Switch Theme:

Trying to build a simple circuit  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Bathing in elitist French expats fumes

I realize it has been nigh on 20 years since my abortive studies in electronics, and I wish to build a simple circuit for a cosplay I am thinking of. I want to have three red led and three white led on the circuit, preferably on separate series, segregated by colour. I'm looking for resources to help me choose the proper resistors to make sure I don't blow them when I first power them up.

Does anyone have an e-book or online resources I could browse and read to shore myself up and make sure I don't buy too much or not enough on my future foray to the electronics store?

 GamesWorkshop wrote:
And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!

 
   
Made in ru
Lone Wolf Sentinel Pilot





Room

You need only ONE simple formula for that (Ohm's law). And you can calculate resistors according to battery characteristics.

Mordant 92nd 'Acid Dogs'
The Lost and Damned
Inquisition
 
   
Made in nl
Pragmatic Primus Commanding Cult Forces






Heh. As a kid, I made circuits like that in school. Although it was really simple, I have forgotten it all. Only thing I remember is that you need resistors and how to solder a switch.
Anyways, Google is your friend. There must be loads of information on this subject easily available.
This for example, seems like it is very close to what you want to do:

Take a look here: https://learn.adafruit.com/lets-put-leds-in-things/from-scratch

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/02/02 13:18:58


Error 404: Interesting signature not found

 
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Bathing in elitist French expats fumes

 Freakazoitt wrote:
You need only ONE simple formula for that (Ohm's law). And you can calculate resistors according to battery characteristics.


Although I remembered that part, the fact that the voltage stays constant and that serializing the leds on separate tracks played with the formula a bit was... quite forgotten.

Thanks for the link and image. I can now go ahead with the project with my mind properly jarred back into action.

 GamesWorkshop wrote:
And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!

 
   
Made in us
Combat Jumping Rasyat






Voltage stays constant in parallel setups and drops in series. Anyways don't bother hooking them in series for low volt applications since all it does is increase the size of the power source.

Use the calculator if you don't really want to get in the nitty gritty. When reading spec/data sheets for LEDs, Vf (Voltage forwarded, the threshold of voltage needed to be applied before a diode conducts, aka LED lights up) can be used interchangeably with Voltage drop or Voltage use, but only if you're connecting to the anode (long/positive end) which is probably what you want. Also most components are manufactured in bulk and will have some variation from their on paper specs, for example a 333 Resistor will actually be 332 Ohms, don't calculate based on max or min ratings.
LED circuit calculator
Resistor Color Band Calculator

When you hit the store make sure to grab a bread board and jumper wires so you can prototype. Depending on the quality of your local electronics store you'll likely not get the exact ratings you want, not sure about electrical component distributors in Canada but these are the largest two in the US:
https://www.mouser.com/
https://www.digikey.com/

Oh and one last thing, unlike light bulbs, LEDs don't increase in brightness based on voltage, they increase based on current. You can vary the current flow using the resistors sitting in series to each LED or adding a constant current circuit .

This message was edited 6 times. Last update was at 2018/02/02 17:39:26


 
   
Made in au
Anti-Armour Swiss Guard






Newcastle, OZ

I was about to link the same sites as avantgarde.

I put basic electronics like this into some gaming terrain I build (I don't do cosplay. I have a couple of screen-used costumes for things, but I don't wear them around. I'm too short and too fat to be a stormtrooper).



I'm OVER 50 (and so far over everyone's BS, too).
Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a ****.

That is not dead which can eternal lie ...

... and yet, with strange aeons, even death may die.
 
   
Made in ca
Fixture of Dakka





Bathing in elitist French expats fumes

The lights are going in a droid, not the costume itself.

About the bread board, that might be a good idea, especially if I do more in the future. My facebook seems to be very curious of the result.

 GamesWorkshop wrote:
And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids!

 
   
 
Forum Index » Off-Topic Forum
Go to: