How to Wire Multiple LEDs: Series vs. Parallel LED Circuits

[@BulletproofPastor]

Great job! As an electronics R&D lab technician I worked these circuits daily (a long time ago.) You nailed this topic! You obviously understand your craft and can "splanify" it. When someone KNOWS a topic, they can explain it well. Thanks for getting straight to your topic and making a very useful video.

[@googooboyy]

Finally undestood it all, after over 4 decades of living. School should have had KZbin 30 years ago!

[@ReadyMack-g]

SCHOOL what a sad Yoke

[@dennisd4452]

This is a very important subject for my 1947 Ford Pickup truck. I'd would like to run running lights on my running boards. Thank you for you sharing Rachel. Miss seeing you on TV.

[@bob14072]

I've never heard Ohm's Law put so simple and easy to understand. You are awesome! Thank you.

[@davecairns3391]

One of the best explained videos on parallel and series connections. Well done that girl. Puts all the blokes to shame.... 👍👍

[@bridgetl.303]

I was just getting more confused watching videos on LED circuits, and you’ve made it so easy. Thanks

[@mngrmike]

Enjoyable to watch. Love her plain talk around calculating resistance. ❤

[@melkatepyahoocom]

I so wish I had you when I was a freshman engineering student! It was such a nice refresher. Thank You!

[@magicvisionz]

Thanks for posting this video. It is helping me finish a project that originally started in 2006. Wow! how much time has passed. Anyway after being stored away I just pulled it out to reconstruct it and finally finish the LEDS. Also I am glad you mentioned the duds in a package. It turned one of the red ones was bad. Very helpful, thanks again.

[@NykBerry]

Been watching videos all morning and just getting confused! This video was so helpful and easy to digest! Thank you!

[@samuraipinguin8704]

Like everyone else has said, this is the best explanation that I have ran across. Thank you for your tutorial!

[@larryhurd8111]

Excellent video! Very thorough, well explained and easy to understand. I will use this video to draw up my schematic to wire and install 3 volt LED lamp lights in my model railroad depot structure. Great job, thank you!

[@Gbabe123]

Can you just teach everything about life? I've spent years trying to figure out the basics but no one can explain it like you for me to finally understand. Thank you for your video. If you ever work with filaments can you please do a video? I've been trying to learn how to light up my dioramas. Now I can light my first one 😂

[@troy1672]

The coin battery is a great tip. Never thought of that. Beats always pulling out the alligator clips or breadboard every time I need to check one.

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Having first learned to use LEDs on a breadboard with Arduino. I used to do the same thing!

[@pakonly7073]

can we use Arduino to make automatic sachet packaging machine that can weight and pack?@@RachelDeBarrosLive

[@joepolidora8801]

I really enjoy the way you explain how leds are wired and voltage distribution. I knew some and learned more. Your enthusiasm is amazing. I just finished a project involving Lionel Trains, Erector build and changing from AC to DC. Had two combinations of lights, two separate 3mm yellow led circuits in series, then 5 mm Red/Green in parallel for signaling. I didn't see a way of attaching a photo. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@chadwix]

I agree with most folks I am sure that this is one of if not the best Vid helping me to understand Parallel and series LED connections. Subscribed!

[@sweetmaths4213]

❤ this thank you. I'M NEARLY 60 and want to get my grand kids doing something different. So I'm having to learn this first. Great tutorial

[@perador1]

I've just started getting into electronics and finding your videos so helpful. Thank you 😊

[@DIYStudioCraft]

kzbin.info/door/LmreVv7Nm2G6zwO9JUjpeg

[@rfahmad2000]

Thank you! I think I finally understand the concept. A little fuzzy still on current and calculating, but you probably explain it in another video. Now to do some maths and figure out how to backlight this dashboard im building for my sim racing rig!!

[@bountyhunterbreaks898]

There is another way to also tell, look inside the casing and the section of the LED that is larger is the negative side. This is good to know if someone cut all the leads the same length.

[@mikejones-vd3fg]

Good tip, i never heard any youtuber mention this other then checking the leg length but once you bend them they look about the same and it hard to tell, this is a fool proof way to know for sure. That being said you cant hurt a led wiring it backwards like an electrolytic capactior. ITs a diode so its just blocks the other way, up to a point, but that point most of us wont reach playing around with them, allowing too much current is what hurts them. I seen a video i think electrozap tried to put a diode to help with voltage spikes to protect a LED's or something simliar but more importantlyfound he couldnt burn out any LED with no matter what voltage his power supply applied to it, i think like 40v max. He kept it a a constant current, showing that high voltage doesnt burn out LEDs apparently, just high current does.

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

That's a great tip! 👍 When the leads get cut then I'm always looking for a coin battery to orient it correctly but it's much easier to look inside to tell the difference.

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

If I bend or cut the legs then I'm always looking for a coin battery to position the LED correctly so looking inside is a good tip. I'll add it to my routine! 👍

[@bountyhunterbreaks898]

@@RachelDeBarrosLive The button battery test is great if the LED is still loose, not so much if a string of LED's have been soldered to a circuit board. 😜

[@DIYStudioCraft]

kzbin.info/door/LmreVv7Nm2G6zwO9JUjpeg

[@spunkybrewster1972]

Really helpful. I'm about to wire up 800+ LEDs for a Ace Frehley flashing guitar. Fingers crossed

[@Schnipps]

This was an awesome video. You explained it all so clearly and plainly, no jargon. And those pictures help so much! I will be sad if any of mine die as they will be going in resin XD

[@oldb-1kenobi]

Thank you so much for this tutorial, so many others I've come across have been a bit convoluted, but you make it clear and easy to understand.

[@DIYStudioCraft]

kzbin.info/door/LmreVv7Nm2G6zwO9JUjpeg

[@fraydevore]

Totally agree. This video covered all of my questions. So thorough. I really appreciate it.

[@Sean-e5j]

Thank you for this, answered all my questions about automotive 12V lighting applications and I learned even more than expected.

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Glad to hear! 👍

[@terryhay2029]

Thank you Rachel from New Zealand. I am repurposing some old car headlights in to party lights. I am using 24 volt Blue and Red LED's and I was just going to series them on a blue circuit and a red circuit. But your explanation of a hybrid circuit with its benefits was excellent. I think that means it will also make it easier to introduce alternate sequencing of the two circuits, (you know so it flashes blue then red then blue etc) but I don't really know how to make it do this. Any tips would be great! In any case, you are a wonderful teacher and I loved your video. Thank you very much.

[@shafqatmustafa9166]

Nice explanation by a very nice lady. Good to see a lady explaining electronics.

[@robertharker]

Feed the KZbin algorithm with a comment. Great video. Thank you!

[@k_DEDb07]

this is exactly what i was hoping to find. the significance of this information is so valuable. and you are the loveliest person. thank you

[@andythebouncer]

Hey this is great. Fantastic domain knowledge about electronics, et al and polished TV skills to make an engaging, appealing, and well-paced presentation is a killer combination of skill sets. It's so easy to make this stuff too dry, or too goofy, or patronizing, or whatever. It seems to me a lot better than it used to be, but used to feel impossible to casually learn about this stuff from someone who wasn't dead set on coming across like a punitive, lecturing grandfather, and I'll bet that turned a lot of people off. (Definitely pushed me away from amateur radio when I was a teen, that's for sure.) So often in tech stuff, the people that get all the recognition are the ones pushing the bleeding edge of the field. Sure, that's important, but I think people giving an impassioned introduction to the basics have a much bigger impact on the world on a whole. Thank you for what you do!

[@kennysmart8273]

Hi Rachel, thanks for explaining this very simply, I’m a complete novice to this & really found your explanation really easy to follow. Amazing work keep it up😃😃

[@RonnieBaran]

this helped so much. thank you for the detailed explanations and diagrams. you are going places!

[@Hambone1024]

Finally!! Straight forward, easy to follow along, readable diagrams, on point the WHOLE time and most all at no point did have to write down something that’s not explained to then go look that up. Amazing, thank you. I have two question… I’ve always wanted to start adding lights to my woodworking and art so I save all old electronics. Can you take resistors from those and use them? Also do you do a video on reading resistors? Thanks again

[@scentgrasslakerailway]

Thank you, I had a eureka moment when you so easily explained parallel curcuit for LED. Woohoo!

[@RobertByrnes-qx4nc]

Fabulous explanation. I can go forward with lighting my model railway layout. Thank you Rachel.

[@SinkyYT]

Huh, good tip to test the LEDs are working. I honestly never thought of that and just assumed they would do quality control when they're made.

[@riggsron]

Thank you Rachel. My next step is to actually make something to see if I understood you correctly. I want to put some LEDs in the bottom of a laser-cut shogi lamp that I plan for Christmas presents. I know with a basic circuit you are wiring direct from LED/resistor to battery so a switch would be necessary. Is a battery-charging circuit a complicated step or should I just have replaceable batteries?

[@frostieone]

Good clear bright presentation ! Thanks

[@justinjones-ge5sm]

Great video tutorial for basic understanding of wiring LEDs. Thank you!!

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Glad it was helpful! 😄

[@vipercustoms4659]

Hi I have a Cree led 3-3w. Is the calculation the same. 3.3v, 450ma input voltage 8v. I came up with 15ohms resistor.

[@idowuemmanuel2714]

I'm new to electronics, i wanted to know if i can connect my LED using two different voltage sources without ground

[@magicvisionz]

I have some questions regarding my current project. I have 5 red LED's 2V 20 mA and one 7 color changing LED 2v-5v, the mA not specified by the seller so I assume 20 mA. I would like to connect all of them to a 9v battery in parallel for a flying saucer I made. The color changing LED comes with it's own resistor. 1. What would be the resistor's Ohms on the multi color LED? If I calculated correctly using .02 amps by 2 volts remaining I come up with 100 ohms. Does this mean it ranges from 50 Ohms to 100 ohms for 2v to 5v? 2. Since each LED is treated like an individual would I be able to use 2 multi color LEDs with the 5 red LEDs? 3. Do I need to even be concerned with how may volts are remaining in the 9 volt battery if each LED has a resistor and drawing it's own voltage? I have 68 Ohm resistors for the 5 red LED's. Thanks.

[@Bean_Waterfowl1026]

This is amazing thank you for explaining the different ways and what u need I have watched a bunch of videos and they don’t explain them very good .. so awesome job !!!!

[@durbancraig]

Thank you for you informative and enthusiastic knowledge share on LEDs. Helped with a project I'm embarking on.

[@TheHansoost]

Nice work. Great explanations. I am glad i got up today. Lol. Thank you.

[@DugEphresh]

Yvonne de Carlo, she was so amazing! Great taste and thanks for all the great information in your videos. Thanks for your time!

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Thanks for watching! Let me know if there's any other topics you'd like me to cover!

[@ReadyMack-g]

@@RachelDeBarrosLive best voice ever :) OMH

[@cadillacescalade5428]

Hi, so i ordered like 2 packs of 50pc. 3mm red defused leds i am trying to connect 6 of them together but they all wanna flash at separate rates, what do i need to do in order to make them all flash at the same time ? Im doing a 3 on row front and back. 6 total.

[@A3Kr0n]

I learned Series vs. Parallel circuits when I was six years old, but there were no LEDs back then. Nixie tubes were the big thing.

[@stevesmachineempire]

Love the bangs. Come to LA and help me with my projects.

[@pileofstuff]

Great beginner friendly explanation.

[@SevenDaysToNoon]

I’ve only known you for 24 minutes and I love you! Utterly brilliant. The info. The enthusiasm. Are you from Brooklyn? Am just guessing cause what the hell do I know. I’m from the UK. Anyway. Thank you for the information. Ps. I’m building a 2 foot model of The Nostromo. Remember the floodlights underneath that thing? So how the hell do I pull that off? 😳

[@na4211]

So, I've connected some LEDs in my project all parallels and connected to the A/C power source. They all turns on. My project is house, garden and street lights LEDs. They all turned ON when they were all parallel connected to A/C power source. I never calculated or connected resistors. Are resistor necessary?

[@edwenrodriguez2988]

I really like all your tutorials you are the best, well explained

[@christiankomodo]

Great videos!! I love your delivery, keeping it interesting and not intimidating!

[@snowwolvesproductions]

I need some help. I'm working on a project. What I want to do is place 5 leds on a light switch cover, and a few push buttons, one to each light. I want to pull power for them directly from the side of the light switch if possible (safely) so that I can push the buttons and light the leds (with the light switch on or off if possible, if not then when on is ok.) I just have no idea about how to draw this small amount of power from it. The leds are blink type and small. Any suggestions? I want to use the stock light cover if possible. Thanks!

[@naz8885]

Hello, I’m a novice interested in learning circuits. I have a question about the resistance calculations done at 5:08 : how come we didn’t have to add the current of all for LEDs to figure out the resistance? You divided by .02mAh and not .08mAh (for 4 LEDs). I seems like it’s always .02mAh whether it’s in series or parallel. Thanks in advance!

[@Tinyandminy]

Really love this video. You make it understandable and fun to listen to. I'm doing miniatures and need to fix lightning for my mini homes so checked to learn some more. Realised I had this small led lights at home while doing it 😅

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

I learned a lot about LED circuits with miniatures too. I built a Frankenstein castle facade a while back and wanted to add flickering candle lighting inside and blue flashes in the laboratory.

[@kaimcgilliganoliver2330]

Great video! I'm curious now, what if you had the situation where you had an variable number of potential LEDs attached (let's say someone can come along add an LED at whim) rather than knowing ahead of time. How do you do both A) protect the 1 lonely LED when no others are connected, and B) also providing enough power for when the 10th LED is added?

[@watnoudan]

Fun fact: power (electrons) flow from negative to possitive. They found this out in the mid 20th century but since all the notation of all circuits was written, we left it that way. But if you want to be accurate, power flows from negative to possitive. That's why i like to place the resistors from the negative end :).

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Me too! I've been placing resistors on the negative end for years. For whatever reason, when I started working with Arduino I switched to the anode. I'm not sure why but maybe it's because most of the wiring diagrams had it that way so I eventually caved to peer pressure and switched 😄

[@ChristopherClaudioSkierka]

Hi, at 11 min in video, If I was to use one resistor instead which I think you can do (correct me if I an wrong) then you would be 80ohms?

[@abiel.rodriguez]

Can you help me please? I want to light up 2 leds with AA battery holder, not the 9v battery. How to do this? Should I connect 2 of those battery holders? how to wire them? Each led will require approx 3 volts

[@DBB-KE5DUO]

🎉🎉 My metal spider project will have several of your freakish LED circuits used! See ya on the next live workshop!! 🎉🎉

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Yaaas!!!! 🤣

[@HannahSpring]

Hi, i am trying to nut out on how to have 2 sets of 4 led lights work of a USB, can you please guide me as to how, and the correct resister needed please, and will i need a resister between each led? - Green Leds

[@TheRoadTaken]

I had to step back and ask myself, did I really _really_ understand all that??? Yes, yes, I think I did! Thank you!

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Yay! 🥳

[@electrofixtips]

The video mentions that series circuits are good for when you have a limited power source. Can you elaborate on how many LEDs you could typically connect in series with a 9V battery? Another advantage of series connection is that it requires fewer components. How does this impact the overall cost and size of the circuit? thank u

[@kensmith5694]

Positive isn't always the long leg. Some are backwards. Check yours before you install them. The LED can generally take about 5V reverse. A 3V cell is fine for a polarity check. A 12V supply and a resistor is dangerous to use for polarity checking. Most will be fine but some will get cooked. The colorless case ones can be very handy because there is no color until you apply the power. This makes more contrast in a blinking design. Also remember less current makes less light. You can run your LEDs at a lower current if they will be too bright at night. In a dark room, you can see an LED running on 0.1mA (0.0001A)

[@DIYStudioCraft]

kzbin.info/door/LmreVv7Nm2G6zwO9JUjpeg

[@chinmayeep8050]

If i want to connect 5 white LED and 10 Blue LED in parallel to a 9v hw high watt battery what resistor should i use??

[@ChrisSelling]

First time viewer. I found the content useful and your process of sharing information relatable. So I subscribed to see what comes next. I gotta add though, I was working on something while watching and listening to this episode and looking away something about your voice seemed familiar to me. I figured it out by the end of the video . At times in certain phrasing, a few words sound a lot like the tones used in automated home audio setup which various manufactures use to set speaker levels. WooP! WooP! wOOp! wOOp!

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Glad you found it helpful! Let me know if there's any topic you'd like to see in the future.

[@johnsin3843]

you nailed it, great splaning

[@monicatnielsen]

Is the resistor always needed? Cause I’m making some light trees made out of polymer clay. And have already made 1 that works and didn’t know about resistor.

[@BariumCobaltNitrog3n]

I'm a little disappointed you didn't let the smoke out of any of them. Electro-boom has me jaded. Your excitement is quite infectious though. Is there a blooper reel?

[@27adesh]

Wonderful explanation to extrapolate to christmas tree lights

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Glad you found it helpful. Once I understood the different arrangements I got much better at fixing broken light strings.

[@yehabon]

Exceptional pedagogy.

[@rjdougherty970]

Can I use a 9v battery with 4 white 5mm led diode?

[@ControlsEngineerOne]

Good stuff! You’re an awesome instructor/teacher. My favorite YT girl! ❤

[@Bean_Waterfowl1026]

Do u have a video on how to hook up filaments??

[@war4tek]

This is awesome! Thank you for making this video.

[@yungsteezy4500]

Thank you so much for not using a bread board! I was able to understand everything. I love the organized chaos that was wiring all of the LEDs. :)

[@NAP625]

did you use copper wire? can non copper wire from battery holder connected with copper wires?

[@WAYNEMODELBUILDER]

Maybe a stupid question but there you go 😆 does all this work exactly the same for Smd ? Say I'm using 4 smds in a model car for example? Only thing is smds don't seem to state the ohms. Great video 👍

[@monsvillerailways5736]

Great video. Thanks so much. 👍

[@kennethnewman9927]

So if I supply 3v to a parallel circuit of four 3mm LEDs that have a VF of 3 - 3.2 v..... do I not need to use a resistor? I have some 0 ohm resistors, is this what they are for?

[@alicewood5608]

what is the thinnest 2 core cable i can use for LEDS Please ?

[@electrogrim]

Another way to tell which way around LEDs go is the "cathode is the cup". Look through the side of the LED and one of the connections goes to a more cup shape. That is the negative, or cathode connection.

[@waynenickoleff9041]

Hi Rachel, I stumbled across your channel while trying to find out on how to convert power hungry antique outdoor incandescent Christmas decorations that have been in my family for close to 50 years. One decoration an X candy cane stands about 40” tall about 24” wide and has about 180 lights, Red, Blue Green and some clear. Many of the bulbs are burnt out and they cost about $1.75 Canadian each to replace. I’m not sure on how to calculate to run it in a parallel circuit nor the type of wire to use as well how big of a transformer I would need? Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated, BTW not sure if it matters but our winters can get down to - 45C to -50C does that have an effect on the type of wire? I have watched a few of your videos, you have a new subscriber 🙂 Take care, Wayne

[@ជឿនសួន-ផ4វ]

Which om use with serious 50 led?

[@robertthompson3831]

GOOD MORNING WHAT GAUGE WIRE DID YOU USE

[@naeemhaq3504]

your methodology is great 👍

[@stephenwilson9905]

Bonza! This was a really nifty and clear video, thanks. You have some really impressive graphics. I gleaned a lot from your video. Salutations, Steve. 😃😃😃🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@frenchmarky]

I've been experimenting with some LEDs with built-in microchips for use in my pinball machines. One is an 'extra fast flash' LED and they work great *except* for some reason they do not like being placed near the regular incandescent lamps in the machine, it will either lock 'on' solid or the flashing will be erratic. Can anybody explain what's going on there? Seems like the higher voltage 28v lamps in the game affected it the worst, and the LED was not even that close to the lamps, maybe 8 inches away. I don't get it.

[@geronimojiujitsu9541]

Learned a lot thanks, my brain a lil fried like i forgot proper to resistors but i think i got the jist of it 😂

[@richardl6751]

Different colors can be wired in series. Just add up the voltages of the LEDs, subtract that number from the source voltage and calculate the resistor.

[@pakonly7073]

can we use Arduino to make automatic sachet packaging machine that can weight and pack?

[@reneeccrn]

Omg. You are my people! I'm a nurse, but I think I was meant to be in electronics! I'm trying to figure out how to put an LED on my 48v 100ah batteries so that I can see if the pack is on.

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

That's a great idea! Let me know how you make out.

[@jimr2053]

Here you also have to consider how much power will be dissipated in the resistor. For 1 LED at, say 3V, there will be 45V across the resistor. Power in a single part is the voltage across that part times the current thru it. So 45V x 0.02A is 0.9W. A 1W resistor would technically be enough but good practice is to stay under half of the power rating, so a 2W or greater resistor. Also almost 1 watt is significant heat.

[@johnmora2828]

What is the difference between 1/2 w and 1 w resistor??

[@Witchypoo622]

I'm trying to hook up three 5mm white leds and two red 3mm leds, as well as, two yellow 3mm leds to a small motion sensor. When the motion sensor is activated, the leds will turn on. It is to be used in a model car, so when people passes the car the lights will turn on. Can you show me in a video on how to do that. That would be great. This without using a breadboard because it needs to fit in the car, van or truck model kit. Hope to hear back soon because there is no video on how to do something like this.

[@mongul187]

Great video ! Thank you

[@ryanlewis4751]

I can't find a video on how to wire LEDs to a plug for a wall outlet any idea?

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Get a female DC jack adapter and wire the positive and negative to that. You can then use the female jack adapter with a wall adapter.

[@MrKbtor2]

Awesome explanations!

[@RachelDeBarrosLive]

Thanks!

[@Red-Feather]

I have systems but all are powered by solar panels. ❤️ electronics. BTW, I use breadboards & LIght Dependent Resistors. ‘Basically’ they’re off during the day, at night they keep my room lit.

[@MadLabGadgets]

Great video! Love the T-shirt!