LED Resistor Calculator

LEDs, or light-emitting diodes, are small electronic components. When current is applied to LEDs, they emit light in various colors, such as red, green, or blue. If the current passing through the diode is too high, though, it will damage the LED.

To limit the current passing through the diode, it's common practice to add a resistor to the circuit, as shown in the image above image. We usually add this resistor in series. Even though this method is simple and solves many problems with a basic circuit, we shouldn't apply it to high-current LEDs.

🔎 Learn how diodes work with Shockley diode calculator.

In order to calculate the resistance and power dissipation, you need to input a few parameters into this LED resistor calculator:

• Circuit type. Are your LEDs connected in series or parallel?

• n – number of connected LEDs.

• V – supply voltage of your circuit. Typical values are 5, 7, and 12 volts for molex connectors and 1.5 or 9 volts for batteries.

• Vₒ – voltage drop across one LED. This value depends on the LED color and ranges from 1.7 volts (infrared) to 3.6 (white or blue diodes).

• Iₒ – current across one LED. Regular LEDs require 20 or 30 mA.

If you connect a few diodes in series or are calculating the resistor for just one diode, you can use the formulas listed below:

1. Resistance:

   R = (V - n × Vₒ) / Iₒ;

2. Power dissipated in a single LED:

   Pₒ = Vₒ × Iₒ;

3. Power dissipated in all LEDs (total):

   P = n × Vₒ × Iₒ; and

4. Power dissipated in the resistor:

   Pr = (Iₒ)² × R.

For LEDs connected in parallel, the LED resistor calculator uses the following equations:

1. Resistance: R = (V - Vₒ) / (n × Iₒ);

2. Power dissipated in a single LED:

   Pₒ = Vₒ × Iₒ;

3. Power dissipated in all LEDs (total):

   P = n × Vₒ × Iₒ; and

4. Power dissipated in the resistor:

   Pr = (n × Iₒ)² × R.

Wondering where these formulas come from? Take a look at the Ohm's law calculator!