What is the best way to control LED strips with a PacLED64?

[steven789]

I'm currently preparing for a cabinet build, I have all the components including a PacLED64. My buttons will never require all the channels so I was wondering if it's possible and how to connect LED strips(12v) on your PacLED controller the best/easiest way?

I found this diagram but I'm not sure if I can use this to power a LED strip?

[melvinbates]

Hmm, I don't think that the PacLED64 will be able to drive a 12v Led strip.  I think the outputs are current limited to 20mA and most LED strips of any appreciable length would easily exceed that.  You probably could use an opticoupler, driven from the output on PacLED64, to drive a mosfet that could easily handle the current and voltage necessary.

[steven789]

If i buy a extra PAC-Drive and use my PC PSU for power, will I be able to control my ledstrips from Ledblinky? I really want some external lightning controlled by ledblinky.

[melvinbates]

Hmm, a Pac-Drive may not be a bad idea.  I guess it really comes down to how much power is being drawn by the LED strips you want to use.  the Pac-Drive will drive up to .5A per channel which should be good for a short length of LED strip.  You really need to check the power draw on the strips that you want to use. 

I'm sure we can figure out a way to get them controlled with LED blinky and either your PacLED64 or Pac-Drive.  You may just need to create use an intermediary board that can support more power, but that all depends on your LED strips power draw.

[Sneetch]

This is commonly done with virtual pinball machines and I know of several examples in vp forums on how to build something yourself or you can buy a solution from places such as zebsboards.com.     FYI, He is out until end of July, so his store isn't running atm, but his forums are UP which also have some good wiring diagrams for all sorts of efforts.  I have several components from him as I wanted to focus more on building the cabinet than building the boards I needed for lights and other toys (solenoids, replay knocker, shaker motor etc) that will be a part of my machine.   


Sent from my iPad. 

[Nephasth]

Good rule of thumb for those not comfortable with this sort of thing... Want to control single LEDs individually? PACLED64. Want to control many LEDs together? LED-Wiz.