
seigezapf
USA
Asked
— Edited

Hello again. My current question regards LED lights. I just want to turn them on and off. I searched the forum and all of the forum responses regarding LED lights were much more involved than the answer I need. I gather you use a servo control to do it. I've tried several different servo options, but none have worked to do what I need. I just want to turn them on and off. I have them connected to a digital connection D06. Maybe I should use an analog connection? Thanks.
(@Richard R - signal pin on the V4 is 3.3v, not 5v. V3 had a 5v signal pin).
Alan
The lights are on, so the power seems adequate. I just can't figure out how to turn them off. I'm thinking maybe the problem is in the LED controller, but I'm not sure.
You would be better off cutting the LEDs off and just connecting them to digital pins on the EZ-B (of just buying LEDs directly, they cost just a few cents a piece).
Alan
If the current draw is 20mA or above you will need to use a TIP122 Transistor switching circuit and possibly a voltage regulator.
Control will be the same for either option and as mentioned previously.
Actually Alan I am using the 6 white LEDS from the Tamiya kit, but the AXIAL LED controller (AX24257). The plan was to have the ability to illuminate area my robotic arm was working with.
I may just have to power them with an external battery, but I wanted to remotely control the on/off with the EZ-B.
s suggestion of a TIP120 transistor is the way to go. Simple simple circuit to build. Allows you to use the EZ-B digital port to control switching of higher voltage or current.
Alan
As an alternative, maybe I can power the light bars (there will be two - the 6 LED at the rear and a 2 LED at the front) with an external battery and run the power through a switch. Can I control a switch like that with the EZ-B? I guess it would have to be a digitally controlled switch.
It would be nice if someone manufactured them pre-wired into an inline switching circuit, but the parts are so cheap and the circuit so easy to do that I don't think they would make any money.
send me your mailing address (my email address is in my profile) and I'll see if I have time to throw one together for you this weekend (might even get to it tomorrow night).
I was planning on making one for myself for a similar reason, so I can just make 2 at once and mail one to you. My soldering skills are not great, so it will probably be a little ugly, but it will work.
Alan
Just make sure you get one with a transistor onboard, I believe in the past @Technopro purchased a board that didn't come with one.
You wont be able to run 6 white LEDs from the signal port, white LEDs are usually higher current than other colours and sometimes you can't even run 1 on the signal current.
You could use a toggle and switch via a servo but that's a bit rough and personally I'd steer clear of it.
If you want a plug and play option you could use an Arduino Relay board (just search ebay for one). If you were in the UK I would send you a TIP circuit, maybe someone in the USA will offer that?
@Rich, see post #16.... I just did.
Alan
Craig
Craig
Alan