I'm looking to make an RGB module but don't need the white component. Am I better off getting an XML Color and not connecting the white die, or getting individual XQE emitters in red, blue, and green?
The XQE's can be packaged tight enough that their footprint is almost identical to the XML color; thus allowing me to use an XML reflector.
The XQE's can be had collectively for about $4.65 in total where as the XML color will set me back $11 on it's own.
Both solutions would require a custom PCB but I have no problems there.
Looking at the data sheets, when driven at 350mA the XQE's also appear to be significantly brighter.
Spatial distribution seems to be identical between the two packages.
The XQE's have no thermal pad, meaning that I cannot properly heat sink the emitters to the host without shorting them. I can overcome this with a larger copper trace for their shared input supply, and a bit of extra copper. Not that they will be driven hard.
To me, the XQE emitters seem to be a far superior choice for my application. Anything I'm missing here?
If people don't mind if it's a 7135 based driver, it would be pretty simple though I'd need someone else to write the firmware. One does currently exist though.
Just for the record, the ever-awesome DJozz has done a test on the XM-L Color. And like the rest of the XM-L line, it can be driven quite a bit harder than 350mA. A lot harder, actually. 3 colors hit their peak output @ over 3A on a custom copper SinkPad (though there is a premade aluminum SP available for the XM-L Color towards the bottom of the page).
Given the lack of heatsinking on the XQ-E’s, I would say that for a flashlight modder, the XM-L color is the better option.
perhaps we could politely ask if drjones wouldn’t mind starting off an open source minimal xm-l rgbw 7135 driver
i too would love to see a community-backed multicolour firmware and would learn avr to contribute
This is true but the XQE's remain much more efficient, though they may not be driven as hard given the package. That being said I am driving mine no harder than than 700mA, so for my particular application I think the XQE's will do just fine :)
Or ttevere as he has been providing me with advice for a PIC based RGBW driver (separate from this project). If I come up with something I'll be sure to share it :)
I also believe DJozz and others have found that direct heat path aluminum stars are just as good as copper stars at sub 4A on heat dissipation…copper really excels when things get REALLY hot
I would recommend you use the XQE because you can layout the RGB better than XML if your not using the white, It will be problematic with TIR or Reflector so you will have issues with using only 3 colours. You also have colour flexibility. The XML is Royal Blue corner, so you could use a cool blue instead and uptick as higher flux in XQE become avaiilable. Cre have just released Phosphor corrected amber in XQE which is a good jump over Amber as an example
