White LEDs from overseas (The Pacific)

DLMatthys · Post by **DLMatthys** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:43 pm

DigiKey ran out of my most favored and inexpensive 3mm White LEDs...On back order for a few weeks they say. I go through a lot of these selling my circuit kits. My White LED stocks runneth low.

I see a lot of these on the E(vil) Bay dirt cheap... $5.99 by the hundred lot. Are these of good quality and a reliable sourse? Direct from the factory in Hong Kong they say from China's very own capital of capitalisum.

If so... I will keep from raising my prices by choosing a more expensive (2X$) LED from Digikey. From thier proximity in north Minnesota to Fargo, gets to me overnite by Post Office

Comment and recommendations are invited.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:38 am

I had sucess ordering direct from a China corperation. They list their LEDs by MCD and color, so you can see what you will get. I did a spot check of the LED strip lighting and the 2 kinds of white LEDs I got and they seem to be all color balanced.

http://www.hebeiltd.com.cn/

From the time paypal cleared (Friday) to when the shipping bag arrived was 7 days (following Saturday).

They do have a lower end LED series X or something, where color and robustness are not as good as the others. The price difference hardly makes it worth it. White LEDS were around $0.10 each.

USS Atlantis · Post by **USS Atlantis** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:56 am

Don,

While I buy my general electronic parts from Digi-key and Jameco, I purchase all my LED's from Unique. They have a large variety and the prices aren't too bad considering they're mostly high-output (2000 mcd and up)

They even have those mini 1.8mm LED's and flat-top at reasonable prices. Why not give them a try.

http://www.unique-leds.com/index.php

Atlantis

DLMatthys · Post by **DLMatthys** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:14 am

Cool links fellas...Got 'em bookmarked. Flat top styles really throw out a wider angle of light more than 30 degrees.

Thanks!

The variety of choices gives me a lot of bright ideas!

USS Atlantis · Post by **USS Atlantis** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:24 am

>Cool links fellas...Got 'em bookmarked. Flat top styles really throw out a wider angle of light more than 30 degrees. - DL

I use the flat-tops for my FO.

Flat-top + FO fibers + Heat-shrink tube = Bright Light to the ends

- Atlantis

Monsieur Tox · Post by **Monsieur Tox** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:15 pm

I bought on evilBay from Hong Kong and they work well. No problem, cheap, fast delivery... really nice service

robiwon · Post by **robiwon** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:22 pm

This is who I have used several times. Pretty fast shipping all things considered.
http://stores.ebay.com/hktaiyuen-LED-st ... idZ2QQtZkm

jwrjr · Post by **jwrjr** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:25 pm

I also have ordered from HKTaiyuen. No complaints on either quality or shipping.