LEDs

Nick88 · Jun 3, 2011

Hi all, I'm new here, and for some of you this will be absoloute basic electronics I dare say, but I need an answer, and quickly if possible!

So here's the crack.

I need to wire 1m of red LEDs and 1m of green LEDs for display purposes only - so they don't need to be mega bright, and they certainly don't need to have any waterproof protection over them.

I'm advised that strip, adhesive LEds will be my best option.

There are however, a few constraints.

1) They need to be run "mobile" - so with an independent battery - not off a mains supply.

2) The battery needs to be as small as possible.

A while back - a friend managed to wire some strip LEDs via a 9v battery. Electricians from Maplins tell me this is impossible - as the LEDs are 12v, and the battery 9v, it shouldn't work.

Now I know nothing about this kind of thing, but I can understand their logic.

If it is possible to repeat that act (and I dare say 1m worth of LEDs won't last long on a 9v battery!), is it safe / actually possible to do so?

---

As I said, I know nothing about LEDs / electrics.
All I want to do is make this work, and be able to switch between red and green - again, Im advised to use a "pole switch" in order to achieve this?

Any thought or input as to how I can get around this would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Nick

bugsy · Jun 3, 2011

You can run LED's from a battery, Ithink Maplins sell them in strips , battery life depends on length ( number LED's ) being powered

Nick88 · Jun 3, 2011

Thanks Bugsy,

But can I run 12V LEDs from a 9v battery?

bugsy · Jun 3, 2011

Yes but battery won't last long

telectrix · Jun 3, 2011

first LED's require 2volts, not 12Volts. if you wire them up 6 in series, you can power off an alarm battery. a lot of the strip LEDs are wired so as to require 12v. ask at a car accessory shop.

Nick88 · Jun 3, 2011

OK Thanks Bugsy - hopefully that should'nt be a problem as they will only be on for a maximum of 30 minutes!

Not that I doubt you, but why have I been told in that case, that I can't run them from 9v?

Nick88 · Jun 3, 2011

OK Thanks Bugsy - hopefully that should'nt be a problem as they will only be on for a maximum of 30 minutes!

Not that I doubt you, but why have I been told in that case, that I can't run them from 9v?

bugsy · Jun 3, 2011

or use two batterys from EM twin spot

telectrix · Jun 3, 2011

you can run them from any voltage battery you want as long as it's a multiple of 2. as i said each needs 2v, so 4/5 in series off 9v. 12 in series off 24v etc.

Nick88 · Jun 3, 2011

telectrix said:
you can run them from any voltage battery you want as long as it's a multiple of 2. as i said each needs 2v, so 4/5 in series off 9v. 12 in series off 24v etc.

Again, I appologise for the lack of electrical knowledge I have, but what you are saying is:

If I want to run these strip LEDs off A 9v Battery, I would need 4 or 5, 8 or 10, 12 or 15, 16 or20 individual LEDs on the strip, in series, in order for them to work?