How to wire LEDs in parallel

LEDs and other diodes need extra protection when connected in parallel.

You want to give each LED it’s own protective resistor or current source.

Parallel LEDs should have or need their own protective resistor learning electronics shorts 102
Parallel LEDs should have or need their own protective resistor learning electronics shorts 102

In fact, you may need to give each LED it’s own resistor to prevent one or more from not lighting up at all, and/or from burning out due to too much current that was intended to be divided up among the parallel LEDs.

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Even if the LEDs have the same forward voltage, one LED may conduct slightly better than another parallel LED. Therefore one LED can easily get more current than the other.

If the parallel LEDs have different forward voltages, then the LED with the lowest forward voltage will definitely get all of the current.

You simply wire each LED and protective resistor as if the others don’t exist. Just remember that the power supply, and any components in series with the parallel LEDs with protective resistors, needs to be able to handle the total current involved.

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