A couple of types of 5 mm LED holders

A micro—or perhaps even nano—review of little useful things for radio amateurs, meant simply to make your homemade devices look a bit neater.


The backstory behind this order is very simple. I’m gradually improving a multichannel electronic load, and while ordering connectors for it from the same “offline” store, I came across LED holders. At first I thought about ordering some, but the price of almost a dollar for 10 pieces wasn’t appealing. Other stores were a little cheaper, but the total cost of the order ended up even higher—and shipping was extra.
So I checked AliExpress and found the exact same holders, but 20 pieces for a dollar. Since I wasn’t in any hurry, I ordered them from AliExpress and added another 50 or so of a different type, just in case they came in handy.

What are these holders for? LEDs are often mounted on the front panel by simply drilling a 5 or 3 mm hole (depending on the LED diameter) and gluing the LED in place from the back. You can, of course, make a small circuit board, mount the LEDs on it, and then screw it to the front panel. That’s better, but from the outside it still looks the same as it would without the board.
There are special holders, though, that serve two purposes at once: they secure the LED and improve its appearance. The decorative aspect is a matter of taste, of course, but it’s hard to argue with the benefit of keeping the LED in place.
They come in sizes for different LEDs (3, 5, and 8 mm) and in different styles (large, small, black, mirrored).

I ordered two types, both for 5 mm LEDs, but in two sizes—roughly speaking, large and small. The package was trackable only within China, and I eventually found it in my mailbox, which was a surprise: the last time that happened was more than 6 years ago.
Inside were a couple of little bags.


The order included:
Large holders, lot of 20 - link, price $0.85
Small holders, lot of 50 - link, price $1.10
Free shipping in both cases.

In reality, I received 20 large holders and 66 small ones.


The large ones are on the left, the small ones on the right. The small holders come in at least two types. I chose the ones that seemed more convenient to me, with little teeth; the other type doesn’t have them. Although, for my application, the other design might actually have been better—but more on that later.
Overall, the build quality is pretty good, with almost no flash anywhere.


A ruler for scale.


To get a better idea of their dimensions, I found some datasheets online showing the full measurements, which is certainly more convenient.
Large


Small


I decided to test them with some bright, diffused 5 mm LEDs. I bought a lot of them a while ago to make a large clock. In the end, I never put the clock in an enclosure, but I did have a few LEDs left over.


Overall, they work fine, but the small holders grip much better.


And, just out of curiosity, I’ll try installing them in an improvised front panel.
First, drill the holes: 8 mm for the large holders and 6.5 mm for the small ones.
Insert the holders. Here’s the problem: the small holders are designed for a thinner panel (so I should have gone with the other type), so I’ll widen the holes a little from the inside with an 8 mm drill bit.
Insert the LEDs.
At a glance, everything looks great. But while the small holders grip perfectly, the large ones need to be secured from the inside with hot glue. Their clips don’t hold properly, and the holder comes out easily.


With the LEDs on. The batteries turned out to be different, so the brightness varies. I took two shots to make the difference clear.


Here’s what holders similar to the small ones look like in real life. I think these are the other type, without the teeth, which is better suited to thick panels. By thick, I mean panels about 2.5–3.5 mm thick; thin panels are closer to 1 mm.


And compared with the version where the LEDs are installed without holders, I think the holders look neater.


In short, the large holders look a bit more substantial—bigger and sturdier—but in practice I liked the small ones better. Still, I’d recommend ordering different types and sizes, including ones for 3 mm LEDs. They’re very inexpensive, and can make life a lot easier.

To sum up, I recommend the small ones. The large ones are a little more complicated, but that’s just a feature of the holders themselves.