Newbie to the LED world...

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Hello all

I'm VERY new to the LED world but I'm ready to dive in a start designing. I have some BASIC LED installation type questions and if there is a web page out there for someone like me, please let me know.

Anyways, here are a few of my questions. Is there a way to wire a LED so that there are 2 stages of light? For example, once a LED is 'lighted', could I possibly make it brighten up? Also, I'm looking for a sheet or strips to make a sheet of RED LED's. The closest match so far is these strips. Has anyone dealt with this company or, better yet, know of a place where I could find a sheet (maybe 12"X12") of LED's?

Well, thats all the questions I'll ask for know. I would like to talk to someone possibly on AOL IM if you 'd like to help me out. My screen name is RangerSVT2000.

Thanks a bunch and sorry if I incorrectly worded anything!!

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Hi,

I would think that the simplest way of of setting up an LED for 2 levels of brightness would be to use 2 resistors and a switch to select one or the other. Choose one resistor value for the LED's maximum brightness setting and choose another with twice the resistance of that one for a setting that would provide only half of the current that the LED would pass at maximum brightness. This will make the LED dimmer. Of course you might want to tweak that value up or down to get the second setting that you want.

As far as web sites go I would like to suggest a site run by one of our members who goes by the name of Telephony. Follow the link below, enter the site, and click on LED FAQ at the top of the page.

http://ledmuseum.home.att.net/


When you've digested that you'll probably want to read lots of the other great information he has there. There are also links to other sites with helpful information.

I hope this helps. Welcome aboard.

Mark

 

[MikeB]

You might try these places for LED strips:
http://www.radiantz.com/

They make flexible and non-flexible LED strips.

http://www.theledlight.com/led-assemblies.html

Both arrays and flexible strips.

A 12" x 12" array? That sounds expensive...

 

[NightShift]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> Is there a way to wire a LED so that there are 2 stages of light? For example, once a LED is 'lighted', could I possibly make it brighten up? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I know there is a way because I own an LED brake light bulb for cars which is 2-stage brightness (1157 bulb). I bought it in hope of converting all my car's bulbs to LED but as you know with LED's, they dont reflect like regular bulbs. It shows a concentrated circle through the taillight lens. Too bad

...But i kept it cuz its the coolest automotive LED bulb I own. Looks like these images i had...

 

[Brock]

Nightshift, where did you get the 1157 replacement lamp, online, JC Whitney? Does it turn half the LED's on then the other half, or do they all come on, but at different intensities?

Brock

 

[The_LED_Museum]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NightShift:
I know there is a way because I own an LED brake light bulb for cars which is 2-stage brightness (1157 bulb). I bought it in hope of converting all my car's bulbs to LED but as you know with LED's, they dont reflect like regular bulbs. It shows a concentrated circle through the taillight lens. Too bad <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

LEDCORP (http://www.ledcorp.com) is supposed to be coming out with a properly working 1157 lamp that supposedly addresses this issue.

I don't think it's on their website yet, but this guy ---> JOHN MIZE <--- may be able to enlighten you.

I believe there is a 1-800 toll free number posted on their website which you may want to try. If for whatever reason you don't get any answer, contact me privately and I'll pass along a couple of other numbers.

 

[NightShift]

Brock, sorry for the delay...forgot I posted. I got the LED brake light bulb, from Pepboys surprisingly...I wasn't even looking for them specifically. I got my spoiler with an LED brake light bar of course...i like those

As you can see, the bulb has regular size LEDs surrounding a big LED. They all light up for low intensity, and they all get brighter for the high intensity. There are some links under the pictures I am posting where you can purchase the bulbs or check them out. I took some shots of the low & high brightness...

http://www.cleartaillights.com/accessory_bulbs.htm
http://www.lightlens.com/coloredbulbs.htm
http://www.autosyndicate.com/lighting.html (at bottom - no picture)

 

[Unicorn]

I've seen something similar in a catalog for NAPA.