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$20 Tester Lights Up LEDs

The manufacturer says . . .

ChipCenter's Alex Mendelsohn says . . .

TestLED Makes Verifying LEDs Fast, Safe, and Simple Torrance, Calif.--LEDtronics announced the release of TestLED, an instrument that makes verifying individual discrete LEDs fast, safe, and easy. Now, without soldering wires or needing a power supply, it's easy to determine if LEDs work. Simply insert the leads into the ports located beneath the appropriate current (mA), then press the button. It's that simple! If the LED lights, it's ok. If it doesn't, it's no good. TestLED accommodates a total of 11 discrete LEDs, and features six different current ports: 2 mA, 5 mA, 10 mA, 20 mA, 30 mA, and 50 mA. There are three 20 mA ports, four 10 mA ports, and one each for the remaining currents. Three additional ports are configured for different combinations of anodes and cathodes, enabling the testing of tri-color LEDs. With a footprint roughly the size of a garage door opener, and powered by a 9 V battery, this device can be carried in the pocket of a clean-room smock, a tool box, or briefcase. Users will find TestLED an indispensable tool for manufacturing lines, quality-assurance labs, or inspection stations. Made of durable plastic, TestLED is built to perform in the most strenuous manufacturing environments and field conditions. TestLED is priced at $19.95 each, in quantities of one to ninety-nine. Discounts are available for greater quantities. For additional information on the LED tester and energy-efficient LED products, contact LEDtronics Inc. 23105 Kashiwa Court Torrance, CA 90505 Phone: toll free (800) 579-4875         or (310) 534-1505 FAX: (310) 534-1424 E-mail: webmaster@ledtronics.com Web: www.ledtronics.com

If you buy this little LED tester, my bet is you'll come to agree that it's probably twenty bucks well spent. After all, it would probably cost one of your lab technicians more than that to kludge together a homebrew equivalent. Powered by a 9 V battery and equipped with headers where you can plug in the LEDs, LEDtronics' TestLED can sidestep more elaborate production-line test fixtures, as well as eliminate the need for firing up a DC power supply and wiring a series current-limiting resistor every time you want to check an LED. This box is pure simplicity. The only thing you may have to be careful about when using a TestLED is selecting the appropriate current port. Beyond that, a weakness might be wear and tear to the unit's header sockets. But considering how inexpensive it would be to replace, that doesn't seem like much of a limitation (hey, buy a few of these right from the get-go). A final thought. TestLEDs will make good "stocking stuffers," whether you celebrate the Festival of Lights or Christmas. Happy holidays.

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