Newbie question: Do you Tin the LED?

**Viper1** · 05-23-2011, 11:16 AM

Howdy,

Yet another newbie question.

When wiring up an LED do you tin both the LED and the wires or just the wires?

Just paranoid about blowing the LED

**Rathan** · 05-23-2011, 11:23 AM

Always tin both. With flux, a good tip, and a nice hot iron you can do it nice and quick.

**Silver Serpent** · 05-23-2011, 11:25 AM

Depends on the LED. Some of them (like the Seoul P4) come with pretinned pads. Others (LEDEngin 10w) don't. If the pad isn't tinned already, you should do so.

**captain_mills** · 05-23-2011, 11:31 AM

My Seoul P4 White did not come tinned. I had to do both the wires and the LED...

**Silver Serpent** · 05-23-2011, 11:52 AM

My P4 greens and blues were pretinned. It would appear they're not all the same, so look at them closely before you begin. Either way, be sure that the LED pads and the wires are tinned before you attempt to join them. Your wallet will thank you later when you don't have to purchase new LEDs

**Viper1** · 05-23-2011, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Silver Serpent

My P4 greens and blues were pretinned. It would appear they're not all the same, so look at them closely before you begin. Either way, be sure that the LED pads and the wires are tinned before you attempt to join them. Your wallet will thank you later when you don't have to purchase new LEDs

How will i know from visual inspection whether or not the LED is tinned?

I have a P4 and part of the reason I raised the question is that the square pads on the Led board have a silverish colour rather than the green grey colour on the shop picture would this indicate that it is tinned or just a variation in p4's?

Many thank's for your help and patience

**Knighthammer** · 05-23-2011, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Viper1

I have a P4 and part of the reason I raised the question is that the square pads on the Led board have a silverish colour rather than the green grey colour on the shop picture would this indicate that it is tinned or just a variation in p4's?

Chances are if they are silver in color already, then they are pre-tinned. If your wires are tined already, it should just take (literally) a couple seconds to solder the two together. The P4's I've worked with and the Luxeons have all been pre-tinned. I recently got a LEDEngin and it most definately is not.