Superflux / Piranha 5mm

5mm piranha LEDs (also called 5mm superflux LEDs) are the brightest and most popular variant in the piranha family.

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5mm piranha LEDs (also called 5mm superflux LEDs) are the brightest and most popular variant in the piranha family. The larger 5mm lens dome captures more light from the internal die than the 3mm piranha, resulting in higher brightness ratings — typically 8,000–12,000mcd depending on color. Combined with the piranha’s signature wide viewing angle (100–120°), four-lead mechanical stability, and superior thermal dissipation, the 5mm piranha is the go-to emitter for automotive gauge cluster rebuilds, signage panel backlighting, and any application demanding bright, evenly distributed through-hole LED illumination. We carry 5mm piranha LEDs in every standard color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, white (warm and cool), pink, UV, and RGB (both common anode and common cathode).

Automotive gauge cluster and dashboard lighting is the flagship application for 5mm piranha LEDs. When factory incandescent bulbs behind the instrument cluster dim or fail, the 5mm piranha is the standard LED replacement for speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and warning indicator backlighting. The wide viewing angle floods the gauge face with even illumination, and the higher brightness of the 5mm dome delivers a noticeably brighter instrument panel compared to smaller variants. GM trucks and SUVs (Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe, Suburban), Ford F-150s, Toyota Tacomas, and Honda Civics are among the most common vehicles serviced with piranha LED cluster upgrades. Beyond the instrument cluster, 5mm piranhas are used in HVAC control panel illumination, seat heater button backlighting, radio and navigation display surrounds, door panel accent lighting, and aftermarket tail light assemblies. The four-lead design handles automotive vibration exceptionally well — once soldered, the LED stays put through potholes, off-road driving, and temperature cycling.

Signage and commercial lighting represents the second major application for 5mm piranha LEDs. Channel letter signs, menu boards, light boxes, and point-of-sale displays use dense arrays of piranha LEDs behind diffuser panels to create bright, even illumination visible in daylight. The 5mm variant’s higher mcd rating allows wider LED spacing in the array (fewer LEDs per square foot) compared to 3mm piranhas, which reduces both part cost and wiring complexity for large signs. Each LED in the array requires a current-limiting resistor — use our LED resistor calculator to determine the correct value for your power supply voltage and the LED’s forward voltage. For the most cost-effective arrays, run multiple piranhas in series strings with a single resistor, keeping total forward voltage drop below your supply voltage.

5mm piranha RGB LEDs bring full color-mixing capability into the piranha form factor with the brightness advantage of the 5mm dome. Each RGB piranha contains red, green, and blue dies, accessible through four pins (three color leads plus one common). Available in both common anode and common cathode configurations, the 5mm RGB piranha is perfect for automotive accent lighting where you want color-changing effects behind gauge faces, custom dashboard illumination, or programmable signage that shifts colors for seasonal promotions. Each color channel requires its own current-limiting resistor, and PWM control from an Arduino, ESP32, or LED driver IC gives you access to millions of mixed colors.

Electrical specifications for 5mm piranha LEDs match the standard piranha platform. The square body measures approximately 7.6mm × 7.6mm with four leads at 2.54mm pin pitch. Forward voltage depends on color: red/orange/yellow/amber at 2.0–2.2Vf, blue/green/white/UV/pink at 3.0–3.4Vf. Maximum continuous drive current is 20mA for all single-color models. The 5mm lens dome sits higher than the 3mm variant, so verify that your application housing has sufficient vertical clearance for the dome (total height approximately 6–7mm from PCB surface to dome apex). If clearance is a concern, choose the 3mm piranha or the flat piranha for the lowest profile.

Comparison with standard 5mm round DIP LEDs: a conventional 5mm round LED has two leads, a cylindrical body, and — in clear-top versions — a narrow 15–30° beam focused forward. A 5mm piranha has four leads, a square body, and a 100–120° wide-angle beam that spreads light laterally. The piranha is therefore the better choice for backlighting (where wide coverage matters) and PCB-mounted applications (where mechanical stability matters), while a standard 5mm round LED is better for panel-mount indicator applications where you need a focused forward beam and a round bezel. If you need a diffused wide-angle round LED for panel indicators, our diffused DIP LEDs offer 120–160° beam angles in a standard round package.

For 12V automotive circuits, each 5mm piranha needs a current-limiting resistor in series — use our LED resistor calculator to find the value. If your power source is AC or DCC model railroad track voltage, add a bridge rectifier and smoothing capacitor to convert to clean DC first — see the AC/DCC wiring guide. If you want to skip resistor math entirely, our 12V built-in resistor LEDs connect directly to 12V DC with no external components. New to LEDs? Pre-wired LEDs are the easiest starting point — the resistor is already built in, so you just connect power and ground.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common application is automotive instrument cluster and dashboard backlighting — replacing burnt-out factory bulbs behind the speedometer, tachometer, and gauge faces with brighter, longer-lasting LED illumination. 5mm piranha LEDs are also widely used in illuminated signage, channel letters, point-of-sale displays, HVAC control panels, and aftermarket automotive tail lights. Their wide viewing angle (100–120°) and high brightness (8,000–12,000mcd) make them ideal for any application requiring even, bright backlighting from a through-hole component.
5mm piranha LEDs typically produce 8,000–12,000mcd at 20mA, which is comparable to or higher than many standard 5mm DIP LEDs. However, the light is distributed differently: piranhas spread it across a wide 100–120° angle for even backlighting, while clear-top 5mm round LEDs focus it into a narrow 15–30° beam for maximum on-axis intensity. For backlighting applications (gauges, signs, panels), the piranha’s wide pattern is far more effective. For focused indicator or spotlight applications, a standard clear-top DIP LED may appear brighter at the center point.
The exact resistor value depends on the LED color’s forward voltage and your target current. Use our LED resistor calculator — enter your supply voltage (12V, or 14V to account for alternator charging in a running vehicle), the forward voltage from the product page, and 20mA as the target current. The calculator outputs the exact value and nearest standard resistor. If you want no-resistor installation, our 12V built-in resistor LEDs connect directly to 12V DC.
The 5mm piranha has a raised dome lens that concentrates light slightly more than the flat variant, producing higher peak mcd ratings. The flat piranha eliminates the dome entirely for an ultra-low-profile package with the widest beam angle (up to 140°). Choose the 5mm domed piranha when you want maximum brightness per LED; choose the flat piranha when vertical clearance is your primary constraint or you need the widest possible light spread across a diffuser panel.
Yes. We carry 5mm piranha RGB LEDs in both common anode and common cathode versions. Each contains red, green, and blue dies inside one package, with four pins (three color channels plus one common). Use PWM from an Arduino, ESP32, or LED driver IC to mix any color in the visible spectrum. Each channel needs its own current-limiting resistor because the red die has a different forward voltage than the green and blue dies.
Remove the cluster from the vehicle, then desolder the factory LEDs using a solder sucker or desoldering braid. Clear the four PCB holes, insert the piranha LED with the polarity notch aligned to the PCB silkscreen, solder all four leads, and trim the excess lead length flush with the back of the board. Test each LED with 12V through an appropriate resistor before reassembling. If the factory PCB already has inline resistors on the traces, verify their values are compatible with the new LED’s forward voltage. Replace all LEDs in the cluster at once for uniform color.