Developer Kit Specs
High-power LED Driver
The key components of the developer kit are the High-power LEDs and the High-power LED Driver. The driver takes a constant voltage input (10-20V DC) through the white/white wires, and creates a constant current output (~750-850mA) through the white/red wires. It is suggested that the driver should be used to power 1 to 3 High-power LEDs in series.
High-power LEDs
Each High-power LED will drop ~1.5V when connected to the provided High-power LED driver. It is best-practice to provide the High-power LEDs with a constant current (e.g., via an LED driver). The maximum current permitted for the LED depends on the operating conditions. For example, if you trap the LEDs in an enclosed, hot environment, it is more likely that they will fail. In good operating conditions, ~850mA should be considered the maximum operating current for the High-power LEDs. It is better to use a lower value (~750mA) in order to prolong the life of your LEDs.
The viewing angle of a High-power LED is ~120°. Outside of this range (i.e., greater than 60° from center), the IR light intensity will drop below 50% of the max intensity.
Example Circuit
The suggested circuit is straightforward. Connect your voltage source to the white/white wires (direction does not matter). Then, connect the High-power LEDs to the white/red wires (white is neg, and red is pos). A good example circuit is the 360° IR Pod (shown below) where the driver is located inside the pod. The white/red wires extend out the top of the Pod, and are connected to 3 High-power LEDs in series. Note that In this picture, the white/white wires have been replaced with black/red wires, which may be connected to a lipo battery (e.g., 3-cell 11.1V) to power the driver. Also, note that the Pod holds the LEDs in a particular orientation, such that the IR emission is visible from any angle (hence the name: 360° IR Pod).
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Standard IR LEDs
Here is the spec sheet for the standard IR LEDs. They are significantly less bright than the High-power LEDs, but of course, the power consumption and heat production are lower. And they can be incorporated in simple LED circuits (e.g., resistor plus voltage source).
