Is there really that big of a difference?

Miz40B · 10/16/2014, 04:08 PM

Between LED diodes? What is the difference between a 3w Cree & a 3w Bridgelux?

vette.tech · 10/16/2014, 06:15 PM

Not that we can't start another discussion on this but you'll get 500 million forum discussions via google....but having said that, I am currently a MH user but was using LEDs for a couple years and the fact of the matter for me was bridgelux are more than adequate and a bunch cheaper allowing you to use more for better coverage, as always just my opinion

sneeyatch · 10/16/2014, 07:53 PM

Wattage is wattage, doesn't matter. Lumen output, CCR, cost to manufacture. Those are your main issues. I think Cree makes a better module, but I've never used them. I'm using bridgelux and they work just fine for me.

pwreef · 10/16/2014, 09:46 PM

Bridgelux does not make anything but royal blue die. What the Chinese sell you as Bridgelux may or may not be it. There are no data sheets to tell you what you are buying. Many people have successful tanks with both products though. You just have decide what's important to you.

Miz40B · 10/19/2014, 08:41 PM

Bridgelux doesn't only make blue LED chips. What are you talking about? Now I'm really confused. Diodes & chips are one in the same right?

pwreef · 10/19/2014, 09:21 PM

http://www.bridgelux.com/products/
If you can not find a data sheet with a picture of what you are buying, then it's not made by them. They produce "blue power die" which is then made into something that looks like this:

by various Chinese and other companies.
However there is no 100% certainty that the specific die is in there. These are also made by other companies and various knock-offs. The different colors and "white" are then created using a phosphor coating to "convert" blue light into colors. The quality of that coating is very important. Whoever manufactures and applies it has to know what they are doing. It is NOT done by Bridgelux in these cases.
When you buy a Cree/Philips/Semileds LED emitters, they are a finished (phosphor and die made by one company), binned product with data sheet for each color. This is what you pay $ for. The only thing a third party does is mount it to a PCB and make it into a fixture, so you have to trust them that they picked the best bin, made adequate heatsink, drivers, etc. This is why there are $160 LED lights and $800 LED lights. This is why there is iPhone and Ziphone. YOU choose what you want to buy and who you want to trust.

pwreef · 10/19/2014, 09:23 PM

$800 dollar light is made of these:

$160 dollar light is made of these:

jayball · 10/20/2014, 06:37 AM

The Cree and Phillips (and other top bin producers) LED's produce more light for the watt. They also have better binning and QC processes so you know exactly what you are getting.

10/16/2014, 04:08 PM	#1
Miz40B Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Michigan Posts: 169	Is there really that big of a difference? Between LED diodes? What is the difference between a 3w Cree & a 3w Bridgelux?

10/16/2014, 07:53 PM	#3
sneeyatch Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 1,312	Wattage is wattage, doesn't matter. Lumen output, CCR, cost to manufacture. Those are your main issues. I think Cree makes a better module, but I've never used them. I'm using bridgelux and they work just fine for me. __________________ - Todd It's often the saddest of us working our hardest to make everyone laugh Current Tank Info: Tankless

10/16/2014, 09:46 PM	#4
pwreef Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: New York Posts: 585	Bridgelux does not make anything but royal blue die. What the Chinese sell you as Bridgelux may or may not be it. There are no data sheets to tell you what you are buying. Many people have successful tanks with both products though. You just have decide what's important to you. __________________ Since May 2011: OLD: 57G rimless NOW: ELOS 120, DIY LED using reefll.com 12-up boards

10/19/2014, 08:41 PM	#5
Miz40B Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Michigan Posts: 169	Is there really that big of a difference? Bridgelux doesn't only make blue LED chips. What are you talking about? Now I'm really confused. Diodes & chips are one in the same right? Last edited by Miz40B; 10/19/2014 at 08:50 PM.

10/19/2014, 09:21 PM	#6
pwreef Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: New York Posts: 585	http://www.bridgelux.com/products/ If you can not find a data sheet with a picture of what you are buying, then it's not made by them. They produce "blue power die" which is then made into something that looks like this: by various Chinese and other companies. However there is no 100% certainty that the specific die is in there. These are also made by other companies and various knock-offs. The different colors and "white" are then created using a phosphor coating to "convert" blue light into colors. The quality of that coating is very important. Whoever manufactures and applies it has to know what they are doing. It is NOT done by Bridgelux in these cases. When you buy a Cree/Philips/Semileds LED emitters, they are a finished (phosphor and die made by one company), binned product with data sheet for each color. This is what you pay $ for. The only thing a third party does is mount it to a PCB and make it into a fixture, so you have to trust them that they picked the best bin, made adequate heatsink, drivers, etc. This is why there are $160 LED lights and $800 LED lights. This is why there is iPhone and Ziphone. YOU choose what you want to buy and who you want to trust. __________________ Since May 2011: OLD: 57G rimless NOW: ELOS 120, DIY LED using reefll.com 12-up boards

10/16/2014, 06:15 PM	#2
vette.tech Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Lansdale, PA Posts: 367	Not that we can't start another discussion on this but you'll get 500 million forum discussions via google....but having said that, I am currently a MH user but was using LEDs for a couple years and the fact of the matter for me was bridgelux are more than adequate and a bunch cheaper allowing you to use more for better coverage, as always just my opinion

10/19/2014, 09:23 PM	#7
pwreef Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: New York Posts: 585	$800 dollar light is made of these: $160 dollar light is made of these: __________________ Since May 2011: OLD: 57G rimless NOW: ELOS 120, DIY LED using reefll.com 12-up boards

10/20/2014, 06:37 AM	#8
jayball Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,671	The Cree and Phillips (and other top bin producers) LED's produce more light for the watt. They also have better binning and QC processes so you know exactly what you are getting.