Hello ，
I'm trying to set up an ATTINY2313 to drive an array of LEDs and blink them in different patterns. Rather than putting a series of resistors in line with each LED (they'll be controlled separately, so I can't do tricks like putting them in series with each other), I was wondering about just using a couple diodes to get the voltage down to the right range.
The system is running at 3.3V (with a regulator to keep it pretty constant), and two 1N4001 diodes （http://www.kynix.com/uploadfiles/pdf8798/1N4001G.pdf）will drop that down to 1.9V - right in line with the lower end of the 1.8 - 2.2V these LEDs are specced for. Since the diodes will always want to maintain the same voltage drop across themselves, I don't have to worry about that voltage changing as I turn the LEDs on or off. Overall I save 6 components.
Has anyone else tried something like this? Is there anything I've overlooked? I realize the diodes will have to dissipate the full current from all the LEDs, but for this small amount of current that doesn't seem like it will be an issue.
Any comments will be grateful.
Great regards.
I used to use diodes all the time in that fashion. You are right, they will dissipate the heat, not the most efficient way, but it works.
In fact I used to use diodes forward biased in series with a zener to bump up the effective voltage in old school voltage regulators.