Need help designing a load selector!

[rdl]

The RGB LEDs im using are like regular LEDs, these just have integrated circuitry that drives the colour changing effect with the internal diodes. It has the same anode and cathode as regular LEDs.

I think this is the problem. You need a standard RGB LED that has individual leads for each color and one common.

[WyverntekGameRepairs]

The RGB LEDs im using are like regular LEDs, these just have integrated circuitry that drives the colour changing effect with the internal diodes. It has the same anode and cathode as regular LEDs.

I think this is the problem. You need a standard RGB LED that has individual leads for each color and one common.

Bad idea. I don’t have the circuitry to drive a standard RGB LED in such a way that it fades from colour to colour softly. I could use capacitors and a logic array to drive the register, but that would take more power. I’m trying to keep this as low power as possible.

Another option to drive the LEDs is the  ULN2003B  darlington transistor array.

That could definitely work! I do happen to have a couple laying around.

[rdl]

Bad idea. I don’t have the circuitry to drive a standard RGB LED in such a way that it fades from colour to colour softly. I could use capacitors and a logic array to drive the register, but that would take more power. I’m trying to keep this as low power as possible.

It's not an "idea".

I sounds as if your LEDs are "attention grabber" type with only two leads, a power and ground connection (anode/cathode), which go through a preset color-changing/fading/blinking/whatever sequence when power is applied. If that is the case, you will never be able to do what you want. The only control you have over what they do is turning them on and off.

[MarkF]

Pretty lights:   https://youtu.be/X4d-Nk955JE?t=887

The only control you have over what they do is turning them on and off.

Turning them On and Off is ALL he wants to do.

[rdl]

No.
He said "Here is the sequence I am going for:  Red, Green, Blue, RGB, Off."

If the LEDs he has are what I think, that can't be done. However, some clarification as to what he is actually using would help.

The RGB LEDs im using are like regular LEDs, these just have integrated circuitry that drives the colour changing effect with the internal diodes. It has the same anode and cathode as regular LEDs.

Something similar to this is what it sounds like he has.

[MarkF]

No.
He said "Here is the sequence I am going for:  Red, Green, Blue, RGB, Off."

If the LEDs he has are what I think, that can't be done. However, some clarification as to what he is actually using would help.

Yes.
"Here is the sequence I am going for: "  Only when he pushes the button!
There are three jellybean LEDs (red, green and blue) and one color fading RGB LED.
The sequence is to switch to a different LED.  Not to change the LED's color.

The RGB LEDs im using are like regular LEDs, these just have integrated circuitry that drives the colour changing effect with the internal diodes. It has the same anode and cathode as regular LEDs.

He only has one of these.  What he is calling the RGB LED.
Again, the other three LEDs are standard red, green and blue ones.

[rdl]

Ah, okay. I think the lack of any kind of diagram or schematic in the first post threw me off. I never saw anything but RGB mentioned. Too bad he has no 4017 in stock, would be basically a one chip solution.

[WyverntekGameRepairs]

Ran into an issue as well that I have fixed. Noise was getting bad on the clock input, causing erroneous signal to the chip, even if I just put my hand close to the floating lead connected to the pin. I coupled the pin to ground using a 6.3v, 10uF tantalum capacitor, and a discharge resistor connected to ground. The positive of the capacitor is connected to the pin and resistor, while the negative is grounded. Simple ESI filter.

Turns out I don’t have the Darlington arrays like I thought, but instead just some LM3046N transistor arrays. Those could have leakage and isolation issues so I’m doubting their use. So for now I’m using simple emitter-biased 2n2222A NPN transistors to drive the LEDs.

Yes.
"Here is the sequence I am going for: "  Only when he pushes the button!
There are three jellybean LEDs (red, green and blue) and one color fading RGB LED.
The sequence is to switch to a different LED.  Not to change the LED's color.

The RGB LEDs im using are like regular LEDs, these just have integrated circuitry that drives the colour changing effect with the internal diodes. It has the same anode and cathode as regular LEDs.

He only has one of these.  What he is calling the RGB LED.
Again, the other three LEDs are standard red, green and blue ones.

I have decided to use standard 4-pin common cathode RGB LEDs for this project because they take less space than three standard LEDs. However, for the colour changing RGB LED, I have to use a separate LED with integrated circuitry. In the prototype, I’m using four separate LEDs representing each colour for now just as placeholders. When it comes down to the actual PCB assembly, I will be using the more compact convex RGB LEDs.
Clarifying: The FINAL PRODUCT will have a few pairs of LEDs: Each pair has one STANDARD RGB LED, and one COLOUR CHANGING RGB LED. When I press a button, it will turn on or off certain LEDs in a sequence. That sequence is red, green, blue, colour changing RGB, and off.
The reason I don’t just make a circuit to make the standard RGB LED change colours is because that takes more power. If I didn’t have any power constraints, I would omit the integrated colour-changing LED and just use the one standard RGB LED and just build a circuit to make it change colours when the RGB setting is on.

[WyverntekGameRepairs]

UPDATE:

Here’s what I’ve come up with.

Logic:
U102 is acting as a NOT gate by pulling one input HIGH. If any output attached to the gate is HIGH, the output of U102 is LOW. The output of U102 goes into U103, which is connected to Q6 on U101. This AND gate provides redundancy. If U102 senses that all other outputs are LOW, U103 tests that Q6 is HIGH, indicating that the sequence is ready to be restarted. The output of U103 is fed into Q105’s base, which turns the transistor on and pulls DATA HIGH. As soon as the bits shift and Q1 activates, the gate logic sends a LOW signal to the transistor and turns off, pulling DATA to LOW.

Protection:
To protect against ESI (electrostatic interference), I have included a network of capacitors and Parallel RC circuits to smooth out the data inputs and outputs. C101 is a secondary filter capacitor to filter any remaining ripples from the power supply. C102-108 are coupling capacitors, coupling data outputs to ground. This reduces any small external voltages that occur in the environment (I.e. emi, ESI, parasitic capacitances, data line interference, RFI... etc). D101-105 are used to prevent unintended cross-line feedback. C109 is a snubber that absorbs initial current spikes that occur in the push button. C112 and C113 are also coupling capacitors to prevent erroneous voltages on the outputs of the logic gates. R109 & C110 and R110 & C111 are parallel RC ESI filters to smooth out any erroneous voltage from the inputs. The resistors also double as pull-down resistors to pull the pins LOW.