Adafruit Flora V3 unresponsive with certain sketches

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Krixal
 
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Adafruit Flora V3 unresponsive with certain sketches

Post by Krixal »

My girlfriend is attempting to make a Neopixel belt using an Adafruit Flora V3 as the controller. A problem we've run into on multiple occasions is that certain sketches cause the microcontroller to freeze and become unresponsive. It can't be reset using the reset button, and it stops being recognized by my computer when plugged in via USB. Previously I was able to work around this by plugging in the microcontroller and uploading a blank sketch before the active sketch had a chance to break the Flora. The current sketch however breaks the Flora so quickly that I don't even have time to upload a blank sketch; the neopixel freezes in under two seconds, at which time the microcontroller becomes unresponsive and disappears from the device manager.

I'm guessing this is a power draw issue. Too many pixels with too high of brightness at one time is causing the microcontroller to malfunction somehow? This doesn't seem to happen with sketches that use low brightness values. However, once the problem occurs, there doesn't appear to be any way to fix it. As far as my computer is concerned, there's no board there, so I can't send it a reset command or any new sketches. The Flora itself is completely unresponsive almost immediately after being powered, so the physical reset button is useless. Is there anything I can do short of unsoldering the neopixel strip from the microcontroller?

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Adafruit Flora V3 unresponsive with certain sketches

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

Please post a photo showing your connections between the Flora and the strip.

Also please post the code that causes the problem.

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Krixal
 
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Re: Adafruit Flora V3 unresponsive with certain sketches

Post by Krixal »

Here is a picture showing the connections.

Image


The code that causes the problem also appears to break this forum (page stretching, etc.), so I've included it in a Google Document here, which can be commented on directly.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fsa ... sp=sharing

I've also uploaded it as an attachment to this post.

The first time this problem occurred was with the unmodified Adafruit Neopixel strand test. The uploaded code was partially created using this tool:

https://hohmbody.com/flickerstrip/lightwork/#
Attachments

[The extension ino has been deactivated and can no longer be displayed.]


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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Adafruit Flora V3 unresponsive with certain sketches

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

119 pixels is a lot of pixels to power from a USB port. A typical port is capable of supplying 500mA. 119 pixels are capable of pulling in excess ot 7A.

To avoid the problem you can do on or more of the following:
* reduce the number of pixels
* reduce the average intensity of the pixels
* power the strip separately via a battery or separate power supply.

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Krixal
 
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Re: Adafruit Flora V3 unresponsive with certain sketches

Post by Krixal »

I don't have a way to power the setup externally and still be able to connect the Flora to my PC. I can't modify the active sketch as described previously (I would just decrease the brightness if I could upload a new sketch).

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Re: Adafruit Flora V3 unresponsive with certain sketches

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

I don't have a way to power the setup externally and still be able to connect the Flora to my PC
It really has nothing to do with the connection to your PC. You would disconnect the +5v wire from the Flora and connect GND and +5v to your external supply. (Leave the existing GND connection for the pixels.
I can't modify the active sketch as described previously (I would just decrease the brightness if I could upload a new sketch).
You will probably need to disconnect the pixels to regain control of your Flora.

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