Have LED's passed HID's?

[lsorenson]

I have looked and read but having trouble getting my head around which light to go with…

Right now doing some wrecks, muck diving, nights, and intend to venture into caves…

Looking hard at the Light Monkey and I am wondering if the LED’s have finally crossed over the HID’s in performance or very near to it… HID’s do have a steady history going for them but it would seam to me that the LED’s have been out long enough to prove there worth as well. But as it is with technology, as we all have seen via the computer, tv’s, and phones; blink and here comes the next round of the “latest and greatest!!!”
If its LED then I wonder if its worth the 300.00 to invest in the Light Monkey 2021 - 21W LED Dive Light or save the money and go with the Light Monkey 1021 - 21W LED Dive Light with the smaller can….? Heck, some may even say go with the Hollis 16w LED
If LED is in fact the way to go, I would be really interested in those who crossed over from the HID’s….

Thanks for your time, lee

Edit; Wow... sure screwed that title up...!!! Should have been titled; Have LED's passed HID's

 

[lucca brassi]

If its LED then I wonder if its worth the 300.00 to invest in the Light Monkey 2021 - 21W LED Dive Light or save the money and go with the Light Monkey 1021 - 21W LED Dive Light with the smaller can….? Heck, some may even say go with the Hollis 16w LED
If LED is in fact the way to go, I would be really interested in those who crossed over from the HID’s….

Well i looked theme only because I have never heard about Light Monkey 2021 - 21W LED Dive Light and i know a lot of lights not physicaly but on them properties.

That Light Monkey is old led technology with new battery pack . I think that these leds dont produce anymore (21V @ 1,0Amp) and have low power ligt output . ( Modern leds like Cree XM-L T6 needs for same light output or even higher (key is cooling them ) 3,6V @ 3,0A (10W+)and can be run till 5,0 Amp.
Modern Emiters in leds have smaller die which allows better optics design , etc.....

I think that HIDs will never go over LEDs because of technology at high power ( over 50W ) .( Leds with higher power rises interal resistance which made them less effcient) , but they are not fragile and they are cheap.

Under 50 W of power consuption , LEDS are just more economical in all views.

If you want good light take with new generation leds like CREE XM-L , SST-50, SST-90 ....

But Light Monkey have name and .....quality -no doubt - but they slowly fallows fast changes ;-)

 

[Dashrynn]

Lucca I respect your words but, I would say 50w is too high, more like 20w(single led not multiple) and below. The drivers are what cause the inefficiencies in leds, and that's the biggest thing right now is finding a 100% efficient driver for these light emitting monsters. Right now Back up lights and lower watt (20 watt and below) can lights are great. But when choosing these lights you are stuck with a fixed degree angle (unless someone has built a market ready focusing led scuba light) vs the focusing hid light (which just about all have nowadays).

 

[paulw]

But when choosing these lights you are stuck with a fixed degree angle (unless someone has built a market ready focusing led scuba light) vs the focusing hid light (which just about all have nowadays).

Here is a focusing led light: mb-sub.com: VB - CAVE NEW

 

[lucca brassi]

I would say 50w is too high, more like 20w(single led not multiple) and below. The drivers are what cause the inefficiencies in leds, and that's the biggest thing right now is finding a 100% efficient driver for these light emitting monsters.

These days almost all muscle leds are made as cluster normaly like square matrix. ''Old'' leds like SSC P7 (4 single die ), Cree MCE (4 single die ) , Ostars (4 or 6 single die ) have problems just in combination with front ''batwing''lens , aspherics lens..
with reflectors all perform well . But you are right if you looking for single 20W led in general. But drivers with right choosen components go to 99% efficiency . Real reason for lower effciency is electronics components size .

Right now Back up lights and lower watt (20 watt and below) can lights are great. But when choosing these lights you are stuck with a fixed degree angle (unless someone has built a market ready focusing led scuba light) vs the focusing hid light (which just about all have nowadays).

On market is some lights ; also backups to ; like Kowalski led with reflector changes focus , Led lenser have more surface version with front lens switching , MB sub changes focus of front Frensell lens some other switches with aspherics lens focus
I have in plan 6000lm led focusable led diving light with single led that winter ( based on cree CSM360 ) just for feeling good ;-)

 

[lsorenson]

Here is a focusing led light: mb-sub.com: VB - CAVE NEW

Yes, I was pointed in that direction (mb-sub-vb50) as well and I see the forums were inundated with the MB-SUB VB50 about a year+ ago for a month or so but not much regarding them since... lucca, I thought I read (lot of reading about this light) were you were quite fond of this LED... if so, is that still the case???

lee

MB-SUB VB50 Cave review
MB-SUB VB50 Cave review

 

[orm]

HIDs look gorgeous in a cave, but LEDs are 'almost' indestructible.

 

[memorex77]

Hi,

there is a nice comparison on this page, sorry for the language but you'll manage..

TillyTec - ein einzigartiges Lampensystem - Video-Vergleich

Select HID45 on one side, LED4500 (that's what I just bought..) on the other side, and press the button in the middle.

And in reality? It's a lot of light for about 2h!!!!

 

[Dashrynn]

Here is a focusing led light: mb-sub.com: VB - CAVE NEW

I haven't paid to much attention to foreign can lights, their design is really nice but, I'm not to fond of the switch being on the head of the light. The tilly tec seems versatile but, if i was buying a light for myself, I would choose a light with less user fudging error. I for one am pretty clumsy when boat diving, that plug and play light assembly seems susceptible to coming loose before i enter the water.

 

[lucca brassi]

MB's VB-50 is really nice small canister light with modern led inside like Luminus SST-50 with 2,5x2,5 mm big emiter die
Luminus_SST-50-W_Datasheet.pdf , front Frensell lens (behind front glass) which is substitution for classic projector lens with economy on material ( much more lighter lens , better transparency because of thin glass ) ; variable focus is there big +. It gives enough lumens to transform enough lux at proper surface at distance . Excellent lighthead

Comparable beamshots are here beamshots They alo uses LIMnO2 battery packs which are for one side good for other side have some deficiencies. I like myself more classic type of canisters than sealed one (i like to look on battery )

this is from my side of view , from some who use that light please read
http://www.yorkshire-divers.com/forums/torches/112918-mb-sub-vb50-cave-review-2.html#post1442695
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I don't like tillytecs or green force's because its stupid connector it is bigger as whole light. It looks as ''good solution'' ( twisting connector - simple and clean operation ) but manny divers report problems with pulling out cable wires inside connectors (in fact wires are twisted and ripped out in soldering points ).

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very good thing at leds it is: WHEN METALL HEADLAMP IS GOOD CONSTRUCTED AND GIVE US GOOD THERMAL PATH FOR COOLING IT IS VERY SIPLE FOR UPGRADES ! ( who want to do that ,of course )

- almost all leds have base on Alu PCB with diameter 21mm
- drivers are these days very small in size of '' box of matches'' and in lamp is normal
enough place for replacement
- battery pack is in each way consumables and can be when runs out swiched for better
techology , they are smaller and lighter.
- better chargers are adaptable and it senses type of battery pack ( if it is correct
configured and have pre programed charging alogarithm for different types.

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back to the main question LED vs HID .... the answer is LEP maybe ;-)