@MrChrisb0000 Actually, in the US it is a silent 'L', there are many words pronounced differently between the US and UK. No need to get hostile and start name calling over a linguistic difference...
@powerline574 if the power source and requirements are the same (12v here) you could go without. However, it depends on the power source. If you are trying to use a car battery or something similar be aware that the voltage is often higher that 12v. A rule of thumb is also to try and not exceed 80% of your available volts if possible. You can do it but it will drain the source quicker.
@ddschelin if you don't know what the voltage is for sure you can use the following as a rough guide and assume they are 20mA:
Basic Red: 1.7v
Bright Red, Orange, Yellow and Green: 2v
Bright white and blues: 3.5v
Those are just approximates but should be pretty close (+/- .5v) and should be good enough for our use here. I'm also assuming these are 5mm LED's which are the normal size you see around. There are smaller 3mm LED's but they are not as common.
Thank you for answering my question as it does help for the 5mm LEDs that I bought,the other part is that there are also 2mm & 3mm LEDs also. Again,thank you for the information....Doug..
@ddschelin You should be able to do a search online and find the information on the other LED's or at least approximates. Check out a site that sells them and see what voltage those are rated at. Similar colors should have similar voltage requirements. it won't be exact but should be close enough.
@BHAF4163 Not if you are doing it in a series. If you were wiring in parallel you would need a separate resistor for each but i would not recommend it. Wire in a series to simplify the circuit and use less materials. There may be the odd occasion where a parallel circuit makes sense but i haven't come across one yet.
@MMODoubter LED's typically have a very long life span. The packaging usually indicates how many hours it is rated to last but it will vary on how often you they are on. If they're in a model that you only turn on occasionally they will likely last a lifetime. If you have them on all the time then probably 5-10 years on average. Check the paperwork that came with your LED to confirm.
Yes the wiring and switch will add resistance. But unless you use a lot of wire it won't make a difference.
@z34gtpz28 whether it is 2, 8 or more it is all the same math. You just have to figure out how much voltage is required and make sure you have the right power source and resistance.
Two Questions: 1- If you were using multiple LED's and linking them in series would the resistor be placed in between each LED, within the series circuit or placed inline from the switch? 2- What gauge wire should be used, with LED's, or is it dependent on the power source? Ex: Would a 12v power source require a lower gauge wire.
@akearney47 Ideally I would place the resistor between the battery (hot side/red) and the LED so power hits the resistor before going to the LED. This will protect the LED from any initial in rush. As far as gauge of wire goes, yes the size would depend on the power source as you stated. For 9v power the simple stranded wire is fine but for high power sources you should use solid wire. I use mainly 16 and 18 gauge and have had no issues.
OMG, finally answers~!! Most videos i've come across say how "simple" it would be for a noob to make.... well, I have no idea what half of the things I'm looking at are! So you have no idea how helpful this video is.... In theory I got it down... let's just hope I have the same luck when I try to put it into practice ^^. Thanks!!
@tobuscusfan101 That is hard to say. You will need to know the volts, ma and power source to figure it out. Get those numbers, follow the math in the video and that will give you the information you are looking for.
my friend and I went out to get 3 leds 2 green and a blue. the greens are 2.1v and 25ma. the blue is 3.7v and 20ma. I'm using a 9 volt. my friend thinks two 470ohm resistor will work. is he right? I'm not shure becasue do you add the 2 ma or use the highest ma wich is the green.
@WIGGYBO Just use the 25ma as the number instead of 20 and do the math as shown and that will give you the answer. 470 seems way high for 3 LED's. The 5ma difference isn't really a big deal for simple circuits. If you were doing something much more complex it would come in to play but that is beyond the scope of this particular video. We aren't working with high voltage here either so if you fudge it a little one way or the other there will not be any noticeable difference.
How do you know what resistor to buy? I understand the formula to get the ohms, but what about the 1/8 and 1/4 watt resistors. How do you know which to buy?
@zomgwtfbbqbagel For simple model illumination just stick with 1/4 watt. For small circuits like are typically used either will likely work but I always go with 1/4 watt, mainly because they are easier to find.
wanting to add LED LIGHTS to my model cars, Would this be the best way to go about doing this? These are the car glue model kits. I know I could place the switches on the bottom of the car or inside it. Very helpful video and thanks so much for posting this.
@1SHOTSTUDIOSDOTCOM It is the way I would do it. But it can vary depending on the size of the model and how much room you have for the components. It can get pretty tricky trying to fit all the parts into smaller models.
always connect resistor to the positive cable!! Electricy goes from + to - and back to the power supply.The resistor does not do any work if the electricy already have passed the LED! And im super beginner!
@GuitarLeo096 I suggest you look up your basics. The voltage from the battery gets split between the LED and the resistor, so whether the resistor is on the positive or negative side doesn't matter. The current going through the resistor will be the same either way. The resistor will still do its job. Its only function is to lower the voltage over the LED. The way you describe it, the LED will take up all the current and leave nothinmg for the resistor. That's not how it works...
@NemmyG well everybody says it's that way, and it's kinda logical the power flows through the positive to the led and back in the negative cable! It's best to connect it to the positive anyway.
@GuitarLeo096 Two AA batteries are a little less than the voltage of your LED (if I'm reading it right) so yes it will work but won't be as bright as it could be. Since you are under power anyway you could probably just skip using the resistor.
This was really helpful. So many vids show you how to perform a specific task but its rare to get one that properly explains the maths behind it all. Thanks a bunch mate.
1.) resistors' resistance doesn't stack do they? like, if I use 2 100ohm resistor together, will they resist 200ohm?
2.) with forward voltage, that means the voltage lost when electricity passes thru LEDs right? so how do i figure it out? does it just say in the package and it just depends on the color of the LEDs? I don't have a digital voltage reader or anything..
@drentide Yes they should stack if you put them in series and the LED packaging should have the info you are looking for on it. They usually have the voltage printed on the package. You should not need a volt meter. If you can't find the voltage the generic numbers I put in the description area should be pretty close. Good luck!
I have a question. You can't put 3 LED lights with a 9 volt battery right. Why are the battery powered (3 AA) LED lights able to run 20 lights. I need to run 3 red 1.7 - 2.6 volt LEDs to a 9 volt battery, this can be done correct?
@ThePulseDragon It's all a matter of voltage. The 20 string lights you speak of probably user smaller LED's with a lower voltage requirement. As for your setup, yes you could run 3 LED's off a 9v if they are in the 1.7-2.6v range. The voltages I list are just the average ranges of typical LED's you would find at the store and are just included as a guide. It is always best to find out the voltage of the LED's you are using to figure out the exact number you can use.
I have a question. You can't put 3 LED lights with a 9 volt battery right. Why are the battery powered (3 AA) LED lights able to run 20 lights. I need to run 3 red 1.7 - 2.6 volt LEDs to a 9 volt battery, this can be done correct?
Hi, im wondering where can I get fiber optics the cheapest? and is it bad if you use more than 100 ohm resistors or it will only hold more leds to it?
@jseofr There is a link in the description on the second part of this tutorial for a fiber optic supplier. You can use a larger resistor but if it is oversized the LED's will not be at their optimum brightness and could be much dimmer than if you used a correctly sized resistor. It isn't bad or harmful to use a larger size, it just really affects how bright the LED's will be.
@Lilfufubunny Yes, the ends of the LED's should be soldered to make a good connection. You could also crimp them together if you have the right connector and crimping tool but soldering is usually best.
I'd like to set up about 8-10 red leds, preferably using 1-2 button cell battery sources. Each battery source would contain 3 button cells, each cell has a voltage of 1.5 volts. Would setting the leds in parallel work? Would a 100 ohm resistor suffice? I have tested using 4 red leds in parallel, with 3 button cells, and a 100 ohm resistor and it seemed to work, does this sound like a good set up?
@MenialWitnesl1l I haven't tried this configuration but in theory it should work. With the two sources you mention that should give you right around 9v. Assuming the red LEDs are around 1.7v (x8 or x10) you're exceeding the max voltage of the batteries so they won't be as bright as they could be and battery life will likely shorten. I wouldn't go parallel, I would keep them in series. Since you're exceeding the battery voltage a resistor really isn't needed.
Great tutorial! Definitely in my playlists. One question: how do I figure out the LED voltage requirements if I don't have the package they came in? (e.g. I stripped them out of some old thing with some LEDs) Is there a standard voltage for most LEDs? Some educated guess I can make?
@terrainoob Thanks! The voltage is determined mostly by the color of the LED. if you don't know what the voltage is for sure you can use the following as a rough guide and assume they are 20mA:
Basic Red: 1.7v
Bright Red, Orange, Yellow and Green: 2v
Bright white and blues: 3.5v
Those are just approximates but should be pretty close (+/- .5v) and should be good enough for our use here. If for some reason you need precise numbers then definitely buy new ones so you know the exact voltages.
Its not soddering you dick, its soldering. The L is not silent.
MrChrisb0000 12 hours ago
@MrChrisb0000 Actually, in the US it is a silent 'L', there are many words pronounced differently between the US and UK. No need to get hostile and start name calling over a linguistic difference...
warchild40k 11 hours ago
warchild40k................Thank you very much for the information as it does help...
ddschelin 18 hours ago
One of the most helpful and best videos out there.. Really helped me alot and answered all my questions..
Ramses1996ify 1 day ago
@Ramses1996ify Thanks, glad you found it helpful :)
warchild40k 18 hours ago
what if im using 6, 2volt leds and i have a 12volt power source , will i still need a resister
powerline574 1 day ago
@powerline574 if the power source and requirements are the same (12v here) you could go without. However, it depends on the power source. If you are trying to use a car battery or something similar be aware that the voltage is often higher that 12v. A rule of thumb is also to try and not exceed 80% of your available volts if possible. You can do it but it will drain the source quicker.
warchild40k 18 hours ago
@warchild40k ,thanks for the reply, helped alot
powerline574 7 hours ago
I purchased bunch of Various types of LEDs from the "Electric Gold mine "site and they did not
come with any info about voltage or mA,how can you determine the voltage & mA on these or is it a hit and miss issue...?
ddschelin 3 days ago
@ddschelin if you don't know what the voltage is for sure you can use the following as a rough guide and assume they are 20mA:
Basic Red: 1.7v
Bright Red, Orange, Yellow and Green: 2v
Bright white and blues: 3.5v
Those are just approximates but should be pretty close (+/- .5v) and should be good enough for our use here. I'm also assuming these are 5mm LED's which are the normal size you see around. There are smaller 3mm LED's but they are not as common.
warchild40k 2 days ago
@warchild40k
Thank you for answering my question as it does help for the 5mm LEDs that I bought,the other part is that there are also 2mm & 3mm LEDs also. Again,thank you for the information....Doug..
ddschelin 2 days ago
@ddschelin You should be able to do a search online and find the information on the other LED's or at least approximates. Check out a site that sells them and see what voltage those are rated at. Similar colors should have similar voltage requirements. it won't be exact but should be close enough.
warchild40k 18 hours ago
too slow, got bored
sdiaufbrewipufgb 5 days ago
Does each LED light get it's own resitor?
BHAF4163 1 week ago
@BHAF4163 Not if you are doing it in a series. If you were wiring in parallel you would need a separate resistor for each but i would not recommend it. Wire in a series to simplify the circuit and use less materials. There may be the odd occasion where a parallel circuit makes sense but i haven't come across one yet.
warchild40k 1 week ago
@warchild40k What is the lifespan of these components? How many hours does one of these diodes last?
I assume the wire adds a trivial amount of resistance to the circuit. What about the switch?
MMODoubter 1 week ago
@MMODoubter LED's typically have a very long life span. The packaging usually indicates how many hours it is rated to last but it will vary on how often you they are on. If they're in a model that you only turn on occasionally they will likely last a lifetime. If you have them on all the time then probably 5-10 years on average. Check the paperwork that came with your LED to confirm.
Yes the wiring and switch will add resistance. But unless you use a lot of wire it won't make a difference.
warchild40k 1 week ago
what if you want to go with 8 led's in series this would be real helpfull
z34gtpz28 1 week ago
@z34gtpz28 whether it is 2, 8 or more it is all the same math. You just have to figure out how much voltage is required and make sure you have the right power source and resistance.
warchild40k 1 week ago
Two Questions: 1- If you were using multiple LED's and linking them in series would the resistor be placed in between each LED, within the series circuit or placed inline from the switch? 2- What gauge wire should be used, with LED's, or is it dependent on the power source? Ex: Would a 12v power source require a lower gauge wire.
akearney47 2 weeks ago
@akearney47 Ideally I would place the resistor between the battery (hot side/red) and the LED so power hits the resistor before going to the LED. This will protect the LED from any initial in rush. As far as gauge of wire goes, yes the size would depend on the power source as you stated. For 9v power the simple stranded wire is fine but for high power sources you should use solid wire. I use mainly 16 and 18 gauge and have had no issues.
warchild40k 2 weeks ago
OMG, finally answers~!! Most videos i've come across say how "simple" it would be for a noob to make.... well, I have no idea what half of the things I'm looking at are! So you have no idea how helpful this video is.... In theory I got it down... let's just hope I have the same luck when I try to put it into practice ^^. Thanks!!
flacaloca 1 month ago
@flacaloca Glad you found it useful!
warchild40k 1 month ago
what if i use 2 - 10 LEDs will i need a resistor if so witch one ?
tobuscusfan101 1 month ago
@tobuscusfan101 That is hard to say. You will need to know the volts, ma and power source to figure it out. Get those numbers, follow the math in the video and that will give you the information you are looking for.
warchild40k 1 month ago
my friend and I went out to get 3 leds 2 green and a blue. the greens are 2.1v and 25ma. the blue is 3.7v and 20ma. I'm using a 9 volt. my friend thinks two 470ohm resistor will work. is he right? I'm not shure becasue do you add the 2 ma or use the highest ma wich is the green.
WIGGYBO 1 month ago
@WIGGYBO Just use the 25ma as the number instead of 20 and do the math as shown and that will give you the answer. 470 seems way high for 3 LED's. The 5ma difference isn't really a big deal for simple circuits. If you were doing something much more complex it would come in to play but that is beyond the scope of this particular video. We aren't working with high voltage here either so if you fudge it a little one way or the other there will not be any noticeable difference.
warchild40k 1 month ago
@warchild40k thank you verry much.
WIGGYBO 1 month ago
How do you know what resistor to buy? I understand the formula to get the ohms, but what about the 1/8 and 1/4 watt resistors. How do you know which to buy?
zomgwtfbbqbagel 1 month ago
@zomgwtfbbqbagel For simple model illumination just stick with 1/4 watt. For small circuits like are typically used either will likely work but I always go with 1/4 watt, mainly because they are easier to find.
warchild40k 1 month ago
@warchild40k Alright
zomgwtfbbqbagel 1 month ago
wanting to add LED LIGHTS to my model cars, Would this be the best way to go about doing this? These are the car glue model kits. I know I could place the switches on the bottom of the car or inside it. Very helpful video and thanks so much for posting this.
1SHOTSTUDIOSDOTCOM 1 month ago
@1SHOTSTUDIOSDOTCOM It is the way I would do it. But it can vary depending on the size of the model and how much room you have for the components. It can get pretty tricky trying to fit all the parts into smaller models.
warchild40k 1 month ago
thanks mate....very useful info
chikowhitey 2 months ago
always connect resistor to the positive cable!! Electricy goes from + to - and back to the power supply.The resistor does not do any work if the electricy already have passed the LED! And im super beginner!
GuitarLeo096 2 months ago
@GuitarLeo096 I suggest you look up your basics. The voltage from the battery gets split between the LED and the resistor, so whether the resistor is on the positive or negative side doesn't matter. The current going through the resistor will be the same either way. The resistor will still do its job. Its only function is to lower the voltage over the LED. The way you describe it, the LED will take up all the current and leave nothinmg for the resistor. That's not how it works...
NemmyG 2 months ago
@NemmyG well everybody says it's that way, and it's kinda logical the power flows through the positive to the led and back in the negative cable! It's best to connect it to the positive anyway.
GuitarLeo096 2 months ago
Thank you for this video. It is the first time that I have been able to understand about reistors.
blackhawk3165 2 months ago
i have 3.2 forward v. on mine, 20mA and 2aa battery, i just ordered 1/4 resistor, is that going to work?
GuitarLeo096 2 months ago
@GuitarLeo096 Two AA batteries are a little less than the voltage of your LED (if I'm reading it right) so yes it will work but won't be as bright as it could be. Since you are under power anyway you could probably just skip using the resistor.
warchild40k 2 months ago
@warchild40k that was very useful, thanks!
GuitarLeo096 2 months ago
@warchild40k but if i want to power 6 LEDs in series, can you give me some example how i can do that with my LEDs on 3.2V 20mA?
GuitarLeo096 2 months ago
@warchild40k if i use a 9v battery and 6 leds then? I could probably skip resisor there to, because im under power?
GuitarLeo096 2 months ago
dude ....... AWSOME
RECOIL148 3 months ago
This is the best video I've seen so far that explains LEDs. Thanks for sharing.
dcwheaton 3 months ago
This was really helpful. So many vids show you how to perform a specific task but its rare to get one that properly explains the maths behind it all. Thanks a bunch mate.
masterELSKiN 4 months ago
Very helpful...thanks!
coastalorphan 4 months ago
@coastalorphan Glad it was useful! :)
warchild40k 4 months ago
noob questions:
1.) resistors' resistance doesn't stack do they? like, if I use 2 100ohm resistor together, will they resist 200ohm?
2.) with forward voltage, that means the voltage lost when electricity passes thru LEDs right? so how do i figure it out? does it just say in the package and it just depends on the color of the LEDs? I don't have a digital voltage reader or anything..
drentide 4 months ago
@drentide Yes they should stack if you put them in series and the LED packaging should have the info you are looking for on it. They usually have the voltage printed on the package. You should not need a volt meter. If you can't find the voltage the generic numbers I put in the description area should be pretty close. Good luck!
warchild40k 4 months ago
Dude, you rock
califrontiers 4 months ago
Very good video. Thanks!
jlamb62480 4 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I have a question. You can't put 3 LED lights with a 9 volt battery right. Why are the battery powered (3 AA) LED lights able to run 20 lights. I need to run 3 red 1.7 - 2.6 volt LEDs to a 9 volt battery, this can be done correct?
ThePulseDragon 5 months ago
@ThePulseDragon It's all a matter of voltage. The 20 string lights you speak of probably user smaller LED's with a lower voltage requirement. As for your setup, yes you could run 3 LED's off a 9v if they are in the 1.7-2.6v range. The voltages I list are just the average ranges of typical LED's you would find at the store and are just included as a guide. It is always best to find out the voltage of the LED's you are using to figure out the exact number you can use.
warchild40k 4 months ago
I have a question. You can't put 3 LED lights with a 9 volt battery right. Why are the battery powered (3 AA) LED lights able to run 20 lights. I need to run 3 red 1.7 - 2.6 volt LEDs to a 9 volt battery, this can be done correct?
ThePulseDragon 5 months ago
Thank you. Very helpful video.
Dansharpjr 5 months ago
Hi, im wondering where can I get fiber optics the cheapest? and is it bad if you use more than 100 ohm resistors or it will only hold more leds to it?
jseofr 6 months ago
@jseofr There is a link in the description on the second part of this tutorial for a fiber optic supplier. You can use a larger resistor but if it is oversized the LED's will not be at their optimum brightness and could be much dimmer than if you used a correctly sized resistor. It isn't bad or harmful to use a larger size, it just really affects how bright the LED's will be.
warchild40k 6 months ago
@warchild40k thanks for your response. I bought 220 ohm resistors for my leds. is it too large that would make my LEDs dim?
jseofr 6 months ago
@jseofr It all depends on the number of LEDs you have and other factors. The video has all the info and math you need to figure it out :)
warchild40k 6 months ago
@warchild40k you could put smaller size resistors in a seiries
SeabasR 4 months ago
Do the negative and positive of the LED's get soderd in the middle
Lilfufubunny 7 months ago
@Lilfufubunny Yes, the ends of the LED's should be soldered to make a good connection. You could also crimp them together if you have the right connector and crimping tool but soldering is usually best.
warchild40k 7 months ago
By the way, great video! It was very informative
MenialWitnesl1l 9 months ago
I'd like to set up about 8-10 red leds, preferably using 1-2 button cell battery sources. Each battery source would contain 3 button cells, each cell has a voltage of 1.5 volts. Would setting the leds in parallel work? Would a 100 ohm resistor suffice? I have tested using 4 red leds in parallel, with 3 button cells, and a 100 ohm resistor and it seemed to work, does this sound like a good set up?
MenialWitnesl1l 9 months ago
@MenialWitnesl1l I haven't tried this configuration but in theory it should work. With the two sources you mention that should give you right around 9v. Assuming the red LEDs are around 1.7v (x8 or x10) you're exceeding the max voltage of the batteries so they won't be as bright as they could be and battery life will likely shorten. I wouldn't go parallel, I would keep them in series. Since you're exceeding the battery voltage a resistor really isn't needed.
warchild40k 9 months ago
@warchild40k thanks
MenialWitnesl1l 9 months ago
"Skip past bits", No Chance, this is going straight into my favourites. A great tutorial simple clear details on how to carry out this task. Thanks
TheRealMythril 10 months ago
@TheRealMythril Thank you, glad you found it useful :)
warchild40k 10 months ago
Great tutorial! Definitely in my playlists. One question: how do I figure out the LED voltage requirements if I don't have the package they came in? (e.g. I stripped them out of some old thing with some LEDs) Is there a standard voltage for most LEDs? Some educated guess I can make?
terrainoob 10 months ago
@terrainoob Thanks! The voltage is determined mostly by the color of the LED. if you don't know what the voltage is for sure you can use the following as a rough guide and assume they are 20mA:
Basic Red: 1.7v
Bright Red, Orange, Yellow and Green: 2v
Bright white and blues: 3.5v
Those are just approximates but should be pretty close (+/- .5v) and should be good enough for our use here. If for some reason you need precise numbers then definitely buy new ones so you know the exact voltages.
warchild40k 10 months ago
I have my resistor on the long leg on the diode, is this a problem?
MarneusAugustaCalgar 10 months ago
@MarneusAugustaCalgar It will not be a problem. In a simple circuit like this the resistor can be on either side.
warchild40k 10 months ago
@warchild40k Cheers bud.
MarneusAugustaCalgar 10 months ago
Fantastic tutorial. Many thanks, really helpful.
MarneusAugustaCalgar 10 months ago
i like the way you switched the lights out just before you left! lol!
nice, simple, easy to understand tutorial. thankyou! :)
archaeolas 10 months ago
This is great I'll make sure lots of people see this.
altoft316 10 months ago
Great tutorial thank ytou . Looking forward to the next part .
TheSeasonman1 10 months ago
Comment removed
TheSeasonman1 10 months ago
this is awesome added to favs buddy thanks for this
OrcPainterNerd 10 months ago