LED Lights: What's a quality brand of diode?

[seedjar]

So, I'm looking to build my own LED lights, rather than buy panels of questionable origin. I remember seeing a number of people advocate for this course of action, as the commercially available panels are usually made out of cheap parts and don't have the most impressive output. But where should I go to get the individual diodes? I'm guessing a scientific/engineering supplier, but don't know who's who in that market. Suggestions?
~Joe

 

[Av8tor1]

If you are wanting to roll your own then Cree or Luxeon are two big names in high performance LED's
http://bluegrasscarnivores.com/research1/LED.pdf
Luxeon has high powered white LED's with CRI's into the 90's now but bring one first born, one arm and two legs to build enough for a plant rack

Just for fun, here is the company who builds them for NASA and the International Space Station http://orbitec.com/store/sunbow.html

and DaveS has some really good experience in supplimental LED plant lighting

Butch

 

[jm82792]

CREE!!!!
You can get the XPG's for $5 a piece if you get on a group buy.
I will be building a 9 led light for my reef,
but it would be equally good for CPs with the right Kelvin LEDs.

 

[RL7836]

Luxeon has high powered white LED's with CRI's into the 90's ...

Wow! Very impressive - so now the prices just to re-enter earth's atmosphere...

 

[jm82792]

Well they are there,
SemiLeds and a few others are cheaper and work.
If you want I can pull up some info since high power leds are the rage for nano reefers right now.