Green Lux 3 vs. K2

[Phiily Manyaan]

Did a search for this but I'd like some fresh opinions. Which would be brighter, look better, etc, a Lux 3 green @ 1400mA or a green K2 @ 1400mA? The only thing that worries me about overdriving the lux3 is heat. Would I be overdriving enough that that would be an issue? I don't have any sort of venting in my saber currently but could drill some holes if need be.

PS. The setup would be 616 sound + 2 x 700mA buck pucks + 4.8v worth of batteries.

Thanks bunches!

[Novastar]

I would stick with the K2 in this case.

[eastern57]

Actually it's been discussed many times. And the surprising conclusion is a Lux 3 is brighter @ spec. As in Lux 3 @1A is brighter than a K2 @1.5A. This has been my observation, and a few others as well.

Doubting Thomas' can dispute the theory as much as they want.

[Hasid Lafre]

Ok has anyone figured out if the blues or cyans are the same way?

[Phiily Manyaan]

I would try both, but I saw that the copper heatsinks are 8 bucks apiece. I don't mind spending that on 2 LED's but that's a bit much right now.

[Novastar]

Actually it's been discussed many times. And the surprising conclusion is a Lux 3 is brighter @ spec. As in Lux 3 @1A is brighter than a K2 @1.5A. This has been my observation, and a few others as well.

Doubting Thomas' can dispute the theory as much as they want.In this case, it's totally impossible since my Green K2 in my Plecter saber (@1.5A) is QUITE a HUGE amount brighter than my Green Lux III saber, which is running around 0.9A. Same diffuser type, similar blade length, same optics, color tint/bin is ESSENTIALLY looking the similar.

And I don't think 0.1A will "jump the shark" and get the Lux III brighter than my K2.

As to overdriving--I would simply say that the K2 does better regarding heat. I might be wrong about that, but the data sheets I've seen SEEM to point to the K2s being better there.

EDIT: I was actually in the midst of e-mailing Luxeonstar about something unrelated to this, so:
Lux K2 -- http://www.luxeonstar.com/luxeon-k2-led-green-lambertian-100-lm-1000ma-p-266.php?zenid=5h4bijvu5j942c436afl4njn50
Lux III -- http://www.luxeonstar.com/luxeon-iii-star-led-green-lambertian-64-lm-700ma-p-285.php?zenid=5h4bijvu5j942c436afl4njn50

I don't know why they list 1000 and 1500 for the K2... but only 700 for the Lux III. That is retarded. But... whatever.

So... Eastern--I wouldn't say that a Lux III is in any way "definitively" brighter than a K2. It'd be quite misleading as far as I'm concerned. As a matter of note though I HAVE seen some Lux IIIs look "equal to" a K2. But not around the board.

[Hasid Lafre]

Ok so the LuxV green has 30 lumen more but its visually that much of a difference compared to the k2. But when my brother had the luxIII and k2 greens in his saber I could not tell a difference between the two and both were driven at 1.5A.

I wish he dident fry his cyan luxV.

[eastern57]

I don't know why they list 1000 and 1500 for the K2... but only 700 for the Lux III. That is retarded. But... whatever.

So... Eastern--I wouldn't say that a Lux III is in any way "definitively" brighter than a K2. It'd be quite misleading as far as I'm concerned. As a matter of note though I HAVE seen some Lux IIIs look "equal to" a K2. But not around the board.

The only thing I can think of is that I got them earlier this year - but AFTER they started listing them as 700mA. Maybe the specs changed....

I specifically remember them being offered as 1.5A last year; at one point, both (1.5A and 700mA) were offered as "high current" and "low" current"... :confused:

[Novastar]

Although there was some strange stuff going on when the website was changed (I ought to know: I was the one who e-mailed them to CORRECT their screw-ups... no joke, they listened to me! Fancy that!)...

...the following is true of all of Luxeon IIIs, Vs, and K2s:

Luxeon III "light sides" = 1000mA max. cont. current
Luxeon III "dark sides" = 1500mA max. cont. current (ok, 1540, whatever)

Luxeon V "light sides" = 700mA MCC
Luxeon V "dark sides" = don't exist... use the Lux IIIs

Luxeon K2 "light sides" = 1500mA MCC
Luxeon K2 "dark sides" = 700mA MCC

The weird error was that they somehow posted that K2 "dark sides" could handle 1500mA. This was a large mistake, and it got corrected.

Note that I didn't list the required voltages nor lumens... if you want that everybody: go look it up! :)

[Novastar]

...when my brother had the luxIII and k2 greens in his saber I could not tell a difference between the two and both were driven at 1.5A.

1. Your Lux III Gr was being OVER-driven @1500mA.
2. Your Lux K2 Gr was being NORMALLY-driven @1500mA.
= It's not surprising they appeared indistinguishable.

Also, if ANYTHING else differed, aka:

* Blade length
* Blade diffusion
* Mirror tip
* Optics / angle of reflection
* LED bin/color tint/wavelength was drastically different

...this could yield different results as well.

[Hasid Lafre]

My bro only has a couple blades and we only use the one cause the other is a corbin single wrap. They are great for photographing but not really great imo for anythign else.

About the darkside k2s, has there been any real documentation on thoes k2s driven at any current setting, 700/1a/1.5a?

But would the green luxIII overdriven to 1.5 cause it to get more lumens to be on par with the k2 to not tell a differance?

[Novastar]

Most all of your questions are answered in the previous two posts.

[Hasid Lafre]

Ok what about the darkside k2s? anyone have on hand, in person, you built the saber yourself with a darkside k2 and put it next to a proper driven luxIII darkside and see which one is better?

The only pic I have ever seen of a red k2 agenst a luxIII is this one.

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb168/Sidneyious/Star%20Wars/Jedi%20Stuff/Other%20Saber%20Stuff/K2redvsL3red.jpg
http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb168/Sidneyious/Star%20Wars/Jedi%20Stuff/Other%20Saber%20Stuff/K2redvsL3red.jpg

Which one do you think is which?

[swear000]

top is a lux 3. hrm...anakin saber with red blade....interesting....

[eastern57]

yeah, man. That's the way it should have been...

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4puaVsdKUuk

[swear000]

OMG he got his legs cut off! j/k

Red blade looks like molten metal :p

[Hasid Lafre]

Are you sure the top one is a luxIII?

Oh well screw it iam gonna get one of them p4 colored leds and see how that works out, they deffinatly got more lumans than the k2.