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Member's Forum As a designer, how do you make choices?
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  • Replies 23 replies
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  • LED driver
  • designer choices
Related

As a designer, how do you make choices?

dougw
dougw 2 months ago

A very common practice when designing with MCUs is to dedicate at least one MCU pin to drive a diagnostic or indicator LED.

There are several simple circuits that can accomplish this function. I am curious to know if  most designers use the same circuit, and if not, why not? 

Edit by cstanton : I liked this post so much I decided to elevate it to Question of the Month for August (Close enough for UK time zone anyway!)


Leave a comment that explains how it came about that you use a particular circuit.

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Top Replies

  • rsc
    rsc 2 months ago +4
    I usually have a 2-pin header(s) somewhere for power supply(s) voltage(s) that I can put a LED jumper with a resistor on it. That way I don't have to have a LED on all the time, just for diagnostics.
  • scottiebabe
    scottiebabe 2 months ago +2
    modern leds are blindingly bright with just a few mA.
  • genebren
    genebren 2 months ago +1
    I have been using NeoPixel Mini 3535 RGB LEDs as my go to indicator on my boards. At < $0.20 in quantity of 100, it is cheap enough, and the RGB capability gives me a bit more flexibility.
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  • aspork42
    aspork42 2 months ago

    Arduino IDE serial port for me usually…

    <rant> but at work (industrial equipment), and on the higher level (servo drive controllers, HMIs, pid heat controllers, etc) our electrical team always goes for bleeding edge whiz-bang modules that you need a laptop and networking degree to do basic troubleshooting. As opposed to traditional PLCs and whatnot, drives me crazy. Our older equipment will last for decades because “Johnny from maintenance” can easily diagnose with a basic multimeter. Newer equipment becomes scrap when a smartmotor starts to flake out and they can’t trouble shoot it, and can’t replace it because they don’t have the software to program it or a copy of the program itself. </end rant>

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  • aspork42
    aspork42 2 months ago

    Arduino IDE serial port for me usually…

    <rant> but at work (industrial equipment), and on the higher level (servo drive controllers, HMIs, pid heat controllers, etc) our electrical team always goes for bleeding edge whiz-bang modules that you need a laptop and networking degree to do basic troubleshooting. As opposed to traditional PLCs and whatnot, drives me crazy. Our older equipment will last for decades because “Johnny from maintenance” can easily diagnose with a basic multimeter. Newer equipment becomes scrap when a smartmotor starts to flake out and they can’t trouble shoot it, and can’t replace it because they don’t have the software to program it or a copy of the program itself. </end rant>

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