Need help in identifying UV LEDs (Nichia? maybe not)

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

I recently purchased two UV LED lights from Manafont.

The first is advertised as a "Taiwan 3W 380nm UV" LED, the other as "TANK007 TK-566 HA-III 365nm". Tank007 site states a Nichia LED with the TK-566.

Here are photos of the actual emitters.

They look identical.

They emit rather different light: The 380nm has a very pronounced purple and is quite bright, but probably not a really 380nm, maybe closer to 400nm.

The 365nm one actually behaves like a true 365nm (shows marks on Euro bills, doesn't have almost any visible light).

Are they really Nichia LEDs?

Which model? ( http://www.nichia.co.jp/en/product/uvled.html )

If not Nichia, well, I'll have to return the TK-566 (although it works quite well, but that's not what I paid for) - what emitter is this?

Taiwan 3W 380nm UV

TANK007 TK-566 HA-III 365nm

(sorry about all the reflections, I couldn't take the flashlight apart)

I'll maybe post a review when I have the time.

2

I asked Tank007 which LED model this torch has.

They answered:

We sincerely apologize for not being able to answer your quesion, because the sales in our company are not allowed to know the exact UV model.

I hope this flashlight will work fine for you.

WAT.

I also sent an email to Nichia.

I hope they are allowed to know the LED model.

3

Pure speculation but i think lumiled is involved. Is it me or the leds (both) are being beyond what i would call "stock dirty"?!?

This is what a nichia (expensive one) would look like:

4

Yeah, I know, but I thought (hoped) this is an older Nichia model.

5

For true 365nm UV i believe you have to pay alot. OR get a bunch of cheapies rated for 365nm and try till you get one remotely close to that. Ebay sells them but who knows if they are true...

http://shop.ebay.com/?_kw=365nm%20led&_ds=1&_fcid=182&_localstpos=&_stpos=&gbr=1

6

Well, I paid ~30$ for this flashlight... I guess the TK-566 body doesn't cost that much, so I expected a pretty good LED.

It does seem to perform in the 360-370nm zone, as it reveals UV marks on bills that other flashlights I have don't, and it has almost nonexistent visible light. It is pretty weak, but this is expected for a 1xAA light. It says in Manafont that it can be used with 2xAA, but Tank007 told me it must not be used with 2xAA. Should I trust them? I guess this is a driver problem, not a LED one, and I also think it is because they also sell a "3W" 365nm TK-566 that is allowed to run off a 2xAA configuration. Maybe I'll just have to look at the driver, but I don't want to make any damage if I will return it on the grounds that it does not have a Nichia LED as advertised.

7

It may very well be a nichia but not the one youre looking for. Anyway it is easy to be confused with the UV leds. There are a ton around and looking very similar. Just telling apart the 3W vs 1W ones is hard enough...

8

So, this seals the deal - definitely not a Nichia.

I'll quote from the other thread, just in case their forum vaporizes again:

[Testor says:]

Some definitive follow up on this LED identification issue.

I spoke to a US Nicha LED representative. I showed him this thread with pictures (especially those in posts #14 and #17) and the rep confirmed that these LEDs are definitely NOT Nichia LEDs. The NCSU033B has a single emitter and a four emitter version is available as NC4U133. Nichia doesn't make these UV LEDs in a three emitter version.

The question of exactly which LEDs these actually are and their associated specs remains open.

Tank007 now no longer claim their LEDs are Nichias.

9

I have noticed on eBay that some of the TK-566 UV's have only "TK-566" on one side... Maybe they are the Nichia?

Other ones I have seen have "TK-566" & a hexagon with "CREE XR-E". I assume these are the new ones??