# FLEX LED LEADS



## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Does someone have LED's available with flexible wire connected to the LED. Want to install in a small head light and come out the back with wire to enter the body of a Rail Truck.


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Treeman on 03 Apr 2011 07:38 AM 
Does someone have LED's available with flexible wire connected to the LED. Want to install in a small head light and come out the back with wire to enter the body of a Rail Truck. 
Mike - Your best bet might be to get the LED color and brightness that you want and solder wires on yourself. I do it all the time - just cut the existing leads to about 1/8" and solder leads & cover with heat shrink tubing ..... don't forget a current limiting resistor or IC if you are supplying more than the LED's forward voltage.



dave


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

The heat must not be a problem?? I thought that I have seen them made up with leads, but I will try your method. 

Thanks [/b]


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Treeman on 03 Apr 2011 10:45 AM 
The heat must not be a problem?? I thought that I have seen them made up with leads, but I will try your method. 

Thanks [/b]

Mike - not sure which "heat" you are referring to - if it is the heat from soldering I don't have a problem when I do it - I use a 530 degree (that is hot) iron and get in and out in a hurry.

If you are referring to the LED getting hot while on it should not if you choose the right current limiting device.

What size & color LED are you planning on using? What voltage will go to the LED? 


Let me know if you have any questions. 

thanks!

dave


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By Treeman on 03 Apr 2011 10:45 AM 
The heat must not be a problem?? I thought that I have seen them made up with leads, but I will try your method. 

Thanks [/b]

If you don't have a lot of experience soldering, I would use one of these clip-on heat sinks you can buy at Radio Shack:

















Leave the LED leads a bit longer than Dave suggested so there is room to clip on the heat sink.
And make sure you don't get a cold solder joint.
With a heat sink it's a bit easier to get a good solder joint if you're not that experienced with soldering.
Wuthout a heat sink (and not lots of experience) you can either not heat the lead long enough and get a cold solder joint or you heat the lead too long and the LED gets fried.


Knut


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By krs on 03 Apr 2011 11:21 AM 
Posted By Treeman on 03 Apr 2011 10:45 AM 
The heat must not be a problem?? I thought that I have seen them made up with leads, but I will try your method. 

Thanks [/b]

If you don't have a lot of experience soldering, I would use one of these clip-on heat sinks you can buy at Radio Shack:

















Leave the LED leads a bit longer than Dave suggested so there is room to clip on the heat sink.
And make sure you don't get a cold solder joint.
With a heat sink it's a bit easier to get a good solder joint if you're not that experienced with soldering.
Wuthout a heat sink (and not lots of experience) you can either not heat the lead long enough and get a cold solder joint or you heat the lead too long and the LED gets fried.


Knut 


Good point, Knut - I haven't used a heat sink in so long that I completely forgot about suggesting the use of one - the good news is that I can't remember ever killing an LED by overheating it with an iron - again, I use a very hot iron and get in & out in a second or so.

dave


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I use 800 degrees and you just solder quick... they are pretty tough... never hurt one... 

For your application, a chip LED would work nicely in the headlight, since it would be small, but if you don't have a miniature tip to solder with, might be hard. 

If you get stuck, let me know, will fab up one for you, I just replaced the bulb that was in my Berlyn Casey Jones rail truck, and the LED is nice and small so it does not overwhelm the reflector. 

Greg


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I was thinking about the heat from soldering, but sounds like no problem. I did not think about the pad type. I want to add lights to a LGB rail truck. I have installed a Massoth Mouse decoder with a Cap. It will crawl over switch frogs. Light would be a nice addition. I should do sound also.


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## Ross (Jul 19, 2009)

I spend most of my time soldering wires to LEDS for aeromodeller customers. You just need an 12 to 20 watt soldering iron not a large one or you WILL blow the led. Using this small wattage iron you have no need to use a heatsink. Just "tin" the wire end and solder to the lead of the led. Most leds stand a highish heat for at least 5 to 10 secs.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

My concern was that the soldering in this case would happen right next to the LED body (and the die) 
just cut the existing leads to about 1/8" and solder leads & cover with heat shrink tubing


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