Lighting question for 5mm coloured LED's (Maquis Raider)

SJM · Post by **SJM** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:42 am

Hey, I'm finally taking the dive to build my first lighted kit, I just bought some 5mm LED's online. Will these be bright enough for my kit?
(I'm lighting the Monogram Maquis Raider)

I think I should need about 14 LED's (blue, white and red ones) for the kit but wanted a second or third opinion!

I'm sure that when I get them all fired up I can safely judge all this for myself, but what's the harm in asking, right?!

Thanks !

Redag · Post by **Redag** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:59 pm

While I am a lights newbie myself, I can tell you that you want to assess the amount of light your LED will provide by its rating in millicandelas. That should be part of the specs you reviewed when purchasing. If not, go back and look. You will probably find that color impacts the millicandela output substantially....

SJM · Post by **SJM** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:08 am

Thanks! That was helpful, and you're right the colour does effect the light output, thanks for pointing the out as I had no idea!

I bought white, red and blue LEDs. The blue ones are rated at 450-550 mcd and red at 500-600 mcd, and are both diffused LEDs. The white ones don't specify but they are labelled as 'ultra bright' so who knows!!

Any thought's on those specs? and thanks again!

Redag · Post by **Redag** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 1:21 pm

I am still too new to give much meaningful advice, but remember that you can baffle and frost if you need to tone light down, but finding yourself with too little light means waiting for more hardware to show up.

SJM · Post by **SJM** » Tue Mar 19, 2013 9:17 pm

I've also heard that milk jug plastic is a great diffuser