Checking LEDs with a DMM

[Govmnt_Lacky]

I have 2 LEDs that are "in circuit" and when the circuit is turned on.... one of the LEDs is pretty bright and the other is quite a bit more dim.

I used my DMM to make sure the LEDs checked out and when I put the DMM in Diode check mode and properly biased the LEDs.... the results were the same. LED#1 was bright. LED#2 was dim. (The LEDs lit up when I tested with the DMM)

Im pretty sure that both LEDs came from Tayda so I am suspicious of their operation at the moment 

Could this just be a matter of the "dim" LED being somewhat faulty or just that one is ultrabright and the other is not.

Both are Diffused Red LEDs.

Opinions??

[jimilee]

Can you touch the legs of another led to the dim one to see if it's dim also? I'm from the, " I wonder what would happen if" generation. :-D

[Govmnt_Lacky]

@jimi

I am fairly confident that the problem is with the LED itself. By testing it with the DMM I effectively removed all of the associated circuitry/components and just used the DMM. The fact that the bright LED was still bright and the dim LED was still dim suggests that the LED itself is to blame. It is just going to be a pain because I will need to disassemble the entire pedal to get it replaced  Its my Wobulator clone!!

Sounds AMAZING though even with the minor LED issue! 

[RobA]

I've had a couple of dim LED's before and they weren't even of the Tayda variety. I think they're from a batch of Kingbright LED's I got from a major distributor. There were a couple of them that were dim out of a batch of a hundred or so.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

It was the LED. Replaced with another one and it looks GREAT!

Guess I have to start auditing LEDs now before installing