An-Penta-Mini · FAQ

Small board, few surprises.

What people ask about the compact one. Setting it up? The getting-started guide walks through it.

Answered by Quindor · QuinLED / Intermit.Tech · Updated June 2026

The basics
How small is it, and what can it drive?
It's a compact ESP32-C3 board in a slim aluminium case — small enough to hide behind a TV or in a cabinet. It drives 5 analog channels, 10A total: two medium channels up to 5A (for white) and three up to 3A (for RGB).
Who is the Mini for?
Single-zone projects where you want it done properly: a desk, a shelf, a reading nook, under-cabinet white, one RGB+CCT strip. All the protection and dimming quality of the bigger boards, in the smallest, most affordable package.
What channel layouts can I use?
Three common ones: 5× white, RGB + 2× white, or 1× RGB+CCT. You assign the channels in firmware, so it's a software choice you can revisit. More on tunable white: the CCT guide.
What CRI can it achieve?
CRI comes from the strip, not the controller — but the Mini is built to drive high-CRI analog and COB white strips, where CRI 95+ is common, at full quality. That's true-to-life white addressable strips can't match.
Flicker, dimming & video
Is the dimming as good as the bigger boards?
Yes. The Mini runs a full 12-bit (4096 steps) at about 20 kHz — a smooth, deep low end with no stepping, and completely flicker-free on camera.
How high can the frequency go?
~20 kHz is the recommended flicker-free default, and a faster clock mode pushes it higher still if you ever want extra headroom for a high-shutter camera — though you almost certainly won't need it.
Will the An-Penta-Mini band on my camera?
No, not at normal shutter speeds — ~20 kHz is far above what a sensor catches. If you ever do see banding, it's the camera's shutter set extremely high; lower it, or switch the Mini to a faster clock mode. Full explainer: why LEDs flicker on camera.
Power & safety
What's the power limit?
12–48V DC in, up to 10A total — 5A on each medium channel, 3A on each low-power channel. Match the supply to your strip's voltage.
Is the Mini fused, and how do I replace one?
Yes. The Mini has 2 fused positive feeds powering its 5 dimming outputs, so both positive feeds carry a replaceable fuse — a fault blows a cheap fuse instead of your wiring or strip. To swap one, open the case and replace the SMD fuse (or move to the spare socket): how to replace An-Penta-Mini fuses →
Can I leave it running all the time?
Absolutely — it's fused, ESD-protected and built into an aluminium case for exactly that. Install it and forget it. The full story: why per-output fusing matters.
Firmware & connectivity
ESPHome or WLED?
For Home Assistant and tunable white, ESPHome gives the cleanest entities over a local API. WLED is supported too (use v0.15-b3+ for the higher bit depth) and is lovely for effects and phone control. Both local, both account-free. Install or update WLED with QuinLED's web flasher at install.quinled.info.
Do I need Home Assistant?
No. With WLED the Mini runs fully standalone from your phone — no hub or server. With ESPHome it slots into Home Assistant locally. Either way it's local and account-free, and you can add Home Assistant later. Still deciding? ESPHome vs WLED for analog.
Does the QuinLED An-Penta-Mini have Ethernet?
No — it's Wi-Fi only, with an external antenna. Need wired Ethernet? That's the An-Penta-Plus. For a single zone, Wi-Fi is plenty.
Does it need the cloud?
No. It runs fully local on ESPHome or WLED — no account, no cloud, no lock-in.