[Milsurplus] LEDs for dial light

[KD7JYK DM09]

I started replacing bulbs in radios, and vehicles with LED types in the 
early 90's, around '92, or so.  The earlier LEDs were pretty dim, but, I 
DID learn, that the projected angle of the light mattered.  They had 
"amazing" claimed light ratings, but only across a few degrees, which 
wasn't practical to project across the face of a dial. 5,000mcd sounds 
like a lot, until you realize it's only 2 degrees beamwidth, and at the 
surface of the LED package.  There was more BS flying around about LED 
specs thirty years ago, than you can imagine.  One could see the light 
fade across a dial, pretty pathetic!

For things such as instrument panels, and meters, where the bulb comes 
in from the back, I found a certain design that beats all!

Imagine looking at an LED from the side, the dome on top, the leads 
pointing down.  Usually the light goes out the top.

Now, imagine the flat-topped ones.  The light STILL goes out the top, 
but the LED is shorter.

I found a style that has a reflective cone molded down into the top!

They project a little light out the end, like a flashlight, and most in 
a 360 degree circle around the side of the LED.  Putting them into a 
dial, instrument panel, or meter from behind, gives full illumination, 
across the entire face, no shadowing.

Best of all they come in red, blue, green, orange, amber, purple and 
various temperatures of white.

I buy the LEDs on strings at WalMart, usually around $3 per hundred, and 
have acquired a few hundred of each color, far more than I could ever 
use, but after Christmas the strings sell for a few pennies each, and 
one never knows how many one will need in the future!

I wish these were common thirty years ago, it would have saved a lot of 
schmoozing of LED manufacturers, trying to get enough to outfit a 
vehicle, when they were still about $10 EACH, and saved the effort of 
soldering LEDs, and resistors into lamp bases to make my own!

This style really starting showing up in stores about twelve years ago.

There are several referenced on this page:

https://www.totalbulklighting.com/led-multi-color-christmas-lights-50-5mm-mini-wide-angle-led-bulbs-6-spacing-23ft-green-wire-120vac.html

They are very expensive at this link, try Target, or WalMart, first.

Kurt