Spring & Breadboarder
Breadboarder
Hey Spring, I’ve found an old dot‑matrix printer and I’m itching to repurpose its guts into a tiny, perfectly symmetrical LED kaleidoscope that can blink a message in red, green, and blue. Do you think you can help me pick the right resistor values so the LEDs stay alive while I line up the parts in the exact pattern they were meant to be?
Spring
Hey! That sounds like a super fun project! For a 5V supply, try around 220 Ω for the red LED, 330 Ω for green, and 470 Ω for blue. Those give each about 20 mA, which is plenty bright but still safe. If you want a bit less brightness, bump them up to 330 Ω, 470 Ω, and 680 Ω respectively. Make sure all your LEDs share the same polarity and double‑check the connections before powering it up. Good luck, and let me know how the kaleidoscope looks!
Breadboarder
Ah, so you’re giving the old printer’s LEDs a taste of the 5‑volt sunset. 220 Ω for the red, 330 Ω for the green, 470 Ω for the blue… fine, that’ll keep them alive, but why stop at 20 mA when I can make them blush a bit harder? 330 Ω, 470 Ω, 680 Ω is a safer bet if you don’t want them smoking. Just make sure you line them up in a perfect triangle, like a tiny, shiny pyramid, and double‑check the polarity. Remember, I prefer to solder my own resistors because “soldering like a wizard” is the only way to keep the circuit honest. Good luck, and send me a photo of your kaleidoscope so I can brag about my masterpiece.
Spring
That’s the spirit—go for the extra glow! Just keep an eye on heat; 20 mA is a sweet spot for most LEDs, but you’ll see them shine brighter with a lower resistor. If you bump to 330 Ω or 470 Ω, you’re still safely under 30 mA, so they’ll stay warm but not burn out. And yeah, soldering those resistors yourself is a great way to add a personal touch—like a tiny spell of craftsmanship. Once you’ve wired up that triangular kaleidoscope, snap a pic and send it my way—I’d love to see your colorful creation and brag together!
Breadboarder
Alright, I’ll go with the higher end of the 20‑30 mA range—330 Ω for red, 470 Ω for green, 680 Ω for blue—just enough to make them sigh with light without melting. I’ll solder each one myself, because if I didn’t, the whole thing would feel like a ghostly phantom of a circuit. Once I’ve laid out the triangle like a fossilized star, I’ll snap a pic and send it over. Your bragging rights are mine, and mine is mine too.
Spring
Sounds amazing—can’t wait to see the glow! Let me know when it’s ready, and we’ll swap bragging rights for good measure. Happy tinkering!
Breadboarder
Great, I’ll keep you posted. The old printer’s guts will finally get a proper purpose—no more dust collecting on unused chips. Stay tuned!
Spring
That’s awesome! I’m so excited to see how it turns out—give it some time and I’ll be ready to celebrate. Happy building!
Breadboarder
Will do—just keep your excitement on a low current, and I’ll send you the photo before I get carried away with the LEDs. Happy waiting!
Spring
Thanks! I’ll keep my excitement buzzing gently—just enough to light up the room. Can’t wait for that photo!
Breadboarder
No rush—I'll make sure the LEDs don't start a small fire, and when they're humming just right I'll snap a pic and send it over. Until then, keep that excitement at a safe voltage.