Electricity 101!

Before we go into wiring the LEDs... here's some common terminalogy for the not so circuit wiz!

Basics of electricity is:

V=IR or R = V/I where R = resistance, V = voltage and I = current.

The big "plugs" that you plug into you walls are transformers, that basically converts to a proper voltage that your device/machine requires to operate. The plugs in the wall are 120V A/C (alternating currents) and your transformers change the "power" usually into a D/C (direct current) with lower voltage (if you look closely at these plugs, they usually say "output"D/C ___ voltage).

Once you figure out which voltage you'll be using as your input source (usually 5V or higher), you have to figure out the proper resistor for your LEDs so they don't out prematurely cuz your input voltage is more than what your LEDs need.

So some backgroun info on LED's
White and blue LEDs usually take about 3Volts
Red. Green, Orange and Yellow LEDS usually takes about 2.2Volts

All LEDs run on a 20mA (a current measurement).

To figure out the resistor you need for a specific LED. this is the formula:

R=resistor value =[(voltage of source)-(voltage of LED)]/current of LED

say for a white LED:
R=(5v-3v)/0.02A = 100 ohm resistor.

so White LED must have a 100 ohm resistor in its path when a 5V source is used.

Next, circuits!
I connect my LED's through a parallel circuit pattern, so I have a proper resistor for each LEDs that I use. This is to ensure all LEDs will receive the proper voltage, and it is superior than series design because if a single LED burns out in series, the circuit breaks and the rest of the LEDs will not light up!

Series pattern:

-----power (+) -----resistor-LED (Cathode)----LED (cathode)-----back to power (+)
-----power (-) --------------LED (Anode)----LED (anode)-----back to power (-)

The LED's are linked in "series"



For parallel:

abcdefghiklmnopqurs/top----resistor-LED (cathode)---\
-------power (+)----splitabcdefghiklmnopqurstaafdafdaa- (reconnect)---back to power (+)
splitabcdefghiklmno \bottom-resistor-LED (cathode---/


abcdefghiklmnopqursdf/top----LED (anode)---\
-------power (-)----split abcdefghiklmnopqursdf(reconnect)---back to power (-)
abcdefghiklmnopqursdf\bottom-LED (anode)---/