Small Right Angle LEDs

[garethashenden]

I'm looking for a source of smallish warm white right angle LEDs. Something I can use for headlights in N scale diesels. Sometimes I can salvage them from existing pc boards, but I'd like a source of new ones. So far I found some yellow ones on ebay, and some massive ones at Digikey. They're over an inch long, so that's not a suitable option. Normal surface mount LEDs work, they light the headlight fine, but they also shine though the top of the hood in an unrealistic manner...

[nickelplate759]

Have you considered gluing some aluminum foil over tge LED as a light block?

[Wutter]

This LED is about ~3000K and is very similar to the one that Kato uses on their right-angle surface mount applications: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/bivar-inc/SMS1105UWDW/2407122

This LED is the same form factor but about ~5500K : https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/bivar-inc/SMS1105UWDN/2407119

[peteski]

Regardless of what type of LED I use for head or ditch lights, I always make sure to put light block all around it.  There are many ways to do that.  Black and or silver paint, aluminum foil, etc.  I have never found any LEDs (leaded or SMD) )which would only emit light through the front. Even the LEDs with built in white plastic reflectors leak quite a bit of light on sides and rear.

Many model companies do the same. They paint the inside of the shell black or silver around the general area of the headlight LED.

[garethashenden]

This LED is about ~3000K and is very similar to the one that Kato uses on their right-angle surface mount applications: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/bivar-inc/SMS1105UWDW/2407122

This LED is the same form factor but about ~5500K : https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/bivar-inc/SMS1105UWDN/2407119

Thanks! That’s exactly what I was looking for. Must have missed it.

Regardless of what type of LED I use for head or ditch lights, I always make sure to put light block all around it.  There are many ways to do that.  Black and or silver paint, aluminum foil, etc.  I have never found any LEDs (leaded or SMD) )which would only emit light through the front. Even the LEDs with built in white plastic reflectors leak quite a bit of light on sides and rear.

Many model companies do the same. They paint the inside of the shell black or silver around the general area of the headlight LED.

Sure, but if the LED is pointing forward rather than upwards I need less shielding. I’m looking for a way of reducing the amount of customizing I need to do for each install, in the hopes of getting more installs done.

[woodone]

 I use 3 MM LED's and just cover them with heat shrink, all but the front.
BTW a good many DCC suppliers have LED's too.

[peteski]

Sure, but if the LED is pointing forward rather than upwards I need less shielding. I’m looking for a way of reducing the amount of customizing I need to do for each install, in the hopes of getting more installs done.

Maybe I don't understand how you use those small SMD LEDs?

In many installations thin magnet wire leads are soldered to the terminals to a top-facing SMD LED. Those LEDs can be mounted in any orientation since the thin wire leads can be easily bent in any direction.

If the LED is to be mounted on a horizontal PC board, I have soldered top-facing SMD LEDs at a right angle, so they face horizontally.  Here is an example.

[garethashenden]

Here’s what I’ve been doing. I make a little circuit board for each headlight. A led, a resistor, and contacts for wires. This one lights up the headlight great, but shines through the shell even after I painted the inside black.


I’m not as good as you are when it comes to making whole circuit boards. Pcb with the copper cut through is the limit of my talent.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Here’s what I’ve been doing. I make a little circuit board for each headlight. A led, a resistor, and contacts for wires. This one lights up the headlight great, but shines through the shell even after I painted the inside black.


I’m not as good as you are when it comes to making whole circuit boards. Pcb with the copper cut through is the limit of my talent.

May I recommend aluminum foil or electrical tape inside the shell? It's an oldie but a goodie.

[peteski]

Sometimes you need to paint multiple coats of black or sliver paint to make it opaque enough to block the light.  Yes, aluminum foil (or even aluminum duct tape)  should take care of the problem. And as I have shown, you can mount top-facing SMD LEDs at a right angle, but those LEDs will radiate light from the sides too.  Even the ones Wutter linked to will still emit light from all the directions (unless you paint them with black paint.  You can actually paint any LED housing with black paint and just scratch a hole in the face you want the light to come through.  Again, several coats will be needed.