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Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
need a data sheet to know how to wire and use
When i saw this at the local radioshack i had to get it. Wasnt sure how the three leads worked but i got it any way. Once i got home i hooked it up to a 9v and watched it cycle and then die? Then i started messing around with that 3rd lead...ended up hooking a momentary push button to it. One wire to the negative lead and one to the 3rd lead, which now lets me cycle through all the modes.
Its pretty neat and surprisingly bright!
from San Benito, Texas on 10/13/2008
NO DATA SHEET...CAN'T USE
from Central NC USA on 7/24/2008
I was looking for a flashing LED to act as a low powered beacon - having the extra color range seemed neat.
I wired two of them in parallel to 3 AA's in series with a dropping resistor.
The circuit operated as described (power on startup sequence - sleep - prodded through the sequence by multiple groundings of the control lead - usually continuous sequences).
Sometimes mere body capacitance applied between two of the AA's was enough to cycle it through the colors but not enough to kick it into 'continuous' mode.
I tried one SPST NO push button to advance into 'continuous' mode but like another reviewer experienced they got out of sequence - so I have two SPST NO's on the beacon - one for each LED.
I might try them in series to get more convenient control.
Fortunately the 'beacon' isn't a critical app.
Would recommend to a friend if they had too much time on their hands and wanted to mess around with a toy.
[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
This is a really neat device, and potentially useful. I was surprised that there was no info at all, not even the basic schematic that most of Radioshack's components come with. I had to look here for some explanation.
[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]
It is pretty neat except for it comes with no instructions.
The flat side is -, and the center is +. The remaining lead is for control, and is pulled high via a weak internal pull-up. Connect this lead though a momentary closed pushbutton to ground. When power is applied the LED will cycle though all the colors at about 250mS each color, then will cycle though them four more times but much faster, then it will go to ?sleep?.
During the startup cycles the pushbutton will have no effect. Once the LED goes to sleep the current drops to only a few micro amps, and the button can control it. Each press of the button cycles though the seven colors, with a off state in between. One additional press places the LED in an indefinite cycle though all 7 colors. Press button one more time to put it to sleep.
from Maryland on 4/26/2008
I have been trying to use this LED as a meter light upgrade for CB radios, however, there is no information provided for this product, as everyone else agrees, at a few bucks each, it's not a very inexpensive item to keep to blowing without proper data sheets and powering information that should be provided with a technical item such as this. I was able to finally make the thing light up and do it's thing,BUT, it's impractical until you install a few other parts to make the LED function non-stop.
It needs to mentioned that this is simply a small part of a larger required circuit board, and not simply a stand alone unit that will perform as expected with a power source and a resistor, and yes, a resistor is required for most applications when dealing with a 12V source such as CB radios.
In my use for this product, I find it to be practically useless for CB Radio applications, unless you don't mind having a few other parts installed in your radio.
Thanks,
Dodgem
DM CB Radio Products
http://dodgem250.angelfire.com
7 color LED caught in blue mode in a Cobra 29 LTD
Tags: Using Product, Made with Product
from c-well on 4/25/2008
this led is really neat. its good that there is an ic inside the led so you can get any color and in a small package.
[3 of 3 customers found this review helpful]
from Boise, ID on 4/14/2008
Got it working by using the info from the other review. Video shows the cycles it will go through. I cannot figure out how to get it to blink in a steady color continuously.
Videos shared by: LloydStatus LED for Scooter
Tags: DIY, Radio, 276-016, Shack, Catalog, Electronics, LED
[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]
to use the LED look at the three leads. you should see the flat spot- this goes to the negative end of the battery, I used a 3 V power supply. the middle lead goes to the positive terminal on the battery. at this point the LED should come on, it changes coulors and flashes through its stages and turns off. now take the final lead hook it up to a push button switch or just bend it so it touches the negative lead when pushed. to oporate the led push the push button switch and it will turn red push it again and it turns off push it again and it turns green push it again and it turns blue and so on.........
if you just bent the wire so its close to the negative terminal press it so it touches the negative lead and it will work the same way
hope this helps....... I was confused when useing this LED???? after fooling around with all the leads it was working :D I used 2 AA batts for power
[0 of 3 customers found this review helpful]
should have connection info for the tecnically
challenged
[0 of 4 customers found this review helpful]
from Spokane, WA on 3/16/2008
Item is pretty useless without any connection data. 3 leads and nothing in RS website or packaging about what they do. Packaging indicates at least 3 possible operating modes but without and data, it's anyone's guess as to how you are supposed to get any of them.
[0 of 4 customers found this review helpful]
NEEDS A DATA SHEET!!!!!
Did I mention that any product is practically worthless without a data sheet.
[3 of 3 customers found this review helpful]
from Western PA on 3/15/2008
Device appears to be or is directly compatible with a Micro Electronics MSGBB557TA. Take appropriate precautions regarding static electricity when handling.
Device uses a constant voltage so no series resistor is necessary.
Lead with 45? bend: Switch Leg
Center Lead: +3.3V
Lead adjacent to flat spot: GND
Grounding out the switch leg will alternately cycle the LED through its various color modes and OFF (Normally-open momentary pushbutton works well here). Performs a brief cycle through all modes when power is first applied.
Multiple units can be used in parallel to make a multi-color backlight for LCD display modules, if any become unsynchronized with regards to color selection, a power cycle will be needed to synchronize them again.