New light guides and signal lamps for IP68 applications
Developers and designers are increasingly using light in their products to generate special (additional) benefits in them. This also applies to products that are used outdoors or that come into contact with water or moisture in other ways. Here is it important that water – well-known as the enemy of electronics in any form – is kept safely away from them. To meet these requirements, we develop individual watertight lighting solutions for our customers, but we also offer various standard items for IP68 applications. Most of these products are available in stock with low minimum order quantities and short delivery times. We have now significantly expanded this product range.
Elektronics. Light. Watertight.
RIGID IP68 LIGHT GUIDES FOR ASSEMBLY IN HOUSING
Our rigid light guides for IP68 applications are assembled in the housing front by pushing them into a suitable hole. They float contact-free above or in front of the LED inside the housing. We have expanded our range of these front panel light guides by over 50 new variants. In addition to the head diameters 5.2 mm and 3.2 mm, we also offer miniaturised versions with a head diameter of 2.2 mm, all available in varying lengths (dimension A) between 4.5 mm and 45 mm and with three head forms (spherical, planar and counterbore).
If a customised linear dimension is required within these limits, a customised length can also be achieved with minimal tool costs. Other variants such as coloured light guides are also possible as a customised solution. You can find detailed information on all of our rigid light guides for IP68 applications in our e-catalogue. You can download the technical data sheet for these items from our e-catalogue or here.
NEW: FLEXIBLE IP68 LIGHT GUIDES
Flexible light guide systems are elegant and cost-effective solutions for many opto-electric design challenges, such as those faced when redesigning a product in the middle of its life cycle. For the first time, we are now offering these solutions for IP68 applications. The flexible light guides are attached to the PCB over a TOPLED using push-fit pegs; in the housing front, the lenses are pressed into a suitable hole. The new flexible light guides are available as standard items that are held in stock in three different types – spherical, planar and counterbore – with a lens diameter of 5.2 mm, each available in three lengths: 50 mm, 80 mm and 150 mm.
The flexible material properties of the 2000 µm light guides offer a bending radius of R=20. Individual lengths are also available as a customised version at minimal additional costs, as are other variants such as coloured lenses. You can find detailed information on all of our flexible light guides for IP68 applications in our e-catalogue. You can download the technical data sheet for these items from our e-catalogue or here.
SIGNAL LAMPS AS AN IP68 SOLUTION
If PCB-mounted LEDs should not be used for implementing points of light in the housing, our in-stock signal lamps from the 2660 series are a variable, quickly available and cost-effective solution. Robust and UV-stable materials mean that these signal lamps can easily be used outside. They comply with protection class IP68 thanks to the use of seals and a fully encapsulated PCB. The combination of an SMD-LED with a light guide within the signal lamps provides a very high level of ESD protection for the housing front. The signal lamps in the 2660 series have a robust plastic housing with a cover diameter of 10 mm, optionally available in black or metallic look.
The lens diameter is alternatively 3 mm or 5 mm. The signal lamps are equipped with low current LEDs in white or RGB and have a wire connection or a plug connector for 2×2 sockets (RM 2.54 mm). Special customised versions can easily be created thanks to the modular basic concept of the signal lamps. This means that the SMD-LED can be changed: single-colour, special colours or duo LED, IR or night vision are all possible. The signal lamps can be equipped with I²C controllers, series resistors or an alternative electrical connection. As a rule, these customised versions do not incur additional tool costs. Furthermore, coloured lenses or special lens shapes are possible, as are alternative housing colours or different cover shapes and sizes.
You can find detailed information on the standard items in our range of signal lamps for IP68 applications here and also in our e-catalogue. You can download the technical data sheet for these items from our e-catalogue or here.
TECHNICAL CONDITIONS
Please note that the standard lighting solutions presented here will meet the requirements of protection class IP68 only if the device meets certain requirements. Our light guides and signal lamps require a certain minimum thickness on the housing front in which they are mounted and they must not fall short of this requirement. This is 1.0 mm when using rigid and flexible light guides, and 1.5 mm for the signal lamps presented. To ensure assembly is IP68-compliant, the assembly holes in the housing must take due account of ISO tolerance class H7. The rigid and flexible light guides are intended for use in ambient temperatures between -20°C and +50°C. With the signal lamps in the 2660 series, the range of possible ambient temperatures lies between -20 and +80°C.
