ClimateGuard's CG_led Wants to Be Your "Universal Controller" for RGBW, Addressable LED Strips
Offering 6A per channel across five channels for a 30A total, the ESP32-based CG_led is a feature-packed lighting controller.
The ClimateGuard project has released a new board, CG_led, which it hopes will become the go-to "universal controller" for RGBW and addressable LED projects — offering up to 6A current per channel over each of its five channels.
"The main controller is ESP32 with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth," its creators explain of the new CG_led board. "No external programmer is required for board utilization due to the built-in programmer on the CH340 chip. Built-in infrared receiver allows you to control the board from the remote."
The board, which includes a USB Type-C connector for programming, features five channels designed for use with shared-anode RGBW or individually-addressable LED strips. Each channel offers up to 6A of current output, while screw terminals are used to offer solder-free connectivity.
As well as the on-board microcontroller, which supports the WLED firmware, the board includes several nice-to-have features often missing from rival designs: a current shunt, reverse polarity protection, LED strip parasitic inductance protection, and room to add an nRF24L01 radio or 433MHz module for additional connectivity to existing smart home systems.
The board follows on from ClimateGuard's CG_mini, an Espressif ESP32-based "universal motherboard" for sensors released earlier this year. Like the CG_led, the CG_mini aims at being a one-device solution to a given problem — and offers solder-free connectivity to external hardware, though using JST connectors rather than screw terminals.
ClimateGuard is selling the CG_led on its Tindie store at $55, while STL files for a 3D-printed two-part protective case have been released on GitHub under the permissive MIT license.