This is my first post, and I'm very new to the Hardware side of Making but I'm working on an led project and I need some advice. I want to use individually addressable leds, but my project is pretty large scale (think Christmas light show) and I want this to be done using consumer grade electronics. My concern is that I cannot find a high voltage low amp solution for my leds (Most I've seen run around 5v). I'm guessing this is because the micro-controllers require very low voltage before they burn out. I'm not super comfortable using high end high amp low voltage DC power supplies, and I was wondering if anyone knew of an alternative solution, or if I'm just wasting time looking. Thanks again, and please let me know if this is not the right place to pose this question or I'm not providing enough detail. I respect the stack exchange community and want to follow the rules.
\$\begingroup\$
\$\endgroup\$
1
-
\$\begingroup\$ You maybe prefer high voltage and low current? Zap!! \$\endgroup\$– Andy akaCommented Mar 23, 2015 at 17:34
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
\$\begingroup\$
\$\endgroup\$
2
The reason the LEDs you're finding are all <5V is simply because that is how LEDs are. Applications using LEDs at higher voltages are either chaining many together in series and/or incorporating special driver circuits. To get more of an answer than that, you're going need to provide more detail about your application.
answered Mar 23, 2015 at 17:39
-
\$\begingroup\$ Thanks, what I am trying to do essentially bring high end light show abilities to the average consumer. I was looking at neopixels and arduinos for the controller. Then I'd build software that makes them easy to control and animate. The problem is that to build this to a large scale would require possibly thousands of leds. I was hoping there was a way I could do this using a low current solution. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 23, 2015 at 17:45
-
\$\begingroup\$ If you have a group of identical LEDs that are all controlled together, you can connect them in series, to allow using a higher voltage power supply. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Mar 23, 2015 at 19:26