Hello /diy/
I have a small project where i need to power about 2000 LEDs. Just normal 5mm 3v leds. How would i go about doing that? I was hoping some old computer charger could do the trick, but i'm far from an electronics expert, so i don't know exactly how. I dont need to be able to control any of them individually, they have to light up all at the same time. I was hoping to make a big grid, and wire all of them in parallel, so i can hook them to a single power source.
If i did that, and have a 19V DC computer charger, what would i need to do, so i don't toast them all? Would it be enough to put a resistor on + or -? If so, how big would it have to be?
I'll of course post pictures when it's done
Take the 19 volt lead up the ass
Snort the LEDs one by one in your lungs
Congrats, you're a Christmas tree!
>hurr durr how do I do X...
lmgtfy.com/?q=How+to+wire+many+LEDs
Start from there, then ask a specific question.
>>901461
I did dipshit, i asked if it was enough to put a resistor on one of the wires, and how big it would have to be in that case. Now, can you answer my question, or are you an idiot from every angle?
>take 19 Volt lead up the ass
>eat LEDs
>plug in power cord
>???
>Profit
Alternatively, try to put at least some effort in it, Nigger
lmgtfy.com/?q=How+to+wire+many+LEDs
Get educated, return with a more specific question
>Hurr durr I'm too retarded to do my own research
lmgtfy.com/?q=How+to+wire+many+LEDS
>>901464
Hey OP, I answered your questions, in detail.
Then I deleted my post because you were being a dick.
Merry Christmas.
>>901457
It depends.
If you haven't bought the LEDs yet, you should instead opt for those not-terribly-expensive SMD LED strips that take 12V DC straight up. If you insist on using the computer charger, you'll could try switching converter IC to bring it down to 12V. However, I really doubt the charger has enough amperage for it. Stereotypical LED draws 20mA, which amounts to 40 amps. Try multiple of those Chinese MeanWell PSUs instead.
If you already have 2000 of the specific type of LEDs in your picture and are forced to use them somehow, then you're fucked. You either need 1000 - 2000 resistors or 100 - 200 constant current driver ICs, depending on how you section it, if you want any degree of fault tolerance. Doing that kind of work manually is not fun, even for 2 - 4 people.
>>901468
Merry Christmas to you too
Funny, i kinda thought this was a board where you could ask a question about diy projects.
I did google this, and got results like "Why a single resistor wont work", difference between series and parallel, or How to power 50 or 100 leds, not 2000. I don't know howw to do it, so i came here for help, and i'm told to shove it up my ass. I thought this board was more serious than /b/
>>901474
It usually is.
I answered all those questions for you; I wasn't just pretending I had to get a rise.
If you'd only gone for a nice cup of tea instead of acting like a twat, that post would still be there.
>>901471
Thank you for the answer
I guess i'm fucked then, i already have the LEDs. I would have used the strips, but it needs to be different colors.
Thanks anyway, i thought there might be some easy way to do it.
>>901479
How did you even get so many loose LEDs anyway? My uni crew had to order 512 of the little chip LEDs for a viewerless 3D thing, then set them up to be controlled individually. It was essentially a days-long hell of solder fumes, burnt fingers and campus security asking us what the hell we were doing at 12 o'clock midnight.
Best advice I can give you is try and sell your stock to the type of kids who buy Arduino project books for $0.10 a pop. They'll jump at that shit.
>>901483
I know a guy who worked at a school that had to close. They had a electronics lab, and had to basically throw out everything, so he asked if i wanted them.
Could do that, i just had a fun project in mind.
if different color then they have different voltage drop.
they should be limited to max 20mA, but go with 10mA. go search Google for current limiting of Led.
then wire 4-5 diodes in series, depending on the Vf. add resistor to limit current.
parallel ~200 strings to a 19v psu..
if I = 20mA @ Vf =4v, then 4 led per string and 200 strings will draw 10A.
if other configuration then other current draw..
now go on elsewhere with your weed grow lamp..
