Help with my led sign

sowazit2you

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
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2
Hey everyone need a bit of help with my project being a noob. What i am trying to do it basically explained here http://www.instructables.com/id/Color-changing-shadowbox-light/
Basically im making a sign for my job that will be using 4 slow changing led behind a piece of Plexiglass and need help to figure out how/what is needed to convert the voltage from ac to the dc that i will need. The leds have this following ratings.
I plan on wiring them in parllel. Is it as simple as buying a transformer such as this one #1 http://www.theledlight.com/transformers.html and some resistors. Any help would be much apprieciated. Thank you.
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Are those specs for the color changing leds you are using? I don't see the typical forward voltage for them, that would help. You can use this calculator http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz to help you figure out how to lay out your array. With a 12V power supply you probably will have all 4 emitters series wired. Be sure to check current with multimeter and aim for less than full power. You will probably need to try several values to get what you want as typical VF is just that, typical, not a guarantee. Alternatively you could try a trimmer pot.

Also, I am not sure about those "transformers." They say regulated, so I would term those switching power supplies, but perhaps I am wrong about that. Either way, you can probably find something laying around your house to use, or elsewhere. If you are already ordering components from that websight, then perhaps order one, but otherwise, there is nothing special about them that makes them LED drivers, they are just power supplies.

I wonder if you are going to get the brightness that you want for a sign with only 4 LEDS (these are just 5 or 8 mm dome leds?) You may be happier with an SMD light strip, such as this one for instance, also found at theledlight.com or elsewhere http://www.theledlight.com/color-changing-Led-lights.html I don't really want to recomend any particular vendor, there are many available.
 
Hey sorry the forward voltage is 3.2 ~ 3.6
Im using 5mm slow color changing leds for my project. My business where i am putting it is usually pretty low light (high-end bowling alley/club).
I chose to use 4 leds because I am basically just following an instrucable on it and thats what they used, but I may change it to 8 or however many as needed to get proper lighting.
I havent ordered anything from the web site yet only ordered my leds so far.
 
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