An easy tool to build using any case you can find, to allow testing and fast side by side comparison of LEDs to help choose the best colour, intensity and spread.

I built the first of these a very long time ago when the very first affordable gallium nitride LEDs were appearing on eBay. The first ones were clearly factory seconds, so there was a lot of variation in quality. But the availability and lower cost allowed a much larger amount to be used in technical props.

The unit has two sockets on the front, which are just standard two pole 0.1" (2.54mm) pitch sockets. You can use any type with a socket size small enough to accept an LED lead.
When an LED is put in it will either be at full brightness (about 20mA) or a very low intensity at around 5-10uA. The low current can be used to indicate a bad LED as they should normally glow even at such a low current. If they don't glow it may indicate a potentially faulty LED even if it lights up at full current. (Leakage resistance through a faulty layer.)

When two LEDs are put into the sockets you can toggle between them while looking at the projected beam against a wall or other surface. That lets you quickly compare intensity, shape of beam and colour variation. There can be a very wide intensity difference between similar LEDs.

The search keyword for the connectors is KF2510

In hindsight I could have added a barrier between the back of the sockets in case LED leads are pushed in too far and contact internal connections. This 3D printed version is a prototype. You don't need to use a 3D printed case.

If you do want to 3D print one, the openscad scripts are down below.

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Openscad script for main body of prototype tester:-

//LED tester and comparer body
hole=5; //size of switch hole
difference(){
union(){
//main block
translate([0,0,0])
cube([103,36,22]);
}
//battery compartment
translate([8,2,2])
cube([57,32,21]);
//switch compartment
translate([67,2,2])
cube([26,32,21]);
//switch hole
translate([80,18,-1])
cylinder(h=4,d=hole,$fn=50);
//battery cable slot
translate([64,5,7])
cube([4,3,21]);
//1st connector body
translate([90,9,9])
cube([20,5,15]);
//1st connector fin trough
translate([94,13.5,9])
cube([8,2,15]);
//2nd connector body
translate([90,22,9])
cube([20,5,15]);
//2nd connector fin trough
translate([94,26.5,9])
cube([8,2,15]);
//plastic/time saver
translate([2,8,2])
cube([9,20,21]);
//self-tapper holes size 4
translate([4,4,5])
cylinder(h=20,d=2.5,$fn=50);
translate([4,32,5])
cylinder(h=20,d=2.5,$fn=50);
translate([99,4,5])
cylinder(h=20,d=2.5,$fn=50);
translate([99,32,5])
cylinder(h=20,d=2.5,$fn=50);
}



Openscad script for lid:-

//LED tester and comparer lid
difference(){
union(){
//main block
translate([0,0,0])
cube([103,36,2]);
//1st connector retainer
translate([95,9,0])
cube([8,5,9]);
//2nd connector retainer
translate([95,22,0])
cube([8,5,9]);
}
//self-tapper holes
translate([4,4,-1])
cylinder(h=20,d=3,$fn=50);
translate([4,32,-1])
cylinder(h=20,d=3,$fn=50);
translate([99,4,-1])
cylinder(h=20,d=3,$fn=50);
translate([99,32,-1])
cylinder(h=20,d=3,$fn=50);
}

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