Picking something to use in the place of WS2812B - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Fixed_Until_Broken
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 01:46:28 am
content: Question first. What is a LED with similar brightness/color spectrum as ws2812B that isn't addressable? Is there a non addressable one that is like this but with white also in it?Backstory I am working on my first project that I might actually take to a product. I am just hobbyist but I really want to make the best thing I can.I already made a prototype sent it to the company (its a he is 1 man operation). He was really happy with it so now I want to make a Rev 1 of it. Attached should be a photo of the project. Last night I was asking about leds on reddit and most of the guys made it sound like I really shouldn't use an addressable led in it due to higher failure rates and no real need. I am only using 3 but I think I really only need 2. I do need RGB or RGBW but I don't need to light shows and I am not stringing 50 lights or anything.Edit: By the way I am only asking because I have found the LED space really hard search on google and such due to so much consumer goods fitting the same keywords like LED strips and just like that.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 02:21:25 am
content: There are non-addressable RGB LEDs. Don't use google, use component distributor sites (Mouser, DigiKey).I personally like Cree LEDs, they have the best color mixing. Their part numbers are insane, since they are color calibrated and include bin numbers. So it is easier to just filter by manufacturer and type on one of those sites.If you just want a random LED from Aliexpress, then there is no reason to believe that it would be more reliable than nay other LED you've got from Aliexpress.

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 05:09:02 am
content: alibaba.com is probably a good way to get in touch with real suppliers and factories.Just a random example:https://greenlantern.en.alibaba.com/company_profile.htmlDon't be afraid to chat them up or send them an engaging email detailing what you're looking for.Some companies might only be interested in you if they see a potentially large sale, but there seem to be quite a few which are willing to fulfill small orders.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 06:04:25 am
content: There are RGB and RGBW leds without driver built in.There are also separate led drivers which can control such leds.Go on Digikey, there's a LED Drivers category in the IC section and there's a whole section of discrete leds and rgb / rgbw leds ... no need to google.

author: Fixed_Until_Broken
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 05:43:27 pm
content: thanks for the input. I will continue my search. I did look on mouser/digikey and almost all the RGBW I found were high output. I don't know what I am really looking for in the category so I am having a hard time narrowing down.I know what I am looking for if I am looking for an H-bridge for a motor, Can transceiver or Microcontroller but the LED/Optoelectronics space is just hard for me to navigate since I have no clue what I am actually looking for.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2021, 05:52:37 pm
content: If you are just looking for an indication LED that just needs to show some colors, then virtually any LED will work.You really need to start reading into specifications if you are concerned with color rendering. This mostly comes into play if you are making video display panels and other stuff like this.For your 3 LEDs, anything will work.

author: NorthernWing
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2021, 04:07:57 pm
content: QuoteJust because most LEDs are rated at 20mA doesn't mean you need to drive them that hard - each datasheet should have an intensity vs. current curve that describes this. Output is proportional to the current supply, so just put less current through it and you're good. Maybe not a direct answer to the question but whenever I need basically any LED I sort by intensity and grab whatever's cheapest at the top... that way you can just crank up the Rlimand have a reasonable status LED at a few dozen µA. This is also how you can hang a dozen LEDs off of the GPIO of a microcontroller without needing to drive them through a FET/BJT/etc.QuoteIt is - I'm sure other people around here will have a more technically correct way of doing this (and this goes out the window if you're doing anything like a display where color reproduction matters), but I have a small library of cheap general purpose LEDs that I've built for whenever I need some indication... whenever I need to add something new to it, I'll have JLCPCB spin up a $2+shipping PCB that's just the new LED in question w/ a 1W pot, LDO, and some probe points so I can roll it to a brightness that looks good to the eye, measure, and save for future use. Judging intensity ratings, viewing angles, color temperature/etc from a datasheet can be so dense that I prefer to just do it by hand.Agree with Atarodov here, there are some Cree PLCC-4 LEDs that are nice for anything brighter than just status indication, especially the ones with semi-opaque lenses that do a great job with color mixing.EDIT: Just dug through my invoice history for the specific part I keep a bin of -https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/cree-inc/CLVBA-FKA-CAEDH8BBB7A363/2650496And in a smaller package if you're out of space:https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/cree-inc/CLMVC-FKA-CL1D1L71BB7C3C3/4794065- Most of Cree's part numbers are the series, followed by the color binning information... in this case I'd just get whichever CLVBA-FKA bin has the most stock.

author: Fixed_Until_Broken
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 01, 2021, 02:25:06 pm
content: Thanks for the info guys.Quote from: NorthernWing on April 30, 2021, 04:07:57 pmBoth look like good products. I think am sold on going with something cree. I will probably go with the one you suggested but I will go through it tonight and double check that nothing else jumps out to me as a better fit.I think I maybe just overthinking this because getting nervous about actually selling something instead of just playing with a project on my bench... it doesn't matter if the magic smoke comes out on the bench.