How do I connect a resistor lead to an LED?

[Hiwatt25]

I could really use some advice regarding the connection of LED's to the drop down resistor that serves them.  The problem I'm having is how to connect the thin lead of the resistor to the thin lead of the LED.  I hope I'm explaining that so that everyone can understand.

I don't have room for a terminal strip and I haven't had any luck trying to solder them together.  Is there a trick I'm missing?  If they were 18AWG wire I'd just use a butt connector. 

I never counted on this problem because pots and jacks all have terminals to solder wires to.  What to do!?!?

thanks in advance.

[ncc]

Hiwatt25,
There is no trick but some practice to solder would help.
You might want to try with some old parts from an old TV or radio
and just use your soldering iron to put enough heat on the lead
to melt  the soldering point, then add some lead and melt everything together.
Once you get experience to know how long to heat up the lead, and
how much solder to use, you should be able to solder the resistor to the LED.

One other option is to use a pre-drilled PCB for your parts.
Check this tutorial for pictures.
http://www.aaroncake.net/electronics/solder.htm

or this one for more info
http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/solder.htm


I hope this helps,

ncc

[boogietube]

I just use one of these things and put the leads side by side and quickly melt the solder. I then cover the leads with shrink tubing and heat it with my iron. Seems to work for me.
Sean

http://www.instructables.com/id/EGHGI21YFWEP287TUT/

[mikey]

I've seen it suggested to curl up the end of one lead like a pig's tail

[markm]

I just use one of these things and put the leads side by side and quickly melt the solder. I then cover the leads with shrink tubing and heat it with my iron. Seems to work for me.
Sean

http://www.instructables.com/id/EGHGI21YFWEP287TUT/

This works for me.
After the solder and shrink it's indestructable......almost!

I've seen it suggested to curl up the end of one lead like a pig's tail

To me, I've never liked this method

[syndromet]

I mount the led and resistor to a strip of perfboard. Works exelent.

[GibsonGM]

If I can't do it thru the board, like for a panel indicator LED, I bend one lead of each part into a 'U" at the right length, hook 'em together, and crimp them with pliers until they're nice & flat.  Then I solder & slide heat shrink over the resistor up to the LED

[Mark Hammer]

It's a pretty good idea to lightly scrape the leads of both the lED and the resistor in question.  I don't know about you, but I find that tarnish can crop up easily and impede the solder flow.  So make the surface nice and shiny, dab a wee bit of liquid flux on the leads, bend them around each other like two index fingers hooked on each other, and get yourself the fastest-flowing joint you can.

TIP:  Keep one of those I-can-barely-taste-any-tingle 9v batteries around for testing LEDs and identifying orientation.  If it's a fresh 9v battery, you can quickly fry the LED with too much current.  An older battery that has dropped down to 5v or less provides an easy and painless way to see if the LED is working and determine which lead goes to V+ without having to stick in a current limiting resistor.  Also good for testing super-bright LEDs without seeing a green spot for the next few days!

[Satch12879]

You can also put the current limiting resistor on the board - be it PCB or pad per hole - branched off from your V+; then all you have to solder to the LED are two wires, V+ and ground.

[markm]

TIP:  Keep one of those I-can-barely-taste-any-tingle 9v batteries around for testing LEDs and identifying orientation.  If it's a fresh 9v battery, you can quickly fry the LED with too much current.  An older battery that has dropped down to 5v or less provides an easy and painless way to see if the LED is working and determine which lead goes to V+ without having to stick in a current limiting resistor.  Also good for testing super-bright LEDs without seeing a green spot for the next few days!

Great idea Mark,
I usually use one of those flat watch batteries as a tester.