Tint, Binning, and CRI Explained (For XM-L LEDs)

I truthfully do not know, I can tell you when I have taken the phosphor off the LED in the past (while dedoming) it becomes a deep blue.

Based on that chart, I would say it was around 8000k. (general estimate)

Edit:

As ryan pointed out, their blue XM-L is 450-465 nm so it would be a royal blue.

However, for what ever reason it seems that the blue LED in their colored XM-L is much less efficient than a white one. So now I am doubting myself. :( The white die produces 100 lumens at 350 mah and the blue one produces 13.9 lumens at 350 mah.

http://www.cree.com/led-components-and-modules/products/xlamp/arrays-directional/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampXML_Color.pdf

Off to go do some more research, now I am wondering whether the phosphor is needed to convert it to light in the visible spectrum.

nice run through scaru. Only niggle is that CW Cree LEDs are generally 65CRI, although the newer XM-L2 CW seem to be 70CRI. NW and warmer are 75CRI, one reason so many people like them over CW :slight_smile:

Added to the mod reference guide, this is brilliant, thanks scaru. 8)

Just changed it! Thanks. :)

This is what you’re looking for:
XM-L2 T6 5000k NW

Added a list of links to buy different XM-Ls based on tint.

Thanks for the link.

Mouser’s shipping is $20 for an $8 LED, so I think I’ll wait for FastTech to stock them. :slight_smile:

Thanks scaru for the effort. I understand simple.

Thanks scaru! I vote that this should be stickied…

Thank you scaru! Very well written. Nice reference and links!

Thank you

Thanks a lot for doing this Scaru, I like the way you put links to vendors of each of the tints available, I think this thread should be stickied

Thank you!

That’s what I don’t understand. If it is more blue and brighter the less phosphor, why are blue xml dimmer? I don’t think there is any way to “redome” an led after stripping the phosphor is there?

I doubt one could do it without losing even more light.

Just found an explanation on wikipedia.
"For example, the efficiency of a typical...yellow phosphor based white LED ranges from 3 to 5 times the efficiency of the original blue LED because of the greater luminous efficacy of yellow compared to blue light."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-emitting_diode#Phosphor-based_LEDs
Basically, human eyes are much more sensitive to white (or yellow) light which is the cause of all this.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminosity_function
The blue light produced is at 450 nm while the white light (after going through the phosphor) is around 575-600. So if you look at the graph, the human eye is very sensitive to white light, but not the blue light.
So now I understand it. :D

I do too, but its already in the one stop mod reference shop, so easy to find. :wink:

Excellent resource. Now if you could do one on the meaning of “XM-L” vs “XP-G” etc. It would be neat to know more behind the naming and designation of each.

What do you mean? The number of bond wires, size, efficiency, etc? Maybe if I get a chance I'll do that but this one was prompted by a few people PMing me in the past about tint, along with Nitro's question about where to get a neutral LED.

What surprises me is I was able to do 90% of this with out having to look anything up, I guess that's what happens when I spend so much time here.

I’m beginning to worry about how much I soak up on something I take an interest in, six months ago, I didn’t know what an xm-l was….know I’m growing bored of them…not bored as in not using them, just want to play with other things, I’m going backwards though, starting playing with xp-g’s etc. Bothering about modes and tint more than total output.

Sometimes a q5 in a suitable host with a good 1.4a driver is more usefull than an over driven xm-l lumen monster.

I’m a heretic, stone me :*

Ok, a comparison LED post is in the works.