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Step 5Understand your LEDs
Tri color LEDs are not as simple as your regular 2 pin diodes. First you will notice that there are 4 pins. The longest pin is most likely the ground and the three other pins control the red, green, and blue colors individually. You have to test these LEDs before jumping into production to ensure that you didn't get a bunch of duds.
Test by making the circuit below. The LEDs I ordered ended up being reversed from the norm so power was actually sent to each individual RGB pin and the long pin was the ground. Just use a 9V battery and touch the end to the pins and try and make combinations between the colors.
Specifically try:
Red+Green = Yellow
Red+ Blue = Purple
Blue + Green = Cyan
Red+Blue+Green = White
Write down somewhere the arrange of your pins to make sure you know whats red and blue and green.
Test by making the circuit below. The LEDs I ordered ended up being reversed from the norm so power was actually sent to each individual RGB pin and the long pin was the ground. Just use a 9V battery and touch the end to the pins and try and make combinations between the colors.
Specifically try:
Red+Green = Yellow
Red+ Blue = Purple
Blue + Green = Cyan
Red+Blue+Green = White
Write down somewhere the arrange of your pins to make sure you know whats red and blue and green.
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