How to make an LED brighter ?

[Daveeboy]

Hi,

I have read lots of thread but I am still confused.

I have basic PCB with 3 x AG10 button cells and 3 x RED LED's.

I need the LED's to be brighter

If I changed the batteries from 3 x AG10 to 6 x CR1216 would this make the LED's brighter or cause other problems ?

Or would it be easier to change my LED's from 1.9v - 2.2v 4,000 wavelengths to 1.8v - 1.9v 6,000 wavelengths ?

Is it the case the higher the wavelength number the brighter the light ?

Doe's anyone know the correct solution ?

Thanks
Clare.

 

[SABorn]

The MCD rating of the led is relevant to the brightness so a MCD of 200 will be dull comparied to a MCD of 20,000 which will burn your eyeballs if you look into it for long.

All leds have a voltage range and a current range that MUST be worked within, the only way to make a led brighter is to use a brighter led.

Often the dull leds have a wider angle lense and can be seen from greater angles and high brightness leds on average have a 10 to 15 degree lense so the light beam is narrower and more concentrated.

Pete.

 

[crutschow]

If you are correcting the LEDs directly to the button cells, then you are depending upon the resistance of the cells to limit the current through the LEDs which is poor practice. You need to use a higher voltage and a resistor in series with the LEDs to control the current. The current should be limited to the maximum rating of the LEDs. For example, if the LED rating was 20mA, then the required resistor value would be R = (Vbat - Vled)/20ma. If the three LEDs are in series then Vled is 3 times the voltage of one.

The wavelength number is the frequency (color) of the LED. It's tells you nothing about brightness.

High brightness type LEDs will give you the most light for a given current.

 

[upand_at_them]

The brightness of a particular LED is a function of the current running through it. So running it at the max spec current is the best you can do. Of course, if you run it higher than that it will be brighter...right before it burns out.

 

[audioguru]

AG10 button cells are tiny and die quickly. Then they must be replaced very often for the brightness to be high. Maybe your cells are already dead. Use a larger battery with a higher voltage and a resistor to control the current and brightness.

 

[Daveeboy]

Hi Guys, Thank you for all your help and advice, it is very much appreciated.