battery pack power vs. usb power
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- Viedo407
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:37 pm
battery pack power vs. usb power
Im having issues trying to run 73 neopixels with my battery pack (3 x D) when I plug my teensy 3.0 into my computer I get the strandtest to work with zero issues animations and all. But when I plug in my battery pack the pixels only light up white with no animations and aren't very bright at all. I checked my wiring for my battery pack but still cant figure it out. Any ideas would be great. My deadline is fast approaching and im getting a little nervous.
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88096
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
[Moved from Test Messages to Glowy Things]
Please post photos showing how you have it wired.
Please post photos showing how you have it wired.
- Viedo407
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:37 pm
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
Absolutely, I will do it a.s.a.p. sorry for the late reply. Work is getting in the way of my pixel journey.
- adafruit_support_bill
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- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
Are you connecting direct from the Teensy, or via a level converter? https://www.adafruit.com/products/1787
The Neopixels like to see a control signal pretty close to the supply voltage. I suspect that your battery pack voltage may be just a bit higher than your USB voltage.
The Neopixels like to see a control signal pretty close to the supply voltage. I suspect that your battery pack voltage may be just a bit higher than your USB voltage.
- Viedo407
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:37 pm
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
Here is how I have my battery set up to the teensy. Two wires from each battery pack (+ & -) split into the ground and 5v directly with a with pin1 going to the 73 leds. I dont have anything else connected.
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- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88096
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
Measure the voltage between the GND and +5v pads at the start of the strip with the battery pack and when powered via USB.
- Viedo407
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:37 pm
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
I get 4.21 dc volts peak on the battery
and 4.78 peak on the usb power
and 4.78 peak on the usb power
- Viedo407
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:37 pm
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
But as the animation plays it goes up and down
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88096
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
Since animation doesn't work with the battery pack, does that apply to the USB power only? What is the approximate range of voltage fluctuation?But as the animation plays it goes up and down
in your diagram, you show power and GND going directly to the Teensy, then from there on to the strip. Generally, it is better to run power to the strip directly and branch from that back to the Teensy. Since the leds are a substantial load, you do not want to have a voltage drop on the ground wire between the Teensy and the strip.
- Viedo407
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:37 pm
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
For the usb the flux ranges between 3.98-4.78
While the dc remains constant at 4.21
While the dc remains constant at 4.21
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88096
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
I'd try wiring the power to the strip first. If that doesn't help, a level shifter may be the solution. This is the one recommended by the manufacturer of the Teensy: https://www.adafruit.com/products/1787
- Viedo407
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 11:37 pm
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
I got the lights to work on the battery pack. I just removed my power and ground and moved it to the END of the strip instead of splitting it between the teensy and the beginning of the pixel strip. Good call!!!! Thank you very much for taking the time to help. Im sure ill be back soon with more questions. Just out of curiosity what language am I programming in? (Reverse engineered "strandtest") lol
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88096
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: battery pack power vs. usb power
The "Arduino Language" is a derivative of C++. The Arduino pre-processor that goes through your code and automatically generates the header files, so it is a little less verbose than raw C++.language am I programming in?
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.