Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Pieces and Parts, Electronic components — Parallax Forums

Pieces and Parts, Electronic components

ChrisPChrisP Posts: 136
edited 2007-03-16 03:04 in General Discussion
Looking around for a good (read cheap) source of LED's·brings up digikey/mouser of course, which is a little scary on a budget for any kind of quantity, and of course ebay which is way tempting because of the prices. Same thing though, everything seems to be located in China and I'm nervous about things like import duties and scams. Anyone have any advice? Favorite suppliers?

Specifically I'm looking for surface mount, and RGB (surface mount and or through hole) types which seem to range for an RGB anywhere from 50 for $15 from china on ebay, to several dollars each through·Digikey etc.

Thanks in advance for any advice or comments.

Chris

Comments

  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2007-03-14 06:18
    First stop for things LED is always the LED Museum. This amazing resource will help you find what you're looking for.

    -Phil
  • StarManStarMan Posts: 306
    edited 2007-03-16 03:04
    ChrisP,

    I have purchased RGB LEDs from numerous suppliers in China and they all seem to be the same:· The greens and blues are decent and the reds are very weak.· Check out this thread:·LED multi colour wall washing phasin' changin' funkyness.·· Recently I purchased some RGB LEDs from www.superbrightleds.com and I was pleased with the light output.· You still get the uneven color distribution though.· They have common anode, common cathode, clear, or diffused lens.· The diffused lens helps a little with the color distribution but cuts down the light output a little bit as well.· $1.59 each

    For single color thru-hole LEDs, I buy them by the thousands from Light of Victory Electronics in Hong Kong (email: lvehkl@yahoo.com).· They have excellent quality and they roll the shipping in as part of the price.· To get a thousand white, 10000 mcd LEDs in my hands costs $200 and takes about a week.· They also send a thousand 430 ohm resistors which I don't use.· As far as I know, US Customs doesn't get involved.

    I don't have much experience with SMT LEDs.· I've gotten RGB samples from Kingbrite and Nichia and they were both excellent.· Nice and bright with much better color distribution than the thru-hole LEDs I've tried.

    Chris I.
Sign In or Register to comment.