Exclusive first look at the spectrum graph of the plasma arc LIFI at different power levels

Posted on March 2nd, 2010 by 22

LIFI plasma arc light spectrum plot spectrograph at different power levels
The LIFI plasma arc light from Luxim is one of the most exciting, promising new technologies which is taking many different lighting application by storm. Street lights, the military, the aquarium hobby and alternative lighting applications are all very anxious to see how the LIFI will perform once it is released into the wild, outside of the few beta fixtures which have made it to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Steinhart. The spectrograph above was a kind email gift we received from Wyatt Patry and used with explicit permission from Luxim to show how the LIFI sheds certain wavelengths of light as the power level is reduced. The reefers in the house will surely rejoice to see that red light disappears first allowing us to have a dusk to dawn dimming cycle which more closely replicates natural sunlight as seen from several fathoms under the sea. The color of the spectrum plot lines was artifically inserted by ourselves to show the shift of the perceived color temperature; please note that at <25% intensity the calculated color temperature (CCT) approaches infinity which basically means that it’s too blue to put any real kelvin numbers to it. Needless to say we can’t wait to see the first production LIFI-equipped Seashine lights from Stray Light Optical at ReefStock in just under two weeks. Huge thanks to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Luxim corporation for sharing this awesome data image with us. Follow the break for some real values regarding a selection of wavelength peaks.

The following is a short summary of the notable wavelength peaks of the LIFI at the full intensity of approximately 250 watts for the emitter:

  • 380 nm – 0.04 watts
  • 400 nm – 0.08 watts
  • 420 nm – 0.118 watts
  • 449 nm – 0.156 watts
  • 460 nm – 0.164 watts
  • 500 nm – 0.190 watts
  • 521 nm – 0.183 watts
  • 548 nm – 0.187 watts
  • 591 nm – 0.205 watts
  • 599 nm – 0.190 watts
  • 662 nm – 0.140 watts
  • 671 nm – 0.113 watts
  • 730 nm – 0.048 watts
  • 757 nm – 0.057 watts
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  • Gresham

    I’d love to see some PAR numbers (in tank) for the 14000K to 20000K range :)

  • Gresham

    I’d love to see some PAR numbers (in tank) for the 14000K to 20000K range :)

  • Mike

    Not too comforting seeing those graphs, as there seems to be a noticeable missing area at 460nm (typical blue t5s, etc), and 420nm (actinic). Seems the “color shift” comes primarily from a loss of intensity at the higher wavelengths.

    Kind of would suck if you had to keep it at 30-40% intensity to get the colors you want. Although I can see some interesting usage going from dawn to dusk with it though, assuming at higher intensities (i.e. more yellow) it doesn’t become an algae growing machine.

    I’d be curious if you did keep it at the lower intensities (bluer color) how that affect the life span of the product. If you need to buy 2 or 3 of them to replace 1 metal halide bulb they better last a ton longer.

  • Mike

    Not too comforting seeing those graphs, as there seems to be a noticeable missing area at 460nm (typical blue t5s, etc), and 420nm (actinic). Seems the “color shift” comes primarily from a loss of intensity at the higher wavelengths.

    Kind of would suck if you had to keep it at 30-40% intensity to get the colors you want. Although I can see some interesting usage going from dawn to dusk with it though, assuming at higher intensities (i.e. more yellow) it doesn’t become an algae growing machine.

    I’d be curious if you did keep it at the lower intensities (bluer color) how that affect the life span of the product. If you need to buy 2 or 3 of them to replace 1 metal halide bulb they better last a ton longer.

  • http://coralidea.com Jake Adams

    I have nothing but great expectations for the use of LIFI in marine aquariums.
    @gresham- I will soon be posting some PAR values of the LIFI absolutely trouncing even 6500K 400 watt Ushio.
    @mike- I am kind of surprised that you are hating on the dip between 428-435 nm since LED supplementation can more than make up for it, not to mention that the LIFI performs very well 449-460nm.

  • http://coralidea.com Jake Adams

    I have nothing but great expectations for the use of LIFI in marine aquariums.
    @gresham- I will soon be posting some PAR values of the LIFI absolutely trouncing even 6500K 400 watt Ushio.
    @mike- I am kind of surprised that you are hating on the dip between 428-435 nm since LED supplementation can more than make up for it, not to mention that the LIFI performs very well 449-460nm.

  • http://coralidea.com Jake Adams

    I have nothing but great expectations for the use of LIFI in marine aquariums.
    @gresham- I will soon be posting some PAR values of the LIFI absolutely trouncing even 6500K 400 watt Ushio.
    @mike- I am kind of surprised that you are hating on the dip between 428-435 nm since LED supplementation can more than make up for it, not to mention that the LIFI performs very well 449-460nm.

  • Ian

    Jake not sure where you are seeing that, I see a huge dip at 420 & 460 on the graph. Numbers and graph doesn’t add up.

  • Ian

    Jake not sure where you are seeing that, I see a huge dip at 420 & 460 on the graph. Numbers and graph doesn’t add up.

  • clive@nanocustoms

    Jake, do you know if that’s the STA40 or STA41 module?

  • clive@nanocustoms

    Jake, do you know if that’s the STA40 or STA41 module?

  • http://coralidea.com Jake Adams

    Clive, this is the STA40. Keep the STA41 on the DL for now ;-)

    @Ian, I meant to say that the LIFI is a good performer from 449-460 except for a 5 nm wide plunge at 452-456nm.

  • http://coralidea.com Jake Adams

    Clive, this is the STA40. Keep the STA41 on the DL for now ;-)

    @Ian, I meant to say that the LIFI is a good performer from 449-460 except for a 5 nm wide plunge at 452-456nm.

  • Mike

    Jake: Not hating on it, just very cautious about technologies that come out and go “zoom bang wow you need it!”

    The thing is it’s not just a matter of a “5nm window” (looks larger than that), its that if you look at most 20K halides that’s pretty much where all the energy is, somewhere in the 440-460 range, with very little elsewhere. True this might be more to a true 20000K source than a MH ever will be, but then again we’ve grown quite accustomed to the “fake” 20000K that we have.

  • Mike

    Jake: Not hating on it, just very cautious about technologies that come out and go “zoom bang wow you need it!”

    The thing is it’s not just a matter of a “5nm window” (looks larger than that), its that if you look at most 20K halides that’s pretty much where all the energy is, somewhere in the 440-460 range, with very little elsewhere. True this might be more to a true 20000K source than a MH ever will be, but then again we’ve grown quite accustomed to the “fake” 20000K that we have.

  • Mike

    Jake: Not hating on it, just very cautious about technologies that come out and go “zoom bang wow you need it!”

    The thing is it’s not just a matter of a “5nm window” (looks larger than that), its that if you look at most 20K halides that’s pretty much where all the energy is, somewhere in the 440-460 range, with very little elsewhere. True this might be more to a true 20000K source than a MH ever will be, but then again we’ve grown quite accustomed to the “fake” 20000K that we have.

  • the ed

    zoom bang wow ….is that a song by the black eyed peas?

  • the ed

    zoom bang wow ….is that a song by the black eyed peas?

  • the ed

    zoom bang wow ….is that a song by the black eyed peas?

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