I really like the addition of wattage column! Not every LED has same Vf to begin with. Wattage is a better parameter to define an LED performance. Great job Tex.
- Clemence
True, but I always like using overkill cooling solutions so it’s not like my flashlights will perform like regular flashlights 
Liquid cooling would still be able to keep temps lower than 85C when the LED is producing nearly 100W of heat or more.
You can get a lot lower with phase change though, sub-0 cooling for an LED 
Nice tests!
Yeah please make a (pic heavy 
) topic on that tube!
What he said! :+1:
Thanks, I will see about making a thread for the sphere in the coming weeks.
Yeah, I liked this setup, it was how I had it setup in Excel and figured a screen shot of the whole thing could work well.
I am thinking about adding some more numbers that will extrapolate the readings out for higher/lower bins based on the data sheet specs of 7% per bin. Anyone seen an example where this doesn’t hold true in the real world?
Look at the bright side, we now have a nice test to show what they can do!
Thanks, I am very impressed with the output, hope to build a light with the other one to see how the beam looks later.
Yeah, if people keep asking I will just have to get off my butt and do it. I didn’t think there would be a lot of interest with so many threads already floating around on how to make a sphere.
Hmm, have you clicked the impages to view them full size? You might have to click them again after they come up full screen to zoom in all the way depending on your screen size. On my screen anyways the numbers are readable if zoomed into full size.
I can try to make them a bit larger if needed though.
Indeed they are! Now to find some 90+ CRI versions or even some higher bin versions, ~2500 lumens should be possible with a W2 bin.
Thanks, I figured it would not hurt to toss those in since they are just a matter of simple math.
Liquid cooling in the classic computer sense is mostly about space savings then actual cooling ability. I for example have always used air cooled setups in my overclocked computers and while it can be very hard to fit the heat sinks the final temps are only slightly higher then those using water cooling with the same setups.
Same with a turbo cars intercooler. after the system is heat soaks all the matters is how fast it can transfer heat to the ambient air. This is determined but surface area and ambient temperature more then anything else. In most cases the air cooler actually has the advantage in surface area (unless using a massive waterblock) and this makes up for some of being inside the computer where the ambient temps are higher.
lol, well if people really want to see it then I guess the people must be appeased. I will see if I can find the time in the next few weeks.
All good points.
1: Yes, this was my biggest issue with the “normal” PVC setup, where you put the light would change the reading drastically and that was unacceptable for me. Thats why I set out to improve it and it is now truly integrating as good as the josh sphere anyways. It doesn’t matter where I point the light inside the sphere the readings only change by ~3-4% tops.
Although I have centering rings 3D printed that ensure the light is always in the same place and this means that the readings are even more stable in real world use, the depth that the light is inserted into the sphere plays a FAR larger role then where it is pointed. That can effect the readings by 10% or more easily.
2: This is an almost non-issue for me as I have 3D printed up a wide selection of “centering rings” based on the design that josh uses. These do several things at once. First they are perfectly sized to the head of the flashlight I am testing, allowing no light to escape. Second since they are covered in reflective foil that all act like a large reflector so the reflector in the light itself has minimal effects.
The light also bounces around a lot before reaching the meter so it helps balance out small variations. Now lights that have a thick black bezel do effect things a bit but there is nothing that can be done there.
smart to cover the inserts with reflective foil, it was one of my objections to Josh’s sphere that he used inserts that alter the reflectivity of the sphere, in your case I agree that it will create a fairly constant large reflector for any (edit: reflector- )flashlight.
Looking forward to your thread!
A 280mm radiator AIO performs better than any cpu heatsink that exists though…
The point of the water is to move the heat away faster than copper and heatpipes do, not to soak up heat.
The coolant reaches a constant temp within minutes, there is very little and it does not absorb much energy, usually stays below 40C.
I think josh changed his design to include the reflective tape based on you if I had to guess. My sphere showed up with the reflective tape when I got it and it is where I got the idea to use it on the PVC version.
The change combined with the rings made a massive difference in consistency. The other big change was the internal baffle. Although that is a bit hard to explain here although it is quite simple really and works amazing.
Thanks for the tests! Looks very promising…
About the improving the chart, I do have a few small suggestions:
-Place lumen on the primary axis and Vf on the secondary for easier reading
-Reduce Vf axis range to 0-5V, and remove the unused decimals for current and vf
-Bigger font, adding axis titles optional
After this you’ll have a very nice chart that you can use for future tests, and adding more lines just requires a few clicks.
1: I swapped the axis’s because most people are more interested in the high end range of the lumen curve vs the low end. This makes the high end easier to read I figured. The right side axis is what all the guidelines are based off of. If people would prefer the lumen axis on the left side that is easy to swap.
2: I increased the Vf range so as to move the VF line away from the lumen line. It was confusing when they were overlayed in the same range although that was before I added the colors. I could knock the VF down some to put it more in the center of the chart if people think that would be easier to read.
3: Which font are you referring to? I should add axis titles, I forgot to do that.
For that reason I let the Vf axis not start at zero but a bit under the minimum measured voltage.
Yeah, same result.
Excellent work TA! I love this torture testing stuff. Posting work like this provides excellent points of reference for modders :+1:
Put me on the list of those wanting to know more about your setup with lots of pictures!
Wow, excellent work on this! I'd love to see the details on the PVC sphere as well, plus a XM-L2 U4 and XPL V6 and W2 if possible. The U4 will pop early compared to XPL's but output is still pretty good.
Cutter has the W2's listed here: https://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut2752, but the description says V4 3D, so who knows. If they were W2's, you would still have to de-solder and reflow them onto a single LED board. The website is always a problem with Cutter, plus their usual lack of responding. I would ask them but I've had too many problems with them in the past.
Thanks!
Sadly I do not have the funds to buy anything at the moment so it will be awhile till I am able to do anymore tests then what I already have lined up. All the other emitters I have on hand would not be all that interesting as Djozz has already tested most of them.
Now if someone has some spares laying around let me know, I got the time right now due to time off for Christmas, just no funds.
What are peoples opinions on the axis’s in the chart? Should I swap them so that the lumens is on the left and voltage on the right or leave it as it is?
My vote is lumens on the left. Actually had to stare at it for a while to find it.
You know I could send you two of the Ali W2's. I got a few. Would be great to test them against a V6 though - could send you one V6 as well. Actually though if you have identical bin/tints as Djozz tested, it would be a good comparison of the test configuration.
lets pm on it.
Orsm work TA. Threads like this are invaluable and looking forward to more of your testing for comparisons. 
About the measuring device. Yes please new thread.
PM Sent.
Thanks, yeah, I think people want to see it bad enough that I will need to make a thread for the sphere.