- The Fake-Cree LED Awareness Thread - The new "low" in Budget lights.

I'm 61 and have posted 100's, maybe 1000's of pics here, of course I've been programming computers for like 40+ years

I use "Advanced Post Editor", then click on the top most "Insert", choose Insert/Edit Image. Then in the Source field, you need to enter a URL directly to a picture. Here's one to use as an example:

https://oi1054.photobucket.com/albums/s496/TomE2012/Custom%20Mods/P1030101_zpsac2bbr10.jpg

In the inserted image, it will look like this:

I reduced the size from 1024x768 to 300x225 in the "Dimension" entry. The tricky part is to find a hosting service/server that you can get url links from. I use PhotoBucket in a paid for mode though. Lot of people here use imgur.com, but I find it somewhat hard to use.

Thank you!

What you think? Real or Fake Cree?

Could be an XTE, check here for the ultimate LED ref: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/23020

I am unsure what those are, they look like a cross between a XTE Cree and the odd-ball LEDs found in some Skyray King clones i seen, as most of the cheaper random-branded lights have been using the knock-off Latticebright ( and now other random unknown LEDs, its difficult to tell when it comes to buying unknown brand lights.

Ok. Your meaning Cree XTE? It does look like the picture in that thread. I’m about to buy 60 of these and I just want to make sure they are the real deal. So it can be a Cree and not say Cree?

So you think for sure not Cree? Thanks for your reply!

The genuine XTE: > https://www.cree.com/led-components/products/xlamp-leds-discrete/xlamp-xt-e-white

Tricky business! Hard to really know

I zoomed in on your pic and I don’t see the dot that’s in one corner of the XTE’s.

Thank you for your observation. I’m an amateur at identifying fakes. I’m about to drop a couple thousand dollars on lights and don’t want to be taken for a fool.

Any thoughts on the credibility of 1000bulbs.com ?

Very Helpfull thread,thanks!
have some old XM-L same package as original and bond wires
but die size a bit smaller than the authentic
will post photos soon

Anyone knows if this is a fake XM-L2 u3 or not? Got this from Aliexpress.

Thanks

It looks like the real thing to me but the bin could be anything. But you never know just how cleaver they can be.
This might help a little.

Thanks. The dot pattern looks right. However, there is a curious writing in the corner that I couldn’t find on the internet.

Looks fake to me. The substrate on that is white, but on a real XM-L2 it’s black. Even the fake emitters getting decent so as long it works fine I wouldn’t worry about it being genuine or not.

I was curious so I bought a XM-L T6 on a starboard from digikey (shouldn’t be fake right?). I installed it into the flashlight and guess what? The T6 was about 160 flux while the U3 from the light was about 200 flux from about 6 feet away. So I guess these are either real or very good fake.

Link is not working)

Is it possible that these LB’s are actually using CREE’s chip, but has worse implementation (i.e. lower quality substrate, lower grade gold wires, worse quality phosphors, etc.)?

I also have a gut feeling that LB may be cutting corner by using the blue LED chip meant for XP-Gs in the XML-like body and try to pass it off as XM-L. Of course, that results in lower overall efficiency.

its difficult to know. the LB LEDs are less efficient, have bad CRI, and very inconsistent with quality & tint.