LED Indicator Lights

[Charlie]

Hi All I am thinking of replacing all of my indicator lights in my electrical panel. Some don't work and I figure the rest will stop soon enough. In order to do this I would like to use LED's. I have found thme at marine suppliers for $3.07 a piece but was thinking that I could outsource them cheaper. Does anyone know of a supplier that has quality LED lights for sale. I need 28 of them.

[belizesailor]

www.superbrightleds.com has a huge inventory with detailed specs.

[Emmalina]

Ebay has always worked for me !

[Jim Cate]

Charlie, for thse simple applications, just about any small red LED will work... the kind that you can get for a few cents each. You will need a small resistor to act as a current limiter for each one, and you will want to drive them gently, but I've been using such for years with no problems.

Jim

[svinshallah]

Www.allelectronics.com had some LEDs with built-in resistor for 12 volts. Under a dollar each.

[rwidman]

Keep in mind that your "12 volt" boat electrical system is actually 12.6 volts but can reach 14 or 15 volts under some charging conditions. LED assemblies or LEDs with added dropping resistors designed for 12 volts (like you might find in electronic devices with regulated power supplies) will fail pretty quickly when subject to these higher voltages, even for an instant.

The best choice is LED assemblies with built in current limiting drivers but you're not going to find these for $1.00.

Try to find lamps that are rated for 14 volts or more. They won't be as bright at 12 volts but they will last longer.

[Colin A]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Keep in mind that your "12 volt" boat electrical system is actually 12.6 volts but can reach 14 or 15 volts under some charging conditions. LED assemblies or LEDs with added dropping resistors designed for 12 volts (like you might find in electronic devices with regulated power supplies) will fail pretty quickly when subject to these higher voltages, even for an instant.

The best choice is LED assemblies with built in current limiting drivers but you're not going to find these for $1.00.

Try to find lamps that are rated for 14 volts or more. They won't be as bright at 12 volts but they will last longer.

We use Wilbrecht or Solico LED assemblies (with a resistor inline) they are setup for around 14V we have found the last for quite awhile (I get calls from people with 20 year old panels looking for replacements) but are not the cheapest things around. Be careful on mounting size panel makers have used several different hole sizes over the years.

[Charlie]

WEll Solico seems to have what I need now I need to find the price and how to buy them.

[senormechanico]

Cheapo LED with a 1,000 ohm resistor (1/4 watt or higher rating is fine)
Bright enough for indicator and won't ever die no matter how high the voltage in your 12 volt system goes.

(former pro electronic tech)

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Cheapo LED with a 1,000 ohm resistor (1/4 watt or higher rating is fine)
Bright enough for indicator and won't ever die no matter how high the voltage in your 12 volt system goes.

(former pro electronic tech)

Exactly! Yhis is a more specific description of what I was on about, Charlie. A very inexpensive way to go if it matters.

jim

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Cheapo LED with a 1,000 ohm resistor (1/4 watt or higher rating is fine)
Bright enough for indicator and won't ever die no matter how high the voltage in your 12 volt system goes.

(former pro electronic tech)

Thanks Steve. You don't know the name of a distributor do you?

[senormechanico]

Digikey, Mouser, eBay are my go to sites. Especially eBay.

[chris07732]

This chinese distributer site has a huge choice of LED lights (and everything else). Very limited delivery options based on snail mail, takes 2-3 weeks at times. Prices can't be beat, but hard to verify specs: Online Shopping for Cool Gadgets, RC helicopter & Quadcopter, Mobile Phone, Fashion at Banggood.com