Hello Everyone, I'm a first time poster here. I've been googling in regards to creating an Aquarium Controller. Most of the time I often found myself being directed here for answers to my conundrums.
What I am looking to do is to create a Series of large LED Arrays to light my aquarium. To do this I'm going to use quite a few .5 Watt Leds (Probably about 100 or so), and modify the light from those white LEDs (B/C they're not really that white and have more of a blue tint to them), with Red and Green LEDs, possibly Amber as well.
To control these I've purchased an Arduino Microcontroller.
But I still have questions about LEDs that I am hoping can be answered here.
But before I ask I'd like to give a little background about myself. I am a Computer Programmer by trade, and I find Electricity & circuits to be intriguing. I only have a base level of knowledge about circuits & Electricity, but I would like to learn more.
Now... Question Time!
I've noticed that often when I see schematics of LEDs they often have Resistors attached to the front of them. But my understanding of Diodes is very basic and I do not understand why. As far as I know, Diodes are basically one way streets, except when you apply to much voltage to the wrong end in which it becomes reversed biased.
Also what can anyone tell me about LED Drivers. The term seems to vary from place to place, but from what I've pieced together an LED Driver is basically a power source for the LEDS. Some are constant current and others are not.
Now I am assuming that a Constant Current LED Driver is prefered over a regular one. Can anyone recommend an LED Driver IC that I can supply power via a regulated power supply, and also has the ability to Pulse Width Modulate 4 or 5 different channels?
What I am looking to do is to create a Series of large LED Arrays to light my aquarium. To do this I'm going to use quite a few .5 Watt Leds (Probably about 100 or so), and modify the light from those white LEDs (B/C they're not really that white and have more of a blue tint to them), with Red and Green LEDs, possibly Amber as well.
To control these I've purchased an Arduino Microcontroller.
But I still have questions about LEDs that I am hoping can be answered here.
But before I ask I'd like to give a little background about myself. I am a Computer Programmer by trade, and I find Electricity & circuits to be intriguing. I only have a base level of knowledge about circuits & Electricity, but I would like to learn more.
Now... Question Time!
I've noticed that often when I see schematics of LEDs they often have Resistors attached to the front of them. But my understanding of Diodes is very basic and I do not understand why. As far as I know, Diodes are basically one way streets, except when you apply to much voltage to the wrong end in which it becomes reversed biased.
- Why is there a need for resistors?
Also what can anyone tell me about LED Drivers. The term seems to vary from place to place, but from what I've pieced together an LED Driver is basically a power source for the LEDS. Some are constant current and others are not.
- Is my assumption of LED Drivers correct?
- What seperates a Constant Current LED Driver from a non-Constant Current LED Driver?
- If you use a Constant Current LED Driver, do you still need resistors?
Now I am assuming that a Constant Current LED Driver is prefered over a regular one. Can anyone recommend an LED Driver IC that I can supply power via a regulated power supply, and also has the ability to Pulse Width Modulate 4 or 5 different channels?