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01-26-2009, 11:25 AM
| #1 |
| Pebble Pounder Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cen Cal
Posts: 148
|  Bright LEDs
I wanted to put some headlights in my Creeper with a Grappler body. I was looking through some previous posts and never saw what LEDs people are using to achieve some bright lights. I am planning on a 9v battery for a power source and up to 4 lights total (2 headlights 2 rock lights). I found the calculator but I still unsure of what resistor to use, also what reflector to use if one is even needed. I want the functional and bright, not just for looks. Thanks  |
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01-26-2009, 08:40 PM
| #2 |
| Pebble Pounder Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cen Cal
Posts: 148
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No one???
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01-26-2009, 10:04 PM
| #3 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: maple ridge
Posts: 627
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dude there is SOOO much info on LED's on the net. just search google. |
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01-26-2009, 10:07 PM
| #4 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 570
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Before you can really begin to figure out what resistors are needed, you need to know the specs of the LEDs you will use. The options are pretty unlimited. Any 3 to 5 mm white LEDs would work well. There are two kinds of white LEDs now. You typically find 'warm white' and 'cool white' styles. Warm better represents the conventional somewhat yellow-ish glow of an incadescent bulb. Cool whites are a brighter, more pure light, which could do a better job of representing HID lighting. As far as brightness goes, LEDs are rated in MCD, and the higher the number, the greater it's light output is. Usually LEDs with higher MCD ratings don't spread the light much and it is instead, focused at a point. The viewing angle spec will give you an idea of how wide the light pattern is. I guess what I am suggesting is that you don't just look at the MCD ratings and get the highest one possible. Consider all the specs together, including the viewing angle. Another thing that effects brightness is the current rating of the LED. Now days we most often have 2mA, 5mA, 10mA, 20mA, 30mA, and 50mA rated LEDs. That's mili-amps, in case you didn't know. More often then not, most 3 to 5 mm LEDs are in the 20 to 30mA range. Obviously, the higher the current rating, the greater the light it will put out. Once you know the specs of the LEDs you have, you just plug some numbers into the calculator and go to town. I use this one. It's easy to use. Voltage source is your power supply's (battery's) max output. Diode forward voltage is the voltage rating of the LED. Usually around 1.5 to 3 volts. Check the specs. Diode forward current is the current rating of the LED. Then you just figure out how many LEDs you want to wire to the circuit and hit the button. Most of the time you'll require 1/4 to 1/2 watt resistors, of varying resistance values. Depends on your voltage source, how many LEDs you will be wiring up, and finally, the current ratings of the LEDs. http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz I'm not going to recommend a specific LED, but do a search on google and you'll find tons of places that sell them. My favorite source is www.ledtronics.com |
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01-26-2009, 11:06 PM
| #5 |
| Pebble Pounder Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cen Cal
Posts: 148
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Now thanks for a reply that helped. That was the info I needed thanks.
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01-26-2009, 11:18 PM
| #6 |
| Rock Crawler Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 570
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No problemo.
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01-26-2009, 11:35 PM
| #7 |
| Quarry Creeper Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: !! MOAB !!
Posts: 373
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Linear Mode
