Favorite 68 Introduction LEDs are all around us: In our phones, our cars and even our homes. Any time something electronic lights up, there's a good chance that an LED is behind it. They come in a huge variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, but no matter what they look like they have one thing in common: they're the bacon of electronics. What is needed is a means to limit the current that flows through the LED. Resistors offer an expedient means for limiting the current through an LED to safe levels, but they have two downsides: 1. Resistors are inefficient: A resistor converts all the electrical energy it consumes into heat. The main reason LEDs need resistors is to protect the LED from excessive current which can permanently damage the LED. LEDs have current ratings which indicate the optimal current at which the LED operates effectively. .

why do leds need resistors