Show us your LED collection! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 04:22:35 pm
content: Hey all, I use LED's a fair bit, however buying them around here is expensive, often a few bucks for a couple, or two bucks each for nice blue ones.So, I grabbed a case that was on sale, ordered a load of LED's on ebay, and some stickers, and put together the ultimate LED kit for myself, composing of 50 of both 3mm and 5mm, and however many 10mm LED's I could fit in. It was great as a pack of 50 only cost a few bucks as well! It has proven very useful.The unmarked ones are white, except for the top right most which are UV, I have another set of different wavelength UV LED's that I need to find to put in. The leads on these cheaper ones are a bit softer than more expensive LED's, but light quality and performance wise they are just as good.

author: Mr Smiley
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 05:22:23 pm
content: I have a feeling mikeselectricstuff is taking some pickys at this very moment

author: ConKbot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 05:41:59 pm
content: Quote from: Mr Smiley on May 08, 2014, 05:22:23 pmGiven that he goes though LED drivers by the reel,(see latest video) thats probably a safe bet

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 05:44:22 pm
content: If Mike powers all his LED's up there will be a local grid meltdown in the district. If it is dark then you will be able to see his house from the moon.

author: Towger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 06:13:48 pm
content: I though his preferred method was 4 generators and a heavy lift helicopter to transport them...

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 06:57:52 pm
content: Fran has a nice collection too:

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 07:11:38 pm
content: Hey all, I use LED's a fair bit, however buying them around here is expensive, often a few bucks for a couple, or two bucks each for nice blue ones.Yeah, online stores dude...Digikey has them for cents if you buy them in quantity:http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?FV=fff40008%2Cfff801b9&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=1000011&page=1&stock=1&pbfree=0&rohs=0&quantity=100&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25Mouser, Farnell/Newark, RS-Online and others also sell them for same prices.The leads on these cheaper ones are a bit softer than more expensive LED's, but light quality and performance wise they are just as good.Just as good is debatable.. I guess it depends on what you use them. With eBay leds you get leds that light up, but they're not binned, they have various degrees of quality, some have defects.You have no guarantee that they have relatively same milicandela rating/lux without a lux meter, you can't be sure if the lens on them give them the same viewing angle and so on, which makes them a bit tricky for some uses ( for example let's say a scrolling banner/display/marquee or an advertising panel like the ones you see on streets).Yeah, for hobby those eBay leds are good enough, I buy RGB leaded leds from there as well, but I wouldn't use them for a commercial project.

author: SirNick
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 09:36:56 pm
content: A friend and I were working on a project with LEDs sourced from 1HL (of EEVb infamy) sourced via eBay... bag of 100 of them or something, paid next to nothing. So many of them spontaneously burnt out that it's not worth the effort to me to use them for anything else. (For the curious, the PSU was a 12v ATX supply, with 680R to each LED, displaying patterns via MPU-controlled shift registers.)Around the same time, I bought a bag of 1000 (different vendor) to eventually turn into a cube. Hopefully those work out better, but I think I'll burn them in for a while first.It goes without saying, I hope, that this is not intended to be indicative of all eBay merchants. You never know what you're going to get -- which is the crux of it. The obvious rule of thumb here is to use the discount stuff where it doesn't matter -- and when it does matter, stick to parts with known pedigree.

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 09:39:57 pm
content: My collection is pretty bigI have 4 or 5 reels of PLCC-4 LED's in red and yellow, a reel each of Luxeon Rebel in red and phosphor converted amber, a reel of Cree XB-D's in red and amber, a couple of reels of Cree ML-E's in white and yellow, a reel each of Cree XB-D in white, green and blue, dozens of tubes of "Piranha" style (7.62 square DIP-4 package) LED's in red and yellow, and dozens of other types of LED's we've used and tested over the years - everything from high brightness 0603 chip LED's to multi-watt LED's on star boards and everything in between.

author: scientist
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2014, 09:53:38 pm
content: Corporate 666, what does your company do?

author: Corporate666
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 09, 2014, 02:02:01 am
content: Quote from: scientist on May 08, 2014, 09:53:38 pmBelieve it or not, we manufacture LED lighting productsIt's largely automotive signaling, as well as some emergency (police/fire/EMT) and we're now doing some home lighting as well. I love LED's

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2014, 02:04:01 am
content: Quote from: XOIIO on May 08, 2014, 04:22:35 pmIt would be a shame if you ever dropped that box.Here's my more modest collection:

author: TVman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2014, 03:49:39 am
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on May 09, 2014, 02:04:01 amWOW!

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2014, 08:31:13 am
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on May 09, 2014, 02:04:01 amNice collection!The box if fine when it's closed but yeah, if I dropped it when it was open, I don't know what I'd do lol. I lost a blue 3mm LED in one of the other areas, I looked for a bit and gave up.

author: Tinkerer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2014, 01:15:41 am
content: Quote from: XOIIO on May 09, 2014, 08:31:13 amThis is what containers with individual lids is for.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2014, 02:45:51 am
content: I store my leds in those basic sealable bags, i buy 100 of those for a dollar or even less.. likethese onesbut larger:I used to make strips of components similar to how through hole components are sold in rolls.. see picture below for an example of original strip.The way I did it was by drilling 3mm and 5mm diameter holes (well, actually about 1mm larger in reality) in a soft 2 by 4 wood... i then put the leds inside the holes which were deep enough to leave just about half of inch of leads exposed. Then I cut a half inch or one inch strip of thicker paper (100-120 g/cubic meter, xerox paper is 80g/m3) and on the other side of the leads I used papermasking tape(has glue on one side, just like regular tape).It was easy and fast to make strips but in the end, they take up more space than just having them in a bag.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2014, 04:46:53 am
content: I'm sure i have others in random locations but here is my main stores40V 20mA limit and two metal rods

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2014, 04:57:40 am
content: Quote from: Psi on May 11, 2014, 04:46:53 amHa ha ha! Except, won't you be killing some due to reverse breakdown?An idea- big glass bottle of loose mixed LEDs, and little balls containing battery powered current sources, with metal contacts on the outside of the balls. Place jar on turning rollers, to continuously tumble. Could look pretty funny.Edit: Oh, I forgot about my 'old set' of LEDs. Some salvaged, some new. These were before ebay and super cheap LEDs from China.

author: Rigby
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2014, 04:58:39 am
content: Quote from: Tinkerer on May 11, 2014, 01:15:41 amhttp://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/uk/These are excellent for component storage and transport. The lids even lock down.

author: electrolux
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2014, 01:05:38 pm
content: Do resistors count I've got literally millions of the thingsErr maybe not millions more like thousands

author: DeanA
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2014, 08:27:53 am
content: Here's mine,Well they're not really mine, it's my works stock.There are 12500 LEDs in each box. So there are about 300,000 LEDs there.Amber Nichia NSPA510, Red Nichia NSPR510, White Nichia NSPW510, Green-Blue Nichia NSPE510.Regards,Dean.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2014, 05:32:51 am
content: Here is my LED collection. It serves me very well. BTW, I could not find on Digikey similar LEDS, they are bright even with sub ma current, I run them from a 5V MCU with 3.3K resistors.

author: aroby
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2014, 10:03:52 pm
content: Quote from: Rigby on May 11, 2014, 04:58:39 amThese are great boxes. Office Depot sells them in the US. They are expensive though. I've found that bead storage boxes from JoAnn are quite usable and pretty cheap (40% off coupons can be found on their web site).http://www.joann.com/bead-storage-container-w-30-small-cylinder-boxes/9035866.htmlAnthony