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

…And thanks so much Scaru. I hope you don’t mind that I copied and pasted your post right into my Evernote flashlight file.

Ouchyfoot, I don't mind in the least and am happy to be able to contribute back to the forum in this way. :)

I noticed you don’t have any links for 4C tints, which is my favorite right now, although I have yet to try a 5C.

The bad thing is, I should get a p60 host, build many pills, then its half scientific. That’s not going to happen though, I just don’t like p60’s so common sense is out the window…

WOW! Great info Scaru!!! THANKS!!! That is the best I have ever seen the information laid out!!!

Dan.

Not quite. CW XML typical CRI is 65. Typical CRI for CW XPE, XPG, XRE, Rebel, and most other current gen 3.45mm square emitters is between 70 and 75. Typical CRI for NW and WW emitters depends a lot on the specific model of emitter. For NW, it ranges from 70 to 80 depending on the type of emitter (not including "high CRI" emitters), and for WW, it ranges from 75-85 (also not including "high CRI" emitters).

Nice thread along with your other comparison thread.

Question - XM-L led's include a high CRI bin. I dont see this or anything about it..Sure, its for sale somewhere. I think its an S2 bin although i may be wrong in regards to the bin

Yes, to find that type of LED you need the model number. This is listed in the datasheet. Then simply take the model number and google it. (In this case:
XMLAWT-00-0000-000US60E7)
Then you come up with the Mouser link.
http://ca.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Cree-Inc/XMLAWT-00-0000-000US60E7/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvmVP6pKcvh1c7ty4GjCwvt
I think I have responded to all of the questions/comments/errors in my post. If I missed any or you find any more just tell me.

Lots of info and nicely explained. I will probably have to come back to it later after I can wrap my head around all this a little bit better.

good point! I’ve spent most of my time poring over XM-L datasheets and I’m much less familiar with the other types :slight_smile:

Thank you scaru.

I am a newbie and have been reading this forum for a while trying to get myself educated. Your work on the XM-L LEDs has been most helpful for my to get a little better understanding of some of the technical aspects of these magic flashlights that I am so intrigued with.

I have purchased a few different lights and am now at the point where I want to build my first one. With this info I will be able to settle on at least one element of the new build.

Glad I could help! If you have any other questions just post! :)

I would not speak of the 5C1 or 5B3 as they were 1A or 1C, writing them like 5C and 5B. Starting with the number 5, CREE gets more "precise" with the tint that is offered. It's not like 1C which has a bigger quadrangle and it's not as precise as those.

CREE does not consider "2" tints to be Neutral White, they are still Cool White. Number "5" is considered Neutral White by CREE, not Warm White.

XM-L bins can go lower that T, like S6 is the lowest mentioned by CREE. Also I have not seen T1 anywhere mentioned by CREE so far. For example we have XP-G R5 then S2, XM-L S6 then T2, XM-L T6 then U2. Bot no S1, T1 and U1.

This may be true, but I see no reason the 5 bins have to be more precise than the 1A bins. If more people say I should change it then I will. :)

Good point, I will add that 2 is CW, however if you have ever seen a 5 it is quite warm... So do you guys think it should be based strictly off the spec sheet or reality?

Just checked on the sheet and you’re right. I’m changing that now. I don’t think the S bins need to be added because, well have you ever seen a S bin XM-L for sale? :stuck_out_tongue: The only place they are found is Mouser or Digikey, a place that also would have the same tint in a T bin.

1C is actually 1C0. And 5B cannot be 5B0. If you buy 1C it can be greener or yellower, even so it's generally lemon-ish. But just because 5B is simply warmer that does not mean the second number should be ignored. Even so, almost all 5B are the same, while not all 1C are the same.

Regrading S6

If you take a closer look at CREE datasheets you can actually see, there are also S2 S3 S4 S5 and S6. Actually CREE shows S4 S5 S6 as being the High CRI (85 & 90) of the new XM-L2. I do not see a point in ignoring this fact.

Ok, I will add that info later today.

Ok, I added S4, S5, and S6 to it.

"For XM-Ls the brightness bins range from S4 (which is the least efficient) to U3 which is the most efficient. The order is S4, S5, S6, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, U2, then U3. Most lights are a T6 bin unless otherwise specified."

There is not a S3 as that is not one of the bins available for XM-Ls if you consult the datasheet.

http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampXML.pdf

Yes, the S2 and S3 are only present for the new XM-L2 http://www.cree.com/~/media/Files/Cree/LED%20Components%20and%20Modules/XLamp/Data%20and%20Binning/XLampXMBL.pdf

You could mention that "5" is specified as being Neutral White in CREE datasheets.

Nichia for example says White and WarmWhite for the 219 series. For them some Neutral Whites (5000K) are simply Whites, and below that they are all Warm Whites.

Ok, I added this.

"Note: Going off the the Cree datasheets 5 is NW, but I find it to be much wamer than neutral."