| Have you ever wanted to add some glowing eyes to one
of your Homemade Halloween Props? There is an
electronic device called an LED, or Light Emitting Diode
that is commonly used for this very purpose. The
electronic circuit is very simply and if you can solder,
and follow a simply drawing then you can make your very
own LED eyes.
First, lets starts out by saying there are many
different sizes, colors, and levels of brightness that
you can choose from when it comes to picking out what
type of LED's you want to use. LED's also come in
clear and diffused cases as well as several viewing
angles.
When it comes to price you will find LED's in retail
stores typically ranging from 65 cents a piece to
several dollars each.
Terms
You Need To Know
Brightness - Typically rated in mcd, the higher the
brighter.
Size - Typically 3mm, 5mm, 8mm, and 10mm
Operating Voltage - Typically called out on data sheets
as Voltage Forward (Vf). Most common LED's operate
in the 1.9 volt to 2.2 volt range. With the
addition of new colors and levels of brightness you must
look up the Forward Voltage rating of your LED's on the
manufacturers data Sheet.
Operating Current - Typically called out on a data sheet
as Forward Current (If). Most common LED's operate
in the 17mA to 25mA range. With the
addition of new colors and levels of brightness you must
look up the Forward Voltage rating of your LED's on the
manufacturers data sheet.
Viewing Angle - Is how wide the beam is when the
light leaves the LED. Typically, the narrower the
viewing angle the brighter the LED will be when compared
to the same type of LED with a wide viewing angle.
Data Sheet (partial)
Now you know what to look for when
it comes to the specifications of the LED's you have
chosen to use we can continue this project.
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