing on the 5W Luxeon emitter is about half what WA charges for the 10W Solarc. And pre-made current regulation circuits also run about half the price of the WA Ballast. So, yes, it should be cheaper to make an LED light. Done a few 1W dive light mods myself. Would like to do a 5W mod, but good "X" binned 5 watters are hard to come by now, and the heat issue is real problem. Got some real nice "T" binned 3 watters in the house now. Will probably be doing something with them soon.
Aloha, iG
PS: "X" bin is the brightest of the Luxeon 5W (and pretty much the brightest LED in the world). Similarly, "T" bin is the brightest bin for the 3W (most are S bin).
canuckdiver
Contributor
Illumigeek, where are you buying your led modules from? I'd be interested in playing with a couple of them if I could get my hands on them.
quimby
Contributor
do a search on luxeon with google etc. or try luxeon on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=36332&item=3812926879&rd=1
or better yet
http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...lt&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&ht=1&query=luxeon
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=36332&item=3812926879&rd=1
or better yet
http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...lt&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&ht=1&query=luxeon
joedelt
Contributor
anyone who's been diving these for a while? any long term thoughts
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