Modding High focus white LED's?

I'm in need of some very highly focused LED's. The less off axis light transmission the better. I dont know quite a whole lot about LED's, but I think theres a "viewing angle" rating

Basically the LED will be at the base of a 1" (3/4" ID, 1" OD) hollow acrylic rod, with a piece of 3/4" rod as a stopper in the bottom (and top as well, as this will be for water transmission in a WC'ing setup ), and I plan on putting at least one super bright LED at the bottom, shining up to illuminate the column of water. I just want to avoid being able to see the source of light when viewed directly from the side.

Thanks!

 

i dunno about any really fine beamed LEDs.. but maybe you could rig a type of lens on it to sharpen the beam?

 

15 to 20 degrees is a typical beam spread on a high brightness LED. 10 degree ones are available, but you're gonna pay a lot more. I'd try a stock one, I bet you'll be pretty happy.

Of course, nothing beats a Luxeon Star/O:



That's a piece of 1" acrylic rod end lit by a Luxeon Star/O. There is no substitute.

 

yeah, the stars are awesome.. a lot of money tho

 

I never knew you owned a lightsaber linear

10 degrees is the smallest I've found... Actually its about 12.5 degrees. They are rather pricey though...

 

Randomboy, as Linear says, just try a regular LED. The viewing angle is quite small anyway.

 

Ok, I didnt know one way or the other, but now I know I'll be doing that then. Hmmm, now just lotsa mcd

And ouch....... it'd cost me 60 bucks to do luxeon stars under each rod Regular LED's it is!

 

Decided my case was gonna be smoked *gray tinted acrylic* with mostly blue accents everywhere........... Just ordered 35 4000mcd blues and 10 8000mcd whites from lsdiodes.com and the appropriate # of resistors as well I think I'll be making my own Luxeon stars, or cheap imitations anyways. I'm not gonna have everything lit up, but the things that WILL be lit up, are gonna be LIT UP mwahahahhahahhah


mwahahhahahha
mwhwhahhahahaha

Cheers!

 

you can file the plastic dome off the housing of most leds, you just have to be careful you dont hit the element. It is a pain in the a$$ tho.

You have to polish them too, but you get a less diffused beam.

 

No wolfe, I WANT very focused beams, at least for my 16" long pices of 1" hollow acrylic that will have water flowing through them

I replaced a few LED's in my brothers alarm keychain, went from this tiny little 1-2mm red LED to a nice 5mm blue one, I've dealt with filing them down before, I'll be fine.

Went and picked up some PCB tonite, I'll have 3/4" circles worth of PCB to put under my rods, thinking I'll be able to fit at least 4 LED's per piece of board

 

Linear, what's teh linkage to them Luxeon Star LEDs????

I think I just found my new lightsaber.

 

www.lsdiodes.com sell them iirc

 

less difused = more focused

 

I r no speek teh engrish Thanks That may actually come in handy, seeing as with flat tops I'll be able to butt them directly against the base.

 

What resistor did you use on that linear? Also is that a 5v line?