RGB light strip for my car - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

Da_MerV · 25th September 2007, 11:24 PM

Hi, I'm new to this forum, but I know the drill because I've been on so many other forums before. Here's a question I asked on another forum but I'm not getting much help because it's not a circuitry forum. So in order to get better help, I Google searched for electronics forums and this is what I found.

So anyway here's my problem. I have a length of RGB led ribbon and I don't want to buy a RGB controller, rather, I would like to make my own because I can't find one that suits my liking. If you can find me a controller thats not too expensive and is what I'm looking for, then I take that advice too. I want to be able to control the brightness level of each channel individually so I am able to change it to any color manually, and also a global control so I can dim it entirely or turn it off. My idea, and I don't know if it would work and I don't want to waste money if it won't, is to have four potentiometers, three hooked directly to each channel, then one connect to the other three. The LED strip is common anode I believe. It just sounds too simple and I'm afraid I left out something. Also, if I'm going to need potentiometers, could someone please point me to the correct type? There are so many in RadioShack and I only have a basic understanding of them. They are going in my car so it's 12DC of course. Thanks for any help. I might post a diagram later if it will help people understand what I am doing.

audioguru · 26th September 2007, 02:48 PM

You can't control the brightness of more than a single LED with an ordinary potentiometer. It will burn up unless it is huge and very expensive.
If there are 30 LEDs and each has a max of 20mA then the total current is 0.6A so a linear current limiter will dissipate about 7.2W which would make a controller transistor very hot.

So Pulse-Width-Modulation circuits are used to dim many LEDs in cars.
There are many of these circuits on the internet. Some work and some don't.

Da_MerV · 26th September 2007, 11:54 PM

Ok......
Please excuse me, I have little knowledge on this matter, could you please point me to the necessary resources?

audioguru · 27th September 2007, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Da_MerV

Ok......
Please excuse me, I have little knowledge on this matter, could you please point me to the necessary resources?

Look at Pulse Width Modulation in Google.

Da_MerV · 27th September 2007, 01:42 AM

Ok I understand what they are now but where can I buy a cheap circuit that will do what you said and have the necessary power?

audioguru · 27th September 2007, 02:12 AM

You might find a circuit somewhere.
Maybe you must design and build the circuit yourself.

Da_MerV · 27th September 2007, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by audioguru

Maybe you must design and build the circuit yourself.

The reason why I came here. The most complex thing I've ever built was a light sensor dimmer and I did that out of a kit. Could someone either point me to a kit or a completed product?

audioguru · 27th September 2007, 02:34 AM

Very few people have RGB LED dimmers on their cars. Maybe nobody.
I don't know any company that would make a kit or product with no buyers.

Mike, K8LH · 27th September 2007, 10:09 AM

Accent lighting for home and auto seems to be "taking off".

I started to design an Accent Lighting Controller awhile back (last post this link).

Perhaps it's time to get back to that project.

Mike...

Da_MerV · 27th September 2007, 10:26 PM

Mike, that's look absolutely amazing! Definitely continue this, if the price is reasonable, I would definitely buy one.

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25th September 2007, 11:24 PM	(permalink)
Da_MerV	RGB light strip for my car Hi, I'm new to this forum, but I know the drill because I've been on so many other forums before. Here's a question I asked on another forum but I'm not getting much help because it's not a circuitry forum. So in order to get better help, I Google searched for electronics forums and this is what I found. So anyway here's my problem. I have a length of RGB led ribbon and I don't want to buy a RGB controller, rather, I would like to make my own because I can't find one that suits my liking. If you can find me a controller thats not too expensive and is what I'm looking for, then I take that advice too. I want to be able to control the brightness level of each channel individually so I am able to change it to any color manually, and also a global control so I can dim it entirely or turn it off. My idea, and I don't know if it would work and I don't want to waste money if it won't, is to have four potentiometers, three hooked directly to each channel, then one connect to the other three. The LED strip is common anode I believe. It just sounds too simple and I'm afraid I left out something. Also, if I'm going to need potentiometers, could someone please point me to the correct type? There are so many in RadioShack and I only have a basic understanding of them. They are going in my car so it's 12DC of course. Thanks for any help. I might post a diagram later if it will help people understand what I am doing.

26th September 2007, 02:48 PM	(permalink)
audioguru	You can't control the brightness of more than a single LED with an ordinary potentiometer. It will burn up unless it is huge and very expensive. If there are 30 LEDs and each has a max of 20mA then the total current is 0.6A so a linear current limiter will dissipate about 7.2W which would make a controller transistor very hot. So Pulse-Width-Modulation circuits are used to dim many LEDs in cars. There are many of these circuits on the internet. Some work and some don't. __________________ Uncle $crooge

26th September 2007, 11:54 PM	(permalink)
Da_MerV	Ok...... Please excuse me, I have little knowledge on this matter, could you please point me to the necessary resources?

27th September 2007, 01:42 AM	(permalink)
Da_MerV	Ok I understand what they are now but where can I buy a cheap circuit that will do what you said and have the necessary power?

27th September 2007, 02:12 AM	(permalink)
audioguru	You might find a circuit somewhere. Maybe you must design and build the circuit yourself. __________________ Uncle $crooge

27th September 2007, 02:34 AM	(permalink)
audioguru	Very few people have RGB LED dimmers on their cars. Maybe nobody. I don't know any company that would make a kit or product with no buyers. __________________ Uncle $crooge

27th September 2007, 10:09 AM	(permalink)
Mike, K8LH	Accent lighting for home and auto seems to be "taking off". I started to design an Accent Lighting Controller awhile back (last post this link). Perhaps it's time to get back to that project. Mike...

27th September 2007, 10:26 PM	(permalink)
Da_MerV	Mike, that's look absolutely amazing! Definitely continue this, if the price is reasonable, I would definitely buy one.