Pinout
RGB LED (5 mm, common cathode, 4-pin) pinout
Pins
- R — red anode (through its own resistor)
- GND — common cathode (the longest lead)
- G — green anode
- B — blue anode
Specifications
| Package | 5 mm through-hole, 4 leads |
|---|---|
| Configuration | Common cathode (longest lead) |
| Forward voltage (red) | ≈ 2 V typical |
| Forward voltage (green, blue) | ≈ 3 V typical |
| Forward current | 20 mA per colour typical |
| Resistors | One per anode (3 total) |
| Colour mixing | PWM on each anode |
Notes
- Common-anode variants exist too — swap GND for +V and invert the logic. Same package, so test: with the longest leg to GND a common-cathode LED lights when any other leg goes to +V through a resistor.
- Each colour has its own forward voltage (red ~2V, green and blue ~3V), so each anode needs its own resistor — one shared resistor gives uneven colours.
