RGB LED
The RGB LED part models a common-cathode RGB LED with three independent Shockley diode channels. Each channel (R, G, B) is independently electrically simulated so colour mixing is accurate.
Pinout
| Pin | Label | Description |
|---|---|---|
| r_a | R+ | Red anode |
| g_a | G+ | Green anode |
| b_a | B+ | Blue anode |
| com_k | K | Common cathode (shared GND) |
Default forward voltages
| Channel | Vf |
|---|---|
| Red | 1.8 V |
| Green | 2.0 V |
| Blue | 3.0 V |
These can be overridden via the Inspector properties panel.
Current limiting
The LED has no internal series resistance. You must connect a resistor on each anode pin to prevent overcurrent. A 220 Ω resistor with a 5 V supply gives approximately 14 mA per channel.
Each channel burns independently if its current exceeds 5× the rated value (default 20 mA) for a sustained period. The burned-out channel stays dead for the rest of the simulation session, but the damage is not persistent — reloading or starting a new session resets it (de:volt does not save component damage).
Common-cathode only
de:volt models only common-cathode polarity. Connect com_k to GND.
Example circuit
Arduino D3 ─── 220 Ω ─── R+
Arduino D5 ─── 220 Ω ─── G+ ── [RGB LED] ── K ─── GND
Arduino D6 ─── 220 Ω ─── B+Load the built-in RGB Colour Cycle example from the Sketch panel to see PWM-driven colour mixing.