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Wanted: Obsolete Component LED Rectangular Light Bars

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Scotophor

Oct 8, 2014
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I'm seeking some out-of-production through-hole component LED light bars for a project. There are two different styles that I need and can not substitute. Depending on where I look, they were reportedly discontinued in either the late 1970s or early 1990s.

The first type have 2 LED emitters (or chips, or dice) per unit. Their front face measures approximately 14 mm x 7 mm (9/16 x 1/4 inch) and they're about 12 mm (1/2 inch) tall excluding leads. They're made of lightly-tinted clear epoxy, with a diffusion layer about 1-2 mm (1/16 inch) thick at the front. The dice are about 7 mm (1/4 inch) apart, center-to-center. These were once sold in retail packaging as Cal-Pak brand, distributed by Cal West Supply, Inc. as their part numbers CP-59 (green), CP-58 (red) and CP-60 (yellow). These were also sold online by defunct website http://www.hallbar.com/ . I do not know the company which actually made them, though I have read one report that it was in Japan.

The second type is of similar general appearance and construction, but they have 3 emitters per unit. Their front face measures about 18 mm x 5 mm (11/16 inch x 3/16 inch) and they're about 9 mm (3/8 inch) tall excluding leads. The chips are about 5 mm (3/16 inch) apart, center-to-center. There are similar LEDs to these in current production, but not exactly alike -- the chip spacing is 6 mm now. These were also sold in Cal-Pak packaging, at least in green (CP-57) and red (CP-56) colors, but apparently not in yellow.

Photos attached show the 2-chip style (slightly photoshopped image of actual LEDs in all 3 colors), the 3-chip style (the green one is real and the others are simulated), and the Cal-Pak blister card packaging (simulated -- I don't know how many actually came in a package; it would most likely have been in the range of 1 to 4).

CP-59, '58, '60.png CP-57, '56, 'xx.png CP-58 Packaging_simulated.jpg
 
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Scotophor

Oct 8, 2014
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Additional info I forgot to include: I have been told that the first type of light bar (with 2 chips) have been found in "Lucky Bag" LED assortments sold in Europe several years ago by Kemo Electronic.
 

davenn

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Hi ya

I vaguely remember seeing the dual ones in the past --- I presume you have tried mouser, digikey, farnell etc ?

cheers
Dave
 

Scotophor

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Yes, yes, yes... I've tried all of those and many more. Thanks for the suggestion anyway. Besides the current 3-chip ones I already noted, but neglected to mention that they are also somewhat smaller, there are current-production LED light bars somewhat like the 2-chip style, but either: smaller (10 mm x 5 mm), or about the same 14 mm x 7 mm size but in a modified DIP pinout, and with an opaque white frame around the outside. I can't use any of those.

I should add that although I want around 1-2 dozen of each color in the 2-chip style, and at least six of the 3-chip style in green, I will buy or trade for smaller quantities (or larger! - wishful thinking;)). I expect there may be some older hobbyists who have just a few here and there lying around their workshops, or possibly even installed in some older homebrew projects. I have already obtained a few, both unused and pulls, from a friend who built a lot of "artistic" one-off clocks using many kinds of display technologies, mostly obsolete. The green one in the first photo and one of the red ones in the last photo are actually pulls with very short leads; I 'shopped in the full-length leads.

I suppose another possibility would be to salvage some from manufactured equipment, but I have no knowledge of any equipment that used them.
 
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shrtrnd

Jan 15, 2010
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Like you, I looked and looked. No luck. You'd be lucky to stumble on somebody with a stash of those old LEDs.
Seriously. You might have to redesign using presently available parts.
 

Scotophor

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Thank you for your effort! I have already "stumbled upon" two people who have given me small stashes of one of the styles, so I know they're not completely unobtainable. Posting here is just one way I'm widening the search to find more such stashes.

Unfortunately, redesign is out of the question. Reconstruction/simulation of the original LED styles is a possibility, but because of the nature of such work and the likelihood that differences will be noticeable, using originals is far preferable.
 
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(*steve*)

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Scotophor

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I have seen Dialight mentioned before in connection with similar LEDs to what I want but no images, datasheets or other helpful info.
 

Scotophor

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A clarification, that I hope will prevent some hurt feelings as have happened on another forum:

I'm not asking anyone to do internet searches for me. I apologize to everyone who thought that's what I was asking. I don't think it would be reasonable for me to post here every website that I've already checked and rejected, to reduce your duplication of my previous effort. I haven't kept a list, and I'm sure the number is over a hundred sites.

What I'm hoping to find is someone who either has some of these LEDs, or who already knows a place or person where there's a fair chance that they can be physically found. I believe I've already exhausted all the online possibilities, or at least those that can be found with any reasonable effort. So what I'm after is knowledge that probably isn't already online. Perhaps somebody on here knows someone who sells old LEDs at electronics swap meets, flea markets, hamfests, hamventions or the like, or someone who might have them squirreled away and gathering dust somewhere.
 

Bruce Warren

Feb 19, 2015
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I'm seeking some out-of-production through-hole component LED light bars for a project. There are two different styles that I need and can not substitute. Depending on where I look, they were reportedly discontinued in either the late 1970s or early 1990s.

The first type have 2 LED emitters (or chips, or dice) per unit. Their front face measures approximately 14 mm x 7 mm (9/16 x 1/4 inch) and they're about 12 mm (1/2 inch) tall excluding leads. They're made of lightly-tinted clear epoxy, with a diffusion layer about 1-2 mm (1/16 inch) thick at the front. The dice are about 7 mm (1/4 inch) apart, center-to-center. These were once sold in retail packaging as Cal-Pak brand, distributed by Cal West Supply, Inc. as their part numbers CP-59 (green), CP-58 (red) and CP-60 (yellow). These were also sold online by defunct website http://www.hallbar.com/ . I do not know the company which actually made them, though I have read one report that it was in Japan.

The second type is of similar general appearance and construction, but they have 3 emitters per unit. Their front face measures about 18 mm x 5 mm (11/16 inch x 3/16 inch) and they're about 9 mm (3/8 inch) tall excluding leads. The chips are about 5 mm (3/16 inch) apart, center-to-center. There are similar LEDs to these in current production, but not exactly alike -- the chip spacing is 6 mm now. These were also sold in Cal-Pak packaging, at least in green (CP-57) and red (CP-56) colors, but apparently not in yellow.

Photos attached show the 2-chip style (slightly photoshopped image of actual LEDs in all 3 colors), the 3-chip style (the green one is real and the others are simulated), and the Cal-Pak blister card packaging (simulated -- I don't know how many actually came in a package; it would most likely have been in the range of 1 to 4).

View attachment 15836 View attachment 15837 View attachment 15838
I have 9 CP57 and 8 CP56 There is one LED in each package - Are these worth anything ? What are they used for , I bought most of a display rack with multiple pack around 200 LEDs
 

Scotophor

Oct 8, 2014
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I have 9 CP57 and 8 CP56 There is one LED in each package - Are these worth anything ? What are they used for , I bought most of a display rack with multiple pack around 200 LEDs
Thank you for your response! Replied by P.M.
 

Bruce Warren

Feb 19, 2015
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I am not computer savey. However i could simply send you one and you can see if it works
 

Scotophor

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Bruce, to see the private conversation I started, scroll up to the top right side of this page. If you're using a laptop or desktop computer, hover your cursor over the envelope-shaped icon labeled "Inbox". A small window should pop up below it, and inside should be a list of your conversations. Since you're new here, very likely mine will be the only one. Click on it to go there. You post in the conversation just like you do here in the forum; you can attach images too, etc. -- assuming you have a way to take and upload digital photos. If you don't, I'll send you my address and we can work out a way for me to reimburse you.

If you're using a smartphone, touchpad or other mobile device, you're on your own, but I'm sure it's easy to figure out.
 

Scotophor

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Are you still there, Bruce? Please respond to the private conversation if you can.
 

(*steve*)

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Bruce may not have sufficient posts to send private messages.
 

Scotophor

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Even if someone else started the conversation? Anyone should be able to respond to a private conversation to which they've been added by someone else, regardless of how few posts they have. If that's not the case, then IMO this board's software should be considered to be "broken" until that flaw is fixed.
 
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