component

Paul's LED Nameplate

Unreviewed

by Kyle Bergstedt

USB-C powered desk nameplate PCB spelling PAUL in 36 white 0402 LEDs. Plug in an iPhone charger and the name lights up.

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paul-led-nameplate / README.md
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Overview

A desk nameplate PCB that spells PAUL in 36 white 0402 LEDs, powered by a USB-C connector. Plug in any iPhone charger and the name lights up.

Design

  • Font: 3x5 pixel dot-matrix, 3 mm pitch, 4 mm letter gap
  • LEDs: 36 white 0402 (P=8, A=10, U=11, L=7)
  • Current limiting: 36x 220 ohm 0402 resistors (~14 mA per LED)
  • Power: USB-C (TYPE-C-31-M-12) with 5.1k CC pulldowns for default 5V
  • Board: 64x24 mm, 2-layer, rounded edges
  • Total draw: ~504 mA (within USB-C default 900 mA budget)

Circuit

All LEDs wired in parallel: VBUS -> 220 ohm resistor -> LED anode, cathode -> GND. A 100 nF bypass cap smooths the VBUS rail. Two 5.1k resistors on CC1/CC2 tell the USB-C host to supply 5V.

Built with tscircuit + adom-tsci.