do red-bulbed LEDs actually emit red light?

[powerplayj]

I'm thinking about installing a 3-way or posibly a rotary switch for the diode arrangement in my Dist+.  I noticed some red LED's have clear plastic and some have red plastic.  Do the red plastic ones (radio shack) have diodes that actually emit red light or is it really white light? 

[R.G.]

It's really red light. White LEDs are much too expensive to use them to filter down to red when red LEDs are cheap.

[bluesdevil]

I'm glad this question was asked and answered. Something I always wondered, but never got around to asking myself.

[snufkin]

i heard that (and bare in mind im a NUBE) clear shell red led are bright and the red cased ones are for defused light so they are not blinding and thats why evem thout the led is already red they pit them in a non clear shell


but i could be wrong

[powerplayj]

yeah...I wouldn't ordinarily care if the LED was used for an "on" indicator but, since it is involved in the clipping of the circuit, I figured the difference in diodes would be significant.  I want something a little more nasty/Marshally than the Ge's or Si's. 

[oldrocker]

One thing I noticed about clear lens LED's especially the yellow ones is the clear lens is a magnifier also.  You can use a clear lens LED as a weak beam flashlight. The lens directs the light out the tip of the LED more than the sides.  Use it to see your door lock at night or for ladies to find their keys in their purse.

[christobean]

You can use a clear lens LED as a weak beam flashlight.

many companies around here give flashlights like that away as advertizement.. its just an led with a small battery between the leads, then you squeeze the leads onto the battery and it lights.  its a fun experiment if you have one of those really small batteries.

[snufkin]

have you guys seen led throwies

thay are a new kind of graphiti that uses a watch battery solderd to an led and a magenet  with a paper pull tab

the maker then puls the tab and throwes it to an iron building



they look coll but are probly bad for the enviroment

[idlechatterbox]

maybe of interest:

http://www.grynx.com/2006/04/18/how-to-build-a-versatile-and-compact-9v-led-lamp/