# Best place to buy LEDs online? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037 "2008-09-17T21:10:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037/1 "2008-09-17T21:10:07Z")
I need several LEDs for a potential Halloween costume (I plan on being Tony Stark with his ‘arc reactor’ in place, and possibly one of his Iron Man “arms/gloves” as well if I can find a way to build it…) But I need to get LEDs for cheap. I’d rather not have to go to Radio Shack and pay upwards of $5 per LED. The places I’ve found thus far all seem to be bulk suppliers, and won’t sell just a handful. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037/2 "2008-09-17T21:18:44Z")
I’m partial to [Mouser Electronics](http://www.mouser.com) for raw parts. It also looks like the [official](http://www.buycostumes.com/Iron-Man-Super-Deluxe-Adult-Costume/34188/ProductDetail.aspx) Iron Man costume may already have that angle covered. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037/3 "2008-09-17T21:29:09Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > I’m partial to [Mouser Electronics](http://www.mouser.com) for raw parts. > > It also looks like the [official](http://www.buycostumes.com/Iron-Man-Super-Deluxe-Adult-Costume/34188/ProductDetail.aspx) Iron Man costume may already have that angle covered. Thanks! And pre-made costumes are for chumps. I haven’t used one yet, and I’m not about to start now. Plus, compare that are reactor, which looks like one solid light, to [this one.](http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-an-Iron-Man-Arc-Reactor/) And since I plan on being Tony Stark, not actually Iron Man, I want the separate sections to be noticeable under my shirt. Now the only problem is the hair…mine is not nearly dark enough, and I don’t feel like dying it. Do those “one time use” Halloween hair sprays really wash out after one use? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037/4 "2008-09-17T21:46:39Z")
[Digi-key](http://www.digikey.com/) is also probably worth looking into for comparison shopping. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037/6 "2012-06-15T07:35:49Z")
Hey, **inor23io,** your profile says you are in Canada, but my guess is China. Which is it? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037/7 "2012-06-15T07:51:42Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Hey, **inor23io,** your profile says you are in Canada, but my guess is China. Which is it? Reported the post **Musicat** is referring to. It’s in China. They only accept PayPal and Western Union for payment. I’ll bet it’s not even a real company. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037/8 "2012-06-15T12:04:19Z")
For LEDs I’ve had luck on eBay. You’re typically getting several hundred of them, but they’re direct from China and very inexpensive. They can take 2-3 weeks to arrive though. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2012, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-place-to-buy-leds-online/464037/9 "2012-06-15T12:10:50Z")
> [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](#): > > For LEDs I’ve had luck on eBay. You’re typically getting several hundred of them, but they’re direct from China and very inexpensive. They can take 2-3 weeks to arrive though. Me too. Often they’re unsorted in terms of output levels/colour\*, but if you’ve got a bag of 100, this isn’t a problem. \*That is, a cheapie bag of 100 Chinese white LEDs may have some that are more bluish and/or brighter than others.