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Author Topic: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????  (Read 4123 times)

Voyager

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Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« on: March 16, 2008, 01:10:36 am »

Having used grain of wheat bulbs over the years for this and that, I'm now in a situation when these would simply not be suitable! I know many modellers are now moving over to the benefits of using LEDS in their models, although I'm keen to find out a few things from people who can point me in the right direction!

(I need some LEDS around 2 to 3mm in width for my mast. My boat will be running on one 6v 4amp power lead acid battery.)

Can someone advise me on the correct resistor to use as I haven't a clue in electronics??? should it be applied to the + or - side of the LED??? I have seen some LEDS that are frosted, would this help make it visible from most angles???

Thanks in advance: Voyager


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tigertiger

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2008, 02:36:34 am »

Hi Voyager

If you go to the new Nautical College on the front page, then to Electricals.

You can do a search on LEDs there is a wealth of stuff there.
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Voyager

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2008, 02:55:17 am »

ok that's sounds good, I'll do that  O0

Not sure if it would be easier just to ask someone on here to make three up for me, I would of course pay for their time and materials!?!?
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funtimefrankie

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2008, 04:14:54 pm »

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Voyager

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2008, 04:38:05 pm »

Thanks shipmate O0 Still looks rather complicated to me tho??? I'm a complete disaster when it comes to the world of electronics, put it straight, I can't be trusted lol
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Stavros

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2008, 04:55:13 pm »

Voyager pm me with what you want and I will sort it out for you




stavros
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OMK

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2008, 06:02:58 pm »

V'ger, I'm not sure if you and I have had the pleasure already, but greetings anyway.
Regarding your LEDs, I have a load of 3mm red and green ones here in the junkbox sitting idle. Yours if you want any.
If you want, I'll pre-solder the required resistor(s) and the leads, but how long do you want the leads to be?

Don't sweat over payment. They only cost but a few pennies anyway.
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malcolmfrary

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2008, 06:55:30 pm »

A pretty good explanation here
http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz
calculator and drawings.
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Voyager

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2008, 12:20:34 pm »

V'ger, I'm not sure if you and I have had the pleasure already, but greetings anyway.
Regarding your LEDs, I have a load of 3mm red and green ones here in the junkbox sitting idle. Yours if you want any.
If you want, I'll pre-solder the required resistor(s) and the leads, but how long do you want the leads to be?

Don't sweat over payment. They only cost but a few pennies anyway.

Hya PMK!!! Good to know you :) That sounds great! I need them for my mast lights so I really need them in clear? As for the leads, roughly 250mm long I'd say!
I'd be greatful if you could still help me, when it comes to anything electrical I'm lost  ???

Regards: Voyager
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Stavros

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2008, 06:56:13 pm »

pm Voyager


stavros
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modelman66

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #10 on: March 27, 2008, 08:24:46 pm »

 :)try doctronics website its for schoolkids and even i understood it they show you how to calculate resistance very very usefull and easy.
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wombat

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #11 on: March 27, 2008, 08:55:52 pm »

Hi Voyager,

LEDS are a doddle.... just got to remember to connect them the right way around....for single colour LEDs, ignore all the advice about long leads and short leads and flats on the passage. Look at the electrodes in the package, one will be cup shaped the other will be smaller. The cup shaped one is the cathode - this connects to the negative. The other end connects to the positive. 

Use a resistor - it can go on either side of the LED. It can also go at the far end of the connecting lead. If you don't use a resistor, the LED will glow very brightly for a fraction of a second and then explode. For a 6V system use 220Ohm (Red-Red-Brown or Red-Red-Black-Black) for red LEDs and use 100Ohm (Brown-Black-Brown or Brown-Black-BLack-Black) for Green and Yellow. For White LEDs iit depends if you want a glow or a light. Remember, though, that while LEDs have a blue tinge to them. Try to use one resistor per LED rather than sharing. Use commonplace 0.25Watt or 0.5Watt metal film resistors.

The other thing is the type of LED - high-brightness types have a much narrower field of view, normal LEDs a wider one.

Wom
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IainM

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #12 on: March 27, 2008, 09:35:42 pm »

Hi Votager,
Just another thought ....
LED casings can be filed, or trimmed to shape - great for getting a tight fit.  Obviously you can't go too far but ....

Agree with Wom about resistor although I've used the series connection method many times and with very few subsequent problems.


Iain
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Voyager

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #13 on: March 28, 2008, 02:00:54 am »

Hi Voyager,

LEDS are a doddle.... just got to remember to connect them the right way around....for single colour LEDs, ignore all the advice about long leads and short leads and flats on the passage. Look at the electrodes in the package, one will be cup shaped the other will be smaller. The cup shaped one is the cathode - this connects to the negative. The other end connects to the positive. 

Use a resistor - it can go on either side of the LED. It can also go at the far end of the connecting lead. If you don't use a resistor, the LED will glow very brightly for a fraction of a second and then explode. For a 6V system use 220Ohm (Red-Red-Brown or Red-Red-Black-Black) for red LEDs and use 100Ohm (Brown-Black-Brown or Brown-Black-BLack-Black) for Green and Yellow. For White LEDs iit depends if you want a glow or a light. Remember, though, that while LEDs have a blue tinge to them. Try to use one resistor per LED rather than sharing. Use commonplace 0.25Watt or 0.5Watt metal film resistors.

The other thing is the type of LED - high-brightness types have a much narrower field of view, normal LEDs a wider one.


Wom

Thanks very much Wombat, you've explained it in simple terms which was what I needed (Not saying I'm simpleton or anything, just close to it lol)...cheers  O0

Voyager
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Voyager

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #14 on: March 28, 2008, 02:03:52 am »

Hi Votager,
Just another thought ....
LED casings can be filed, or trimmed to shape - great for getting a tight fit.  Obviously you can't go too far but ....

Agree with Wom about resistor although I've used the series connection method many times and with very few subsequent problems.


Iain

Many thanks for the diagram  O0 Think it's time for me to go off and experiment with some LED's.

Voyager
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hopeitfloats

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2008, 05:40:37 am »

a good site to work out resistor required is  ledcalc.com  but you do need basic information like led voltage. usually about 2v. and current draw, again usually about 20ma for a standard led. high luminescient leds obviously would be higher. input voltage is also needed.
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tigertiger

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #16 on: March 29, 2008, 05:51:58 am »

a good site to work out resistor required is  ledcalc.com  but you do need basic information like led voltage. usually about 2v. and current draw, again usually about 20ma for a standard led. high luminescient leds obviously would be higher. input voltage is also needed.

White and blue are 3v, not sure about yellow, green/red 2 v.
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hopeitfloats

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #17 on: March 30, 2008, 04:42:49 am »

 O0 i stand corrected there. thanks that will aid my calculations. especially when they came from an electronics supplier but i werent sure he knew exactly what he was doing. new guy who had only just started there.
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wombat

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Re: Need advice as I'm a newbie to the world of LEDS????
« Reply #18 on: March 30, 2008, 09:51:21 pm »

It helps to have a bit of a play with the value of the resistors - just because two different coloured LEDs have the same current flowing through them doesn't mean they will give the same light output. With equal current through them red LEDs are brighter than the equivalent green for example. 

Wom
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davebelton

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