Maker Prop Lightsaber NEOPIXLE issue

EL Wire/Tape/Panels, LEDs, pixels and strips, LCDs and TFTs, etc products from Adafruit

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
Locked
User avatar
KingRodder85
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2021 10:18 pm

Maker Prop Lightsaber NEOPIXLE issue

Post by KingRodder85 »

I am having issues with the Prop Maker lightsaber build. I have ordered all components directly from the parts list. I have soldered all connections and checked the wiring multiple times. I am still running into issues with the NEOPIXLES flickering, being random colors, and having some dead spots at times.
When the Feather M4 is connected to computer via USP cable, the LED strip is correct color per the code and plenty bright. When I disconnect from the computer and run directly off the 3.7V 4400mah battery, the lights are dimmer and not consistent with color. LED stip is cut down to around 30” long. Any ideas as to what is the problem?
LED.JPG
LED.JPG (30.94 KiB) Viewed 151 times

User avatar
dastels
 
Posts: 15662
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 3:22 pm

Re: Maker Prop Lightsaber NEOPIXLE issue

Post by dastels »

The only real difference is that when USB is connected, the NeoPixels are powered directly from the 5v on that and when only the battery is connected, they're powered directly from the battery. Is your battery fully charged? Too low of a supply voltage to the NeoPixel may cause odd behavior.

Does sound and the button LED work when powered by battery? They are powered the same way as the neopixels are. If there's a problem in the power management circuitry it may cause problems there as well.

Dave

User avatar
KingRodder85
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2021 10:18 pm

Re: Maker Prop Lightsaber NEOPIXLE issue

Post by KingRodder85 »

Speaker works fine and LED on pushbutton works as well. Tested battery & it is giving off correct voltage. I may try charging battery again with different charger to see if that fixes it. Code has color set at (0 , 0, 197), anything higher and it would not be blue. Pixels is set at 109.

Also randomly getting error with code line 57 that relates to I2C. When the accelerometer is shaken, the sound works, but there is no flash to white like the code is written.

User avatar
dastels
 
Posts: 15662
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 3:22 pm

Re: Maker Prop Lightsaber NEOPIXLE issue

Post by dastels »

What error? What gets output in the REPL?

Dave

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “Glowy things (LCD, LED, TFT, EL) purchased at Adafruit”