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Simple LED question....

Started by blearyeyes, July 24, 2014, 04:30:34 AM

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blearyeyes

When you are making a PCB, is the Anode usually the square pad or the round one? I would think the Anode is square as it is + ....right?

RobA

The convention doesn't seem to be very conventional :D. I've seen all sorts of things done for LED's and pads. For diodes in general, the square pad usually goes with the cathode, but LED markings seem to usually go against that trend and the square pad goes with the anode and the long leg (it's also denoted as pin 1 in lots of parts libraries). But, I've seen it done the other way too. I mainly depend on the silk screen indicators and if I'm still confused I follow the traces.
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blearyeyes

Thanks, I just wired leds backwards because the anode which is positive and has the long lead would tend to go into the square pad as Electros do but I guess I better be more careful and like you said look at the schemo...PITA IMHO..