Red LED & Red Lense

[Trodo]

Okay, someone explain to me why you get more light from Red LED bulbs through the stock Red Lense, instead of White LED?
It doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Corwyyn]

It has to do with the fact that the 'white' LEDs actually have some blue in the light - the light emitting material creates a blue light, and a phosphor coating shifts the color toward white. Since red and blue are on opposite ends of the spectrum, the red lens will block a portion of the emitted light cutting down on its intensity. Since red LEDs are generating pure red light, the lens doesn't block any of the emitted light. The overall effect is what you perceive as the white LED not looking as bright. I learned all this back in vocational school doing layouts for multiple layer printed wire boards; can't remember the eniter process but it used red and blue filters to block unwanted portions of the layout from being reproduced photographically. Someone with more graphic design knowledge might be able to explain it better.

 

[VTNomad]

Straining to remember

Red LED's came first, then green followed by blue. The blue has now evolved into white. It's been a few years since I've taken an eletronics class but I think it can produce more light at a lower energy. The further away from infrared, and the closer to ultraviolet, the higher the energy. White light is a combination of all the colors in the spectrum and requires more energy.

 

[Corwyyn]

Wow, simultaneous posts =D>

 

[Trodo]

Cool, thanks for explaining it to me. It makes much more sense now.