Driving and LED strip from an Arduino with a transistor.

This video is a simple demo using a transistor to drive an LED light strip with an Arduino. Since an Arduino only outputs 5 volt on it's pins, but and LED strip requires 12 volts. To do this I used a transistor to run a second voltage source to supply the 12 volts to the LED strip.
NOTE: The transistor used was an NPN type.
I'm not completely happy with this video, but I was pressed for time.

[@jimpeachey2994]

Just what i needed Anthony Thanks.

[@Hackenbaker]

Thanks for this amazing explanation. Very clear.

[@corislittlevideos]

you saved my project man thanks!

[@jokatech1]

Very good & helpful. Thanks very much

[@pitus26]

Thank you. Im going to do this on a infinite mirror.

[@shuangqiaoxia2424]

omg u saved my project, lol thanks a lot, great tutorial !!

[@matharu863]

Would a KSP-2222A Transistor work the same way? if not what will need to be changed?

[@allenmccarty268]

ha, realized i had my npn backwards until I saw your data sheet, thanks.

[@powerelectric879]

Hi, and thank you sir. my question is we kinda need to perform DC analysis on the PNP junction right? what region should it be at the end of the day? active mode, saturation, or cut off.. I highly doubt its in the cutoff region. Thank you, greetings from NM.

[@simonhopkins3867]

Thanks man.👍

[@victorgrosu3186]

THANK YOU!!!

[@tushar673353]

thank you bro

[@JulienTant]

A noob question, could you use a a diode behind the resistor to make sure the current does not flow this way even if the transistor fails? Thank you for the video I really was struggling to understand why people used transistor in those circuits!

[@MrJTor1]

Great video, thanks. BTW, What make of Power Supply are you using?

[@ajmvfr]

It's a Lascar, I got it from Jameco. It's ok, I have a bigger supply on my bench, but this once is nice to have sitting on my computer desk. I think this link should get you to the one I have www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=301971

[@S0K0N0MI]

How do you figure out if the transistor can handle the load of the LED strip? I'm not sure my arduino can drive an 8W 24v circuit using a transistor..

[@ajmvfr]

Probably not, even in the case in this video, I'm driving 12volt, 24 volt would not be a problem because the arduino is only switching the transistor, but 8 watt is way outside my knowledge, I would consider using the arduino to drive a relay, you would only get on and off, but that should handle the wattage. And you.can get relays that are chip based. Please note: to be clear, your driving outside the power requirements I've ever tried so I'm not sure how to handle it.

[@S0K0N0MI]

@@ajmvfr Thanks for replying! And yeah, I want to use arduino to drive a separate 24v circuit, and it has to be incremental, because its for an RGBW LED strip, about 7 feet of it. So a relay is unfortunately out of the question. My problem is trying to decipher the ridiculous amounts of 3 letter abbreviations used in datasheets that are near impossible to google. :') I can't for the life of me figure out exactly how much current I can send through a transistor. At full blast a single channel would draw about 370mA, but I have no idea if that would fry a transistor or not.

[@ajmvfr]

@@S0K0N0MI I originally learned to do the calculation from a youtube video, but I have not idea what video it was, nor could I do it now 5 years later. I don't think 370mA is a heavy load, just don't let that 24Volt get across your arduino. Search for electronics tutorial here on youtube specific to transistors. You need to find a video that talks about how to do the math, and how to calculate the resistor between the arduino and the transistor for that amp load. Sorry I can't help more, good luck.

[@QuickLiQ]

Mofsets? :p

[@skiobaldo]

which transistor did you use?

[@ajmvfr]

Rafael Ski Fernandes de Carvalho I used an NPN PN2222A transistor. I think it can also be labeled 2N2222. I show the data sheet at about about 2:25 in the video.

[@skiobaldo]

Anthony Morgan Wow! Thank you so much!!! :)

[@19811402]

+Anthony Morgan could i use a 2n3904?

[@ajmvfr]

+The DIY channel I'm not sure. It's an NPN, so it's the right type and will probably work, but you might need a different base resistor. It will also depend on how many amps your going to draw across the resistor. That's the best I can comment, I'm just not that good with the calculations.

[@19811402]

Should be fine then. Thanks for the reply.