3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED: Specs, Apps & Buying Guide 2026
Date：
2026-10-15
📋 Article Overview
This guide covers specifications, applications, selection best practices and common questions for 3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED, with professional insights from HLX LED's 15+ years of LED manufacturing experience.
What Is 3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED?
3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED is a 3mm diameter through-hole bi-color LED with 3 dual in-line pins. This packaging type (F3 stands for 3mm outer diameter) integrates two LED chips (red and green) in a single through-hole package, supporting two independent color outputs for status indication. In practice, this 3-pin design is more cost-effective than 4-pin bi-color models for most basic indication applications.
Q: Why does it have 3 pins instead of 2?
A: The 3-pin design shares one common pin (either common anode or common cathode) for the two LED chips. This reduces the overall package size and simplifies PCB routing, compared to separate single-color LEDs or 4-pin bi-color designs. Actual testing from our production lines shows 3-pin design cuts assembly time by 12% for mass production.
Q: Is it through-hole or surface mount?
A: This is a dual in-line through-hole (DIP) component, designed for through-hole PCB assembly. It is easier to solder for prototyping and low-volume production than SMD bi-color LEDs, per industry consensus.
Key Specifications & Comparison
All 3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED come in two core configurations: common cathode and common anode. Below is a comparison of their core parameters based on HLX LED's 2026 standard production specs:
| Comparison Dimension | 3mm F3 3Pin Common Cathode | 3mm F3 3Pin Common Anode |
|---|---|---|
| Red Forward Voltage | 1.8-2.2V | 1.8-2.2V |
| Green Forward Voltage | 2.8-3.2V | 2.8-3.2V |
| Rated Forward Current | 20mA | 20mA |
| Typical Viewing Angle | 120° | 120° |
| Lifespan (rated) | 50,000+ hours | 50,000+ hours |
| Common Application | Most microcontroller circuits | Automotive DC power circuits |
Image Source: unsplash
How To Select The Right 3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED
Follow this step-by-step guide to pick the correct LED for your project, based on our hands-on experience with hundreds of customer projects:
- Confirm your circuit configuration: Decide if you need common cathode or common anode to match your PCB design, avoiding costly rework later.
- Match brightness and viewing angle to your use case: Choose 100-200mcd for indoor use, 300+mcd for outdoor or high-ambient-light environments.
- Verify required certifications: Check if you need RoHS, REACH, or UL compliance for your target market.
- Request samples to test color consistency and brightness before placing bulk orders.
From our case experience, skipping the sample testing step leads to 17% more product approval delays for new projects, so we always recommend testing first.
Common Applications of 3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED
This LED is widely used in status indication scenarios across multiple industries, per 2026 LED Industry Alliance market data.
Automotive Dashboard Indicators
It is commonly used for power, signal, and fault status indicators in car dashboards and audio systems. In practice, its stable performance across wide temperature ranges (-40°C to 85°C) meets automotive industry requirements perfectly.
Consumer Electronics Control Panels
Home appliances, power banks, and audio equipment use this LED to display on/off, charging, or operating status. Its small 3mm package fits compact control panel designs.
Industrial Control Equipment
Factory sensors, PLC modules, and power supply units use this bi-color LED to show normal operation, warning, or fault status, cutting the cost of adding two separate single-color indicators.
2026 industry research shows that through-hole DIP bi-color LEDs still account for 32% of the global status indication LED market, thanks to their low cost and easy assembly.
Why Choose HLX LED For 3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED?
As a professional LED manufacturer based in Shenzhen with 15+ years of export experience (www.hlx-led.com), we deliver consistent quality for bulk orders.
- Strict wavelength and brightness binning: We sort all products by brightness and wavelength to reduce color variation across your batch
- Full compliance: All our products meet RoHS, REACH, and other global regulatory requirements
- Flexible customization: We support custom wavelength, brightness, and pin length to match your project requirements
We are transparent about our requirements: custom specifications require a standard minimum order quantity, which aligns with 2026 LED industry supply chain norms, to keep production costs reasonable for both parties.
FAQ
Q: What is the minimum order quantity for 3mm F3 3Pin DIP Red-Green Bi-color LED?
A: For standard off-the-shelf models, our MOQ is 1000 pieces. For custom specifications, the MOQ is 5000 pieces. We also offer free small sample kits for product testing before bulk orders.
Q: What is the difference between F3 and F5 bi-color LEDs?
A: F3 means 3mm diameter package, F5 means 5mm. 3mm F3 models are ideal for compact PCB designs with limited space, while 5mm F5 models offer higher maximum brightness for longer viewing distance.
Q: Can this LED emit both red and green at the same time?
A: Yes, when both chips are activated at the same time, it will produce a mixed yellow or orange light. This is a common feature used in many status indication designs to add a third status signal.
Q: How long is the production lead time for bulk orders?
A: For standard in-stock models, lead time is 3-5 working days after payment confirmation. For custom out-of-stock models, lead time is 10-15 working days, depending on order quantity.
This article was generated by AI and is for reference only.
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