LighthouseLEDs.com and Reversed Polarity of Leads

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RossW
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Joined: Wed Oct 02, 2002 1:04 pm
Location: Toronto, ON

LighthouseLEDs.com and Reversed Polarity of Leads

Post by RossW »

Bought a bunch of coloured 2mm LEDs from lighthouseleds.com a while back and after soldering some into a custom PCB I found some that wouldn't light. I thought maybe I might've over-voltaged them by accident, or got a few bad'uns, but when I desoldered and tested them I found the leads were reversed - usually, the shorter lead is the cathode (-ve) and the plastic lens is flat on that side, but on some of these they were reversed (+ve lead was shorter and on the flat side). From the same order!

Anyone else ever encounter this? I will have to whip up a 2V/3V LED polarity tester before I solder any in from now on.
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brt
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Location: Waiting for the Mothership

Post by brt »

I have made 2 orders from lighthouse and used a few dozen with only one not working. I assumed I screwed up and I did not check polarity as you did.
“Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”
― William Goldman
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veedubb67
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Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:12 pm
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
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Post by veedubb67 »

Wow - never ran into this problem before!

I usually check my circuitry before I solder them in for this very reason.

Good thing you caught it before you buttoned it up!


Rob
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