Howdy, I’m trying to DIY a NEXTORCH ND30B as a fun project. It boasts 18 LEDs at 11000 lumens and cost a whopping 400$. I’m experienced with CAD design but have limited knowledge on circuits and practically zero knowledge about LEDs. I felt that this is the best community to ask for feedback on which LEDs would fit my application. Once i narrow down the LEDs, designing the circuit and model tends to flow a lot easier.
In my quest for knowledge to create this optical onslaught…please correct me if i’m wrong but this is what i think matters most: Highest CCT (5500k+), Highest Lumens/Watt, Cost, Low CRI. I want to disorient.
I am planning on 9 - 18 LEDs with a minimum 11000 lumens. In terms of power, super capacitor should meet what I can fit in a base ball size object. There is no regard for safety. Size wise, any <10mm will fit, however after some thought probably stay in the 3-7mm range.
I’m reading the quick guide and koef3’s LED tests and think my answer lies with CREE or San’an LEDs. Both have high power, one is efficient, the other is cheaper. San’an sounds like the hardcore powerhouse i’m shopping for.
-Any recommendations for budget (11000), mid (11000++), and optical onslaught war crime level (11000+++)?
-Maybe recommendations in the 3mm,5mm,7mm option? I don’t know what i’m asking
-Are domed LEDs preferred for blindness?
-HD or HI for CREE?
-Do you think high throw or low throw is best for this type of device?
-Where do ya’ll buy these LEDs?
Thank you again for any consideration. I hope to give updates over time as the project developes.
I would go with the highest 6500-8000K LED’s to add that glare factor from the extreme blue tint. Super capacitor is not going to hold enough power. Extreme current low capacity 21700’s for the needed brightness. HD or HI is going to need testing. Add an obnoxious whirly sounding speaker to get the people to look at the item. Bright flashing they may look away. Add noise and some on a primal untrained level may look to see what’s making the noise. Paint it bright so people can see it as it’s deployed, also makes finding it after action use.
Thank you for the response. I should have added that the idea behind super capacitors is that it only needs to strobe for 5-10 seconds, where the device shuts off automatically once the capacitor is drained. I had no idea they have LEDs THAT bright, holy hell, I’ll dig around some more.
You’re going to be looking at massive current levels to do it. I’ve been playing around with a flash light which has an SFH55 LED - it’s drawing 25 Amps (after some mods) and that’s around 7000 Lumens. (Going by the figures other people have posted who have tested that LED.)
so almost any emitter suits.
Six SFT-70 or XHP70.3 or LHP531 will be enough while sustaining high efficiency at the same time. I’m thinking of the Convoy’s 3x21B 6V driver.
what on earth…oh my those looks wild. If i can barely get an LED flash circuit working i can’t imagine going near flashtubes. Hopefully the idea sparks the smarter people hah.
Thank you all for the suggestions. From what i’m seeing, at 9 LEDs nearly any emitter will meet the 11000 lumens goal. Which is good news. I didn’t consider getting straight drivers but that seems like the easiest solution vice building a circuit from scratch. Convoy.com is where i’ll shop.
Will definitely follow-up, I found several “LED” flash bang toys for inspiration and someone who crammed 100W leds. https://www.instructables.com/Remote-Controlable-LED-Grenade-6x100-150W/ It’s also not the first “LED Grenade” either, several DIY approaches but none really complete the project.
I settled on CREE XHP LEDs since they are efficient (need it for small package) and lots of data around them. I’ll focus on XHP 50’s since those can easily hit 2000 lumens each.
Small update: I got a hold of a DC power supply. I’m about to buy LEDs. Unforatunely, no clue what works best for my application (high power, strobe, potentially capacitor powered for small duration). Should i get the 3v or12v XHP50s?
I would use the LHP531 because they are much cheaper and have a very nice cold white tint.
Probably the nicest cold white I have ever seen, that’s why I have 9 here, 14 are on the way to me and another 14 will be bought today.
They claim to get up to 222Lm/w which needs to be verified from a third party.
Excellent suggestion. I"ll add that to the list. I purchased cheap generic chinese ones from aliexpress to build the circuit and plan to buy the XHP50’s and LHP531s to test out.
Regarding ultimate goal: realistic a strobe LED to disorient people, brighter than the 400$ product, and have it be easily DIY (3d print). Legally, there is no law, it’s literally a flashlight shaped like a ball.
Domed or dished (or even rippled) 3m reflective material as a reflector base, like the stuff you find on safety vests and stop signs, then the LED and a faceted lens/diffuser. This should scatter the hell out of the light, while ensuring that most of the light is glaring and scattered outwards. Also, might want to somehow make the light randomize the strobe per LED, so no spot is illuminated at any normal interval. Like at a rave where different areas of the room are lit up at random intervals.
I think you’d need 4-6 LED for full room coverage, and maybe some photoeyes so the obstructed faces don’t light up, in case you might ignite something you don’t want to ignite…
So, essential a soccer (foot)ball, but where the upper set of LED are rotated along the hemisphere about 60 degrees from the bottom hemisphere set. You’d probably want to use those hexagonal skeletonized dog toys as a design base for bumpers as impact reduction. Considering the use case, a single high drain 14500 might suffice.
Might also want to calibrate a gyrosensor into it, like those light up spikey rubber ball dog toys, where impact causes the activation, to a pre set timer set by holding a button for a timer(cooking) before thrown…1 missipi 2 missipi for 2 second timer, or upon impact, so it can be rolled into a room rather than thrown.
The first flash could be max brightness on all LED, followed by the alternating randomized flashes.
You’ll need a pretty custom driver to get the LEDs to flash brightly, probably giving them a pulse of about 4V per emitter for about 500ms to get anywhere near any noticable effect.
Problem is most stun grenades rely on concussion and a small amount of flash to disorient, so with LEDs you may have to consider multiple pulses in a fast strobing pattern.
I have on of those in a broken USSR made photo flash, and it’s a pretty high power one. Now when you’ve reminded me of such a thing I will probably fix it just to check its brightness.
