Reliable IR LEDs in Cape Town with immediate project value
When your vision project, surveillance prototype or night-time sensor needs consistent infrared illumination, delays and wrong parts kill momentum. Communica’s Cape Town branch carries a focused range of IR LEDs and accessories so you can finish experiments, lab work or field installs from today’s stock - not next month’s shipment. We stock component sizes, wavelengths and power classes commonly used in education, robotics and embedded vision, and we make branch collection and VAT invoicing straightforward for students and procurement teams.
Why buy local in Cape Town?
Local pickup reduces lead time and shipping uncertainty during semester projects and tight production runs. Visit our Cape Town branch for same-day collection or reserve online and choose Samrand collection if you’re passing through Gauteng. For branch locations and hours, see Branches & Trading Hours.
A quick specification checklist before you buy
Pick IR LEDs that work with your camera/sensor and driver. Consider wavelength, radiant intensity, viewing angle, forward current and package size. Here’s a compact comparison to read on a datasheet:
| Spec | Why it matters | Typical values |
|---|---|---|
| Wavelength (nm) | Camera sensitivity and reflectance | 850, 940 |
| Forward current (mA) | Drive needs and heat | 20-100+ |
| Radiant intensity (mW/sr) | Effective illumination distance | 0.5-50 |
| Viewing angle (deg) | Coverage pattern | 15-120 |
Simple drive calculation (practical)
If you’re powering a single IR LED from a regulated supply, use Ohm’s law to size the series resistor:
R = (Vsup - Vf) / If
Example: 5V supply, LED Vf = 1.2V, target If = 20mA -> R = (5 - 1.2) / 0.02 = 190 ohm (use 180 or 200 ohm standard).
Wiring diagram examples
Single LED wiring (series resistor) and small arrays are common in lab builds. Use matched current-limited drivers for high-power arrays to avoid imbalance.
Single LED: +5V ----[ R ]----|>|---- GND 3x in series (if Vf allows): +12V ----[ R ]----|>|----|>|----|>|---- GND
For more category browsing and accessory ideas, see our collections at Shop by Category and the overall product index at All Products.
