Help with SMD LEDs

Community Projects
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I have a project (hopefully product someday if I can STOP adding to it!) that has 8 tightly spaced buttons, about 3MM in diameter…

Xmit2.JPG1024×768 73.3 KB
http://elfintechnologies.com/pubImages/Xmit2.JPG

Well in my never ending product creep, I’ve decided it would be nice to put a tiny LED slightly above or below each button. Obviously, even if I could make it fit, a 3MM LED would loop pretty stupid next to a 3MM button. It would be better if the added LEDs would be 1MM. But… they don’t make 1MM LEDs… at least not is through hole devices long enough to go through the case (about 2MM thick). (or do they)? I’m also constrained to low power (2MA LEDs) for various reasons. So… I’m thinking the only way to do this will be with SMD LEDs, and maybe I can get some 1MM fiber optic light pipe to bring the lights to the surface of the case. But while I have found plenty of suppliers of 3MM 2MA LEDs, I can’t seem to find and SMD LEDs that will work on such low power. Can anyone point me to some (maybe 805 sized) low power LEDs? I guess I could just put regular 3MM LEDs on the PCB near the buttons, but I’m still in the dark (excuse the pun) about how I could make or purchase some 1MM fiber-optic to make my light popes.

Any tips appreciated.

2

Digikey

LED’s

Surface Mount

Available

5,600+ to choose from

http://www.digikey.com/product-search/e … geSize=500

3

You can also get the fiber optic from Ebay. They come in cables that house several+ optic strands. You would need to cut the insulation off and extract the strands yourself. Then cut to length.

For SMD LEDs:

Digikey

Mouser

4

You an also use 1mm light pipes that snap onto SMT LEDs. I have a bunch around here somewhere. And why do you think you can’t run LEDs from 2mA? I generally run them with as little current as possible and 2mA is plenty bright for some applications.

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/e … ND/1769772