Citizen Electronics publishes selection simulators for its CITILED COB ranges, and in January 2017 we gathered them on one page so customers could find the right tool for each generation. Picking a COB from a catalogue of hundreds of variants is much quicker with a simulator than with a stack of datasheets.
Why use a simulator
A COB datasheet gives figures at one or two reference points, usually a fixed drive current and case temperature. In a real luminaire the current is set by the driver you choose and the temperature by your heatsink, so the output you actually get can be quite different. Citizen's selection tools let you work through those variables and compare packages, colour temperatures and CRI grades side by side before ordering samples.
They are especially useful when you have a lumen target and a thermal budget and need to decide between a smaller COB driven hard and a larger one driven gently.
Which tool covered which COBs
Each simulator is tied to one product generation. The 2017 line-up was:
| Simulator | COB packages covered |
|---|---|
| COB Version 6 | CLU028, CLU038, CLU048, CLU058 |
| COB Version 5 | CLU028, CLU038, CLU048, CLU058 (earlier generation) |
| COB High Intensity Type | CLU701, CLU711, CLU721, CLU731 |
| COB VIVID Type | CLU024, CLU034, CLU044 (VIVID versions) |
| COB Version 4 | CLU026, CLU027, CLU036, CLU046, CLU056, CLU550 |
Version 6 was the broadest of these. Citizen describes it as covering 3 W to 480 W across 4 package sizes and 15 die configurations, with 264 products including 33 at Ra 97 typical, and an efficacy of 131 lm/W at 3000 K, Ra 90 minimum and a junction temperature of 85 °C.
High intensity COBs
The High Intensity Type packages (CLU701 to CLU731) put a lot of light through a small emitting surface, which suits narrow beam spotlights with compact reflectors or lenses. Their simulator is worth using early, because a small light source runs hot and the thermal design drives the final lumen figure.
Where to find the tools today
The spreadsheets we hosted in 2017 are no longer on our site. Citizen now links each simulator from the product page for its series, next to the datasheets, behind a short download disclaimer:
- COB Series Version 6
- COB Series Version 5
- COB Series Version 4 and CLU550
- COB High Intensity Type Version 2
Once you have a shortlist, the COB still needs a driver and a heatsink to match. Our component and OEM services cover both, and the lighting components range has the drivers. Send us your target output and we will help narrow it down.