Adalight LEDs not Working

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Benjam
 
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Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

Hi all,

Trying to set up the Adalight project and the LEDs are having no response whatsoever to the uploading of LEDstream into Arduino. I have checked and rechecked all of my wiring (for reference, I used a white wire rather a green to plug into 13 of the Arduino), in addition to the downloading, installing and drivers steps.

I can confirm that when I do upload to my Arduino that the RX, TX and the indicator light to the left of GRD all light up. Unfortunately, none of the LEDs in my string do.

I'm at a very frustrated loss as to why this is not working and would much appreciate any help to get this fixed.

Thank you in advance.
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adafruit_support_mike
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

Are you sure you've made your data connections to the input side of the pixels? The signal can only flow along the strip one way.

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Benjam
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

adafruit_support_mike wrote:Are you sure you've made your data connections to the input side of the pixels? The signal can only flow along the strip one way.
Yes, I am fairly certain that I made the connection to the input side. In the bottom-most picture, you can see the wires coming from the Arduino and going into the LED string through the side with the triangular "arms", as they're described in the tutorial. This is the correct method, no?

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SeiRruf
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by SeiRruf »

When you are running your processing sketch from the example (assuming you have your arduino's com port correctly configured in processing), does the arduino's RX LED rapidly flash?
If not, Either processing isn't doing it's job, or your arduino isn't listening (or something is configured incorrectly).

---

I just noticed something. The PCB within your pixels is white, no? It is hard to tell from your pictures. If so, you have a slightly older model (basically the exact same as the new one, just with a different PCB color, no big deal at all). If this is the case, the input side is the side without a chip. Look closely at your pixels, the back side of them should be labeled as "INPUT". If this is the case, you have yours plugged in on the wrong end, based from your picture.

If your PCB is green and I am just color blind, the side with the chip is the input side, in which you'd have your pixels wired correctly.

Referenced here. Please read this to get a better idea of what i'm trying to say. I hope this points you towards success!
https://learn.adafruit.com/12mm-led-pixels/wiring

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Benjam
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

SeiRruf wrote:When you are running your processing sketch from the example (assuming you have your arduino's com port correctly configured in processing), does the arduino's RX LED rapidly flash?
If not, Either processing isn't doing it's job, or your arduino isn't listening (or something is configured incorrectly).

---

I just noticed something. The PCB within your pixels is white, no? It is hard to tell from your pictures. If so, you have a slightly older model (basically the exact same as the new one, just with a different PCB color, no big deal at all). If this is the case, the input side is the side without a chip. Look closely at your pixels, the back side of them should be labeled as "INPUT". If this is the case, you have yours plugged in on the wrong end, based from your picture.

If your PCB is green and I am just color blind, the side with the chip is the input side, in which you'd have your pixels wired correctly.

Referenced here. Please read this to get a better idea of what i'm trying to say. I hope this points you towards success!
https://learn.adafruit.com/12mm-led-pixels/wiring
Yes, RX flashes when I hit Upload. I used a white breadboard jumper cable rather a green one, due to availability. The wire is still green on the LED string itself.

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Benjam
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

SeiRruf wrote:When you are running your processing sketch from the example (assuming you have your arduino's com port correctly configured in processing), does the arduino's RX LED rapidly flash?
If not, Either processing isn't doing it's job, or your arduino isn't listening (or something is configured incorrectly).

---

I just noticed something. The PCB within your pixels is white, no? It is hard to tell from your pictures. If so, you have a slightly older model (basically the exact same as the new one, just with a different PCB color, no big deal at all). If this is the case, the input side is the side without a chip. Look closely at your pixels, the back side of them should be labeled as "INPUT". If this is the case, you have yours plugged in on the wrong end, based from your picture.

If your PCB is green and I am just color blind, the side with the chip is the input side, in which you'd have your pixels wired correctly.

Referenced here. Please read this to get a better idea of what i'm trying to say. I hope this points you towards success!
https://learn.adafruit.com/12mm-led-pixels/wiring
Apologies, I misunderstood your green/white comment earlier. I have rechecked my LEDS, however, and there is no INPUT label. I appear to have the newest model of LEDs, further leading me to believe that I wired everything correctly :(

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pburgess
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by pburgess »

Rather than starting with the whole Adalight/LEDstream combo, simplify the problem by running just the strandtest sketch (part of the WS2801 library) on the Arduino. Configure the code for hardware SPI (no clock/data pins specified). If that's not working, try switching the wires in 11 & 13.

The manufacturer changes these LEDs -all the time-. If you could get a close up of both sides of the PCB, that'd help with troubleshooting. Also, look closely at the plastic BANNED...there may be a sort of embossed arrow on the side, showing the data direction.

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Benjam
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

pburgess wrote:Rather than starting with the whole Adalight/LEDstream combo, simplify the problem by running just the strandtest sketch (part of the WS2801 library) on the Arduino. Configure the code for hardware SPI (no clock/data pins specified). If that's not working, try switching the wires in 11 & 13.

The manufacturer changes these LEDs -all the time-. If you could get a close up of both sides of the PCB, that'd help with troubleshooting. Also, look closely at the plastic BANNED...there may be a sort of embossed arrow on the side, showing the data direction.
Sorry, this is my try at such project: how do I configure the strandtest code for hardware SPI?

I just noticed the embossed arrow on the LED and it's found on the black microchip side, which is the side inputting into the Arduino. This is correct, no?

I have included pictures but apologize for the poor quality. The forum won't let me post above 1M.
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Benjam
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

pburgess wrote:Rather than starting with the whole Adalight/LEDstream combo, simplify the problem by running just the strandtest sketch (part of the WS2801 library) on the Arduino. Configure the code for hardware SPI (no clock/data pins specified). If that's not working, try switching the wires in 11 & 13.

The manufacturer changes these LEDs -all the time-. If you could get a close up of both sides of the PCB, that'd help with troubleshooting. Also, look closely at the plastic BANNED...there may be a sort of embossed arrow on the side, showing the data direction.
Ok: I believe that I figured out how to configure the code for hardware SPI, by removing the clockpin and datapin expressions. Unfortunately, that produced no results within the LEDs (as always, the indicator lights on the Arduino go blinking). I then switched wires in 11 & 13 and ran the code again as configured for hardware SPI and, again, no results within the LEDs themselves :(

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Benjam
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

pburgess wrote:Rather than starting with the whole Adalight/LEDstream combo, simplify the problem by running just the strandtest sketch (part of the WS2801 library) on the Arduino. Configure the code for hardware SPI (no clock/data pins specified). If that's not working, try switching the wires in 11 & 13.

The manufacturer changes these LEDs -all the time-. If you could get a close up of both sides of the PCB, that'd help with troubleshooting. Also, look closely at the plastic BANNED...there may be a sort of embossed arrow on the side, showing the data direction.
In light of having tried the strand-test and double checked my wiring. Are there any further suggestions? Did the photos of the PCB indicate anything?

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Franklin97355
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Franklin97355 »

Could you indicate on your picture which wires you are using for input? On the green PCB lights it looks like it should be the ones on the top as you look at the chip. I have the white ones here so I can't be sure.

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darkwing_duc
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by darkwing_duc »

I am having the same problem with mine however i did accidentally plug a 9v 1A power supply into the led strip and was wondering if that could have fried them, even though some still light up for a brief moment when i plug the proper power supply to them.

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Benjam
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

franklin97355 wrote:Could you indicate on your picture which wires you are using for input? On the green PCB lights it looks like it should be the ones on the top as you look at the chip. I have the white ones here so I can't be sure.
I've circled the triangular arms to highlight the fact that I'm using the input end to connect into the Arduino, as per the tutorial. The red arrow shows that the wires are inputting into the Arduio from the LEDs from the black microchip side of the LEDs.

Apologies that it took me so long to reply! The help is very much appreciated! Many, many lost hours at this point and I'm desperate to get this to work :(
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Benjam
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by Benjam »

franklin97355 wrote:Could you indicate on your picture which wires you are using for input? On the green PCB lights it looks like it should be the ones on the top as you look at the chip. I have the white ones here so I can't be sure.
Ok: I have realized that my blue and red wires going into my power supply were not sufficiently stripped, but have now corrected for this. So, there is a supply of power going through the LED string now. Whenever I plug in the source, the lights flash quickly.

So I re-upload LEDStream to the Arduino and the LED closest to the Arduino briefly flashed blue. So, I tried the strandtest and the LED closest to the Arduino flashed through all of the colors, but none of the other LEDs did this. Most worryingly now, when I rerun LEDStream or the strandtest, the Arduino itself flashes, but the nothing happens at all anymore with the LEDS, not even the light closest to the Arduino :(

Thank you again for your continued support. This is quite distressing!

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darkwing_duc
 
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Re: Adalight LEDs not Working

Post by darkwing_duc »

Check your jumper wires I found that one of mine was bad . But even then I still can't get mine to work

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