schematic make your own LED

[mrsg]

Here is a schematic and calculation on resistance for your led.

Now we need to find the resistor to use.
VL is voltage the led requires. Most red led's are 2-2.2 volts
VS is the volts from your battery so 12 volts
I is the current through the led, Ultra bright leds are 20mA

R=(12-2.2)/0.02
R=490 ohms

My rules it to go a little higher resistance to be safe. So i would use any resistor around 550 ohms. Not enough resistance and you will blow your led's.

Note: Connect them in parallel, If you connect in series and 1 led blows they all go out.


Where i bought my Led
cgi.ebay.com/100-Pcs-5mm-Red-Blue-Green-Yellow-White-Amber-LED-Light_W0QQitemZ110383173587QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item19b3598fd3&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=
Resistors
cgi.ebay.com/100-pcs-510-Ohm-Resistors-1-4W-Ideal-for-LEDs-510R_W0QQitemZ120427090925QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c0a0393ed&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=

It will take you 30 days to get your led's.
Have any question feel free to ask
Enjoy
Ray

[felliott]

Nice job, I will b trying it soon.

[mrsg]

It matters which way you connect the led's. If you look at the led closely there will be a flat side, this is your ground(negitive), The round side is your Positive, the positive wire(leg) of the led will be longer.

You connect the resistor to the positive side.
Do not connect them backwards. They are rated to withstand so much backwards voltage. More then 5v and you can damage led's if u exceed this limit.

A really nice diagram


I did i crude drawing of how to connect it.


Hope this helps

Ray

[mrsg]

As a test Jr, make 1 light and connect it to a 3v battery. The 12v setup will still work with 3v just not as bright as 12v (not much of a noticeable difference).

Ray