RGB LED strip

[maghac]

@mick No, I have a separate 12V cable and a transformer from a regular wall outlet.

[mick]

@maghac Thanks for the reply, mate. The light looks great mounted up - very impressed!

[maghac]

@mick said in RGB LED strip:

@maghac Thanks for the reply, mate. The light looks great mounted up - very impressed!

Thanks! The "relax" program is actually quite nice since it changes colours so slowly so it takes a while before you notice it. A great way to impress your dinner guests :)

[xypzo]

I dont know what went wrong, but RED is just always on. Yesterday in the breadboard it was ok. Today in the breadboard red was on. So i thought lets just solder it... Now I soldered it to a pcb, RED on all the time. This must be a ground issue, but where do i look?

It is even red when just all the connections are off, 12v to raw and strip, then connect ground to arduino, BOOM red comes on...

[maghac]

@xypzo Double check your connections, perhaps you're connecting to the wrong pin on the arduino? If you swap red and green, what happens then?

[xypzo]

@maghac said in RGB LED strip:

your connections, perhaps you're connecting to the wrong pin on the arduino

Then green keeps on, so it should be a pin 6 problem, but i can't find it. Maybe I try a 10kohm resistor between gate and ground... Or IRFZ instead of IRLZ transistors.

BTW, bought a LD362A ufo which works great with my controller, but i still want to win this battle!

[maghac]

@xypzo said in RGB LED strip:

@maghac said in RGB LED strip:

your connections, perhaps you're connecting to the wrong pin on the arduino

Then green keeps on, so it should be a pin 6 problem, but i can't find it. Maybe I try a 10kohm resistor between gate and ground... Or IRFZ instead of IRLZ transistors.

BTW, bought a LD362A ufo which works great with my controller, but i still want to win this battle!

You could try to use a different pin. Can't remember off the top of my head which pins are PWM capable though.

I've had a couple of cheap arduino clones where some of the pins were not correctly soldered.

[xypzo]

@maghac The stupid thing, is that the day before, same setup, no red lights stayed on. It happened overnight!!! Maybe the mice did it! :')

[maghac]

@xypzo Gremlins! :)

[xypzo]

what DID happen the day before, was that when i added more WHITE, at around 60% white the whole unit stopped responding to any inputs, it would just freeze in that color, until i removed the 12v power supply. Also strange! :)

[bgunnarb]

Hi!
I'm doing some further development based on the sketch by @maghac and @DrJeff above and I have found two potential bugs that could create some unexpected behaviour.
The first is that if you have #DEFINE RELAX_SPEED 50 in the sketch and then set fadespeed (V_VAR1) to anything greater than 650 or so, you will get an overflow when you call the function init_fade (t, r, g, b ) since t is defined as int in init_fade.
fadespeed can be set between 0 and 2000 in the sketch. So then the resulting fadespeed could be anything, even negative.

init_fade(fadespeed * RELAX_SPEED,
                program_param_RELAX[program_cycle][0],
                program_param_RELAX[program_cycle][1],
                program_param_RELAX[program_cycle][2]);

Also in this function there is a potential risk of a "divide by zero" crash since the input variable t is used as fade_step to divide in order to get the size of each step in the fade cycle.

void init_fade(int t, int r, int g, int b) {
  Serial.print( "Init fade" );
  light_mode = LIGHT_FADING;
  target_r = r;
  target_g = g;
  target_b = b;
  fade_step = t;
  delta_r = (target_r - current_r) / float(fade_step);
  delta_g = (target_g - current_g) / float(fade_step);
  delta_b = (target_b - current_b) / float(fade_step);
}

It might be that this function is never called with fadestep = t = 0 but since this is a value allowed in the input check of V_VAR1 nasty things may happen.
Part from this I am impressed by the sketch. Once I have debugged my own additions I will post the project here.

[maghac]

@bgunnarb Thanks. As program space is limited, I chose not to put too much effort in input data validation, instead relying on the controller to not submit incorrect values. Maybe a quick range check would not waste so many bytes though.

Right now I am however experiencing some strange behavior - I can turn the the lamp on and off and I can dim it, but I cannot change the color of the strip. Also, the RELAX program does not work but the ALARM program works fine. So there are some other bugs that need to be ironed out :)

[maghac]

@moskovskiy82 said in RGB LED strip:

And it worked. Except that fading/RELAX don't work out for me. Instead just get a flashing of white light. So i thought you might know some other parts must be adjusted as my arduino knowledge is not there yer

That's the alarm program you are seeing. Perhaps it doesn't decode the incoming messages properly - I'll have to take a second look at the code.

[moskovskiy82]

Thanks. Will await eagerly for v1.8 as it seems this is the only great RGB code left for mysensors

[micah]

@maghac Great project.

I've made something similar, Arduino Pro Mini 5v, 5m LED strip (non-addressable), nrf24L01+ and MOSTFETs

I know it took me awhile to find code examples, so I figured I would share my code incase it helps anyone else.

I use Domoticz as a controller. This code talks to:

• Switch - to control turning my color cycle fade effect on
• Dimmer - to control the speed of the color cycle fade effect
• RGB switch - to control having only a single color turned on and the brightness of the string.

Much of my code is standard stuff, using FastLED analogue, but I'm particularly proud of the brightness part, since I bashed my head against the keyboard several times trying to figure it out

//## INCLUDES ##
#define MY_DEBUG
#define MY_RADIO_NRF24
#define MY_NODE_ID 20

#include <MySensors.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include <FastLED.h>

#define cID_RGB_SELECTOR 0
#define cID_CYCLE_EFFECT 1
#define cID_CYCLE_EFFECT_SPEED 2

#define PIN_RED   5
#define PIN_GREEN 6
#define PIN_BLUE  3

//## VARIABLES ##
// MySensors
#define MySensors_SketchName      "RGB LED Strip"
#define MySensors_SketchVersion   "v0.3"
MyMessage MySensors_MSG_Last_Color(cID_RGB_SELECTOR,V_VAR1);
MyMessage MySensors_MSG_RGB_Selector(cID_RGB_SELECTOR, V_LIGHT);
MyMessage MySeonsors_MSG_CYCLE_EFFECT(cID_CYCLE_EFFECT, V_LIGHT);
MyMessage MySensors_MSG_CYCLE_EFFECT_SPEED(cID_CYCLE_EFFECT_SPEED, V_DIMMER);
bool MySensors_RequestACK = false;
// Single color
int Solid_RGB_Active=0;
char Solid_RGB_Color[] = "000000";
uint16_t Solid_RGB_Brightness = 0xFF;
// Cycle effect
int Cycle_Effect_Active=0;
unsigned long Cycle_Effect_pMillis = 0;
long Cycle_Effect_Speed = 20;
static uint8_t Cycle_Effect_Current_Hue;
// Supporting
bool Status_Change = false;
bool Print_Debug = false;

// ## Primary flow control
void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  while (!Serial) ;
  Serial.print("compiled: ");Serial.print(__DATE__);Serial.println(__TIME__);

  pinMode(PIN_RED,   OUTPUT);
  pinMode(PIN_GREEN, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(PIN_BLUE,  OUTPUT);

  Event_ColorTestBars();

  request(cID_RGB_SELECTOR, V_VAR1);
  request(cID_RGB_SELECTOR, V_LIGHT);
  request(cID_CYCLE_EFFECT, V_LIGHT);
  request(cID_CYCLE_EFFECT_SPEED, V_DIMMER);
}
void loop() {
  if (Cycle_Effect_Active == 1){
    unsigned long currentMillis = millis();
    Event_RunCycleEffect(currentMillis);
  } else if (Status_Change){
    Status_Change = false;
      #ifdef MY_DEBUG
        if (Print_Debug) {Serial.println("STATUS CHANGE");}
      #endif
    if (Solid_RGB_Active == 0){
      Event_SetLEDColors( CRGB::Black );
    }else if (Solid_RGB_Active == 1){
      CHSV colorHSV = rgb2hsv_approximate(str2CRGB(Solid_RGB_Color));
      Event_SetLEDColors(CHSV(colorHSV.h, colorHSV.s, Solid_RGB_Brightness));
    }
  }
}
// ## MySensors Methods
void presentation()  {
  sendSketchInfo(MySensors_SketchName, MySensors_SketchVersion);

  present(cID_RGB_SELECTOR, S_RGB_LIGHT, "RGB Color Selector", MySensors_RequestACK);
  present(cID_CYCLE_EFFECT, S_LIGHT, "RGB Cycle Effect", MySensors_RequestACK);
  present(cID_CYCLE_EFFECT_SPEED, S_DIMMER, "RGB Cycle Effect Speed", MySensors_RequestACK);
}
void receive(const MyMessage &message){
  #ifdef MY_DEBUG
    if (message.isAck()){
      Serial.println("Got ack from gateway");
    }
  #endif
  if (message.type == V_LIGHT){
    #ifdef MY_DEBUG
      if (Print_Debug) {Serial.println("message v_light");}
    #endif
    int current_Light_State = message.getString()[0] == '1';// Incoming on/off command sent from controller ("1" or "0")
    if (message.sensor==cID_CYCLE_EFFECT){// is Cycle Message
      if (current_Light_State==1){//turn cycle on
        Event_LightCycle(true, true, false);
        Event_SolidColor(false, false, true);
      } else {//turn cycle off
        Event_LightCycle(false, true, false);
        Event_SolidColor(false, false, true);
      }
    } else if (message.sensor==cID_RGB_SELECTOR){// is RGB Message
      if (current_Light_State==1){//turn RGB on
        Event_SolidColor(true, true, false);
        Event_LightCycle(false, false, true);
      } else {//turn RGB off
        Event_SolidColor(false, true, false);
        Event_LightCycle(false, false, true);
      }
    } else {
      #ifdef MY_DEBUG
        Serial.print("UNKNOWN Light - Message:");
        Serial.print(message.getString());
        Serial.print(" - Sensor:");
        Serial.println(message.sensor);
      #endif
    }
  } else if (message.type == V_RGB){
    #ifdef MY_DEBUG
      if (Print_Debug) {Serial.println("message v_rgb");}
    #endif
    String szMessage=message.getString();
    strcpy(Solid_RGB_Color, getValue(szMessage,'&',0).c_str());
    Solid_RGB_Active = 1;
  }else if (message.type == V_DIMMER) {// if DIMMER type, adjust brightness
    #ifdef MY_DEBUG
      if (Print_Debug) {Serial.println("message v_dimmer");}
    #endif
    if (message.sensor==cID_RGB_SELECTOR){// is single Message
      if (Solid_RGB_Active==1){//turn RGB on
        Event_SolidColor(true, true, false);
        Event_LightCycle(false, false, true);
      } else {//turn RGB off
        Event_SolidColor(false, true, false);
        Event_LightCycle(false, false, true);
      }
      Solid_RGB_Brightness = map(message.getLong(), 0, 100, 0, 255);
      CRGB colorRGB = str2CRGB(Solid_RGB_Color);
      CHSV colorHSV = rgb2hsv_approximate(colorRGB);
      colorHSV = CHSV(colorHSV.h, colorHSV.s, Solid_RGB_Brightness);
      Event_SetLEDColors(colorHSV);
      #ifdef MY_DEBUG
        if (Print_Debug) {
          Serial.print("colorHSV.h:");
          Serial.println(colorHSV.h);
          Serial.print("colorHSV.s:");
          Serial.println(colorHSV.s);
          Serial.print("colorHSV.v:");
          Serial.println(colorHSV.v);
        }
      #endif
      Event_SendLastColor();
    } else if (message.sensor==cID_CYCLE_EFFECT_SPEED){// is Speed dimmer Message
      Cycle_Effect_Speed = map(message.getLong(), 0, 100, 1, 202);
      #ifdef MY_DEBUG
        if (Print_Debug) {
          Serial.print("Cycle_Effect_Speed: ");
          Serial.println(Cycle_Effect_Speed);
        }
      #endif
    }
  }else if (message.type == V_STATUS) {           // if on/off type, toggle brightness
    #ifdef MY_DEBUG
      if (Print_Debug) {Serial.println("message v_status");}
    #endif
    Solid_RGB_Active = message.getInt();
    Cycle_Effect_Active = 0;
    if (Solid_RGB_Active == 0){
      if (Print_Debug) {Serial.println("Strip OFF");}
      Event_SetLEDColors( CRGB::Black );
    }else{
      if (Print_Debug) {Serial.println("Strip ON");}
      Event_SetLEDColors(strtol(Solid_RGB_Color, NULL, 16));
    }
    //Event_SendLastColor();
  }else if (message.type==V_VAR1) {            // color status
    String szMessage=message.getString();
    #ifdef MY_DEBUG
      if (Print_Debug) {
        Serial.println("message v_var1");
        Serial.println(szMessage);
      }
    #endif
    strcpy(Solid_RGB_Color, getValue(szMessage,'&',0).c_str());
    Solid_RGB_Active = 1;
    Cycle_Effect_Active = 0;
  }
  Status_Change = true;
}
// ## Events
void Event_LightCycle(bool t, bool s, bool u) {
  Cycle_Effect_Active = (t) ? 1 : 0;
  if (u){
    send(MySeonsors_MSG_CYCLE_EFFECT.set(Cycle_Effect_Active),MySensors_RequestACK);
  }
}
void Event_SolidColor(bool t, bool s, bool u) {
  Solid_RGB_Active = (t) ? 1 : 0;
  if (u){
    send(MySensors_MSG_RGB_Selector.set(Solid_RGB_Active),MySensors_RequestACK);
  }
}
void Event_SetLEDColors( const CRGB& rgb){
  analogWrite(PIN_RED,   rgb.r );
  analogWrite(PIN_GREEN, rgb.g );
  analogWrite(PIN_BLUE,  rgb.b );
}
void Event_SendLastColor(){
  String current_status=Solid_RGB_Color+String("&")+String(Solid_RGB_Brightness)+String("&")+String(Solid_RGB_Active);
  send(MySensors_MSG_Last_Color.set(current_status.c_str()),MySensors_RequestACK);
}
void Event_RunCycleEffect(unsigned long theMills){
  if (theMills - Cycle_Effect_pMillis >= Cycle_Effect_Speed){
    Cycle_Effect_pMillis = theMills;
    Cycle_Effect_Current_Hue = Cycle_Effect_Current_Hue + 1;
    Event_SetLEDColors( CHSV( Cycle_Effect_Current_Hue, 255, 255) );
  }
}
void Event_ColorTestBars(){// Event_ColorTestBars: flashes Red, then Green, then Blue, then Black. Helpful for diagnosing if you've mis-wired which is which.
  Event_SetLEDColors( CRGB::Red );   delay(500);
  Event_SetLEDColors( CRGB::Green ); delay(500);
  Event_SetLEDColors( CRGB::Blue );  delay(500);
  Event_SetLEDColors( CRGB::Black ); delay(500);
}
// ## Helper Functions
String getValue(String data, char separator, int index){
 int found = 0;
  int strIndex[] = {0, -1};
  int maxIndex = data.length()-1;
  for(int i=0; i<=maxIndex && found<=index; i++){
    if(data.charAt(i)==separator || i==maxIndex){
      found++;
      strIndex[0] = strIndex[1]+1;
      strIndex[1] = (i == maxIndex) ? i+1 : i;
    }
  }
  return found>index ? data.substring(strIndex[0], strIndex[1]) : "";
}
int x2i(char *s) {
  int x = 0;
  for(;;) {
    char c = *s;
    if (c >= '0' && c <= '9') {
      x *= 16;
      x += c - '0';
    }else if (c >= 'A' && c <= 'F') {
      x *= 16;
      x += (c - 'A') + 10;
    }else {
      break;
    }
    s++;
  }
  return x;
}
char* str2char(String command){
    if(command.length()!=0){
        char *p = const_cast<char*>(command.c_str());
        return p;
    }
}
CRGB str2CRGB(String s){
  String r = str2char(s.substring(0,2));
  String g = str2char(s.substring(2,4));
  String b = str2char(s.substring(4,6));
  uint8_t red = x2i(r.c_str());
  uint8_t green = x2i(g.c_str());
  uint8_t blue = x2i(b.c_str());
  #ifdef MY_DEBUG
    if (Print_Debug) {
      Serial.print("r:");
      Serial.println(r);
      Serial.print("g:");
      Serial.println(g);
      Serial.print("b:");
      Serial.println(b);
      Serial.print("red:");
      Serial.println(red);
      Serial.print("green:");
      Serial.println(green);
      Serial.print("blue:");
      Serial.println(blue);
    }
  #endif
  CRGB colorRGB = CRGB(red, green, blue);
  return colorRGB;
}

Hopefully this proves useful to someone :)

[micah]

Here is a photo of my actual device with the cover off

[maghac]

@moskovskiy82 I'll see if I'll have time to work on it this week, I'll post an update when I have something.

[Plantex]

@maghac

Hello
I need some help !

I've ordered few IRLZ44N Mosfets to play with Dimmable LED Actuator project.
Adafruit RGB LED stripe uses IRLB8721
Could You please tell me if I could use mentioned IRLZ instead of IRLB in case of described RGB project ?

Thank You in advance.

[bgunnarb]

@Plantex
In my opinion that should work just fine. The specs are fairly similar. I am using the IRLZ44N myself to drive a five meter long RGBW LED-strip and they do not get warm, even without a heat sink. Total current consumption at 24V is just above 2A when all LEDs are lit.
Schematics below:
0_1511539204888_LEDstrip_sch.pdf

[Tinnyt]

Geat Work