LED suggestions, please

[Mark Loundy]

Suggestions for general-use LEDs, please. 3mm vs. 5mm? Voltage? Supplier(s)?

Mark Loundy

Instructional Technology Specialist

De Vargas Elementary School

[Angi Chau]

I stock 3mm, 5mm, AND 10mm ("gumdrops") in the lab - they're useful and fun for different applications. I also recently started buying axial LEDs for paper circuit projects, which are teeny tiny and lays flatter on paper.

When I first started buying, I would just buy "grab bags" from Jameco, our local electronics store here. But then I realized I have no knowledge of the voltages and current ratings on these, so I stopped that practice.

For most LEDs, I now usually buy from either Sparkfun and Adafruit - they're easy because they literally sell only one kind of 5mm red LEDs (ok, they have diffuse and super brights, but it's still quite manageable).

Digikey is probably the cheapest (and that's the place I get axial-lead ones) but finding stuff on that site is a whole project unto itself - they literally have dozens of red LEDs!

-- 

Angi Chau, PhD
Director of Bourn Idea Lab, Faculty Advisor for Robotics @ Castilleja School
650-470-7756 (direct)
ac...@castilleja.org

WOMEN LEARNING  |  WOMEN LEADING

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[Tracy Rudzitis]

I am looking for a "cheap" source of the 10mm leds. Because I teach 300+ students with no budget for supplies (public school) I need an inexpensive source. I typically use Jameco, DigiKey or AllElectronics, and maybe I just didn't notice that size in what they offer. I have also purchased through eBay.

I had some students today that wanted to use the big LED's so bad and I only had a few of my own left for them.

thanks!!

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Tracy Rudzitis

Brooklyn NY

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[Angi Chau]

Tracy, is this any cheaper than what you found on eBay? They come out to about $0.30 a piece.

http://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/partsmenu/638

-- 

Angi Chau, PhD
Director of Bourn Idea Lab, Faculty Advisor for Robotics @ Castilleja School
650-470-7756 (direct)
ac...@castilleja.org

WOMEN LEARNING  |  WOMEN LEADING

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[Andrew]

EMSL is a great company and I have innumerable reasons to endorse their products and customer service.

In particular, this bag of LEDs is awesome. One of the big problems with mixed assortments is that different color LEDs have *very* different voltage requirements. This set of 10mm LEDs from EMSL are all identical components with different plastic tops - so that swapping a red LED for a blue one doesn't change a student's circuit in the least.

 That's a huge, but very subtle asset.

--andrew

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[Angi Chau]

Andrew, please share the link because THAT sounds super useful!!

I've definitely run into the different voltages problem with different color LEDs before - the first time I tried doing a paper circuit mural activity, I let kids choose their own color of LEDs and only later realized ha, that wouldn't work! But if these are all the same voltages, I can finally do a choose-your-own-color paper circuit mural project!!

-- 

Angi Chau, PhD
Director of Bourn Idea Lab, Faculty Advisor for Robotics @ Castilleja School
650-470-7756 (direct)
ac...@castilleja.org

WOMEN LEARNING  |  WOMEN LEADING

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[Angi Chau]

Ha, ok -- obviously it's time for me to go to bed.
I just realized that "EMSL" is, in fact, Evil Mad Scientist.
Which means it is in fact the link I sent out.

I'm a bit slow tonight!

-- 

Angi Chau, PhD
Director of Bourn Idea Lab, Faculty Advisor for Robotics @ Castilleja School
650-470-7756 (direct)
ac...@castilleja.org

WOMEN LEARNING  |  WOMEN LEADING

[Andrew]

No worries! I have the unfair advantage of writing this at 2 in the afternoon.

--andrew

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[Joshua Gold]

Mouser is suppose to be a good place to order bulk.  27 cents each for 100, and goes down if you buy more.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Lumex/SSL-LX100133ID/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtilyJihmhKqxSUaxZMS7gZjiYDF%2f5vFKQ%3d

[Mark Loundy]

Thank you for all the great suggestions.