LED Circuit Design - How to design LED
circuits
The Engineering Mindset
LEDs, or light emitting diodes, produce light when a current is
passed through them. However, if the voltage and current exceed
the limit, the LED will be destroyed. To protect LEDs, we use a
resistor to reduce the current flow. The resistor acts like a traffic
jam, limiting the number of electrons that can pass through. By
placing the resistor on either side of the LED, we can control the
current and keep the LED safe.
Leds only allow current to flow in one direction, with the positive
connected to the long lead and the negative connected to the
short lead. If the LED is connected the wrong way around, it will
block the current and not turn on.
To test this circuit, you will need a red LED, a 9 volt battery, a
resistor (between 360 and 390 ohms), another resistor (between
3 kilo ohms and 9.1 kilo ohms), and a multimeter. Connect the
low value resistor and the LED to the battery in series, and the
LED will illuminate. You can use a breadboard, twist the wires
together, solder them, or use connectors for this experiment.
The brightness of the LED can be adjusted by using a higher
value resistor, which will reduce the current flow.
When measuring the voltage drop across the LED and resistor,
there may be slight differences between the design values and
the actual measurements due to error tolerances in components.
LEDs have a minimum opening voltage, also known as forward
voltage, which is the voltage required to turn on the LED. Most
standard LEDs are rated for a current of 20 milliamps, and going
below or above this value will affect the brightness and lifespan
of the LED.
LEDs come in different colors, and each color has a different
voltage drop. It is important to use LEDs from the same batch
and reliable manufacturers to ensure consistent performance.
circuits
The Engineering Mindset
LEDs, or light emitting diodes, produce light when a current is
passed through them. However, if the voltage and current exceed
the limit, the LED will be destroyed. To protect LEDs, we use a
resistor to reduce the current flow. The resistor acts like a traffic
jam, limiting the number of electrons that can pass through. By
placing the resistor on either side of the LED, we can control the
current and keep the LED safe.
Leds only allow current to flow in one direction, with the positive
connected to the long lead and the negative connected to the
short lead. If the LED is connected the wrong way around, it will
block the current and not turn on.
To test this circuit, you will need a red LED, a 9 volt battery, a
resistor (between 360 and 390 ohms), another resistor (between
3 kilo ohms and 9.1 kilo ohms), and a multimeter. Connect the
low value resistor and the LED to the battery in series, and the
LED will illuminate. You can use a breadboard, twist the wires
together, solder them, or use connectors for this experiment.
The brightness of the LED can be adjusted by using a higher
value resistor, which will reduce the current flow.
When measuring the voltage drop across the LED and resistor,
there may be slight differences between the design values and
the actual measurements due to error tolerances in components.
LEDs have a minimum opening voltage, also known as forward
voltage, which is the voltage required to turn on the LED. Most
standard LEDs are rated for a current of 20 milliamps, and going
below or above this value will affect the brightness and lifespan
of the LED.
LEDs come in different colors, and each color has a different
voltage drop. It is important to use LEDs from the same batch
and reliable manufacturers to ensure consistent performance.
