what else does LED colour change?

[phector2004]

Hey guys,

I'm very excited as I have just ordered the parts for my next pedal (Green Ringer)

What i was wondering is whether the LED colour changes the sound that comes out of the pedal, i.e. will my violet LED lower the output or anything?

Also, is a 1k resistor enough to keep it from frying? (I've done a ton of that back in high school with green ones! )

Finally, on a slightly related note, are diodes/LEDs heat sensitive? Should I socket the 1N914s?

Thanks in advance!

[zyxwyvu]

What i was wondering is whether the LED colour changes the sound that comes out of the pedal, i.e. will my violet LED lower the output or anything?

If it's just an indicator LED, it will have no effect on the sound of the pedal. If they are in the signal path, some things may change. Different LEDs have different forward voltages (usually means different clipping thresholds), and may clip harder or softer.

Also, is a 1k resistor enough to keep it from frying? (I've done a ton of that back in high school with green ones! )

You can calculate the resistor to use based on the forward voltage drop of the LED, and the current you want through it (with Ohm's law). You can find calculators online if you don't want to do the (pretty simple) math. Generally, you don't want more than 20mA flowing through any LED, and 5-10mA is usually plenty to be easily visible, depending on the LED.

Finally, on a slightly related note, are diodes/LEDs heat sensitive? Should I socket the 1N914s?

No need to socket diodes unless you plan on changing them later. They should be able to handle the heat from soldering without a problem.

[phector2004]

thanks! you answered all three at once!