Hello!
I am interested in triggering a LED strip with an accelerometer.
I have bought a 12V LED strip, and I am wondering how to convert the 5V in the arduino board to 12V.
I just read about transistors, and replay switches.
Could i possibly have the thresh of the accelerometer trigger the transistor to open up the 12V and turn on the LEDs?
The ideal situation is that when a certain amount of force or velocity has been reached, then the LEDs will flash on.
Any thoughts here would be lovely. :
well, you write your code for a 0-5 volt output. then you use a transistor to hook up the led strip.
here is a schematic:
NPN-Switch
in ur case the switch is always closed,
but the resistor is connected to an output pin of the arduino instead of the power supply...
the transistor needs a current through its base pin that is 100 to 300 times lower, than the current through its collector pin... that is what the resistor is good for... the base pin cannot take very high currents btw...
-arne
Update: I got a small 12V battery and an N sized battery holder. So power is complete.
I think I need a switch of some kind to turn on/off the 12V power. This on/off could be triggered by a threshold of an accelerometer.
Any suggestions about what kind of switch (be it relay or not?)
Then the arduino 5V can just be what it is and doesn't need to become something it is not.
For any of these electrical engineer type thinkers....
this is along the right path for signal flow, yah?
Thanks in advance 
RIDDICK-
thanks for the animated explanation! ;D