Help with IR LEDs: Powering, Wiring & Resistor Questions

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around powering and wiring infrared (IR) LEDs for a project, focusing on the necessary power requirements, resistor usage, and wiring configurations. Participants explore concepts related to series and parallel connections of LEDs, as well as the implications of voltage and current ratings.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks guidance on how to determine the power needed for multiple IR LEDs and whether each LED requires its own resistor or if they can share one.
  • Another participant suggests reviewing an external resource that may provide relevant information for the project.
  • There is a mention of the possibility of creating a board to simplify the wiring of the LEDs, indicating a preference for organized assembly.
  • A participant emphasizes the importance of knowing the rated voltage drop and current for the LEDs to properly calculate the configuration.
  • One participant questions the difference between wiring LEDs in series versus parallel, seeking clarification on how to apply the voltage and current calculations to their specific setup.
  • There is an attempt to apply the information from a provided link to determine how many LEDs can be powered by a 12-volt battery based on their voltage drop.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of understanding regarding the wiring and power requirements for the LEDs, with some seeking clarification on specific concepts. No consensus is reached on the best approach to wiring or the exact calculations needed.

Contextual Notes

Participants have not settled on the assumptions regarding the voltage and current ratings of the LEDs, nor have they resolved the implications of series versus parallel configurations. There are also unresolved questions about the practicality of using a single resistor for multiple LEDs.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for individuals interested in basic electronics, particularly those working with LED projects or seeking to understand power requirements and wiring configurations.

MOzebra
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I have a project in mind that I need help with IR LEDs. I'm not an electricity expert; actually, I have almost no experience in electronics. I had an idea for a project and now I'm just trying to make it work. I will need to power a number of IR LEDs at one time for a continuous period. Is there a way to figure out how much power I will need per IR LED? Also, what type of resistors will I need and how will I need to wire it inline with the LEDs? Does each LED need a resistor or can I run a few LEDs off of a resistor?

I appreciate your help and I apologize for my lack of expertise on the matter.
 
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Ok, I hate to admit it, but I'm kind of lost with that. I'll look over it again tomorrow when I get the chance and hopefully it will make more sense. I was planning on wiring everything up inline. Would it just be easier to make a board and wire them all up to the board?

The IR LEDs won't really serve a purpose other than just turning on.
 
MOzebra said:
Ok, I hate to admit it, but I'm kind of lost with that. I'll look over it again tomorrow when I get the chance and hopefully it will make more sense. I was planning on wiring everything up inline. Would it just be easier to make a board and wire them all up to the board?

The IR LEDs won't really serve a purpose other than just turning on.
Forget about the IR aspect for the moment, a diode is a diode. You'll need to know the rated voltage drop across your LED and rated current. Then see something like this:
http://members.misty.com/don/ledd.html
 
mheslep: That makes a little more sense. I think I'm starting to catch on. What is the difference between putting LEDs in a series and parallel to each other as your link describes in the last two paragraphs?

So let me see if I've got this correct...according to that link, if I used LEDs that were 1.7 volts and a battery that is 12 volts, I should run like 5 LEDs off of that power supply? (80% of 12 volts is 9.6 volts. 9.6 volts divided by 1.7 volts is 5.65 LEDs.) Would that be the correct way of figuring that out?
 

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