Control and power analog 5v RGB LEDs with Circuit Playground
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- Kiwiboyus
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:17 pm
Control and power analog 5v RGB LEDs with Circuit Playground
I have a short strip of analog RBG LEDs (9 LEDs total), and since it's the 5v version I am wondering if I can connect it directly to my Circuit Playground Express? So far all of the guides I have found are for the 12v versions that need a separate power supply and transistors etc.
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67454
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Control and power analog 5v RGB LEDs with Circuit Playgr
You'll need to use the same kind of circuit as for higher-voltage strips. A microcontroller's pins can't handle the amount of current necessary to run 9 LEDs.
- Kiwiboyus
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:17 pm
Re: Control and power analog 5v RGB LEDs with Circuit Playgr
Gotcha, that is what I will do then. Thanks for the reply :)
- Kiwiboyus
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:17 pm
Re: Control and power analog 5v RGB LEDs with Circuit Playgr
Finally had time to get back to this. I followed this guide https://learn.adafruit.com/rgb-led-strips/usage and wired up the short strip of LEDs to an Arduino UNO I have and have had mixed results. Since it's a 5v strip I've been powering it directly from the Arduino UNO and it basically lit up white but did not change color or fade like the example code. I discovered that disconnecting the ground wire coming from the UNO to the bread board resulted in the colors changing about 50% and the fade in and out worked. I'm thinking now that I need to power the 5v to the strip separately from the UNO like the 12v examples I have seen.
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67454
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Control and power analog 5v RGB LEDs with Circuit Playgr
Yeah, you'll probably need separate power supplies.
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.