I would like to use approx 10 of 940nm Infra LEDs to
help my small pinhole camera to see in the dark (0 lux).
I tried just 2 of them and it works well, i connected them
serially.
My question is how should I connect them
(serial paralell, or 3 serial in 3 lines etc) to save energie
while it keeps the correct amount of light?
Answer depends of voltage you have to supply leds. Best is to connect them serial so you have same current for all (eg. 12V supply you can connect 5-6 infra leds inserial with resistor to limit current.
If you have smal voltage on power supply then you have to connect them parallel.
If you want to save energy, you have to connect them in serial.
Because each parallel branch for a led means a resistor to restrict current and each resistor means additional eneergy consumption.
I connected 3x4 to +5V, (they are normal Infra Leds, I can use 12V if needed)
I can see (throuhg the camera) they are illuminating but if i turn it towards the object (my car, distance is 2-3 meters) it doesn't see much.
I exact words i can't see anything.
I saw a B/W camera on the web uses only 4 water clear IR leds only
and they said it can see in the dark.
I got a water clear white led and it's really nice one emittes 7 candela,
but in the shop they do not have this kind of IR leds.