Not really related to arduino on anyway other than now that I bought a ten pack of potentiometers and only needed 3, I'm wondering of I have a 12v strip, can a connect a potentiometer to each of the RGB strips r, g, and b pins to dim the color values so I can select the color that way?
They are 10k pots
Yes. Read the pot value and use it to control the RGB strip.
As you have not said what sort of RGB strip you have it is impossible to say how to control it.
Qdeathstar:
Not really related to arduino on anyway other than now that I bought a ten pack of potentiometers and only needed 3, I'm wondering of I have a 12v strip, can a connect a potentiometer to each of the RGB strips r, g, and b pins to dim the color values so I can select the color that way?
No.
You can connect them to an Arduino and get the Arduino to control the strip but you can't use them directly.
You can use 'm with an arduino + transistors, but using an RGB-strip and 3 10k pots only..., probably won't work. Pots often can't handle much current and dimming won't be smooth.
Thanks fungus, that was the answer I was looking for
They are just led strips with pins
I though putting the pots between - + and then each pin might dim them
Sorry didn't know you were at that level.
In theory it would but you would.need a pot that will handle the current, and they are quite expensive.
Read the pots on the analog input then use PWM outputs to drive a transistor that turns on the LEDs.
I did that already, which is why I have 7 extra pots.. Works great btw.
I think you were the one that helped me with that code, in fact.
I'm not really on that level, but I read on here you can use resisters to dim a single led, and pot is like an adjustable resistor? So I made that leap not considering current.
Pot's are adjustable resistors sorta...
But what's important to remember here is watts, an led of 20ma(0.020x12v) vs a strip of of leds consuming 2000ma (2000x12v).
That's 0.24watts vs 24watts. (Do you have a 25watt capable potentiometer? ) 1 led requires little current.
Not originally what i had in mind when i started this topic, but say i have three pots connected to analog in on the arduino to control the color of an rgb strip (all of this code is working)
then, because i can't see the RGB strip from the controller, I want to attach a single RBG led to get an approximation of the color I am choosing while at the controller.
Could i connect that directly to the POTS without connecting it to the arduino and without affecting the analog readings? ( i would make two leads off the pot, one to the led's pins, and one to the ardruino.
Could i connect that directly to the POTS without connecting it to the arduino and without affecting the analog readings?
No
For one thing you will burn the pot out. For another it will affect it.
thanks for the answer.
why does it burn the pot out? overload or for a different reason?
why does it burn the pot out
If you use the pot as a variable resistor rather then a potential divider then the whole of the current is going through the portion of the track between the wiper and the end point.
As you reduce the resistance this portion of track used gets smaller and smaller and the current increases.
You reach a point where the power you are dissipating is too much much for the track and it vaporises. This happens when to pot is very close to the end stop.
One way round it is to have a fixed resistor in series with the variable resistor but that resistor is always in the circuit and so your adjustment range is not the maximum.
The other way round it is to use a wire wound pot that has a much higher power rating. But these are quite expensive.
ah, thanks for the explanation.