were can i get some laser diodes for cheap?

Question

i wanna make some laser light show but in my quest to the store i saw that theyre are a bit expensive ranging from $300+ but while i was inspecting them i saw that they are just bulky but insidde they look pretty simple just  a laser and some rotatiing mirrors so i desided to built my own but i cant seem to find some laser diodes i want to built one but do not want a 5mw i want a 10 or 15mw at least so i can have a bright laser 

also im looking for a place where i can get some L.E.D. light bulbs  for this i know that you need to put resistors on the positive leads for some reason i really dont know why im thinking it prevents it from popping  but if you could tell me how they work and which kind of resistor do i need to be able to plug it in to the wall outlet

Martin · Accepted Answer

Can't help with the lasers.

LEDs have very little forward resistance. When connected to a voltage the result (of Ohm's law) is a large current will flow. Since this large current is nearly always likely to excede the maximum current for the LED a resistor is used to restrict the current to below the maximum.

For example a LED may have a maximum current rating of 20mA. If this is to be used with a 5V supply we can calculate the series resistor needed to prevent too much current from flowing using Ohm's law. V=IR so R=V/I = 5/0.02 = 250 ohms. This is a minimum, a higher value will reduce the light output but extend the life of the LED.

Anonymous · Answer

try digikey or mouser; they're like the walmart of electrical components

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were can i get some laser diodes for cheap?

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