How to Solder an LED Bulb
Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are quickly becoming one of the most efficient sources of light. Their long-lasting life, coupled with their low power consumption, proves them to be a very effective light source for the home and other places. If you want to create your own LED lights, you can solder the bulbs yourself.
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Things You'll Need
- Soldering iron
- Rosin core solder
- 3M Scotch Brite cleaning pads
- Flux remover compound (methyl hydrate)
- LED light
- Circuit board
Instructions
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1
Prepare the soldering iron for use. Whether you have a new soldering iron or you are using an old one, you will need to "tin" the tip of the soldering iron by coating it in solder. Plug in the soldering iron and allow it to heat up. Coat the entire end of the soldering iron with solder, which will allow the solder to transfer to your project more smoothly later.
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Prepare the surface of the circuit board. Clean the surface of the circuit board using a Scotch Brite pad. This will rid the surface of any dirt or impurities and provide a clean surface for the solder to stick to.
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3
Place the LED on the circuit board. Insert the two leads from the LED into the pre-drilled holes in your circuit board, in the location where you want to have the LED. Bend the ends of the two leads slightly, from the bottom side, to prevent the part from falling over while you solder it.
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4
Solder the LED in place. Heat one lead of the LED with your soldering iron. Do not touch the tip of the soldering iron to the solder directly. Touch the tip of the solder to the LED and allow the heat from the lead to melt the solder into the connection joint. Allow a small pool of solder to appear at the base of the lead, which will hold the LED in place. Allow this connection to cool for a few minutes and complete the other side the same way.
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5
Inspect the joint. Ensure that the solder has fully connected the LED to the circuit board and that there are no loose connections. If you find a loose connection, simply reheat that soldered joint until the old solder melts. Remove the old solder from the joint with a wet rag and re-solder the connection.
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References
- Photo Credit Steven Puetzer/Photodisc/Getty Images
