When manufactured, LEDs are broadly grouped into color categories such as red, red-orange, green, cyan, etc. These groupings can encompass quite a wide color and temperature range.
For example, cyan LEDs can range from 490nm to 520nm, making the light output from cyan LEDs with a 520nm rating very 'greenish.' Similarly, red LEDs can range from 645nm to 620nm, making some red LEDs appear very 'orangey.'
So when you order cyan or red or some other color LEDs, the actual color output of the LED may not be exactly what you would expect. This is the price one pays for the ability to purchase high power LEDs in small quantities.
The only way that you can ensure that you get an LED that is close to the color that you need is to purchase binned LEDs. Binned LEDs are LEDs that have been tested and sorted into color (and other) ranges that have a much tighter tolerance.
LEDs are sold in two ways:
- By reels - 1,000 or 2000 LEDs (depending on the color). All of the LEDs on the reel will be from the same bin.
- By cut tape - can be any quantity of LED, but may be selected from different reels and different bins.
If you need to order LED modules that have a tighter color range, then you will need to order enough modules so that they can be built from full reels.
Lower quantities will be built using LEDs selected from our general inventory, which may be cut strips from different reels. So a specific bin number cannot be guaranteed. As a result, you may see some color variation.
If you need a specific bin number, you must contact us before you order for availability.