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Please check my LED resistor math?

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  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Posted by Onewolf on Thursday, March 17, 2016 9:13 AM
Thanks for the replies. It makes me feel better before I start soldering all those resistors to the FOB-A boards. :)

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

  • Member since
    August 2013
  • 118 posts
Posted by big daydreamer on Thursday, March 17, 2016 9:11 AM

Those results look good. Note that you can have up to a ±10% resistor tolerance and they will still be over the 70 Ohm that was calculated.

If you are interested in the equations used, they are:

Vs - Vf = IR  and P=IV  
where Vs is the supply voltage and Vf is the diode forward voltage.

Remember that the LED's long leg is the (+) pin!
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Pa.
  • 3,361 posts
Posted by DigitalGriffin on Thursday, March 17, 2016 9:04 AM
3.1-1.7 = .020*R
70 = R

3.1-1.7=1.4 volts across resistor
1.4*1.4/70= .028 Watts

So 82 Ohm 1/8th watt is more then safe

Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions

Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: East Central Florida
  • 480 posts
Please check my LED resistor math?
Posted by Onewolf on Thursday, March 17, 2016 4:01 AM

I am installing about 50 occupancy zones using seven RR-Cirkits BOD-8 and seven FOB-A boards. The FOB-A boards each have 8 spots where resistors can be soldered for outputs that drive display panel LED lights.  I have measured the voltage supplied to these outputs and it is 3.1 volts. 

Based upon this resistor calculator using input voltage=3.1, LED voltage drop (red LEDs)=1.7v, and desired LED current=20 milli amp it says to use 82 ohm 1/8 watt resistors

I have tested with an 82 ohm resistor and it works, but before I solder 50+ resistors onto FOB-A boards I was hoping to get confirmation of the calculator results?

Thanks.

Modeling an HO gauge freelance version of the Union Pacific Oregon Short Line and the Utah Railway around 1957 in a world where Pirates from the Great Salt Lake founded Ogden, UT.

- Photo album of layout construction -

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