12v circuit question
- Thread starter dal
- Start date
What sort of leds are you talking about? just plain LED's or LED lamp fittings? The diagram isn't clear either. It has two contacts on the led not four!
If you are talking about just plain LED's which are about 2v, I think you are connecting the leds in series in the first diagram and in parallel in the second. It is more normal to do a combination of the two to avoid problems. You place say four in series with a resistor so that they will run off 12V, then repeat that connecting each one in parallel for how many times you need. The reason for this is the losses with 12V are less significant than with 2V so the cables connecting them can be longer and if they are all just in series then it can be difficult to find an appropriate power supply. You can though go to a maximum of say 24V before it starts getting a tad dangerous ( will make the kids scream if they stick it in their mouth! ). If the LEDs are far apart then I would just put a resister on each one and place them all in parallel.
If you are talking about just plain LED's which are about 2v, I think you are connecting the leds in series in the first diagram and in parallel in the second. It is more normal to do a combination of the two to avoid problems. You place say four in series with a resistor so that they will run off 12V, then repeat that connecting each one in parallel for how many times you need. The reason for this is the losses with 12V are less significant than with 2V so the cables connecting them can be longer and if they are all just in series then it can be difficult to find an appropriate power supply. You can though go to a maximum of say 24V before it starts getting a tad dangerous ( will make the kids scream if they stick it in their mouth! ). If the LEDs are far apart then I would just put a resister on each one and place them all in parallel.
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These are the LEDS.
Rextin® WS2811 Pixels Digital Addressable LED String Lights Waterproof RGB Full Color 12mm DC 12V 5V (DC12V 50pcs): Amazon.co.uk: Lighting
They actually have 3 wires going in and out ( positive, ground and data ) but I've left the data wire out as this HAS to be connected for the LEDS to work. Each LED doesn't need to have both positives and negatives connected but they come in a string of connected LEDS connected in that way( with about 3" between them ) but what I am doing is splitting them and putting more distance between them.
Rextin® WS2811 Pixels Digital Addressable LED String Lights Waterproof RGB Full Color 12mm DC 12V 5V (DC12V 50pcs): Amazon.co.uk: Lighting
They actually have 3 wires going in and out ( positive, ground and data ) but I've left the data wire out as this HAS to be connected for the LEDS to work. Each LED doesn't need to have both positives and negatives connected but they come in a string of connected LEDS connected in that way( with about 3" between them ) but what I am doing is splitting them and putting more distance between them.