Jameco LED Dimmers
Kit no longer available from Jameco. Apparently Jameco killed Club Jameco (but I was never informed). This page is for historic purposes.
![Jameco Dimmer boards](jameco_dimmers_files/stacks-image-0c61874-512x492.jpg)
![Constant Voltage version connected to white LED Strip](jameco_dimmers_files/stacks-image-340e485-360x270.jpg)
The Club Jameco focus is on kits and people building their own circuits so I designed a pair of LED dimmers that had a large amount of common circuitry. One dimmer is designed to control constant voltage LEDs (such as LED strips) and the other constant current LEDs (such as 1 Watt High Brightness LEDs).
A kit used to be available from Jameco. You could build either dimmer with it. Sadly, Jameco declined to make a PCB and you had to hand wire it (as one might imagine, this limited sales...). I created very detailed instructions that were on the Jameco site and can be downloaded below if you want to build one yourself.
The constant current circuit uses a voltage reference and current mirror to make a simple, analog current source.
Both systems use a Microchip PIC 12F675 to generate the 1000:1 PWM dimming and provide fault shutdown detection.
The constant current circuit uses a voltage reference and current mirror to make a simple, analog current source.
Both systems use a Microchip PIC 12F675 to generate the 1000:1 PWM dimming and provide fault shutdown detection.
![Fault LED lit](jameco_dimmers_files/stacks-image-9d61638-224x204.jpg)
The on-board micro and circuitry handles fault conditions like short circuits.
Downloads
Instructions, schematic, parts layout and wiring diagram and PIC hex file (may be programmed using a Microchip ICSP like the Pickit 3, etc) for the constant current dimmer. This circuit can drive 1-3 350 mA (1W) high brightness LEDs.
Instructions, schematic, parts layout and wiring diagram and PIC hex file (may be programmed using a Microchip ICSP like the Pickit 3, etc) for the constant voltage dimmer. This circuit can drive up to 9-10 Amps of 12VDC LED strips with the appropriate wiring and power supply.