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  • Author Author: zengirl2
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Creating the FLORAbrella Circuit

zengirl2

I've spent the last couple of days reading up on the Adafruit Neopixel RGB LED strips -- especially how to cut them apart and use them in combination.  The FLORA doesn't scare me as much as the strips LOL.  On the Adafruit forum, I've seen mixed responses on dealing with my set-up of sending multiple strips the same code.  One response is "fanning multiple strips from one pin is voodoo" and another is that "four strips should be able to run off one pin".  In my case I have eight strips  (which is a total of 5 meters of lights).  So, I'm not sure if I can do all eight off of one pin, or if I must divide them in half and use two pins.  Then my project becomes further complicated by the color sensor, and more importantly the switch.  I would like to use the tactile switch to cycle through the three lighting scenarios (2 are light patterns and the last is the color sensor).  Finally, the question of whether the largest Adafruit LiPol battery will be able to run the lights is yet another obstacle.  So, rather than attempt another one of my ink circuit scribbles, I decided to learn Fritzing.  If anyone is an electronics wiz, I would certainly love it if you could take a look at my attached Fritz file (photo below is just a preview).  You will notice that I have not even put the switch in yet, as I'm not even sure if the programming can handle it.  Thanks for any help and you know how it is when you start to lose sleep over complicated good ideas.

 

 

image

Attachments:
imageUmbrellaSketch_bb.pdf
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  • Hey, Shabaz,

     

    Thanks for your answer and diagram.  Your explanation helped to make it clearer, and in the meantime, I also posted on Adafruit's forum.  It looks like I will be going with something similar to my Fritz file to allow for the rainbow pattern.  I know Adafruit said that I would have to create an "Object 2" in the programming.  Once I get the strips and use their library, this will become clearer.  The good part is that I won't have to run the power and ground strip up and down like in my pic.  It seems like I can consolidate them at the top.  That is going to help the edge of my umbrella a lot.  Thanks again and I will continue to post updates.   I hope to order some of my parts today. image

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  • Hey, Shabaz,

     

    Thanks for your answer and diagram.  Your explanation helped to make it clearer, and in the meantime, I also posted on Adafruit's forum.  It looks like I will be going with something similar to my Fritz file to allow for the rainbow pattern.  I know Adafruit said that I would have to create an "Object 2" in the programming.  Once I get the strips and use their library, this will become clearer.  The good part is that I won't have to run the power and ground strip up and down like in my pic.  It seems like I can consolidate them at the top.  That is going to help the edge of my umbrella a lot.  Thanks again and I will continue to post updates.   I hope to order some of my parts today. image

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