Wondering About LEDs...Answers Not So Clear

[Weaver]

Thank you, Sunrider. I just don't want to fry my tech.

[Onli-Won Kanomi]

I know what you mean...being poor myself I also cant afford the 'trial and fry-all' method of learning lol so extra reading comes in handy.

You may want to look up the difference between "series" and "parallel" wiring which will help you understand those figures that LedEngin gave you. Some of their 10W LEDs [4 emitter dice under one dome] have the dice already factory pre-wired in series [hence the high forward voltage quoted] but the ones we usually want to use in sabers are the ones available in "individually addressable" form...this allows us to wire them the way WE choose so that we can use a 7.4V Lithium Ion pack [which while nominally 7.4 V is usually >8V fully charged] to power two dice as the normal lit mode and add two more for the FoC using a power extender thus that quoted 19V input is generally not required the way most of us normally prefer to wire them.

FYI the LEDEngin 10W now sold in the TCSS store are the individually addressable kind we want...Thank You Tim.

[Weaver]

Yes, I knew series vs. parallel from my earlier, much more modest dabbling in electronics. I had to wire up a pair of blinking eyes for a Halloween costume some years ago.

I'm glad that the LED Engin comes in individually addressable form, since what I really want is an RGBW. I had considered doing a couple of multi-color MagLite conversions for those times during which an unnecessarily bright flashlight would come in handy.

My "guts" came in the mail today, but I have to wait until I can gather the proper tools to use them. It's hard to avoid the temptation to experiment before that time, but I'm not Vader: I don't take the quick and easy path.