I
Impmon
Guest
I was hunting for post Christmas sales when I noticed the store
employees were going to throw out empty boxes. Some of the boxes were
used for LED light sets that had a few LED demo lights via battery and
push button.
I checked with them and they allowed me to claim the boxes. So I got
nearly 30 assorted LEDs for free, mostly white. If I had bought them
at Radio Shack, I'd be looking at over $75, and none of them comes
with existing wiring or sockets.
Most of the white LEDs were actually a tiny cylinder 3mm flat top LED
with a screw on C6 sized bulb cover. Most of them were in string of 5
bulbs.
The multicolored LED I got all were naked 5mm cylinder with concave
top, probably to spread more lights to the side rather than through
the top. The multicolored were on a string of 5, two of each red and
yellow (glows orange rather), and one of each green and blue.
The push button is just a NO switch and a SMD resistor for current
limiting, running off a pair of CR2032 batteries.
I'm going to have a bit of fun with them. Maybe combine the 2
multicolored strings and using flasher to alternate them.
I also found a last box of multi LED lights that included purple LED.
Unfortunately they come in 35 LED set with permanent bulb head the
size of an USA quarter and no way to remove it short of destroying the
cover. The purple LED is probably red and blue in the same package
because when I look closely at the faceted surface, I could see hint
of blue glow on one side and red on other side.
If you want free LED, check the local stores that has christmas LED
lights set and see if the display box has demo display and if they are
going to allow you to take it. I got mine from Walmart and Meijer. I
didn't find any at Kmart and I wasn't about to keep driving, wasting
away $2.30 a gallon of gas for a few more LEDs.
PS I wonder how many customers returned the LED set because the demo
display showed steady light from batteries but the actual set was
fickering from AC? The flicker is just noticeable at 60Hz and I'd
hate to find out how people oversea deals with 50Hz LED flickers.
employees were going to throw out empty boxes. Some of the boxes were
used for LED light sets that had a few LED demo lights via battery and
push button.
I checked with them and they allowed me to claim the boxes. So I got
nearly 30 assorted LEDs for free, mostly white. If I had bought them
at Radio Shack, I'd be looking at over $75, and none of them comes
with existing wiring or sockets.
Most of the white LEDs were actually a tiny cylinder 3mm flat top LED
with a screw on C6 sized bulb cover. Most of them were in string of 5
bulbs.
The multicolored LED I got all were naked 5mm cylinder with concave
top, probably to spread more lights to the side rather than through
the top. The multicolored were on a string of 5, two of each red and
yellow (glows orange rather), and one of each green and blue.
The push button is just a NO switch and a SMD resistor for current
limiting, running off a pair of CR2032 batteries.
I'm going to have a bit of fun with them. Maybe combine the 2
multicolored strings and using flasher to alternate them.
I also found a last box of multi LED lights that included purple LED.
Unfortunately they come in 35 LED set with permanent bulb head the
size of an USA quarter and no way to remove it short of destroying the
cover. The purple LED is probably red and blue in the same package
because when I look closely at the faceted surface, I could see hint
of blue glow on one side and red on other side.
If you want free LED, check the local stores that has christmas LED
lights set and see if the display box has demo display and if they are
going to allow you to take it. I got mine from Walmart and Meijer. I
didn't find any at Kmart and I wasn't about to keep driving, wasting
away $2.30 a gallon of gas for a few more LEDs.
PS I wonder how many customers returned the LED set because the demo
display showed steady light from batteries but the actual set was
fickering from AC? The flicker is just noticeable at 60Hz and I'd
hate to find out how people oversea deals with 50Hz LED flickers.
