RGB Controller for 5mm RGB Leds ?

[sharpedge]

I am looking for a controller for 48No 5mm RGB full colour through hole 20mA LED's in series.

Can I use a cheap 2A per channel RGB controller with remote used to control LED strips?

If I can do I need to add any resisters?

 

[Neondiod]

Hello!

Yes, you will probably be forced to use resistors since I beleeve the RGB controller variates the voltage. Since the 5mm RBG is 4 legs you parallell connect them and if each colour have to share 2A they will get 42 mA each colour if they should share the current eqally, and they don't share it eqally. Resistors will help distribute the current more evenly but since it's quite boring to connect 144 resistors you can cheet somewhat by eg. connect them in groups of 6 leds per resistor and colur, redusing the total amounts of resistors to 24 pc.

BR

 

[sharpedge]

BR

The controller will have 2A per channel for red green & Blue so 48 x 20A is 0.96A. I was also thinking of wiring in series. Is this OK and if so would I have to use resistors?

Many Thanks

 

[Neondiod]

What do you mean by 48 x 20A is 0,96A ?

If your 5mm RGB led has 4 legs you will not be able to controll the coulors if you wiring them in series. To be able to serie wire RGB-leds they have to have (+ and -) for each colour, 6 connecting points.

If you have separate leds for each colour you can wire them in series but you should use a resistor for each serie.

If you talking aboat pre made RGB strips they have most likely already built in resistors, so you don't need extra resistors. Just check that the voltage from the controller is the same as the strip is made fore.

BR

 

[sharpedge]

BR

Ok, I have 48 RGB leds with each colour connected in series (3 channel controller) for each channel one for red one for blue and one for green each connected to a common Cathode/Anode.

The RGB Leds I am going to use have a typical Source Voltage of 3.5v for red green and blue at 20mA.

Using the Series/Parallel Wizard from
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz I get:
Source Voltage = 3.5v
Diode Forward Voltage = 3.5v
Diode Forward Current = 20mA
48 Leds (say Green channel)

Solution 0: 1 x 48 array uses 48 LEDs exactly

+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
+----|>|---/\/\/----+ R = 1 ohms
The wizard says: In solution 0: each 1 ohm resistor dissipates 0.4 mW the wizard thinks ¼W resistors are fine for your application together, all resistors dissipate 19.2 mW together, the diodes dissipate 3360 mW total power dissipated by the array is 3379.2 mW the array draws current of 960 mA from the source.

Because each Led is a fixed distance apart (0.5m) for my design I was thinking of connecting each Led using a thin polyester enamelled copper wire that has 2ohm resistance per meter so avoiding using resistors as long as I use a controller that has current out range including 3.5v.

I have presumed that RGB Led strips are connected in series as I am thinking of doing.

Where am I going wrong?

Sharpedge (newbee)