Nano sized LEDs

DLMatthys · Post by **DLMatthys** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 3:29 pm

I just got in ten (10) white Nano sized LEDs from www.Ngineering.com

My intent is to use these as the spotlights on the NX-01 1/350 scale from Polar Lights. Touted as the worlds smallest LED these would be mounted on the exterior surface of the Enterprise model in front of the bridge and to its sides. Oriented to shine over the exterior surface to illuminate the ships name and registry.

Incredably small they are...less than a millimeter in lenght.
I may need to do better than the 5+ reading specs I have.
Solduring leads to them seems daunting and a challange!

erredois · Post by **erredois** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 5:47 pm

Thanks for sharing, Don. I've been searching for these leds for a while!1

DLMatthys · Post by **DLMatthys** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 10:12 pm

erredois wrote: I've been searching for these leds for a while!1

THAT'S BULLY!
Me too...I have known of these a while. I just had the gumption to get me sum!

At such a small size they are so small to be in scale for whatever spot light apperatus detail would apear on the "real deal" size vessle.

Also could be usefull the B5 Space Station. Light up some things on that mongram model when scaled down from "Five miles long"

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:00 am

You can order direct from kingbright leds as well.
http://www.kingbrightusa.com/default.asp
I would have gotten them from digikey with a regular order but they are always out of stock of the ones I wanted to try.

DLMatthys · Post by **DLMatthys** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 3:37 pm

This one then at Kingbright...

http://www.kingbrightusa.com/product.as ... H1005RWF/A

Antenociti · Post by **Antenociti** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 2:24 pm

i've got a million and one things i could use those little beauties for, but my Soldering Fuu is waaay too low.

Sparky · Post by **Sparky** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:39 pm

Here's some of the small ones I tried out, not the smallest ones I got though just the ones I could work with:
http://www.kc6sye.com/techmages_tm_euro.html

Chacal · Post by **Chacal** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:54 pm

Antenociti wrote:i've got a million and one things i could use those little beauties for, but my Soldering Fuu is waaay too low.

You can practice on the cheap by tying strands of human hair around the necks of fleas*. When you can just tie it easily, you may proceed to the half-windsor. Then the windsor, then the four-in-hand. After your flea is properly dapper, try the shaolin solder-fu on the actual LEDs (remember to put sunglasses on the flea, the LEDs are powerful).

*No, really. The nano LEDs are 1 x .5mm (that's definitely flea-sized!)

Gonzowerke · Post by **Gonzowerke** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:53 pm

Don,

Please let us know how the soldering goes, and if the gun kills them with heat. They look like they may be SMD(surface mount device) so solder paste may be the way to go instead of the usual "wire" solder. Back in the day I would always get a cold joint or a dead component because of too short/long
contact with the iron. Sadly, the years have not improved on that much...

Big Hank · Post by **Big Hank** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 9:43 pm

Hey Folks! Just stumbled on this site and I must say, I'll be hangin' around here for a while!! Great stuff everywhere!

As for soldering those nano LEDs, I have used a 30 watt iron and can't seem to kill 'em. They can be a ROYAL PAIN to work with, however.

I would not recommend soldering them whislt installed on a model kit, plastic or otherwise.

I can offer a suggestion. It seems in the RC car world they sometimes use an electrically conductive glue to do spot repairs, or do fine work where an iron is impractical. It is basically a glue with high carbon content, or more precisely, carbon powders with bonding agents added.

Wire glues, as they are called, are fairly easy to work with, I use it regularly to light the eyes of my customs (mostly Transformers, and the occasional IronMan) You do need to have a little patience as it really does need overnight to harden fully. Then I will usually overlay a drop of CA glue just to lock it in place, after checking the LED to make sure the connection is good. You can paint over the wire glue then, it dries graphite gray because of the high carbon content.

I'll backtrack a little and try and get a link up for ya. I lost all my bookmarks when my computer took the big dump last month!

Hope this helps and have fun buildin'!!

***EDIT*** Here is a link to a review of this stuff: http://www.xmodsforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=27471

and here is an auction item number (not mine) for the exact stuff I have been using with success: # 260289385049

belkin321 · Post by **belkin321** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:27 pm

I found this bit of info on the NGineering site about working with the small leds.
http://www.ngineering.com/2x3_wiring_tips.htm

Big Hank · Post by **Big Hank** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:56 pm

belkin321 wrote:I found this bit of info on the NGineering site about working with the small leds.
http://www.ngineering.com/2x3_wiring_tips.htm

Very good and useful tut! I imagine 2x3 refers to 2mmx3mm size. when I use the "nanos", which are 1mmx.5mm, I tend to build a simple holder out of styrene rod and sheet.

I take some .3mm-.4mm round rod stock and CA glue a "stem" to the backside about 4-5 inches long. then I make a base out of 2mm sheet styrene, base dimensions roughly 3inchesx3inches. Drill the appropriate sized hole in the base for the rod and just plug it in! No need to glue. Then after soldering (use the info in the above link, they're dead on!) just unplug the stem and trim the stem off the back of the LED. you can reuse the stem for several LEDs, and even if you don't want to file the small remnant of styrene off the LED, no sweat, it's on the back anyhow.
I've actually left them there intentionally on occasion, as they make a rather convenient peg for surface mounting!

You do want to solder on the quick side, the thin rod can start to soften if you have the heat on the LED for too long!

tetsujin · Post by **tetsujin** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:30 pm

DLMatthys wrote:I just got in ten (10) white Nano sized LEDs from www.Ngineering.com

You know, I don't want to dump on Ngineering.com here, because I know everybody's got to do business the way that fits them - but those LED prices are nuts. A two-pack of 0402 LEDs for $6.75? That's expensive... The only factor that mitigates this is the fact that the LEDs on Ngineering have higher output than those I've seen on Mouser or Digi-key (150mcd vs. 71mcd for an LED that sells on Digi-Key and Mouser for $0.69 in unit quantities of one...)

Model Railroad suppliers always seem to have great lighting products at outrageous prices. :D

As for soldering - the way I do it (working with 0603 type mostly - which was the smallest I'd seen before I found 0402 types) is to grab the LED by the lens using a pair of pliers or something, and wrap a rubber band around the grips so I don't have to hold tension myself - then the weight of the pliers holds the thing steady while I solder the first wire on. Getting that first wire on is the key to not losing the LED. :D These things have a knack for disappearing, but once you've got a wire on 'em (as long as it doesn't get torn off) they're easy to find again...

I imagine if I were actually soldering these things to a board I'd do it differently - a method I saw online was to tin one of the pads on the board and solder the LED down on that side, to physically secure it - then solder the other side without pre-tinning it...

Scott Hasty · Post by **Scott Hasty** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 6:46 pm

tetsujin wrote:A two-pack of 0402 LEDs for $6.75? That's expensive...

Well, not the same size, but you can't beat the price...

http://cgi.ebay.com/50-pcs-0805-SMT-SMD ... 286.c0.m14

USS Atlantis · Post by **USS Atlantis** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 7:08 pm

I keep providing links

Unique LED Has 0603, 0805 and 1206 SMD LED's, high output, reasonable prices

Example: White 0603 Surface mount Top Led 130° Viewing Angle Size: 1.6 x 0.8 x 0.6 mm Voltage: 3.0-3.4 Current 20ma Intensity: 200mcd

$0.24 each for 1-24
$0.20 each for 25+

I say again - Unique is the only place I buy my LED's

Richard Baker · Post by **Richard Baker** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 8:48 pm

I saw some very tiny LEDs (1/16" ish in diameter and about as tall) prewired into strings at Michael's (a craft store chain here in Birmingham, I am not sure how far they go. They are in the Chrismas section with the diorama stuff. They are designed for adding Christmas lights to scale buildings and come in multi-colored and white.
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/disp ... Num=ch0836
Scroll down below the street lamp kits.
I don't recall the exact price but it was cheap enough for me to think hard about buying a set to play with- under $19 or so.
I am going to go by there next weekend and I will get a set to see.

.

seam-filler · Post by **seam-filler** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 1:33 am

I always use a heat sink - a thin copper wire at least 8 inches long, twisted to the contact you're soldering between the LED and the joint.

Also, I prefer a gas-powered isoldering iron (like this one - http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=34949). These are great for soldering near chips as well because there is no magnetic field or residual current.

Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

Nano sized LEDs

Nano sized LEDs

Re: Nano sized LEDs

Re: Nano sized LEDs