Mounting a Luxeon on the star

[tedstardust]

So I haven't found the cyan luxeon rebel in the shop, but I found it elsewhere but just the bare LED without star-base.

How difficult is it to mount it on a star base (I think you know what I mean... can't find a better word for it)?

And: If I bought the MHS heatsink module. Can I still change the LED?

[psab keel]

For saber building purposes you need it on the star base. Unless you know how to re-flow solder and have all the necessary equipment for it, which many of us don't have. I've been in the hobby since 2000 and don't have that kind of equipment. All the MHS parts are designed with a star base in mind for easy installation into a saber.

Your best bet would be to wait until the LED you want is on stock again in the store.

[tedstardust]

Thanks for the answer, that's the answer I was looking (but not hoping) for. I know this might be a little impolite to discuss it in the TCSS forum, but do you know where to get, let's say, a cyan luxeon on a star base? I'm having quite a hard time finding any of them online...

[Silver Serpent]

There are several people in this hobby who hand-solder SMD components on a regular basis. It takes a steady hand, a quality soldering iron, good eyesight (and/or magnification) and some practice.

You could also get a RGB LED, and wire up the G and B in either parallel or series for a lovely cyan color.

[tedstardust]

What about white LEDs with color discs? Are they really that much darker than a coloured LED?

[Strydur]

The reason we do not have any is because 95% of the time when you order a cyan you may as well have just ordered a green because that is what color it will be. In order to get a bin 1 or 2 I would need to order 1000 of them at a time which I do not really want to do. I am still working on a solution though..

[Silver Serpent]

The color discs work better with some colors than others. I don't know how well cyan works, but I've heard good things about yellow. Purple tends to get dark quickly if you're using discs.

If you're set on cyan, your best bet is to do color mixing with a RGB setup, or to try the color discs.

[tedstardust]

I am truly amazed how helpful people are around here. Thanks a lot for explaining and stuff! You think a green LED and a light blue color disc might be any good?

[psab keel]

Yeah I know from personal experience how difficult it is to get just the right color from a Cyan LED. Back in about 2005 or so I had to order 120 Luxeon III Cyan Star LED's to be able to get the exact BIN 1 color I wanted. Binning is everything and what you'd want is a BIN 1 or 2. Thing is, as Tim has said that he'd have to order them in very large quantities which is very expensive. I personally never had much luck with colored discs, though there are probably saber smiths who have. Lucklily for the lighter color you're looking for I'd say your chances are much better if you chose go that route. Color mixing with multi-die LED's is out of my expertise, but there are many here who will be able to help you in that area. Best of luck with your build and I hope you can get just the color shade you're looking for.

[Xanatos1986]

I notice if you mix a green and blue die in parallel you get a great blue with hint of green almost sky blue like in ANH. If you use the rebel white sold here in the store, the dark blue, and dark green discs sold here in the store you get a nice color of cyan aswell. And this is from personal experience hope this helps.