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LED resistor

Calculate the current-limiting resistor for an LED from supply voltage, forward voltage and LED current. Also returns the standard E12 value.

Inputs

V

e.g. 5 V on Arduino, 3.3 V on ESP32.

mA

Result

Standard resistor (E12)
1,000Ω
Ideal value150 Ω
Resistor power0.009 W

How it works

Why an LED needs a resistor

An LED barely limits its own current: wired straight to the supply it draws too much and burns out. A series resistor holds the current at a safe value (typically 20 mA).

The E12 value

The ideal value rarely exists in stores. We round up to the nearest standard E12 value — a bit more resistance means a bit less current, which is safe for the LED.

Formula

R = (V_fonte − V_led) / I_led

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