LEDs - Gallium Indium Nitride UV, violet, purple, blue, aqua, turquoise, green, white. Also Gallium Arsenide and others. New LED MUSEUM! GaN, InGaN, SiC, GaAs, GaP, GaAlP, ZnSe, flashlight, flashlights.

LEDS1020 LED LABORATORY
LIGHT SOURCE

LEDS1020 LED Laboratory Light Source, retail $349.00 (www.optical-tools.com)
Manufactured by Optical Tools Co. (www.optical-tools.com)
Last updated 07-22-09

The LEDS1020 is a laboratory-grade stabilised light source, emitting radiation at 470nm in the blue part of the spectrum.

It is a zero warm-up time, 470nm LED light source stabilized to 500 ppm/°C. The device features adjustable CW (continuous wave) output intensity via a built-in trimmer potentiometer, as well as a female threaded cavity for housing 1-inch or 25mm optics.

The rugged aluminum package can be easily integrated into breadboards, microscopy setups, or OEM devices using a standard "wall-wart" AC adapter (which is furnished with the product).

SIZE

Electrically, this product is easy to use. Plug the plug on the end of the wall-wart's cord into the receptacle for it on the back of the LEDS1020, and plug the large end into any standard United States 2- or 3-prong 110 to 130 volts AC receptacle.

To adjust the intensity of the device, turn the white rod on the back of the product; counterclockwise to brighten, clockwise to dim. This rod (a trimmer pot

inside the product) has end stops at the brightest and dimmest settings; do not force this rod beyond the end stops or you might cause damage to the LEDS1020, and you'll most likely be sorry.

The front end of the product has female threads so you can affix (screw in) 1.00" or 25.00mm lenses, filters, or other optics.

This product operates from 110 to 130 volts AC via a 12 volts DC unregulated "wall wart" adapter transformer (the regulation circuitry is inside the LEDS1020 itself); there are no batteries in it to tell you how to change, nor do I have to tell you which part to kick under the laboratory table.

This is a laboratory-grade stabilised light source, not a flashlight meant to be carried around, thrashed, and abused; so I won't whack it against the corner of a concrete stair or against a steel rod, run over it, try to drown it in the toilet, throw it, stomp on it, or subject it to other abuses that a flashlight might have to endure. So this section of the web page will be significantly more bare than this section of the web page on a page about a flashlight.
Laboratory equipment is made to be loved... not punished!

This product uses a dual-bond blue LED; emitting a peak wavelength of 470nm and it has a spectral-line halfwidth of 30nm.
Optical power output is stated as 4mW at 2/3 intensity.
The viewing angle is stated as 20°

The light source is perfectly centered in the device...well, maybe not perfect at the atomic level, but you get the picture.

I accidentally dropped it from ~4 feet onto a low-pile carpet laid on a wood floor; no damage was detected. Yes, this fall was *ACCIDENTAL* - I don't make a habit out of dropping expensive laboratory equipment on purpose just to see what might happen to it!!!

Photograph of the front end, showing the female threads inside the front edge of the product.

Photograph of the beam on the test target at ~12".
At maximum intensity, it measures 4,170mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.
Intensity at minimum is too low to be measureable with the instruments at my disposal.

Photograph of the unit itself on an optical bench, illuminating a white diffusing screen.
Photograph is from the Optical Tools website and was used with permission.
I do not have access to an optical bench or breadboard, which is why I asked to use this photograph.

Spectrographic plot

Spectrographic analysis of the LED in this product.

Spectrographic plot

Same as above; newer software & settings used.
USB2000 Spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.

TEST NOTES:
Test unit was sent by S.T. at Optical Tools sometime on 09-26-05, and was received late on the morning of 10-13-05.

The AC adapter furnished with the product is labelled to output 12 volts DC at 100mA.
Center of plug is (+) positive, outer can is (-) negative.

Product was made in the United States. A product's country of origin really does matter to some people, which is why I published it on this web page.

UPDATE: 10-26-05
I have decided to rate this product 4 1/2 stars and place it in The Trophy Case on this website.

UPDATE: 07-20-09
When I went to perform repeat spectroscopy, beam cross-sectional analysis, and another electrooptical test on the LEDS1020, I found that it had pooped out.

I performed a load current analysis of the power supply to rule out a failure there; I read well over 800mA so I know that's not "it".

I got just enough light to perform the spectroscopy, but not nearly enough for the other two analyses...and now, it emits no light whatsoever.

When I attempted to contact the manufacturer via email, that email was "bounced"; the web form I later used for the same purpose gave me a 404 error (page not found) when I hit the "Submit" button. So I'll attempt to contact them via telephone later today. Third time's a charm, right?

Until (or if) a replacement LEDs1020 is obtained, that dreadful "

" icon will appear next to its listings on this website, denoting the fact that the product is no longer functional and that additional analyses cannot be performed on it.

UPDATE: 07-22-09
My attempts to contact Optical Tools via telephone have not been successful, so it's looking a lot like those analyses I wished to perform on my LEDS1020 will not be possible.

PROS:
Ultra-stable light output
Long device lifetime because there's no incandescent bulb to "blow"
Operates from a very small "wall wart" AC adapter
Low power consumption means you can leave it on & not worry about large electric bills

CONS:
Beam could be more smooth for a $350.00 device - that's what nocked that last ½ star off

Optical Tools Co.

Stabilised light source

5mm LED, 470nm

Circular, medium spot

N/A (potentiometer used for varying intensity)

Aluminum

Metal; LED recessed in body

N/A

Unknown/unable to measure

NO WAY HOZAY!!!

Wall-wart AC adapter

United States of America

Unknown/not stated/TBA

LEDS1020 LED Laboratory Light Source * www.optical-tools.com

Do you manufacture or sell an LED flashlight, task light, utility light, or module of some kind? Want to see it tested by a real person, under real working conditions? Do you then want to see how your light did? If you have a sample available for this type of real-world, real-time testing, please contact me at ledmuseum@gmail.com.

Please visit this web page for contact information.

Unsolicited flashlights, LEDs, and other products appearing in the mail are welcome, and it will automatically be assumed that you sent it in order to have it tested and evaluated for this site.
Be sure to include contact info or your company website's URL so visitors here will know where to purchase your product.

This page is a frame from a website.
If you arrived on this page through an outside link,you can get the "full meal deal" by clicking here.