LED battery drain

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Lights, Neon, LEDs, HIDs
Forum Discription: Under Car Lighting, Strobe Lights, Fog Lights, Headlights, HIDs, DRL, Tail Lights, Brake Lights, Dashboard Lights, WigWag, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=65528
Printed Date: May 14, 2024 at 5:07 PM

Topic: LED battery drain

Posted By: hamrajw
Subject: LED battery drain
Date Posted: November 03, 2005 at 11:02 AM

I wanted to know how much of a draw LEDs have. Basically, will leaving them on run down the battery. I'm thinking about 20 LEDs.
Thanks

Replies:

Posted By: Oznium
Date Posted: November 03, 2005 at 1:48 PM

Each LED is about 20mA which NOTHING

It will not run down the battery. Maybe after a year it would posted_image

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Posted By: hamrajw
Date Posted: November 03, 2005 at 1:58 PM

Thanks for the help. That might make me want to do more stuff.

Posted By: cowboy21
Date Posted: November 03, 2005 at 4:37 PM

GO NUTS with leds, i have way over 100 on my car and i leave it on overnight all the time and nothing the battery goes fine. posted_image

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Posted By: schnupper
Date Posted: November 26, 2005 at 12:54 AM

LEDs hardly draw any amprage. You can have like 100+ and you still wouldnt have a large paracidic load on the battery. You would be fine leaving your LEDs on all night and your car would start up like nothing.

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Posted By: KPierson
Date Posted: November 26, 2005 at 9:03 AM

You could actually calculate it all out. You can figure out the current draw of the LEDs you are using by knowing the resistor value(s) involved.

20 LEDs at 20mA would equal 400mA. Thats just under a half amp draw. I wouldn't want to leave that guy of draw on my battery for an extended amount of time. For a 20mA draw you would need a resistance of 250 ohms going ot EACH LED (which is somewhat low, unless you are going super super super bright)

I would imagine, for super bright LEDs, the current would be closer to 10mA a piece, which is a 470 ohm resistor in line with each one, but every application will differ.

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Kevin Pierson