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Cheap low power high bright LED outdoor

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SimonTHK

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Hello
I am building an interactive game for outdoor use. This game needs to have some buttons to push and some light´s to light :)
I need some light that you can actually see outdoor. I imagine the light may be placed behind plexiglass (which has been milled matt, maybe in a colour so that it is the plexiglass which changes colour) and has to be some quite powerfull lightsource to make you notice in outdoor use.
Ofcourse I dont need the game to be placed directly facing the sun, but atleast not facing the sun and still outdoor.

What kinda light am I looking for? Since there are no other criterias than strength of light I hope the price may be payable.

Thanks in advance
 
A cheap fairly bright LED has a case that focusses the light into a very narrow angle. It shines a dot of light.
If you diffuse the light then it will be very dim.
Name-brand LEDs cost more but are bright with a wide angle.
 
How big is the light? If only 3mm or so then a daylight-visible LED will do. If 10cm, then it's a different ball game.
 
You should be able to register a light turning on from 1,5 meters. There is 10 lights, and you have to register the light turned on quite fast.
I think the "dot" that lights up (could be the plexiglass) should be atleast 2 cm wide. So if an LED is placed abit behind, it might light the 2 cm up with a very narrow angle LED. Ofcourse the correct length behind can be calculated when you know the angle.
So I am looking for a very bright narrow angled LED.
 
With a bunch of lights each illuminating a patch 2cm or so diam you may well need a power source able to supply an amp or two. What power source are you planning to use?
 
It is your choice to use hundreds of cheap narrow angle LEDs that might last only a couple of weeks powered with an expensive high current power supply, or using a few name-brand wide angle LEDs that last almost forever and are powered by an inexpensive power supply.
I have NEVER designed a circuit that was cheap (cheep, cluck cluck).
 
Hi audioguru
I imagine that you mean an LED lamp you can buy in a normal hardware store?
I found this one: http://www.prolys.dk/g4-led-stift-p-re-360-klar-varm-hvid-3000k-190lm-ra80.html
It seems to be quite cheap compared to a complete lamp and absolut the cheapest choice by far. It uses 4 amps, so I need to change my transistors :D
Also right now my game and program can make 20 of these lights blink at the same time. That is 20x3watt=60watt 60w/12v=5amps, so I will also need a new powersupply :) I guess a simple computer PSU can be used to power this? They are quite cheap and allready comes in a cage.
 
Hi audioguru
I imagine that you mean an LED lamp you can buy in a normal hardware store?
I found this one: http://www.prolys.dk/g4-led-stift-p-re-360-klar-varm-hvid-3000k-190lm-ra80.html
It seems to be quite cheap compared to a complete lamp and absolut the cheapest choice by far. It uses 4 amps, so I need to change my transistors :D
It looks like it has 15 LED chips connected series-parallel. Its absolute maximum power is 3W so for it to be cool ewnough with a huge heatsink you should use 2W. Then its current is 2W/12V= 167mA. How will you limit its current to 167mA? Do you have enough space for a huge heatsink that is not enclosed?

Your current-limiting circuit will need an additional few volts so maybe a 15V-16V power supply is needed.

The information is in a foreign language so I can't read it.
 
Hi,

the foreign language is Danish.

Did you notice the symbols underneath the headline?

One of them shows a house and an arrow pointing into it. That means the LED is for indoor use only!

The colour is warm white at 3,000K and there are 15 SMD-LEDs mounted on a 44mm diameter circular PCB.

The price of 39,00 (39.00) DKK (DKK=Denmark Kroner) looks pretty good, but that's absolutely not the choice you should make for your outdoor game.

I suggest to look into http://www.kingbright.com/ to get information about the production line there.

Mouser and Digikey should have most items of the kingbright program in their assortment.

Boncuk
 
In Canada, compact fluorescent light bulbs rate 2700k as warm white (ugly yellow/pink) and 3000k as bright white that I like.
I couldn't find 3000k anymore so I bought 3500k which is also bright white. 5000k is bright blue.
 
In Canada, compact fluorescent light bulbs rate 2700k as warm white (ugly yellow/pink) and 3000k as bright white that I like.
I couldn't find 3000k anymore so I bought 3500k which is also bright white. 5000k is bright blue.

5.000K is also called daylight white - and it's a mystery for me.

Daylight looks much different.

Even tanned persons look pale under a 5,000K light. :(
 
5000k is supposed to be an extremely bright white that includes all colors. But 5000k light bulbs are blue, not white.
Maybe they make a fake 5000k by blocking the sun on a sunny day. Then the blue sky is the light.
 
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