Luxeon Tri-Star LEDs?

[JGMJacobo]

So recently I visited the actual site for the LEDs, (wrong) , and I found something very intriguing. I have a white LED from TCSS in my second saber right now, and it's satisfyingly bright . . . without the filters in it. Even one filters drop is slightly disappointing.

Does anyone have experience putting a Tri-Star LED in their sabers? The listing on the site has the same amperage draw as all but the TCSS white LED, which is 1 amp. Even the white Tri-Stars are listed at 700mA. I'm hoping for a quick response, because I would love to put this and have a ridiculously bright saber. I would then also get the green Tri-Star for my first lightsaber.

A side question is what the viewing angle of the Tri-Star lenses would do. They are 18 degrees instead of the TCSS 8.7 degrees, which I would assume may actually refract better in the diffusion film if my college physics serves, as a less steep angle with the film would reflect better in the blade.

[Jenny]

I have wondered this, as well. The lumin counts on some of those multi-LED stars are impressive.

[Silver Serpent]

The issue with the tri-star LEDs is the optics. It's difficult to find lenses with a tight enough focus to illuminate the entire blade. Anywhere between 5 and 10 degrees is a good range for our blades. Wider than that (like the 18 degree lenses) and you'll get a lot of flare at the base of the blade, but a very dim tip. Narrower than that (if you could find it) and it wouldn't spread enough to light up the blade properly.

If the tri-stars had all three LEDs under one dome, in a manner similar to the 4 dice in a LEDEngin, it wouldn't be an issue. You could use standard optics with such a critter.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

I know LDM has used a few of those Rebel tri-stars and found the 18degree lens to work fairly well, despite the wider viewing angle. I have one myself that I'll be trying out in a chrome saber once I get it all wired up.

[Strydur]

First off you are not supposed to link to outside sources... Secondly they are not "the actual site for the LED's" they are a retailer just as we are. They do assemble rebels onto stars (which we do as well) but they do not manufacture the actual LED's.

I made a saber using a RGB version of this 3 years ago and thought it worked pretty good. It never seemed to catch on with the masses though so I never offered them.

[JGMJacobo]

Sorry Strydur. I wasn't aware of the linking policy on the forums.

And I guess I had the degree of the viewing angle backwards Silver Serpent. But still I find it VERY hard to believe a 700 lumen LED having issues illuminating the blade fully.

And I still have the question about the amperage. I would take a guess that Strydur knows since they have one wired.

[Silver Serpent]

I know LDM has used a few of those Rebel tri-stars and found the 18degree lens to work fairly well, despite the wider viewing angle. I have one myself that I'll be trying out in a chrome saber once I get it all wired up.

I wasn't aware of any good optics for the tri-stars. If you say LDM found a solution, then I stand corrected. I'd love to see how yours turns out, and if the blade lights evenly or not. The one Strydur posted appeared to have a lot of base flare, at least on camera. It may look better in person.

[Strydur]

It is literally 3 rebel LED's so if you had a green rebel with a max mA of 1000 and used 3 of those to make a tri-rebel then each LED on the tri rebel would still have a max mA rating on 1000. The reason a lot of rebels are listed at 700mA is because that is the highest mA/lumen rating given by Luxeon. The max is 1000mA for most but luxeon will not publish lumen specs for them at 1000mA.. its pretty lame and makes it hard to market them correctly.

[JGMJacobo]

So Jay, funny story that I'm hoping you may have a fix for, if not I'll be thinking of some spacer ideas.
The 18 degree collimators are about half the height of the ones sold on the TCSS store. With another spacer or two from the old style heatsinks it should work, but no guarantees.

[Jay-gon Jinn]

So Jay, funny story that I'm hoping you may have a fix for, if not I'll be thinking of some spacer ideas.
The 18 degree collimators are about half the height of the ones sold on the TCSS store. With another spacer or two from the old style heatsinks it should work, but no guarantees.

I've actually finished the saber, and it works well without any spacers. The 18 degree triple lens is a very tight fit on the star the rebels are attached to....it snaps on and doesn't come off easily.