Testing a clear 5mm LED for its color

[Easywider]

need an easy way to do this without wiring it in .

[sfx1999]

Hook it up to a AA.

[Easywider]

awesome , thanks !

[caress]

just alligator clip it or even hold it in your fingers to a 9v battery.  make sure the leads are correct and put a 10k resistor from the 9v+

[black mariah]

And don't put it straight to the 9V. I did that. It goes fizz, glows a dim red, then stinks the whole joint up.

[jonathan perez]

use a dead 9 volt, it works like a charm.

[96ecss]

use a dead 9 volt, it works like a charm.

I keep a dead 9V on my bench for just that reason.

Dave

[Easywider]

And don't put it straight to the 9V. I did that. It goes fizz, glows a dim red, then stinks the whole joint up.

Did that last nite , .....lol.....that smell got stuck in my nose , my dinner even smelt like it , had to throw it out ! LED' s are tested , thanks again to all !

[ADR]

Use a little 3V lithium coin battery.

e.g.

http://www.batteriesandbutter.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=CR2025&Category_Code=li

Put the + and - legs on each side and squeeze w finger tips.

Cheap, safe (for the LED) and easy.

[darron]

i hook them straight up to the 9 volt battery for a moment it takes about a second or so before it does damage i find, and about two for it to burn and stick up the joint!

[leonhendrix]

i hook them straight up to the 9 volt battery for a moment it takes about a second or so before it does damage i find, and about two for it to burn and stick up the joint!

I've done this with a green led but it lit up orange... so I probably won't do it this way from now on    

[darron]

i hook them straight up to the 9 volt battery for a moment it takes about a second or so before it does damage i find, and about two for it to burn and stick up the joint!

I've done this with a green led but it lit up orange... so I probably won't do it this way from now on    

orange sounds like a normal fire/burning colour. i didn't say that it's a way that i'd recommend

i also stick capacitors on my tongue to check if they are charged...

[jakenold]

orange sounds like a normal fire/burning colour. i didn't say that it's a way that i'd recommend

i also stick capacitors on my tongue to check if they are charged...

You should swing by the doctor sooner than later, buddy! 

[sfx1999]

That's why I said AA, 9V is just to high.

Button batteries should work very nicely like that one guy said. 1.5V or 3V

[Gus]

Dim lighting or lights off.
  Set your DMM to diode test.
  Connect the leads to the diode + to anode - to cathode.
  Check the voltage drop and look at the glow from the led.
  I seem to remember the diode test current is limited to 1 ma or so.

This also shows how a LED works at low currents.  Lower the LED current the longer the battery works.

[nebucanazza]

just alligator clip it or even hold it in your fingers to a 9v battery.  make sure the leads are correct and put a 10k resistor from the 9v+

I just tried that. I hooked up a battery snap to a 9V, twisted the red lead around a 10K resistor and checked about 20 LEDs in a jiffy by just holding them between resistor and black snap wire. Works like a charm