Rainbow LED Specs.

[tcmtech]

This is a simple one but yet I have never has the chance to test myself.

Can rainbow LED's be run in series like normal LED's? I do not have any to test on myself. The specs I have read say 3 -3.8 volts on average. Does the voltage drop across them change with the colors? Or is it constant?

My niece wants a "cool looking anything" built by here favorite uncle.
I thought I would do up a custom brushed stainless steel sheet with her name in it with all small rainbow LED's. Give it a sort of twinkle effect.

Just not sure if I can run the LEDS in several series sets or if they will all have to be in parallel.

Just curious.

 

[audioguru]

I have some rainbow LEDs that dim before changing colors and the current also dims.
Other rainbow LEDs do not dim and the current is almost constant.

I would never connect the first ones in series. Maybe the second ones.
Use a current-limiting resistor.

 

[tcmtech]

Super! thanks! I will just have to test them out when I get them.

 

[Sceadwian]

Don't those automatic colour changing ones have built in resistors?

 

[audioguru]

Don't those automatic colour changing ones have built in resistors?

They have a chip inside but I have never seen curves of voltage vs current on a datasheet. They say to use 3V to 3.6V but I use a 270 ohm series resistor from a 9V battery.

 

[Hero999]

Is thee a limit to the maximum voltage you can connect them to?

 

[Sceadwian]

If they have built in resistors, the ones you add are only to bring the LED back into voltage compliance from an out of range supply.