START A BITParts · Lights and sound
LED strip
ElecFreaks Rainbow LED strip: 10 WS2812B LEDs (NeoPixels), plugs at both ends by ELECFREAKS ↗
A row of colour LEDs on one data wire: every light gets its own colour.
2Use it
| Pin or leg | What it is for |
|---|---|
| GND | 0 V: join it to the board’s GND |
| VCC | + power |
| Signal (DIN) | the data from one pin |
- Plug in at the end where the arrows start: the data goes one way only.
- GND to GND, VCC to + power, signal to one pin (pin 6 on the Arduino).
- Keep the brightness low: at full white each LED takes up to 60 mA.
The idea behind it, step by step: Addressable LEDs
Used in
3Facts
| LEDs | 10 on one strip; two plugged together make 20 |
|---|---|
| Power | 5 V on the Arduino, 3 V on the Micro:bit; up to 60 mA per LED at full white |
| Plug | 3 wires: GND, VCC, signal |
Kinds you may find
| NeoPixel ring or stick | the same LEDs in other shapes |
|---|---|
| Long strips | 30 or 60 LEDs a metre: they need their own 5 V |