Our Interactive LED Panels and Kits are currently shipping with superbright white or blue LEDs.
At some point in the future we may offer additional LED configurations for the kits. However in the mean time, you can contact us about custom kits without LEDs and simply order your own LEDs.
If you are ordering your own LEDs, there are several things that you need to know:
1. For each panel that you put together, you'll need 80 LEDs. Simple enough, but order a few more than you need-- just in case.
2. The LEDs should be low-power (~20-30 mA) superbright types with a typical forward voltage 3.2-3.6 V. In practice, the voltage requirement means that you need to use LEDs from the "blue" end of the spectrum: white, blue, violet, pink, UV, or "pure" green. (Note: Older yellowish-green/light green LEDs actually have a lower forward voltage and are not suitable. If you are unsure about a given LED type, check the forward voltage specification.) Using devices with a lower forward voltage (e.g., red, yellow, orange, many green LEDs) can create an unsafe condition under which the LEDs may release the magic smoke that normally would allow them to emit light.
3. The LEDs should be matched in forward voltage and brightness as closely as possible, since the LEDs are driven in series. If you can, get LEDs that are matched and brightness binned at the factory. As a consequence of this matching requirement, we do not recommend mixing different LED colors on the same panel.
4. There are a lot of different kinds of LEDs out there that will work well in the panels. Our standard white LEDs have a clear 5 mm, 20 degree lens. You can use LEDs in 3 mm, 5 mm, 8 mm, or 10 mm packages, clear or diffused lenses, with different angles of emission and different brightness levels. If you find an interesting variation, take a picture and let us see!
