Transistor driver
Each Arduino digital pin can output a limited amount of current, an absolute maximum of 40 mA. This is enough to power an LED, a small buzzer speaker, or maybe a small vibrating motor. However, we need more current for our applications most of the time.
Using a transistor driver, we can easily power up more demanding loads. Here, we will quickly explore how to build a general transistor driver.
Getting ready
Following are the ingredients for this recipe:
- An Arduino board connected to a computer via USB
- A resistor between 220 and 4,700 ohm
- A standard NPN transistor (BC547, 2N3904, N2222A, TIP120)
- A standard diode (1N4148, 1N4001, 1N4007)
How to do it…
Follow these steps to connect an external load to the Arduino using an NPN transistor: ...
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