¶ Addressable LED parts and powering
Fetched: 2026-10-31
- https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/best-practices
- Capacitor "500-1000 µF at 6.3V or higher" across + and -.
- "Place a 300 to 500 Ohm resistor between the Arduino data output pin and the input to the first NeoPixel." (at the pixel end of the wire)
- 5V pixels "ideally need a 5V data signal." / "If using a 3.3V microcontroller you must use a logic level shifter."
- "apply power to the pixels before applying power to the microcontroller."
- "Try to minimize the distance between the Arduino and first pixel". A meter or two is usually fine.
- https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopixel-uberguide/powering-neopixels
- "Each individual NeoPixel draws up to 60 milliamps at maximum brightness white (red + green + blue)."
- "we've been using 1/3 this (20 mA per pixel) as a gross rule of thumb with no ill effects."
- "For best color consistency, aim for 1 meter or less distance from any pixel to a power connection."
- "think of power distribution as branches of a tree rather than one continuous line."
¶ WS2812B / SK6812 (via search summaries of datasheets and vendor pages)
¶ Ring and strip parts
- Adafruit NeoPixel Ring 12, https://www.adafruit.com/product/1643 : OD 36.8 mm, ID 23.3 mm, 12 x 5050 (WS2812B or SK6812), "~18mA constant current drive" per LED.
- Ring 16, https://www.adafruit.com/product/1463 : OD 44.5 mm, ID 31.7 mm.
- Ring 24, https://www.adafruit.com/product/1586 : OD 65.5 mm, ID 52.3 mm, "Power the whole thing with 5VDC."
- nOOds flexible LED filament, https://core-electronics.com.au/n00ds-flexible-led-filament-3v-300mm-long-warm-white.html , https://www.electrokit.com/en/flexibelt-led-filament-3v-300mm-varmvit : 300 mm, 1.8 mm diameter, about 3 V, recommended 50 mA through a series resistor; single colour, not addressable; "micro LEDs mounted on a thin metal film and encapsulated in a silicone sleeve".
- Addressable COB strip, https://www.superlightingled.com/ws2812c-5v-programmable-rgbic-cob-led-strip-light-2000-leds-p-6150.html : 5 V, "illumination without visible dots", 200 WS2812C ICs/m each driving 2 LEDs, 5 mm cut unit. Waveshare COB https://grobotronics.com/waveshare-cob-led-strip-rgb-ws2812b-5v-ip20-5m.html : 160 LEDs/m, 2.7 mm wide, 12 W/m.
- Edge-lit acrylic: https://news.sparkfun.com/2869 , https://learn.adafruit.com/led-acrylic-sign.md?view=all , https://plasticsheetsshop.co.uk/applications/edge-lit-acrylic/ : etched acrylic lit from one edge; engraved areas scatter the light and glow; light-guide acrylic with dispersed particles lights more evenly.