High Intensity IR LEDs for IR Illuminator

**decodeddiesel** · 09-04-09, 20:10

Figured I would post this to see if anyone can help.

I am working on a project for my work involving "On Demand" IR flood lighting.

I am looking for high output IR LEDs somewhere in the 850nm range with greater than 1 watt of power output.

I have not ruled out incandesant with an IR filter, but battery life is a concern. Crappy IR LEDs from Deal Extreme and the like won't cut it. If you can help I would really appreciate it!

**FromMyColdDeadHand** · 09-04-09, 20:23

Hopefully you are just getting tired of those Denver photoradar cameras.

**Chooie** · 09-04-09, 21:15

Mouser has a 3.5w Osram IR led listed, but it's a) out of stock and b) almost $90.

http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronic...8v6e?P=1z0wtzf

There are also several lower powered LEDs that you may want to look at, with a much better price:performance ratio.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...pmZ%2fpSGK4a63

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...NerWMQ%252beOe

**decodeddiesel** · 09-04-09, 22:41

Originally Posted by Chooie

Mouser has a 3.5w Osram IR led listed, but it's a) out of stock and b) almost $90.

http://www.mouser.com/Optoelectronic...8v6e?P=1z0wtzf

There are also several lower powered LEDs that you may want to look at, with a much better price

erformance ratio.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...pmZ%2fpSGK4a63

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...NerWMQ%252beOe

I should have looked at Mouser, but I didn't. Thanks for the help!

I have a few of the Osram "Golden Dragon" LEDs on the way. It is just the emitter without the star heat sink and lens. They were $8 a pop. The spec sheet looks favorable, but unfortunately they aren't making any more of them and that is not a good thing for this project.

ETA: Those last two you have listed look very promising. Thanks!

**Chooie** · 09-04-09, 23:47

Originally Posted by decodeddiesel

I should have looked at Mouser, but I didn't. Thanks for the help!

I have a few of the Osram "Golden Dragon" LEDs on the way. It is just the emitter without the star heat sink and lens. They were $8 a pop. The spec sheet looks favorable, but unfortunately they aren't making any more of them and that is not a good thing for this project.

ETA: Those last two you have listed look very promising. Thanks!

I actually own four flashlights using the Osram Golden Dragon Plus LED - two Nitecore D10s, a Ra Twisty (which utilizes an older Golden Dragon with a red secondary emitter as a low level), and a Ra Clicky Tactical (140 lumens in a nice beam profile similar to a Surefire KX2C head). They're nice, but have quite a bit of tint variation between samples. What are you using the GDs for?

**decodeddiesel** · 09-05-09, 00:21

Originally Posted by Chooie

What are you using the GDs for?

We're trying to create small, battery powered IR flood lights for a project. Sorry I really can't get into it more than that.

We're also looking at "driving" the LEDs with 10 micro-second pulses at 7-10 amps. That will be tricky using the CR123 batteries as power sources, but the EEs here assure me it is a possibility. That should drive up our power output significantly.

We're going to look into some lensing as well, we've got a few optics people here who are chomping at the bit to work on this.

I am "herding the cats" on this one.

**Chooie** · 09-05-09, 22:57

Originally Posted by decodeddiesel

We're trying to create small, battery powered IR flood lights for a project. Sorry I really can't get into it more than that.

We're also looking at "driving" the LEDs with 10 micro-second pulses at 7-10 amps. That will be tricky using the CR123 batteries as power sources, but the EEs here assure me it is a possibility. That should drive up our power output significantly.

We're going to look into some lensing as well, we've got a few optics people here who are chomping at the bit to work on this.

I am "herding the cats" on this one.

No worries, I'm not really interested in the specifics, just how the LEDs are going to be abused.

I'd be less concerned at how hard you have to drive the LEDs and more concerned with achieving the desired results. Who cares exactly how you have to get there, so long as you do - and nothing melts or blows up along the way! So... you should know that since the Osram GDs have smaller dies than the CREE or Seoul LEDs, they will throw a generally tighter beam given the same reflector. When you say flood, do you mean a pure, 180 degree flood, or a "wall of light" (or in this case, IR radiation) effect with a 20 degree beam instead of a 5-7 degree spot?

BTW, where did you find Golden Dragon IR leds?

**decodeddiesel** · 09-06-09, 00:56

Originally Posted by Chooie

No worries, I'm not really interested in the specifics, just how the LEDs are going to be abused.

I'd be less concerned at how hard you have to drive the LEDs and more concerned with achieving the desired results. Who cares exactly how you have to get there, so long as you do - and nothing melts or blows up along the way! So... you should know that since the Osram GDs have smaller dies than the CREE or Seoul LEDs, they will throw a generally tighter beam given the same reflector. When you say flood, do you mean a pure, 180 degree flood, or a "wall of light" (or in this case, IR radiation) effect with a 20 degree beam instead of a 5-7 degree spot?

BTW, where did you find Golden Dragon IR leds?

http://ledsupply.com/sfh-4230.php

We're looking at at least 50 meters of a "wall of light" as you put it. We'd like at least 120 degrees of coverage, 180 degrees would be better. We're planning on using an array of multiple LEDs.

Do Cree and Seoul produce and sell IR LEDs to civilians? Does anyone make a high output IR LED "cluster"?

As you said, it doesn't matter how we get there so long as we get the light output we need. Cost, performance, and battery life are the primary concerns.