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Lesson 28: RGB LED Module

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to control an RGB LED using the Raspberry Pi Pico W. You’ll discover how to set up PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) on different GPIO pins for each color channel of the RGB LED, allowing you to create various colors by adjusting the intensity of red, green, and blue components. This project offers beginners a great opportunity to gain practical experience with PWM and color mixing on Raspberry Pi Pico W using MicroPython. Additionally, you’ll learn how to handle interrupts to safely turn off the LED. This lesson provides a fun and interactive way to explore the basics of electronics and programming.

Required Components

In this project, we need the following components.

It’s definitely convenient to buy a whole kit, here’s the link:

Name	ITEMS IN THIS KIT	LINK
Universal Maker Sensor Kit	94	Universal Maker Sensor Kit

You can also buy them separately from the links below.

Component Introduction	Purchase Link
Raspberry Pi Pico W	BUY
RGB LED Module	-
Breadboard	BUY

Wiring

../_images/Lesson_28_RGB_LED_Module_pico_bb.png

Code

from machine import Pin, PWM
from time import sleep

# Initialize PWM for each color channel of an RGB LED
red = PWM(Pin(26))  # Red channel on GPIO pin 26
green = PWM(Pin(27))  # Green channel on GPIO pin 27
blue = PWM(Pin(28))  # Blue channel on GPIO pin 28

# Set 1000 Hz frequency for all channels
red.freq(1000)
green.freq(1000)
blue.freq(1000)


# Function to set RGB LED color
def set_color(r, g, b):
    red.duty_u16(r)  # Red intensity
    green.duty_u16(g)  # Green intensity
    blue.duty_u16(b)  # Blue intensity


try:
    while True:
        set_color(65535, 0, 0)  # Red
        sleep(1)
        set_color(0, 65535, 0)  # Green
        sleep(1)
        set_color(0, 0, 65535)  # Blue
        sleep(1)
except KeyboardInterrupt:
    set_color(0, 0, 0)  # Turn off RGB LED on interrupt

Code Analysis

Importing Libraries

The machine module is imported to use the PWM class and Pin class. The time module is imported to use the sleep function for creating delays.
```
from machine import Pin, PWM
from time import sleep
```
Initializing PWM for RGB LED

The RGB LED has three channels (Red, Green, Blue), each controlled by a separate PWM signal. The PWM signals are connected to GPIO pins 26, 27, and 28.
```
red = PWM(Pin(26))  # Red channel on GPIO pin 26
green = PWM(Pin(27))  # Green channel on GPIO pin 27
blue = PWM(Pin(28))  # Blue channel on GPIO pin 28
```
Setting Frequency for PWM Signals

The frequency of the PWM signals is set to 1000 Hz for all three channels.
```
red.freq(1000)
green.freq(1000)
blue.freq(1000)
```
Defining the set_color Function

This function sets the color of the RGB LED. The duty_u16 method is used to set the duty cycle for each color channel, which determines the intensity of that color.
```
def set_color(r, g, b):
    red.duty_u16(r)
    green.duty_u16(g)
    blue.duty_u16(b)
```

Main Program Loop

An infinite loop is used to change the color of the LED. The set_color function is called with different values to display red, green, and blue colors. Each color is displayed for 1 second.

try:
    while True:
        set_color(65535, 0, 0)  # Red
        sleep(1)
        set_color(0, 65535, 0)  # Green
        sleep(1)
        set_color(0, 0, 65535)  # Blue
        sleep(1)
except KeyboardInterrupt:
    set_color(0, 0, 0)  # Turn off RGB LED on interrupt