Clear Top DIP LEDs

Clear top DIP LEDs are through-hole (dual in-line package) LEDs with a water-clear epoxy lens that transmits light without diffusion, producing the highest on-axis brightness of any through-hole LED style. The clear lens focuses output into a narrow forward beam — typically 15–30° for round-top packages, 100–160° for flat-top and straw hat shapes. We stock clear top DIP LEDs across the widest range of sizes and shapes available anywhere: 1.8mm/2mm round top, 2mm tower/lighthouse, 2x5x7mm rectangle, 3mm round top, 3mm flat top, 5mm round top, 5mm flat top, 5mm flat top concave, 5mm straw hat, and 10mm round top. Every subcategory is stocked in multiple colors spanning red, orange, amber, yellow, green, blue, cool white, warm white, UV, and pink.

Round top LEDs (1.8mm, 3mm, 5mm, 10mm): Round-top clear LEDs have a hemispherical dome that acts as a built-in lens, focusing light into a tight 15–30° forward beam. This produces the highest on-axis brightness (measured in millicandela, mcd) of any DIP LED shape — a 5mm clear round-top white LED can exceed 20,000mcd. The focused beam makes round-top LEDs the default choice for flashlight builds (pairing with reflectors for further beam shaping), headlights on model trains and RC vehicles, fiber-optic coupling where the narrow beam feeds efficiently into a fiber strand, and any application where the LED points directly at the viewer. 5mm is the most popular size overall. 3mm is standard for HO and N scale model railroading and guitar pedal indicators. 10mm provides the largest viewing area for decorative displays and G-scale models. 1.8mm/2mm is the smallest available, used in N and Z scale models, miniature wargaming terrain, and any application where even a 3mm LED is too large.

Flat top LEDs: 3mm flat top and 5mm flat top LEDs have a truncated lens that spreads light across a wider 100–160° viewing angle compared to the 15–30° of a round-top. The flat emitting surface sits flush against a panel or PCB, making flat-top LEDs the standard for panel-mount indicators where the LED needs to be visible from off-axis positions. Guitar pedal builders prefer the 3mm flat top for status indicators that sit flush inside a drilled bezel hole without protruding — the flat surface distributes light evenly across the face rather than concentrating it in a forward dot. Automotive gauge cluster upgrades use 5mm flat tops behind translucent lens covers where wide-angle distribution illuminates the entire gauge face evenly. Dashboard designers, arcade machine builders, and industrial panel designers all specify flat tops when the indicator must be visible across a wide arc.

Straw hat LEDs: 5mm straw hat LEDs have a flattened dome (resembling a straw hat brim) that creates a 100–140° viewing angle with a unique light distribution pattern — brighter and more uniform across the viewing angle than a standard round-top, but with a larger apparent emitting area than a flat top. Straw hat LEDs are popular for backlighting applications (illuminating a surface or diffuser panel from behind), Christmas light string builds where the LED replaces a C7 or C9 incandescent bulb, architectural accent dot arrays, and model railroad structure interiors where a single LED needs to fill a room with even light. The 5mm base diameter fits standard 5mm panel-mount holes and LED holders.

Specialty shapes — concave, tower, rectangle: The 5mm flat top concave LED has a concave depression in the lens that refracts light outward in a near-omnidirectional pattern. This is the preferred LED for Christmas light string replacements where the LED sits inside a C7 or C9 shell and needs to project light in all directions, mimicking the omnidirectional glow of an incandescent bulb. The 2mm tower/lighthouse LED has a tall, cylindrical body that acts as a light pipe, emitting from the top and sides — designed specifically for model railroad lighthouse lanterns, signal tower lights, and any miniature application where a tall, narrow form factor is needed. The 2x5x7mm rectangle LED has a flat rectangular emitting face for display arrays, bar graph indicators, and any application where a non-circular emitter shape is required.

Electrical specs and resistor selection: All clear top DIP LEDs in this category operate at a standard 20mA maximum forward current. Forward voltage depends on color: red/orange/yellow/amber ≈ 2.0–2.2V; blue/green/white/UV ≈ 3.0–3.2V. Every bare LED requires a series current-limiting resistor to prevent overcurrent damage. Use our LED resistor calculator to find the correct value for any supply voltage, or check the quick-reference resistor table on each product page. For AC power sources — 12V landscape transformers, model railroad AC transformers, DCC track power — add a bridge rectifier and smoothing capacitor to convert to DC first. See the AC/DCC wiring guide for a complete diagram. New to LEDs? Pre-wired LEDs are the easiest starting point — the resistor is already built in, so you just connect power and ground.

Clear vs. diffused: All LEDs in this category have a water-clear lens — transparent, producing maximum on-axis brightness in a focused beam. For a softer, frosted appearance that spreads light evenly in all directions (120–160°), see our diffused LEDs category, which carries matching sizes (3mm, 5mm, 10mm) in diffused round, flat top, straw hat, and tower shapes. Clear top LEDs are best when brightness and beam focus matter (headlights, spotlights, fiber coupling); diffused LEDs are best when wide-angle visibility matters (panel indicators, building interiors, signal lights). For SMD LEDs, animated LEDs, RGB LEDs, Piranha/superflux LEDs, 12V built-in resistor LEDs, and pre-wired LEDs, return to the component LEDs hub.