Questions for LED experts
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Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 346
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From: California
Questions for LED experts
I'm a total noob when it comes to LEDs. 
I appologize if the following questions are too stupid of have been asked before.
A friend of mine recently got me a bunch of LEDs from RadioShack.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=276%2D311
Which got me thinking of adding some mood lighting in my IS sportcross.
Did some research on the internet, and base on the 12v power source, I figured I need to add
some 1/2w, 300 to 380 ohms resistors, so I don't burn the LEDs.
Am I on the right track? Do the LED or resistor gets hot?
Anything that I should pay close attention to?
thanks!!
I appologize if the following questions are too stupid of have been asked before.
A friend of mine recently got me a bunch of LEDs from RadioShack.
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...5Fid=276%2D311
Which got me thinking of adding some mood lighting in my IS sportcross.
Did some research on the internet, and base on the 12v power source, I figured I need to add
some 1/2w, 300 to 380 ohms resistors, so I don't burn the LEDs.
Am I on the right track? Do the LED or resistor gets hot?
Anything that I should pay close attention to?
thanks!!
Originally Posted by rominl
i don't know the answer to your question, but maybe you can pm rmmgs4 about it
The answer is......... anything above 550 ohm resistors will keep you safe, anything below can get hot and be a fire hazard as well as burn the led out at an early stage in it's life. You should consider the 1/2 watt resistors for safety, the 1/4 watt one's may be a saftey issue.
Those radio shack LED's aren't always known for their reliability, so try and keep them from being driven TOO hard. i'd say around 580 ohms would be fine for them to work and last a long time.
NEXT time have your buddy or you PM me for LED's and i'll include the resistors free, and give you 15k high out put LED's for the less $ than you pay for those radio shack 1k output led's.
15 times brighter EDIT: OMG THOSE ARE ONLY 300 MCD! that's 1/3 of 1k which is 45 times more dim than our 15k's and they get $3.29 for those?!?! I'll sell you 15k's for $1 each with free resistors! (retail for $13.50 each) Good gawd they are ripping some markup!
Last edited by O. L. T.; Mar 28, 2005 at 01:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
From: California
Originally Posted by O. L. T.
NEXT time have your buddy or you PM me for LED's and i'll include the resistors free, and give you 15k high out put LED's for the less $ than you pay for those radio shack 1k output led's.
15 times brighter EDIT: OMG THOSE ARE ONLY 300 MCD! that's 1/3 of 1k which is 45 times more dim than our 15k's and they get $3.29 for those?!?! I'll sell you 15k's for $1 each with free resistors! (retail for $13.50 each) Good gawd they are ripping some markup!
Actually my buddy is the one thats ripping people off
He works at a radioshack and he gave me those LEDs for free.
To tell you the truth, I wanted something with very low light output, since I'm putting them
on door handles and overhead console, I don't want them to be too bright.
I'll def give you a PM if I decide to go with the 15k's
thanks for the offer
Thread Starter
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 346
Likes: 0
From: California
Originally Posted by Woogie
can any of you guys post pictures of your work with LEDs?
I'm using the LS as a template, adding the so-called mood lights into my IS as well.
Wish me luck!! LOL
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