The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

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  • LED Output vs. Current: Efficiency Loss

    Some data points from that circuit produced this graph:

    LED Output vs Current
    LED Output vs Current

    Relative to the output at 5 mA, the efficiency drops off pretty much linearly:

    LED Efficiency vs Current
    LED Efficiency vs Current

    That’s computed as the ratio of the actual light output to the output at 5 mA scaled by the current ratio.

    So putting the screws to the LEDs does produce more light, but not quite as much as you’d expect. Above maybe 40 mA, it’s not worth the effort.

    Now we know…