# PWM + XL4015 ( DC-\>DC booster) - for dimmering LEDs, is it possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Product Questions\ **Created:** [10 July 2023 20:58 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/pwm-xl4015-dc-dc-booster-for-dimmering-leds-is-it-possible/17542 "2023-07-10T20:58:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arthur252248](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@Arthur252248](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Arthur252248)\ **Post date:** [10 July 2023 20:58 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/pwm-xl4015-dc-dc-booster-for-dimmering-leds-is-it-possible/17542/1 "2023-07-10T20:58:46Z")
Hello friends, Brazilliam dude here, cheers. I am projecting to control some high power LEDs ( UV, 1W, 3.2-3.4Vf, 350ma) just to let you know, this project, is to control the bright for some water tanks (aquariums) which I ve been planning so far. I am going to use addressable LEDs too, for general wavelenght, but I still need UV to react with some of my reef. With that in mind, I ve been planning to use 5 V as source, and I was thinking about using XL4015 to control some UV LEDs in paralel, dimmed by PWM set from a microcontroler (such as ESP32 with WLED). It would work ? Does the XL4015 aswers fine to quick inputs? The project, itself its quite simple. The ESP sends a PWM signal, from a GPIO port, which arrives at some transistor (used as switch), such as IRLZ44N. The PWM signal, would arrive at GATE, controlling drain and source. At DRAIN I would connect the LED negative pin, and the SOURCE pin (from transistor) I would connect to GND (ssame GND from ESP32). In that scenario, it would be created a circuit 5V → XL4015-\> → LED → transistor\_as\_switch\_drainsource → GND Brazil sends love to you all ---
**Author:** ![Michael](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/michael/32/3545_2.png) [@Michael](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Michael)\ **Post date:** [11 July 2023 00:42 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/pwm-xl4015-dc-dc-booster-for-dimmering-leds-is-it-possible/17542/2 "2023-07-11T00:42:19Z")
Hi @Arthur252248, welcome to the forums 😃 I’m unsure how the XL4015 (CE07271) would respond to high-current pulsing at its output. It’s definitely in the experimental zone. It’s low-cost enough to have an experiment though, but you may find a purpose-build module gives better results. These FemtoBuck units look very promising and accept a PWM drive signal > **[FemtoBuck LED Driver](https://core-electronics.com.au/femtobuck-led-driver-32985.html)** > > This is the FemtoBuck, a small-size single-output constant current LED driver. Each FemtoBuck has the capability to dim a single high-power channel of LEDs from 0-350mA at up to 36V while the dimming control can be either accessed via PWM or analog... ---
**Author:** ![Arthur252248](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@Arthur252248](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/Arthur252248)\ **Post date:** [11 July 2023 00:57 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/pwm-xl4015-dc-dc-booster-for-dimmering-leds-is-it-possible/17542/3 "2023-07-11T00:57:27Z")
Seems absolutely good. Except this one is very hard to find here in brazil. I am hungry to buy an try it myself. Thanks a lot. Still wondering if it would work or not. I also have a spare ideia, high power resistor. Because I am using 5V, and VforwardLed is about 3.2V A 6R 5W resistor would be fine, right? ---
**Author:** ![James](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.core-electronics.com.au/james/32/4400_2.png) [@James](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/u/James)\ **Post date:** [11 July 2023 04:33 UTC](https://forum.core-electronics.com.au/t/pwm-xl4015-dc-dc-booster-for-dimmering-leds-is-it-possible/17542/4 "2023-07-11T04:33:58Z")
Hi Arthur, Another option to consider would be an addressible UV strip: > **[Adafruit NeoPixel UV LED Strip with 32 LED/m - White PCB - 1M](https://core-electronics.com.au/adafruit-neopixel-uv-led-strip-with-32-led-m-white-pcb-1m.html)** > > What new iteration of NeoPixel strip is this? Roll out the black light and disco ball! It's an Adafruit NeoPixel Ultraviolet Strip with 32 LEDs per meter! Each order... This moves the control circuitry, into individual driver chips, so you wouldn’t need to worry about the losses of a resistor or possible switchmode supply weirdness. If a microcontroller doesn’t need to be involved, you could potentially just desolder the current potentiometer on the XL4015, and wire up a panel-mount one, and just turn a knob instead of having to go to a webpage. Keen to see what you think of the above options 🙂