5mm LEDs: specifications and bulk supply
Through-hole · 15–20 mA · 15° to 120°
5mm LEDs are the classic round through-hole LED. They are still used to build signs, displays, indicators and lamps because they are easy to solder by hand. We supply them in bulk to manufacturers and assemblers.
Photo: LEDs International catalog.
Quick answer
A 5mm LED runs at about 3.0–3.4 V for white, blue and green, and 1.9–2.3 V for red and yellow, at 15–20 mA. A single-chip 5mm LED uses about 0.04–0.06 W. Always drive it through a resistor or a constant-current circuit.
Typical specifications
| Forward voltage | 1.9–2.3 V (red, yellow) · 3.0–3.4 V (white, blue, green) |
|---|---|
| Current | 15–20 mA |
| Power | about 0.04–0.06 W (single chip) |
| Viewing angle | 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 120°; straw hat, flat top and concave lenses for wider light |
| Colours | red 620–630 nm, yellow 588–592 nm, green 515–525 nm, blue 460–470 nm; infrared and UV on request |
| White | warm 2,700–3,000 K, neutral or daylight 4,000–7,000 K, cool 10,000–12,000 K |
| Lens | water clear as standard; tinted or diffused (milky) for special runs |
| Size | 5 mm lens diameter; about 3.2 cm long with the leads |
| Packing | usually bags of 1,000 pieces |
Typical values from our catalog; each quote confirms the exact values of the model.
How a 5mm LED is made
A 5mm LED is a small chip on two metal leads, sealed in an epoxy resin lens. The distance between the chip and the lens sets the viewing angle, so the same part is made at 15°, 30°, 45° or 60°, and lens shapes such as straw hat, flat top or concave spread it to 120° and more.
Voltage, current and wattage
The forward voltage depends on the colour: about 3.2 V for white, blue and green, and about 2.2 V for red, orange and yellow. Most 5mm LEDs are rated at 20 mA. At 3.2 V and 20 mA a white LED uses 0.064 W; at 2.0 V and 20 mA a red one uses 0.04 W.
An LED needs a resistor in series (or a constant-current driver). From a 12 V DC supply, one white LED at 20 mA needs (12 − 3.2) / 0.02 = 440 Ω, so a 470 Ω resistor. Work out any circuit with our LED resistor calculator.
Questions buyers ask
What voltage does a 5mm LED need?
About 3.0–3.4 V for white, blue and green and 1.9–2.3 V for red and yellow, measured at its rated current. Feed it from a higher DC voltage through a resistor.
How many watts is a 5mm LED?
A single-chip 5mm LED uses about 0.04–0.06 W: its forward voltage times its current (for example 3.2 V × 0.02 A = 0.064 W).
How big is a 5mm LED?
The lens is 5 mm across. With the leads, the part is about 3.2 cm long.
What is the price and minimum order?
Both depend on the colour, angle and quantity, so we quote them per model. Send your list with quantities.
Written with AI help from the specifications in our earlier catalog. Checked 11 October 2026.
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