need 5050 RGB led source...ideas? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: KTP
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2012, 02:14:52 pm
content: Hi guys,I have a project that needs to use about 10,000 of the 5050 size RGB leds that you sometimes see in the strip light displays. I want to pick and place these and so would need them on a reel.I have found them on ebay from China for cheap (around $0.055 each in quantity 1,000) but I have been unable to find a major distributor like Arrow, Digikey, Avnet that has them for less than $0.50 each. $500 sounds better than $5,000 since I am paying for this out of pocket.Here is the ebay seller link...what do you think? Are they just cheap because direct from Hong Kong?http://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-pcs-Red-PLCC-6-5050-3-CHIPS-SMT-SMD-LED-CHIP-/380432230186?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item589387272a

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2012, 02:27:00 pm
content: Well ... because mainly you are buying massive stocks

author: Short Circuit
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2012, 04:53:58 pm
content: The ebay thing is only a red led, not rgb.Also, unbranded, no warranty or guarantees whatsoever, so your luck may vary.

author: KTP
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2012, 05:35:50 pm
content: Quote from: Short Circuit on May 20, 2012, 04:53:58 pmWhoops, meant this link (RGB leds for the same price):http://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-pcs-RGB-PLCC-6-5050-3-CHIPS-SMT-SMD-LED-CHIP-/380432230193?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5893872731I do agree that it would suck to pick and place these on boards and have a high failure rate...but at 1/10 the cost...I would hate also to pay $0.50 per led and they actually be coming from the same manufacturer...

author: krish2487
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2012, 06:39:43 pm
content: Well you could always reach out to the principal manufacturer at a compromise between 5 cents and 50 cents.10,000 numbers is quantity for anyone...OTOH id suggest contactingseoul semiconductorEverlite ledsas i found from my experience they provide decent quality products.I actually picked up a batch of 2000 leds each of Red, green and yellow from my local supplier of everlite last year and i have yet to see a failed led. they are pretty robust.Having said that, these leds were PnP and reflowed but were of 1206 footprint and not PLCC. so i cannot comment for sure on the PLCC packages

author: sonicj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2012, 07:05:02 pm
content: You don't get to 14,000 w/99.9% Positive feedback by habitually selling garbage. Seller has quantities of 50 for $6.94usd. Order some samples.-sj

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2012, 07:29:40 pm
content: There is a significant difference in efficiency between brand names (Osram, Avago) and no-name Chinese - this may or may not be important for your application. There are also some dodgy ones out there- even from proper distributors - I used some from Rapid Electronics in a batch of 100 boards an half failed on initiial test. I've also seen the LEDs in some Far-east LED tape products fail over time.Cheap LEDs can be a false economy in the long run - ask yourself... Do you feel lucky..?

author: Short Circuit
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2012, 11:44:27 pm
content: Quote from: sonicj on May 20, 2012, 07:05:02 pmYes, they can (up to a certain extend). First arguement that soldering probably too hot, too long, no warranty after being used (=soldered!), etc.So problem is customers fault, then offer free replacement because you feel 'pity'. Customer sort of happy, +FB accomplished.And most buyers simply throw defectives away or use leds with excessive brightness variations for another project. That issomewhat ok for hobby and very small scale business, but not for real production. A one-off project with 10k leds is somewhere in between I guess.

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2012, 01:20:05 am
content: The LED in the ebay ad look to be the same as the ones from herehttp://www.hebeiltd.com.cn/?p=led.rgb(PLCC6RGBCT)Datasheet -http://www.hebeiltd.com.cn/led.datasheet/PLCC6RGBCT.pdfPricelist -http://www.hebeiltd.com.cn/?p=z.pricelist.led.diodehttp://www.hebeiltd.com.cnis the outlet for 5 china factories that do led/lcd/pletier stuff.I've used them twice before on orders of around $100 and the goods have always worked fine.It's only a guess but i get the feeling from their goods and website that they are one of the better led manufactures in china. From the datasheet it seems the official manufacture name is "Hebei I.T. (Shanghai) Co., Ltd" So you could have a google and see if you can find any info on their quality.Fromhttp://www.hebeiltd.com.cnthey are US$0.375 each, but you get a discount the more you spend at the store. 10000 * 0.375 = $3750. $3750 into their discount calculator gives -23% - $2887.50 ($0.28875 each)So the ebay auction is still cheaper, which does seem a little weird.

author: metalphreak
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2012, 03:09:29 pm
content: I've purchased those LEDs from that seller before but only in small quantities. I've not done any extensive testing long-term but they seem to do an adequate job.You need to consider your overall project cost, and whether saving money on the LEDs now will cost you a fortune later to replace failed ones. If the LEDs are a major component of your overall costs the cheap LEDs might be the way to go.

author: KTP
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2012, 06:09:08 pm
content: Thanks metalphreak (and others).The LED cost is a large part of the project cost, and the quantity could go up.Considering all of the products now with LEDs, I find the $0.45/led cost from local distributors to be a bit hard to swallow.I guess it is like Tek vs Rigol