Cheep white LEDs

Hi David,

Here is a guy I have bought from that has all kinds of electrical stuff cheap and fast shipping. Great to deal with and has all kinds of LED's.

David J Sac., Calif.

If you search for "white LED" on eBay you'll find lots of bargains. Much cheaper than $1.50 US for each.

I think last time I've bought 100 T-1 white LEDs for about 25 cents each.

Problem with those LEDs is that they have bluish tint. If you want somethign that looks liek an incadescent light you need to pay more money.

Only two sources for those type of white LEDs are Richmond Controls and Miniatronics.

Peteski

Peter W. spake thus:

Pretty sure the ones I told you about are the bright white ones. They're the same as the ones used in those ultra-bright keychain flashlights, so if you like them, you'll like these. (They also have blue ones.)

Peter W. spake thus:

Pretty sure the ones I told you about are the bright white ones. They're the same as the ones used in those ultra-bright keychain flashlights, so if you like them, you'll like these. (They also have blue ones.)

Peter W. spake thus:

Pretty sure the ones I told you about are the bright white ones. They're the same as the ones used in those ultra-bright keychain flashlights, so if you like them, you'll like these. (They also have blue ones.)

Peter W. spake thus:

Pretty sure the ones I told you about are the bright white ones. They're the same as the ones used in those ultra-bright keychain flashlights, so if you like them, you'll like these. (They also have blue ones.)

Peter W. spake thus:

Pretty sure the ones I told you about are the bright white ones. They're the same as the ones used in those ultra-bright keychain flashlights, so if you like them, you'll like these. (They also have blue ones.)

Peter W. spake thus:

Pretty sure the ones I told you about are the bright white ones. They're the same as the ones used in those ultra-bright keychain flashlights, so if you like them, you'll like these. (They also have blue ones.)

Peter W. spake thus:

Pretty sure the ones I told you about are the bright white ones. They're the same as the ones used in those ultra-bright keychain flashlights, so if you like them, you'll like these. (They also have blue ones.)

"

" $0.65 for 1

Paul Newhouse spake thus:

Yep, those are cheaper. I guess they're about the same brightness, since they say they're slightly less bright than their *really* bright white LEDs

which are 3000 mcd.

in article 445b91fe$0$3696$ snipped-for-privacy@news.adtechcomputers.com, David Nebenzahl at snipped-for-privacy@but.us.chickens wrote on 5/5/06 11:00 AM:

Regular "White" leds are pretty blue, especially with the power reduced below the max voltage. You can make them more incandescent using gel filter material available in large sheets from photography stores. The usual daylight filter is Wratten 85, but I've used Sun 3408/9/10 (darkest to lightest). They look pretty orange when the light is off, but when on, it subtracts the blue pretty well. I bought about a two foot square pieces of the filters for $9: enough for about a million leds (ok, I exaggerate).

Or, you could bet pale or sunny white LEDs from LoysToys for $1.20 each. Richmond Controls sources these for $1.50 from their web site, and they have surface mount ones, too.

David, brightness has nothing to do with my reply to your posting. Also I didn't state "blue LEDs" but "white LEDs with bluish tint" I'm talking about white (not blue) LEDs which have visible bluish tint to them. It is more like color temperature.

You are talking about brightness in mcds (micro candellas).

Most of the contemporary white LEDs are quite bright (more than enough for model RR headlights).

But since white LEDs use internal blue LED chip coated with special phosphor, they have a bluish tint. They look more like fluorescent lamps than incadescent headlight bulbs. That is what I'm talking about. Many modelers find that white color objectionable when used in headlight circuits.

Some companies started producing white LEDs which use special blend of phosphors or have an amber housing. Those white LEDs still use a blue LED internally but their white color has a warmer tone and looks more like an incadescent lamp.

But those are more expensive than any cheap plain ol' white LED.

So, you can get cheap white LEDs but they won't look "right" as a model headlight.

Peteski

Look at ebay auction 7615583324. I have purchased these before and they are reliable.

50 Surface Mount LED ~ White 0805. Remember these are very small surface mount and somewhat hard to solder.

For even smaller LEDs (I'm into N scale) I buy 0603 size LEDs. They work great for dich lights.

I wish that I could find white 0402 sized LEDs, but no such luck. Those are *really* small! I have some red ones of that size and they'l be perfect for lights on the RR crossing gates.

Someday I'll get to that project...

Peteski

Peter,

I'm playing with optical fibers, mount the LED's under the structure with all the control circuitry then only one fiber to each light, no wiring and you can run lights out on the arm (gate), even alternate flashing like the proto.

Having fun with my loco right now, SP 4294 and tender link! David J

David, I've played with fiber optics even before there were LEDs bright enough to make a viable light source (I've user incadescent bulbs). I still use fiber optics but now on a more limited basis.

If I can stuff an LED right at the light location, why bother with fiber optics? I can bend the supply wires at 90deg. angle or even make a knot in them. Can't do that with even a 0.010" fiber optic.

Fiber optics are great for some applications (especially stationary) but I still prefer to have the LED as the final light source. SMD LEDs are the way to go for me.

As far as using fiber optics in operating crossing gates, I don't see that as feasible. I'm planning on 4 lights on each gate. I can use really fine magnet wire and wire those LEDs in pairs with a common return. So that gives me three really fine (close to human hair diameter) wires I have to route down to the base.

I can't imagine having to do that with 4 fiber optics. That would be a big bundle. And since the fiber optics would be running parallel to the gate, the light woudl be emmited in the wrong direction. Remeber, you can't just put a 90 deg. turn in the fiber.

0402 SMD red LED is just the ticket here! :-)

Peteski