How can I connect about 8-12 LEDs all together and have them controlled by a toggle switch? I've got these 5,500 mcd blue LEDs that take about 3.3v and an on/off/on toggle switch and I was wondering how I wire them together without loosing any brightnes. Would I be able to use the 12 volt line on a molex? I don't have much electonics knowledge so if someone could help me, that would be great.
This site will give you helpful infromation on how to wire up the LED. What you probably want to do is wire the LEDs up in parallel so they all will share current with each other and have about the same voltage. You will need to change the resistence of the resistor you are using to be able to limit and support the amount of current being drawn. If you are unsure why you need a resistor in the first place then go here. Use this article to find the resistence you will need. Since the amount of power going through the resistor will be much higher you will either need to obtain a bigger resistor with the rated wattage provided by W=VA or create multiple taps for the LEDs. Example, 4 groups of of 2 LEDs utilizing a 1/4W resistor each. Hope this helps.
???? So if I connected ten LEDs in five groups of two to the 12volt line of a molex, I wouldn't loose any brightness? Also, what type of wire should I use? Thanks!
Yes, but it all depends on how much resistence your resistor is rated at. Use the resistence calculator to obtain the current resistence. I would suggest you use either 24 or 22 AWG wire for this project so you will be allowed more than enough head room to add other taps if you want more LEDs. Above all since you are creating packets of LEDs, you will need a resistor in series with each tap access point.
resistors I still a bit confused on resistors. Since I'll be grouping 2 LEDs together, will I need a resistor to bring the voltage down to 6.6 volts and have the LEDs share the voltage or have a resistor to bring down the voltage to 3.3v?
Have the resistor bring the voltage down to about 3.3v since you wiring the LEDs in parallel to each other. Your current requirement will need to double since two LEDs will be sharing current with each other through one resistor.
circuit Ok, here's my circuit- http://www.pureoc.d2g.com/uploaded_images/19041.jpg I'm not sure that I have this right yet, the resistors I put in there would bring the voltage down to 3.3v for every two LEDs, but I'm not sure If that will give off the maximum brightness for each LED.
The LEDs should be side-by-side of each other rather than in a series together. Code: |------<|---------// | |---<|---| | |------<|---------// | |---<|---| Something like that, the triangles are the LEDs. This way the voltage will go equally through both of them and the current is split.
last question Just one more question...please tell me If I have this right... So, I can either have the 2 LEDs in parallel and use a resistor that puts the voltage down to 3.3v for both LEDs, or I can have the two LEDs in series and have the resistor bring the voltage down to 6.6v for both LEDs. I promise I wont ask any more questions after this. Thanks!
Yes both ways, series LEDs and parallel LEDs, would work. You are also right to change the resistence when stringing them in either parallel or series. Ask more if you have any; I don't mind answering at all.
