This is a simple, low-cost and quick project that can get a high spouse acceptance factor.
Mirror
Remove the led strip from the aluminum profiles.
Cut the aluminum profiles and the covers to appropriate length. I used a hacksaw to cut profile+cover at the same time to ensure the got the same length.
Cut the led strips at one of the cut points using a side cutter.
Remove the old wires (they are too short to reach the box) and solder new wires.
Put the led strip back inside the aluminum profile. Note that there is a small grove at the back for the strip, this ensures that the strip is close to the profile to maximize cooling.
Glue the profiles to the mirror. I used slow-curing epoxy.
Electronics box
Drill holes in the project box for the switch (6mm) and the potentiometer (6mm should be enough but was too tight so I used 8mm).
Drill a 4mm hole for the wires to the led strips.
Upload the sketch to the Arduino
Connect the Arduino and the battery packs and put them inside the project box.
Fasten the project box using double-sided tape.
Big thanks to my wife for letting me use the action photo.
I didn't think the voltage drop would make enough of a difference to notice, but i guess it does. I might have to research and look for a more efficient Mosfet.
Thanks for the answers. For sure it is possible to buy an ATmega and even a full-featured debugger would be acceptable compared to the effort of porting. But still, I am very biased towards the PIC without logical or economical arguments.
I did not yet work with the mysensors libraries and only browsed quickly through the github repo. Maybe someone can give me a few hints to estimate the effort deeper than just claiming it as "much workload"?
What I see so far is:
make the C++ code compile (translate to C with clang/llvm and compile with the XC8 compiler)
create a new HAL (in hal/architecture) which seems not too much effort for making it initially working
Questions:
Do I see it right, that there is a linux-port available? -> I would expect much more effort to port from AVR to linux than to port it to a different MCU
What about the licensing? It looks like the code is GPLv2, but in the CLA it seem that contributors need to give away their rights on the contributions and that mysensors can even redistribute the code under another license - which seems completely against the principles of the GPL. Can someone explain that in more detail?
@Samuel235 said:
Just one of many ideas, the possibilties are endless. I'de always go for RGB leds over just white, allows for more customisation while able to still give you the same white as the white leds.
... unless, as in my use case, colors are not needed.
I'm too stingy to pay for the unused dry powder!
