Help with 12V led conection

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi, I want to build a trail cam with an arduino. My idea is using a movement sensor and when it detects movement fire a camera and a led panel for lighting the shot.
For the led panel I need 12V (the panel is a pcb already built).So I plan to use a 12V battery for powering all the hardware. But the output of the arduino is only 5V not enough for powering the leds. So how can I desing the circuit. I'm new and I just build easy projects following internet tutorials and this is my first real project.

The harware I will be using are:
Arduino Nano
ESP32 Cam
Movement sensor
12V led panel

Other hardware for conections

2

A logic level mosfet or a relay module are often used for this kind of thing.

3

Use a 12V relay module because it can connect directly to your source.
Use a logic level converter to bring your 3.3V logic from the ESP32-CAM to the 5V necessary for the relay. There is an audible click with some relays, you can avoid it with solid state relays if needed.
Use a buck converter to bring your 12V down to 5V to power the ESP32-CAM with enough current to prevent a brownout.
You don't need the Nano, save it for another project.

4

Thanks!!
The relay seems like a good option for the led.
But I forgot to specify that I need the led panel to stay on while the sensor detects movement so the camera can shoot more than one photo. The only way to do that is by using an arduino. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

5

The ESP32-CAM is also an Arduino :slight_smile:

6

I mean an arduino nano for runing the code.

7

I get what you are saying, you can run the same code on the ESP32-CAM and take the pictures and store them, all in the same Arduino program.

8

Ahh, ok, I didn't know that u can do that. Thanks.

9

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