RGB LED driver
Posted on 20. May, 2009 by ModuleTronics in Misc Modules, Tutorials
If you've got a project which calls for driving several groups of high-current LEDs (or other similar loads) with pulse-width-modulation, this pre-designed module/kit will make that easy for you. Most PIC or AVR microcontrollers do a great job of handling high current loads, but "high current" is relative to the chip, not what you might think of in the outside world. One of these controllers can easily handle driving a single LED up to 25ma or so, but that won't work for large clusters of high brightness LEDs.
This driver board has three high-current MOSFETs which handle the actual high current to the load devices. This means that each of the three channels can support a load of up to 5 amps without any additional heatsinks! That's a lot of LEDs!
Plus, with the Arduino programming system, or even if you're bit-banging in assembly, it's super-easy to use PWM to control the power of each channel, so you can brighten and dim each of the three channels independantly.
Even if you don't have a need for this today, be sure to take a look at his RGB driver schematics so you can see how to interface MOSFETs to your next project controller and you'll be able to drive motors and all kinds of other devices which require more power than the typical controller can handle.
