Author Topic: What size LED for Cherry Switches?  (Read 22859 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline awhitedev

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 393
  • Location: Ohio, USA
What size LED for Cherry Switches?
« on: Fri, 19 September 2014, 18:16:44 »
I'm in the process of modding a QFR and would like to change out the bright LEDs with something a little more subtle. This might sound like a stupid question but does anyone know what size LED fit in a cherry switch?

I was looking at these... but they look a little too big:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UZCMRK/ref=gno_cart_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3AGVPZHIH41EE

Thanks

Offline qwack

  • Posts: 310
  • Location: ISO FR
Re: What size LED for Cherry Switches?
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 19 September 2014, 18:57:02 »
These 5mm LEDs are indeed too big. Cherry MX switches are made for flangeless 3mm LEDs; 2x3x4mm LEDs work too, as well as 1.8mm LEDs.

For further reference: http://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=54702.0

Pure Pro w/MX Red - [review]

Offline Puddsy

  • nice
  • * Elated Elder
  • Posts: 12275
  • Location: RSTLN E
  • "Do you shovel to survive, or survive to shovel?"
Re: What size LED for Cherry Switches?
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 19 September 2014, 20:01:04 »
3mm, or 2x3x4. I think you want 3.3v as well
QFR | MJ2 TKL | "Bulgogiboard" (Keycon 104) | ctrl.alt x GON 60% | TGR Alice | Mira SE #29 | Mira SE #34 | Revo One | z | Keycult No. 1 | AIS65 | First CW87 prototype | Mech27v1 | Camp C225 | Duck Orion V1 | LZ CLS sxh | Geon Frog TKL | Hiney TKL One | Geon Glare TKL



"Everything is worse, but in a barely perceptible and indefinable way" -dollartacos, after I came back from a break | "Is Linkshine our Nixon?" -NAV | "Puddsy is the Puddsy of keebs" -ns90

Offline awhitedev

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 393
  • Location: Ohio, USA
Re: What size LED for Cherry Switches?
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 19 September 2014, 20:06:21 »
Thanks guys! This helps...

So it looks like ebay is the only place to buy these... is that right?  Seems kind of a pain to ship something all the way out of Hong Kong. I don't think local electronics stores sell flangeless 3mm or 2x3x4 mm square leds like this. At least I've never seen one anyways.

Offline Owntrolf

  • Posts: 102
Re: What size LED for Cherry Switches?
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 20 September 2014, 13:23:01 »
http://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_odkw=flangeless+LED&_from=R40|R40&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=flangeless+3mm&_sacat=0
 Even though it takes like 2 weeks to ship to you its all k.
Works completely fine

Offline 0100010

  • Posts: 1127
  • Location: DFW, TX, US
  • Not Sure
Re: What size LED for Cherry Switches?
« Reply #5 on: Sat, 20 September 2014, 14:05:03 »
If I were to put LEDs on a Cherry switch, I would use 1.8mm LEDs, to ensure no interference with any cap selected.
  Quoting me causes a posting error that you need to ignore.

Offline dorkvader

  • Posts: 6288
  • Location: Boston area
  • all about the "hack" in "geekhack"
Re: What size LED for Cherry Switches?
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 20 September 2014, 21:32:19 »
3mm, or 2x3x4. I think you want 3.3v as well

you can use LEDs with a much lower Vf. In most designs any LED from 1.6 (red) to 3.5 (blue) will work.

If I were to put LEDs on a Cherry switch, I would use 1.8mm LEDs, to ensure no interference with any cap selected.
This is a good idea, as even 2*3*4 has issues with some extremely thick keycaps, but unfortunately 1.8mm is not available in all colours.