LED Beginner Project

Thread Starter

RdAdr

Joined May 19, 2013
214
How can you make a simple circuit with a LED, a resistor and a battery without using a soldering gun and without using a solderless breadboard?

Or maybe with two batteries and connecting the batteries in series.

I think with crocodile clips.
 
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djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,155
I have many questions for you. What type of battery are you using? Do you have (or can get) a battery holder? Do you know the characteristics of the LED? Or have you read the datasheet? What is the resistors value? What is this for?

The short answer to your question is that you can, but you need some additional information if you want to know how. Alligator clips are one way. Wire wrapping (not the traditional type) or even with brads in a board,,,
 

Thread Starter

RdAdr

Joined May 19, 2013
214
I have many questions for you. What type of battery are you using? Do you have (or can get) a battery holder? Do you know the characteristics of the LED? Or have you read the datasheet? What is the resistors value? What is this for?

The short answer to your question is that you can, but you need some additional information if you want to know how. Alligator clips are one way. Wire wrapping (not the traditional type) or even with brads in a board,,,
For example, let's say that I have an LED that has a forward voltage of 2V and a max current of 15-20 mA.
And I use a 3V battery.

Then I need a resistor that will take the difference of 1V. And I choose it based on I=(3V-2V)/R, where I=15mA.

This would be the simplest case.

What I really want is to have 6 LEDs connected to a 9V battery, where 2 are in series and the other 4 in parallel two by two (after the two in series).

And I thought that on these LEDs I will have 8V. So I need another resistor to take the rest of 1V. And I calculate R so that the current is 15 mA.

My problem is now that through the parallel LEDs will go only 7.5 mA.

Will this be enough to light up the LEDs? Maybe they will show some little light.


And as components I would need a 9v battery, a 9V battery snap on connector, wires, alligator clips, LEDs. And that is all.
It would work?
 

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Thread Starter

RdAdr

Joined May 19, 2013
214
Use something like this:

Wires go in from top and bottom, tighten the screws to hold the wires.



or this: http://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Connector-Position-Screw-Terminal/dp/B0053WRTQ8
In the case I find this in the store.

I take the screw out, I put the wire inside, then I put the screw back on?
And the screws are all connected beneath the white plastic?

Can you draw quickly in paint over the picture how one resistor in series with other two resistors that are in parallel would look like? Plus the battery of course.


Oh, now I see the picture from amazon. So the connection between two wires is made like so. The first wire i stick it into the top hole. The second wire I stick it into the lateral hole corresponding to the top hole. And connection is made. Right?
 
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shteii01

Joined Feb 19, 2010
4,644
In the case I find this in the store.

I take the screw out, I put the wire inside, then I put the screw back on?
And the screws are all connected beneath the white plastic?
You don't NEED to take the screws out. You just loosen the screws, put the wire in, tighten the screw.
Each vertical section is connected inside.

Also note the holes between the vertical sections. Once you figure out all the connections, you can mount this thing on some panel or inside a box.
 

Thread Starter

RdAdr

Joined May 19, 2013
214
You don't NEED to take the screws out. You just loosen the screws, put the wire in, tighten the screw.
Each vertical section is connected inside.

Also note the holes between the vertical sections. Once you figure out all the connections, you can mount this thing on some panel or inside a box.
Aa, so I need two vertical, top holes to make a connection between two wires. What are the lateral, side holes for?
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,932
For example, let's say that I have an LED that has a forward voltage of 2V and a max current of 15-20 mA.
And I use a 3V battery.

Then I need a resistor that will take the difference of 1V. And I choose it based on I=(3V-2V)/R, where I=15mA.

This would be the simplest case.

What I really want is to have 6 LEDs connected to a 9V battery, where 2 are in series and the other 4 in parallel two by two (after the two in series).

It would work?
Do NOT put LEDs in parallel. This is a very bad practice.

Just put three LEDs and a resistor in series and make two of those chains. Size the resistor to give you the current you want. Your total current draw from the battery will be twice that.
 

Thread Starter

RdAdr

Joined May 19, 2013
214
Do NOT put LEDs in parallel. This is a very bad practice.

Just put three LEDs and a resistor in series and make two of those chains. Size the resistor to give you the current you want. Your total current draw from the battery will be twice that.
I know. But this project is for my little cousin from her school. Her teacher said to have that kind of circuit. Maybe the purpose is to see that putting things in parallel divides the current and thus you see less light.
 
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Thread Starter

RdAdr

Joined May 19, 2013
214
I got a 9V connector. Which wire is positive and which negative? There are two wires: red, black coming out of it.

The hexagon is plus and the circle is negative. But I care about the wires.

My guess is that red is positive.

LE: yes, is red. The LED is On.
 

shteii01

Joined Feb 19, 2010
4,644
I got a 9V connector. Which wire is positive and which negative? There are two wires: red, black coming out of it.

The hexagon is plus and the circle is negative. But I care about the wires.

My guess is that red is positive.

LE: yes, is red. The LED is On.
It is marked on the battery.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,932
I know.

Then you put the connector on the battery. From the connector it comes out two wires. The connector is covered in some black plastic. You can't see which wire is positive and which is negative.
1) Use a multimeter to check which wire is connected to which terminal.
2) Feel the connector and you should be able to feel which wire is going where.
3) Look up the part number on the manufacturer's website.
4) Guess that the convention that red is positive and black is negative is being used.
5) Make a simple circuit and use one of the connector wires as a conductor in the circuit by breaking one of the wires and tying the red wire to one of the broken ends and then see which terminal you have to touch to the other broken end to get the circuit to work again. Hint: The red wire is connected to that terminal.
 

Thread Starter

RdAdr

Joined May 19, 2013
214
Yes, the easiest way is to check for continuity using a multimeter. I will buy a multimeter in the near future.
 
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