Can I run my RGB LED at 60mA? (with pwm) Also, how many mA can a single 5v Arduino pin can output without damaging anything using pwm, thanks. 
Hello, and, despite your unfriendly sounding post, welcome.
If by 60mA you mean 20mA for red plus 20mA for green plus 20mA for blue, then the Arduino pins can supply this directly.
Do you know how to calulate the series resistors? All three may need to have different values, although the blue and green might be the same. Post a link to the details of your RGB led and we can show you how to calculate the correct resistors. Also tell us what kind of Arduino you will use.
To answer your question about current, each pin can sink or source 40mA max, but you should never design a circuit to use that maximum. It would shorten the life of the Arduino. Stick to 20~25mA per pin. However, there is also an overall maximum of 200mA for all the pins combined. Certain groups of pins have a 100mA limit between them.
Paul
Thanks for responding. I don't know where to find the model of my leds because I bought the on amazon and I can't find the page that I bought from. I've searched online and they say peak for each is in a range from 60-120mA. Can I use an external power source maybe? I'm using the Arduino Uno. Also excuse my post, I was getting frustrated not being able to find anything online on this subject, Thanks.
A 60 to 120mA LED is quite a rare thing. Are you sure it is a single LED or is it a strip.
Can you post a picture of it?
Is it common anode or common cathode?
Yeah it is a single common anode LED.
Looks like a standard 20mA job to me. I would run each diode element at 20mA with its own current limiting resistor.
When I put a 50 ohm resistor, I still only get 15mA. Later I want to mutiplex the LEDs, and I know that they loose brightness (ALOT).
If you want more current, then connect the anode to 5V, and use a transistor driven by PWM signals to turn each cathode on/off, with appropriate current limit resistor.
You can do a simple test to measure Vf of each LED:
Connect anode to 5V, then 220 or 270 from cathode to Gnd.
Measure the voltage across the resistor. Vf is then 5V - Vr.
Knowing that, you can select a resistor for 20mA or whatever you'd like.
(5V - (Vce of transistor) - (Vf of LED) )/20mA = resistor
Vce of a transistor may be 0.5 to 0.7V, Vf of LED may be 2.2 to 2.7 to 3.2V.
Plug in your numbers and see.
See the attached diagram representing 1 LED of the RGB LED.
Each LED needs its own transistor and current limit resistor.
Thank you, I will start trying this out.
CrossRoads:
See the attached diagram representing 1 LED of the RGB LED.
Each LED needs its own transistor and current limit resistor.
@Crossroads: would you please explain what the advantage is to using a transistor like this? Why would you want 20mA flowing from the Arduino to the transistor base, only to switch another 20mA to flow through the led?