Wiring L.E.D. in parallel, I still need resistors right?

Question

Im want to add some L.E.D.s to my car, and I wanted to do it in Parallel, I know in speakers it reduces the impedence of them. I was wondering if it has some kind of similar effect for lights, or if its just a straight wiring and adding a resistor to each of the LEDs. (12v car battery with 470 Ohm resistors for Blue LEDs)

Source: http://www.oznium.com/resistors

Answer 1

Yes, you do. LEDs, being a diode, the voltage drop across it will be a constant 0.7 volts. (not same for the speakers).

You will need to make sure, your register can handle DOUBLE the current passing through it, but that is about the only change.

What I would do, is to make the additional LED with its own resister and parallel that assembly to the existing one. (that is, instead of just paralleling the LED and use the existing resister)

Answer 2

dude just hook up the lights right to the speaker. it works perfect and goes with the music! ive done it before and had no problems, on home stereo and car stereo.

Answer 3

Here's a better solution - http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz