I could use some advice regarding LEDs for a lightsaber string blade

[soul products]

Hello everyone, I was hoping I could pick a couple brains before my saber parts arrive in the mail. I'm shopping for leds and I have a pretty good grasp on the difference between millicandelas and lumens but my question is this: which do you all look for when building your string blades, high mcd or high lumens?

I'm currently stuck between a few different choices:
8mm white
900mcd
11lumens
360 degree angle

5mm white
400mcd
4.5lumens
360 degree angle

5mm white
15000mcd
3.5lumens
30 degree angle

5mm white
18000mcd
4lumen
30 degree angle

What's your personal experience, I'd love to know.

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

I'd say not the limited viewing angle ones...

--Jonah

 

[Profezzorn]

+1 don't use the limited-angle ones.
mcd is confusing, because the view angle alters the value, so I don't look at the mcd values....
lumens works ok for white and green LEDs, but is horribly misleading for red and blue LEDs (because the color affects the value)...
...which is why I usually just go by the mA. (And make sure to get diffuse LEDs.)

 

[usajdm]

I'd say not the limited viewing angle ones...

--Jonah

Areed.
When chaining LEDs as in this method, you want a wide viewing angle.
A smaller angle will focus most of you light straight up into the bottom of the next led.
Wider angle will throw light out the sides, which is what you want.
Now for MCD and lumens.
Lumens is basically the brightness of the light the led gives.
The higher the lumens, the brighter the light.
MCD is the intensity of the light.
These are just the laments terms, I could go way deeper.
Ive done a lot of led work throughout the years.

So these are things to consider when looking for the proper LEDs.
Id suggest going high on the lumens and viewing angle, while being careful on going to high on the MCD count.
Too high of MCD will cause bright spots in your blade where each led is placed.
You want the light from each led to bleed into the next.
Hope that helps.
Robert

 

[soul products]

Thanks for all your input. I think I may go with the 8mm as they are diffused. The ultimate goal here is this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MKjMBDOLSJk

I don't yet have the understanding to wire those up yet, nor the power source for that matter, so I was looking for a good alternative in the mean time.

Again, thanks for your input everyone!

 

[Profezzorn]

I highly recommend using neopixels instead. You'll need a teensysaber or diyduino to control it, but it's way more fun than segmented blades.

 

[Ridire Firean]

Hey soul products! Here's a 5mm 360* LED for you to consider...

https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...60-degree-viewing-angle-4500-millilumens/341/

It looks like they use a phosphor coating that reacts to light and makes the LED 'glow' in all directions.

I've been reading up on LEDs as well and I think there is so much within the design of the anvil and the post inside the lens body, and within the method of construction used to create the layers of the semiconductor die (which can also effect the direction of light through its layers) that, unless there is a really detailed data sheet and description of the intended application of the individual LED, we may be stuck with the ol' "Buy it and Try it" method.

Here are a couple more LEDs to confuse you (I mean for you to study) ...

http://lighthouseleds.com/5mm-diffused-flat-top-led-white-ultra-bright.html
http://lighthouseleds.com/5mm-flat-top-concave-led-white-ultra-bright-christmas.html

That last one is interesting because it specifically calls out that the diode is constructed to emit light at a wide angle and has a concave lens to help disperse the light it emits!

I still wonder though if the higher mcd rated LEDs would be brighter than this style of "engineered" wide angle LED if simply modified with a drill to have a concave top?

Good Luck in your LED Quest!

 

[jcroscigno]

I highly recommend using neopixels instead. You'll need a teensysaber or diyduino to control it, but it's way more fun than segmented blades.

Igniter 2 boards support neopixel strings now too