how to buy LED to get the right bin without being fooled

WarHawk-AVG · April 30, 2014, 7:07am

H.G.Sun:

baterija:

Warhawk’s first point is the most important. They are the same LED made in the same production process and then tested to determine bin. Barring Cree (or other manufacturers) marking the package after labeling there’s no way to tell directly just by inspecting it short of hooking it up in a controlled environment and measuring the output. There’s no telling what you are getting from a budget dealer.

That said you U2 binned XM-L2 might actually have been a U2. The difference from the midpoints of the bins is already well inside the ability for the eye to differentiate. The individual difference could be even less between samples. A U2 barely across the line into the bin could be only a fraction of a percent brighter than a T6 just under the line separating the bins. There’s also the issue of differing Vf which Cree doesn’t bin for. If your driver supplied current is sensitive to the Vf of the LED being driven swapping LEDs potentially makes big difference in drive current. The output difference from the Vf change is potentially bigger than the output bin difference. You could realistically have a U2 dimmer than a T6 with a lower Vf once you “upgrade” a light.

I generally go with the rule that one flux bin difference isn’t worth an upgrade unless there’s some other reason.

that’s very through, you guys’re so cool.
Are you saying, cree make a bunch of LED first, then test them to categorize into bins? “They are the same LED made in the same production process and then tested to determine bin. ”

for the most part

Kinda how they make processors…they make a ton of em on a die…test em…those that don’t pass this test fall into a different rating, and so on and so forth till they completely fail…each step down they get cheaper, scrupulous sellers will buy them then say they are something better to sell em…if they don’t have good customer service…the person buying the stuff they sold are stuck with em

Here is some great info on the emitters and whatnot

This too
http://flashlightwiki.com/Cree

And this
This as well