# DIY High Power 4x LED Array on a 30 mm Cage Plate

**URL:** <https://forum.microlist.org/t/diy-high-power-4x-led-array-on-a-30-mm-cage-plate/3167>\
**Category:** Hardware\
**Created:** [July 17, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://forum.microlist.org/t/diy-high-power-4x-led-array-on-a-30-mm-cage-plate/3167 "2025-07-17T01:57:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![llamero](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.microlist.org/llamero/32/716_2.png) [@llamero](https://forum.microlist.org/u/llamero)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2025, 1:57am UTC](https://forum.microlist.org/t/diy-high-power-4x-led-array-on-a-30-mm-cage-plate/3167/1 "2025-07-17T01:57:43Z")

</div>

Hey Microscopists,

I thought I’d share this project real quick in case some of you find it as useful as we have: [GitHub - Llamero/30mm\_cage\_plate\_LED\_MCPCB: LED mount that is compatible with the Thorlabs 30 mm cage plate](https://github.com/Llamero/30mm_cage_plate_LED_MCPCB)

This is a four channel LED array on a Thorlabs 30 mm cage plate. The on-board LED driver chip can drive LEDs at up to three amps, for high power applications.

 ![4x LED board front](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/microlist/original/2X/0/0d23081c7a0b51bbe98950d52000799d7d39412c.jpeg)

These LEDs are closely spaced to allow for efficient coupling into a 5 mm LLG or other optics, and all the components are less than 6 mm tall so that a high NA condenser lens can be used to collect the light efficiently.

 ![4x LED board with optics](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/microlist/original/2X/c/c521da9d254a82493bfeee234ffc8a94a4f7d488.jpeg)

This close-spaced arrangement coupled almost twice the light as a traditional set of four single LEDs combined with dichroic mirrors. So it proved to be both brighter and a LOT cheaper.

Additionally, this project also has a controller board that allows for up to three boards to be controlled for a combined total of 12 LEDs in a single system.

![LED demo](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/microlist/original/2X/6/6937a30a023c417250ab00678a64fd2715c94fb5.gif)

The controller board is powered by a Teensy 4.1 for high temporal precision, and also includes a GUI for both manually controlling the LEDs as well as accessing preset programmable modes that sync to the four protected digital inputs on the board.

 ![GUI1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/microlist/original/2X/c/c5ce383ee53a9fafceeb761aa8b6c162147d1fe9.png)

The controller board itself can also be controlled via its potentiometers to adjust LED current and pushbuttons with LED indicators to select the LED channel.

 ![LED controller top](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/microlist/original/2X/6/68c38df4b99b953d57c89a7245275c361511bf49.jpeg)

I hope to get a full documentation for the software out this winter, but if anyone would like to build one in the interim, I would be more than happy to help them out. For specialized tools, you really only need some forceps to place components and a hotplate to reflow the solder, so no special skills or tools are required.

Cheers,  
Ben Smith