Originally Posted by
A_Tabor
I would really encourage people to stop and study electronic design and fabrication theory and methods before taking off with a project like that. Also think about how and where you are using them, and the related liability that comes with them. They're not a certified and approved device, and in the event of an accident the insurance agency is very likely to look at the remains, ask the make and model, and then smile and nod while closing their cheque book and walking away from you.
They are neat things that you can build with only a little investment, but waving away and ignoring risks involved is a good way to start fires or give someone a nasty shock.
Also consider general quality control and reliability. Really cheap LEDs that you can get a 'great deal on' from Ebay and such can be prone to high failure rates and wide specifications. I've seen more than a few people build similar panels and end up with uneven lighting across the field, which in turn ended up with dead LED cells bringing down the entire panel. Plus some suppliers tend to be a little liberal with their data sheets and specified outputs, so read up on a given supplier before buying, and be wary of deals that look too good to be true.
Building a very reliable, consistent, and robust product is not an easy or cheap task.
My best advice is to slow down, and don't rush a project like this. Take the time to understand how things work and why they get designed the way they do, and don't blindly follow really simple instructions off the web.
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